GE-OLOGY - DKMNTL X PATTA 08

It’s back to school time, and the creative master GE-OLOGY (music producer / DJ / visual artist) is on deck as Dekmantel continues their partnership with leading Dutch fashion entity Patta, with a deep excursion into the raw and layered soul of classic and future dance music. GE-OLOGY, who recently shook up the scene with a monster release on Theo Parrish’s Sound Signature imprint, cut his production teeth during his high school days at the famed Baltimore School for the Arts while in a hip-hop group with a young Tupac Shakur. He would later be recognized for his work with Mos Def and Talib Kweli, as well as, a list of other heavyweights throughout the years. Now feeding a new generation, the Brooklyn based virtuoso is currently creating audio treatises on house music and beyond...educating the world with his fine craftsmanship, all-the-while, paying homage to the disco greats. Collecting records from the age of five, his digging goes deep, earning him comparisons with the likes of comrades Ron Trent and Sadar Bahar.

As a producer, GE-OLOGY’s evolution exploring hip-hop and house music was a simultaneous process inspired by witnessing the developmental stages of those art forms in the late 70s/early 80s period of his youth. Though he would later become widely known for his visual art talent alongside a decade of collaborations showcasing his prowess in hip-hop production, etc...few are aware that 2 underground dance records released in 1993 actually mark the start of his professional music career; the very first being a release for The Basement Boys under their alias, Those Guys. Since then, his writing and production credits have excelled far beyond the underground, appearing on both Gold and Platinum certified LPs and achieving a top-10 hit on the Billboard singles chart; yet somehow, he has always managed to remain true to his music roots without compromising quality and integrity (which is no easy feat).

After a 5 year hiatus, his 2015 release, ‘Moon Circuitry’ featuring Mark de Clive-Lowe (on the Sound Signature label), highlighted his aptitude for soulful 4-4 beats, serving as an exemplar of his earlier work elevated into futuristic, ground-breaking territory. The success of the record sparked a great curiosity for his forthcoming LP on the label, still yet to be released. Now currently debuting his sound on Dekmantel, GE-OLOGY takes his panoptic style beyond what we currently know. ‘Dance in Retrograde’ stomps old-school house music traits, with 808-kicks, and a spiritual foray into a soulful, cosmic trance. Flip the record and the ever-so-seductively titled ‘Re-Fingered with Love’ is a solid deep-burner with a sensual piano hook, and serves as a cover of the Salsoul disco-classic ‘Thousand Finger Man’ by the legendary Cuban percussionist, Candido. Featuring the vocal talent of Sonya Distel, the ‘Re-Fingered’ tribute, is a modern, funked up take on the disco masterpiece. In GE-OLOGY's own words...“My version is actually not an edit at all; it's a cover that's actually not a direct cover either, but was mainly inspired by the original version. 99% of my version is all original instrumentation, playing, drum programming, live percussion and singing from scratch. Normally I wouldn't even touch a song like this because it's already perfect as it is in its original state. I just happened to be inspired one day to try some things that came to mind, and over time, it developed. So I truly hope people can feel the love, care and respect I have for the original through my version.”

Dekmantel have been teaming up with the stylish Dutch street-brand Patta now for several years, releasing high-end ranges of collaborative clothing and special record releases from the likes of Tom Trago, Fatima Yamaha, and Young Marco. This latest EP from the DKMNTL x PATTA series is a precursor to the upcoming Dekmantel Festival taking place in Amsterdam, where GE-OLOGY will be playing back-to-back with London’s selector-de-jour, Red Greg. Enjoy!