“This is The Rub’s first ever release of original music, with vocals from Natalie Storm, Misun, Tatiana Owens and Bigg Base. It’s super varied, from 70 BPM deep 808 vibes all the way up to 130 BPM dancehall / bass music, some soul and some rap and some pop. Kind of like a Rub party! The EP is exclusively on iTunes this week, then it will be in full release Wednesday June 19th, both for free on The Rub website and for sale on all digital outlets.
With their self-titled EP, The Rub, the duo behind the monthly party that the Village Voice deemed NYC’s best, release four new songs that, in the spirit of the party, bring the heat across genre. Although their It’s the Motherfuckin’ Remix mixtape series received praise in outlets like Spin, Pitchfork, and MTV, The Rub EP is the group’s first release of original music.
Where opener “Feel You” places D.C. singer Misun over an electronic soul track worthy of Portishead, “Dutty Gal” (featuring Natalie Storm) increases the BPMs and lowers the bass, delivering a peak hour electro-dancehall rattler in the vein of DJ Zinc and Major Lazer. “Black & White,” meanwhile, is a radio-ready NYC rap track with hard verses from Bronx newcomer Bigg Base and a big hook from Tatiana Owens, and instrumental closer “At Night” offers uneasy late night ambience with deep bass and rolling 808s that recall the work of producers like SBTRKT and Ryan Hemsworth.
In the coming weeks expect a Fader mix, a remix EP (mid July), and more sweaty nights at The Rub, where DJs Ayres and Eleven will keep you dancing early into the morning (every last Saturday at the Bell House).”
