It’s been a minute since Leland Jackson — Los Angeles experimental producer best known for the sample opulence of Ahnnu — put the Cakedog mask on and done left the block quiet. Cakedog is the club-goer ying to Ahnnu’s block-cooling yang, but the project hasn’t seen much daylight since 2012’s fun-for-feet WERKS, when Leland was still living in Virginia. Two years later, Leland jumps right out the house popping off “Finish Line,” a flowery footwork track with slices of 2 Chainz — whose Freebase EP made our second-quarter favorites (long)shortlist — and a swaying piano that’s cut from the loins of his Ahnnu aesthetic.
It’s like you’re at a múm show and “Green Grass of Tunnel” is playing and all you can do is close your eyes, move a little, and be genuinely happy you’re alive. Except it’s footwork, and you’re sweating through a white tee in a basement.
By the way, the 2 Chainz verse is off Chicago rapper Jay Stonez’ “Cooking All Morning,” which I like a lot too.
• Cakedog: https://soundcloud.com/cakedog