Julion De'Angelo / Thomas Xu 'Roots That Talk'

Theo Parrish grips two yung Detroit producers, Julion De’Angelo and Thomas Xu, for a superbly refreshing blend of traditions, old and new, with Roots That Talk for Sound Signature. Track for track they give up some of the baddest gear on SS in a minute, with De’Angelo’s Chase The Summer pivoting around a killer, angular Afro-drum cadence, electro-stab punctuation and virulent synthlines, and then playing out the perfectly hazy, dusky ghetto ride of Pocketfull’s Omar-S style steez. Thomas Xu keeps up his end of the bargain, too; getting down with balafon-like percussions and thumb piano chimes in Alottochewon before a rudely fulminating synth wickedly upsets the rhythm - this will sound mental in the club! - whereas his Acceptance groove meditates on more charming vibes redolent of Africans With Mainframes at their more laid-back angles.