Crate Digging is a monthly roundup of top-tier tunes you might have missed from across the electronic music spectrum. From obscurities uncovered during trips down Bandcamp rabbit holes to the latest releases from legendary artists, Crate Digging is here to keep your collection up to date.

1. The Black Dog – Let’s All Make Brutalism [Dust Science]

Sheffield trio The Black Dog channel the energy of the early bleep techno movement on “Let’s All Make Brutalism,” but they divert it into moodier, more introspective territory. Stripped-down beats, drawn-out acid squiggles, and dusty atmospherics conjure images of the city’s history as a steel manufacturing giant.

2. Sagat – The Other Left [Vlek Records]

Prepare for sonically dense, mutated techno-meets-bass-music that balances odd time signatures and gnarly sound design with thunderous, propulsive low end and grainy, corroded drums. “The Other Left” rewards careful listeners while also having enough oomph to move those who just want to dance.

3. apaull – Depths (John Selway Light Of Grey Remix) [Furnace Room Records]

Legendary New York producer John Selway turns in a dark and menacing electro rework of apaull‘s “Depths.” Razor-sharp beats cut through layers of twisted synths, grinding bass, and robotic vocals.

4. Lemna – N19 [KHIDI Digital]

Lemna helps Georgian club KHIDI launch their record label with “N19.” It’s a gritty, experimental trip that perfectly aligns with the label’s mission statement: Blending dance floor-ready techno with avant-garde explorations of sound.

5. Greenleaf – Todash [Pinecone Moonshine]

Lush, atmospheric drumfunk that incorporates Greenleaf‘s New Orleans heritage, giving the drums a jazz inflection thanks to meticulously programmed breaks that mix samples from multiple drum kits. “Todash” adds in heady, futuristic synths to create a sci-fi aesthetic that offsets the natural feel of the drums, creating a unique combination of organic and synthetic.

6. Abstract Division – Perception is Reality (DJ Nobu Remix) [Dynamic Reflection]

Following the success of 2022’s Midnight Ensemble, Abstract Division return with a selection of reinterpretations from their compatriots. DJ Nobu takes on “Perception is Reality,” creating a driving, percussive groove that centers around an ever-evolving metallic sequence and delayed stabs ping-ponging across the stereo space.

7. Jensen Interceptor – The Fontainebleau (DJ Godfather Remix) [Monotone]

Jensen Interceptor‘s “The Fontainebleau” gets a freaky electro-funk remix from DJ Godfather, which honors the original’s Miami Bass influence while injecting it with the kind of snappy drums, bouncy bass, and wonky synths for which he’s known.

8. Stroef – Toxic Waste Dump [Boomstraat 1818]

Dutch producer Stroef digs into the archives for some previously unreleased material, unearthing “Toxic Waste Dump” in all its funky, melodic glory. This classy, Detroit-influenced techno jam balances playful synth loops with rolling bass, squelchy acid sequences, and precise drums.

9. Eusebeia – Seeing The Unseen [Samurai Music]

Eusebeia is one of the most cutting-edge, forward-thinking producers in drum and bass and jungle. On “Seeing The Unseen” he turns his hand to a darker, more subtle sound palette that is perfectly at home on Samurai Music. This steady, slowly unfurling soundscape of moody synths, echoed field recordings, and cavernous low end works both in headphones and on the dance floor.

10. Client_03 – Principal Excitation Conduit [Client_03]

The enigmatic Client_03 returns with another slice of speaker-shuddering electro in the form of “Principal Excitation Conduit.” Quirky vocal samples interject between huge sub bass growls, grimy acid stabs, and precise drums, all saturated with just the right amount of distortion.

Last fall saw the release of the Detroit ghettotech figurehead’s debut studio-length effort, Electro Beats For Freaks. On November 12th, he will follow it up with another longform work titled This Detroit Thing Of Ours [DB-103] via Databass.

The sophomore album follows a format similar to the first. Its 46 tracks transition seamlessly for continuous listening, exploring styles like ghettotech, ghetto house and electro. Featured artists Parkhouse, Goodmoney G100, Lil Mz 313 and King Saaidi return in This Detroit Thing Of Ours. The effort also includes collaborations with DJ Deeon, Missy and Gettoblaster.

As with Electro Beats For Freaks, DJ Godfather (real name Brian Jeffries) will follow up the release of This Detroit Thing Of Ours with a series of EPs. Each vinyl record will consist of a handful of tracks from the album in a format better suited for DJ sets.

Jeffries’ name comes up in conversations about ghettotech as often as artists like DJ Funk, DJ Assault, and the late Disco D. At only 18 years old, he cofounded Twilight 76 Records alongside DJ Dick and Brian Gillespie in 1994. Today, he runs the label Databass in his downtime from worldwide touring.

