Listening to Next Level, the second album by Underground Quality don, Jus-Ed, it’s clear he’s not trying to rewrite the rules of house music. Although some of its contents feel like odes to golden eras in American house music, it never seems Ed is beholden to that rule book, either. Instead he’s synthesized the different house music varieties that have influenced him into his own distinct strain, avoiding the paint-by-numbers pastiche style so many classically inclined producers are content with. His work is also bereft of the studio gloss that so often renders contemporary house tracks anonymous and homogenous; each hand worked element stands apart from hordes of presets and dull loops. So while Next Level doesn’t feels like a revelation, its roughly hewn sound is gripping enough to carry listeners throughout its 10 tracks.
Listeners are greeted with Ed’s eccentric style from the beginning when his own unschooled vocals arrive atop the tight, bouncy melodies of “I’m Coming.” His full verses make the otherwise accessible track surprisingly contentious, dividing the audience into those who dig the fearless charm of his performance and those who wish it was much more subtle. “20 Below” channels the gurgling progressions of early acid house through weepy pads and banged out chords in a way that reads like bitterness. The more hopeful “Strings From The Hood” staggers its synth strings over warm, colorful pads like a sunrise peaking through a skyline of urban decay. Ed updates old school house patterns with dashing textures so that they share the spotlight with the melange of airy pads and crisp bass notes, giving the tune as much opportunity in the bedroom as the club.
Surroundings seem to play an important part in shaping the results of Ed’s sessions, as a house full of his kids’ friends lent a rambunctious air to “Play Date” while a phone conversation with his friend Levon Vincent spurred the hardened, distorted edge of “Listening In.” “Play Date” and the unexpectedly lush “SHIT” share another sonic reference — the marbled purple vinyl known only as The Freeze/The Melt Down — which LWE first attributed to Mr. Vincent. Both are laden with the same elements that made the mysterious slab so unique sounding, although they’re all put to better use in their original settings. “SHIT” especially is sure to win fans with its blend of tough, syncopated percussion and ethereal, melodic builds that fill every crevice. Ed shows off his mastery of dance music rhythms on the album’s latter half, first with the squelchy hip-hop beat of “Matrix” (which can seem a bit silly if taken too seriously) and best on parting shot, “Dub Project 3,” whose panned tom hits and splattering claps give the feel of a dubstep tune with a house music engine at its core. Although his top flight turntable chops make clear why Jus-ED is better known as a DJ than a producer, the consistently engaging ideas and execution on Next Level assure listeners that he can sit at the mixing desk with the best of them.
