Ta-ku (Regan Matthews) is an extremely promising up and coming electronic music producer. Receiving an invite to the prestigious Red Bull Academy four years ago, it's quite evident that we can conclude Ta-ku is no-pushover or bedroom producer wannabe. He has evolved from his early sound pioneering into one of the producers on the forefront of progressive beat production. It's pretty difficult to place one finger on one genre to describe his style. His sound reaches to the many corners of music and influences, resulting in unheard of styles and approaches in the beatsmithing world. Ta-ku is always pushing and exploring the boundaries of beats and compositions in electronic music. One reoccurring aspect that I noticed in his tracks is that he tends to pull from hip-hop and rap roots more often than not. His latest path leads us to his latest EP, Re-Twerk.
After his completion of his ambitious two-part album, 50 Days for Dilla, I was genuinely excited to see what direction he decides to take. I had no idea if Re-Twerk was already in progress at the same time, but all I knew was that his next release would sound drastically different than 50 Days for Dilla. More specifically, he would reside in his own, unique comfort zone. So what how does Re-Twerk stack up against 50 Days for Dilla? Well today is your lucky day. Ta-ku has graciously given us at EARMILK a few days worth head-start prior to the actual release date on August 29. So put on your bib and loosen your jeans. This one is going to be heavy.
Ta-ku takes on a radically different journey compared to 50 Days for Dilla, and for a good reason. While the suave and groovy beats are nice and all, that isn't what Ta-ku is all about. Re-Twerk is a return to his natural habitat. In this EP, we ride shotty through tracks that focus more on looping, sampling, and effects with experimentation in bass, trap, and two-step. The tracks are slightly more chaotic, coupled with hip-hop and rap vocals looped throughout the tunes. But that's OK, because he has a knack for producing highly enjoyable tunes with great replay value. "Clik Clak" is a wonderful track that best represents Ta-ku's ongoing pursuit of progressive beat producing.
Ta-ku is also no stranger to the world of re-mixing. He has an impressive history of successful remixes, and have been churning them out without hesitation. There are four remixes in Re-Twerk, and all of them are fantastic. One that I'm particularly keen of is Ta-ku's remix of Snakadaktal's wildly popular "Dance Bear". I was drawn to this specific remix because I coincidentally wrote about the original "Dance Bear" not too long ago. And I must say, he took the essence of the track and completely revamped it. Giving the already energetic song more punch, Ta-ku successfully fused his unique style into the track. Be sure to snag this gem while you still can.
Re-Twerk as I soon discovered is petty much all over the place, but in a good way. It's the Ta-ku I know and love, keeping us on our toes with the pleasant and the unusual. Littered throughout the EP, you'll stumble across tunes that are lighter in nature, and others that feel like a freight train hitting you in the face. A good electronic producer will showcase his ability to change up his game and technique instead of staying with one style all the time. Re-Twerk may seem like an eclectic collection of tracks, but in reality, it makes the EP more cohesive as a whole. Below are some tracks that affirm my previous statement.
Ever since his announcement of Re-Twerk, I have been itching to listen to it. Though I am more of a fan of his 50 Days for Dilla style, I am not disappointed in the least after my first listen. Ta-ku is one of those few truly dynamic producers, who established his own solid audio persona even though his game changes frequently. But deep beneath the progressive and experimental structures of his beats lies a sturdy foundation of influences and styles culminated into one: Ta-ku. I can say with confidence that he is a producer that will not fall off my radar any time soon. Even though Re-Twerk isn't even officially out yet, I am already craving for more. No matter what your music preference is, you'll inevitably will take a liking to Ta-ku. Embark on a wonderful journey by streaming the rest of his EP below, and be sure to check out his official website August 29 to support this promising, talented producer.
