Detroit has a long, rich history of electronic music. Electro gave birth to techno, and from there, all manner of styles flourished.
Many people are aware of this. They may also be aware that Detroit’s music, much like the city, tends to be gritty rather than delicate. High tempo styles such as ghetto tech exemplify this robust approach to music, related to Chicago styles such as footwork and juke.
But many producers have found ways to weave beauty into their bangin’ productions!
And Mr De’ is a master at this.
With the rather difficult to spell ‘Whonleeone’, he achieves this with a sample of Floetry’s “Say Yes” (2002), guaranteed to add smoky smooth vibes into any track!
The smudgy piano chords lay down the body of the song. The vocals are fairly indistinct but still bursting with soul. Although the lightning quick hi-hats reveal the speed of the track, the bass and kick are fairly restrained. Space is the key here. Everything has room to breathe.
This one was released in 2003 on Electrofunk records.