Find the album artwork and tracklist for DJ Godfather’s This Detroit Thing Of Ours below.

Style wise, the upcoming effort is all over the board. The title track hints at Jersey club before “Only One City” steers towards the ghetto tech style for which DJ Godfather (real name Brian Jeffries) is renowned. “Wack DJ” featuring Goodmoney G100 stands out as the most lyrical entry of the tracklist, and “Nights At The Packard” – presumably named after Detroit’s famed Packard Plant – closes the EP with techno-tinged electro.

Jeffries is one of the foremost artists associated with ghettotech alongside DJ Funk, DJ Assault, and the late Disco D. His long-awaited debut album, Electro Beats For Freaks, was released with continuous playback in mind. Each of the subsequent EPs consist of a few of the tracks from the full effort in a format more practical for DJs.

The Smoke in Da Air EP and the 313 Keep It Down EP will follow in May and June, respectively.

The effort kicks off with “Up All Night” featuring Christina Chriss, a relatively relaxed tech house tune with in-your-face lyrics. “D3T-313” follows with a higher tempo, not to be outdone by “Make That Ass Go Boom” featuring Goodmoney G-100. Also included are versions of the latter track that transition from 125-145 BPM and from 145-125 BPM, useful tools for DJs planning to mix ghetto house and ghettotech in a single set.

DJ Godfather (real name Brian Jeffries) has said that he released the full album for casual listeners, with the subsequent EPs geared towards DJs. “I made [Electro Beats for Freaks] a continuous mix on purpose,” he said in a statement. “You can skip through the songs but the beginning and ends of the track mix into each other … This album will be kind of like a sampler to DJs and a full album to non-DJs that just want to listen to the music.”

Jeffries has said that he will release an EP comprising tracks from Electro Beats for Freaks every month for the first half of 2021.

The selection showcases more jit and footwork-oriented permutations of the DJ Godfather (real name Brian Jeffries) sound. The title track pairs Lil Mz 313‘s attitude-filled verses with upbeat bass and percussion, followed by an ode to Detroit jitters in the form of “King Of The Circle.” “Allow Me To Reintroduce Myself” falls closer to the electro end of the dance music spectrum, and “Certified Freak Hoe” featuring King Saadi, of which there are three versions, offers more straightforward ghettotech.

Jeffries first made a name for himself at only 18 by launching a record label called Twilight 76 Records alongside DJ Dick and Brian Gillespie. In the 26 years since, his name has been as closely tied to ghettotech – which has seen a recent resurgence due to Chicago’s footwork scene – as those of DJ Assault, DJ Funk, and the late Disco D.

In March, DJ Godfather will follow up the Keep My Name Out Your Mouth EP with the Up All Night EP.

Whereas the album comprised snippets of each song optimized for continuous playback, the Show Some Respect EP contains full versions of three entries to its tracklist: “Show Some Respect,” “Sunday Morning Spliff” and “These Strippers” featuring Dan Diamond. Also included is an instrumental version of the latter song.

“I made [Electro Beats for Freaks] a continuous mix on purpose,” said DJ Godfather (real name Brian Jeffries) of the album. “You can skip through the songs but the beginning and ends of the track mix into each other.  I did that so it will be harder for other DJs to play the tracks at first.  This album will be kind of like a sampler to DJs and a full album to non-DJs that just want to listen to the music.  For me, it was another way to get all of the attention from the tracks on one project.”

The Show Some Respect EP will be available in digital format via Databass on January 29th.

A glance at the Electro Beats For Freaks tracklist alone shows that DJ Godfather (real name Brian Jeffries) has carried on the rich traditions of the music he helped popularize. Eclectic as the songs themselves may be, common creative threads tie them together: stripped-down, minimalist beats designed for the more improvisational DJ with attitude-laden lyrics overhead. Emcees Parkhouse and Goodmoney G100 feature on numerous tracks, with King Saadi, Lil Mz 313 and Dan Diamond appearing more sparsely.

DJ Godfather Revisited

Alongside Detroit and Chicago artists like DJ Funk, DJ Assault, and the late Disco D, Jeffries was a seminal figure in the early years of ghettotech. The genre fuses elements of ghetto house, Miami bass and electro with the faster pace of Detroit techno. It died down somewhat following Disco D’s death in 2007 but has experienced a resurgence from the recent popularity of Chicago’s footwork scene.

At only 18, Jeffries launched a label called Twilight 76 Records in 1994 with the help of co-founders DJ Dick and Brian Gillespie. Databass started out as an imprint of Twilight 76, and Jeffries revived the label in 2018.

DJ Godfather will follow up his November album with a series of 2021 EPs that will include extended versions and other variations of tracks appearing on the album. Find the Electro Beats For Freaks tracklist below.