Bleep

The world of electronic music lost a true great in 2014 in the shape of DJ Rashad, the Chicago-based footwork pioneer who died at the tragically young of 34. Following his passing, Teklife – the globe-spanning crew of footwork producers, DJs, and dancers formed by DJ Rashad and DJ Spinn – teamed up with Hyperdub (who released Rashad’s essential album Double Cup in 2013) for an expansive compilation dedicated to his memory. Where Planet Mu’s seminal Bangs & Works compilations introduced the world to the footwork sound in 2010 and 2011, Next Life looks to footwork’s future, demonstrating just how far the sound has developed since then. The 20-track collection draws together friends and contemporaries from across the globe: though heavily focused on local allies and collaborators like DJ Spinn, Taso, DJ Earl, Boylan, and DJ Taye, it also spans continents to take in Berlin-based, North Carolina-raised artist DJ Paypal and Serbian producers Feloneezy and Jackie Dagger. All proceeds go to a fund for DJ Rashad’s son, Chad.