ANGEL A with RAHAAN, KARIZMA - True To Myself - LDF - LDF 001

New label LDF clearly understands the need to make a big first impression, because this soul-flecked single from Angel-A and producer Rahaan - one of Chicago's true underground heroes - is a very impressive debut. Rahaan's A-side "Original Mix" is rhythmically tough and crunchy - think weighty drum machine kicks and snares - but also warm and woozy, with Angel-A's superb vocal rising above rich electric piano chords and jazzy synthesizer flourishes. Over on side B Karizma takes over, offering up a "Kaytronik Truth Dub" that wraps hypnotic, mangled electric piano notes, analog bass, and tech-tinged flourishes around a wonderfully locked-in but percussively lively rhythm track. It's very different from the original but exceptionally deep and floor-friendly.