Traxman (real name Cornelius Ferguson) has followed up February’s Footwork Fusion and House Style Trackz Vol 1 with an album focused the ghetto house side of his repertoire. TRAXMAN The Return of Ghetto House Trackz arrived in digital format on March 27th.
The effort consists of 15 stripped-down cuts. Songs such as “WORK DAAAT,” “NO ONE!!!!!!” and “HOW TO PLAY OUR MUZIC 2021” pair nostalgic sound design with punchy vocal samples, whereas “FREAKKEY,” “DO THE FILA 1986” and “WHIPTRUN” are purely instrumental. By and large, each entry of the tracklist would make for a deadly weapon in the hands of a formidable turntablist.
Who is Traxman?
Although a forerunner of Chicago scenes like ghetto house, juke and footwork, Ferguson is equally capable as an open format DJ and controllerist. Having disc jockeyed since before the emergence of house music in the early ’80s, he debuted on Jesse Saunders‘ Dance Mania record label with 1996’s Westside Boogie Traxs – Vol 1.
Over the past decade, U.K. label Planet Mu has exposed Ferguson’s music to new audiences by giving a home to his Da Mind Of Traxman album series. In recent years he has also put out music via Teklife, Tekk DJz and Geto DJ’s Inc, not to mention a growing number of self-releases.
On April 10th and 11th, Ferguson will join fellow footwork and juke figureheads DJ Clent and RP Boo to deliver Zoom masterclasses on the styles. Chicago Footworkology, as its called, costs $50 for both days or $20 for a “drop in.”
TRAXMAN The Return of Ghetto House Trackz is available for purchase in digital format via Traxman Bandcamp.
