The emergence of footwork and juke is giving a new generation of producers a different sonic palette to play with, much like Baltimore club has for the past decade. Chicago can no longer contain the hypnotic, staccato sounds of juke, and it’s infiltrating dance music worldwide.
Cedaa, a twenty-year-old producer from Washington state, fuses juke to the seductive hybrid of funky-house-bass made by the Night Slugs crew (think Girl Unit). His tunes mix the frenetic, unpredictable energy of juke with the syrupy melody of the London scene.
Cedaa’s Old Growth EP is straight-forward juke, with it’s paranoia-inducing loops and samples; “Escalade” is a standout. His first single, “Tiffany,” features Miami bass shout-outs, while the B-side “Simba” cascades melody over a two-step beat.
Like other emerging producers his age (ahem, James Blake), Cedaa’s fondness for turn-of-the-century R&B shows. He flipped Justin Timberlake’s “Cry Me A River” into a white label called “Justine,” which makes an appearance in Girl Unit’s XL8R mix. Similarly, his remix of “Are You That Somebody” updates the Aaliyah-Timbaland classic into a pulsing, grooving dance track.
Cedaa is prepping an EP for French label B.YRSLF division, along with working on a collaboration with Brenmar called Amber. Grab a free track from his collaboration with Barrius, and keep an eye on this young producer.