4 out of 5

Label: Super Rhythm Trax

Produced by: DMX Krew

I know this won’t be the last time I say this: I have no idea how ED DMX keeps putting out so many releases of this quality.  Sure, it’s a lot of singles, but we’re still talking 4 or 5 new tracks turned out on the regular, not to mention the occasional albums.  And yes, goes the next caveat, Ed tends to stick to his old school beats, giving his tracks a familiar sound, but this doesn’t restrict him to making things that actually sound the same, and here again, 5 Ways 2 Jack gives several somewhat sonically linked but incredibly identifiable (and deeply, deeply danceable) tracks, with those magical touches of flourish that defines great DMX Krew tracks.

For me, the title conjures up some kind of 90s attempt at sound future cool, and the music goes in for a similar, retro-gaming vibe, with Vicious Bleebz kicking things off with an organic, grooving sense of momentum, its melody picked back up for one of Ed’s greatest compositions, Bleep-O-Logy.  The track swirls around its namesake bleeps, stacking a couple of lush layers on for five minutes of brilliance.  Up N Down similarly cues off of its name, with cascading tones; TXing Control is pure 90s house, with little Rephlex-y tweaks and kicks along the way, Ed’s gifted hand just touching on reverb or shifting the tones ever so slightly to keep the whole thing evolving.  Closer Ragga Clash is, again, aptly named, but is the one hard turn on the EP, getting away from gamer head-bobbing beats for something grimey and minimalist.  You bob your head, but it’s not as dense as what came before, and feels like a B-side from another album.