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In certain dance music circles, UK label Hyperdub is seen as one of the most influential outlets of the last decade. Once central to the early days of dubstep and grime, it’s now just as well known for spreading the sound of Chicago footwork and providing a home for off-kilter soul. Those latter R&B influences are the focus of Hyperdub 10.2, the second of four planned compilations celebrating the label’s 10th anniversary.
For a label on the experimental side of the dance floor, it’s sometimes surprising how overtly poppy many of these songs are. Then again, even mainstream R&B can get pretty weird, so maybe that’s not so strange. Burial and the late DJ Rashad’s contributions are predictably strong, and Jessy Lanza’s two appearances stand out for successfully combining traditional songcraft with forward-thinking sonic exploration. Ikonika and Dam-Funk’s 80s boogie jam I Know (That U Are The 1) is just ridiculously fun.
Top track: You And Me by Jessy Lanza
