EP Review: nextdimensional - FORBIDDEN TRAX 4
Label: Self-released
Released: December 24, 2024
Genre: Club, Jungle, Breaks, Footwork, Baile Funk
Tracklist:
01. RESONANCE BREAKS EDIT
02. ALONE IN MY ROOM
03. POPPIN!
04. STEREO BAILE
05. LET HIM COOK
06. CIGARETTE
07. RESPECTFULLY IM DIFFERENT
08. ZZ3089JDLI2J2332288V3
Eight edits that prove nextdimensional knows what the dancefloor needs.
I may be a “mazeworld” truther, but there’s nothing that gets me more fired up than a nextdimensional edit. “ffrreeaakkhhooeess” from the first installment of her FORBIDDEN TRAX series has been my go-to club tool since I started getting gigs, so I know my USB will be eating whenever another pack drops. The day before Christmas, the Brooklyn-based producer and DJ gifted us the longest edition so far, with eight songs reimagined into breaks, footwork, and East Coast club. FORBIDDEN TRAX 4 sees nextdimensional equal parts playful and refined, resulting in her strongest edit pack yet.
“LET HIM COOK” is the project’s immediate standout. In a little under three minutes, nextdimensional divides the track into three sections, giving jungle, club, and footwork their shine in each part. It’s a product of the artist’s versatility — which she continues to prove both through her productions and DJ sets — all in one track.
The other seven edits are more focused. Infusing Baltimore’s gritty bounce with Jersey’s aggressive kicks and whips, “POPPIN!” has a classic club simplicity to it. It sounds like something you’d stumble upon while digging on SoundCloud, and even though it was made 11 years ago and you have to use an MP3 downloader, you can’t not add it to your crate. “ZZ3089JDLI2J2332288V3” is the second, sexier East Coast club cut, which has an OSSX-like subduedness that nicely closes out the EP’s mainly maximalist composition.
In the context of edit packs, which are essentially made for the purpose of playing out, including two full footwork remixes is an interesting creative decision, although not out of the norm for nextdimensional. The genre isn’t the biggest floor filler because it’s not easy to dance to for the average clubgoer, so while I don’t imagine “ALONE IN MY ROOM” will be the first song of choice to get a crowd moving, “RESPECTFULLY IM DIFFERENT” might be a new staple. The vocal sample is instantly recognizable, the drum grooves are quick to catch, and its confident energy is infectious. It feels inspired by DJ Spinn, boasting a similar creeping pulse to songs like “Bounce N Break Yo Back” and “Throw It Back.”
nextdimensional might be at her most inventive when she’s producing originals (all of the tracks in this EP were made in transit or just before a set), but FORBIDDEN TRAX 4 is still a worthwhile glimpse into her imaginative artistry and a testament to her strong understanding of what the dancefloor needs.
