Dubai may not be the first place that pops up in anyone’s mind regarding Hip-Hop and trap music, however Tunisian producer AELI delivered one of the most culturally relevant beat albums of the past few years with his 2016 release Late Future Calls. Fusing bass-shaking, head-nodding production with more traditional sounds of the Middle Eastern region, the LP was a beautiful marriage of the past and present, crossing all boundaries and borders. Whilst the idea of remixing tracks that in itself don’t need reworking, AELI has recruited a few heavyweight acts to have a go at delivering their interpretations of a few cuts from the LP.
UK producer Deft takes a stab at remixing the AELI track ‘Palimpsest’, manipulating bass frequencies and transforming the original into a sinister, nightly excursion. Adding a percussive bounce, the haunting composition is structured with change-ups throughout, making it a journey of a listen. Los Angeles mainstay Daedeuls provides an apocalyptic feel to ‘Guasba Lik’, as hyper-speed racing drums meet head on with off-range, tropical synths. Dubai-based Kobra has a go at ‘Palimpsest’ delivering an old school grime feel, dark and eerie, that sparks a reminiscent feel of Dizzee Rascal’s classic track ‘I Luv U’. Amsterdam-based team Know V.A travel deep into the underground abyss of doom-shaking beats, creating a soundtrack for all things menacing while Dubai’s Nasrawi rounds out the package with his reworking of ‘Guasba Lik’. Filtered vocal samples sit submerged underneath off-beat drum patterns and fizzing synth layers as traditional Hip-Hop programming creep in throughout the duration.
Late Future Calls Remixed is definitely not geared towards the lighter end of the beat spectrum. It’s an intense record that will satisfy those who love heavily dark production, raw and gritty. In relation to the original LP, this would be it’s bullying sibling handing out critical beat downs at the locker. Although the contrast between the two are evident, they are still family tied.
Late Future Calls Remixed is out July 6 via 264 Records.