DKD - Future Rage (2004)

Dego McFarlane (4hero), Kaidi Tatham (Agent K, New Sector Movements), and Daz-I-Kue (SK Radicals) first worked together as DKD in 2003.
Yet another branch on the intricate broken beat family tree, the trio produced a track called "Future Rage" that generated anticipation in West London for a further tracks.
Before more materialized, the Bugz in the Attic crew -- also featuring Tatham and Daz-I-Kue -- placed their initial effort in their Fabriclive.12 mix set.
In early 2004, the surprisingly R&B-oriented Future Rage was released on Bugz in the Attic's Bitasweet label.
Most tracks were vocal based, with the Japanese edition of the album including a bonus track featuring underground soul figure Donnie.

The paths of Dego McFarlane, Kaidi Tatham, and Daz-I-Kue have crossed many times during the past several years. Outlining the several entanglements would take a couple hundred words. Most significantly, the latter two are both members of rotating DJ/remix/production team Bugz in the Attic, while McFarlane is one-half of 4hero, the long-running duo that helped kick start the movement that Future Rage helps push forward.
Anticipation for this LP has been building since CD-Rs of the title track began making the rounds in West London. Given a greater platform on Bugz in the Attic's Fabriclive.12 mix, "Future Rage"'s jumped-up propulsion, freakazoid synth wibbles, and contagious co-ed group vocals made it one of broken beat's biggest singles, up there with Afronaught's "Transcend Me" and 4hero's "Hold It Down."
The trio throws a bit of a curveball on the first side of its album, leaning toward straight-up laid-back R&B more than any of its peers. Granted, the likes of "Getaway" and "Brighter Day" are much closer to a forward-looking update of Roy Ayers' late-'70s and early-'80s handiwork than R. Kelly's pop-driven 2000s output; however, it wouldn't be a stretch to place these female-led tracks beside Jill Scott and Erykah Badu.
After a sparkling fusion instrumental and a brief interlude, the album takes on a more frenetic, percussive shape. Between the title track and the three numbers that follow it, the complex rhythmic templates - leaving you to wish that you could sprout a second and third pair of legs - are switched up with a striking finesse that will undoubtedly perk up any ears that were lulled by the first side.
The album's only puzzling slip is "Look Who's Talking," a sore thumb of an MC-led tune that closes out the album in poor form. Why the bonus track on the Japanese edition of the album - a superior and far more fitting end, with guest vocals from Donnie - wasn't given that more-fitting placement is anyone's guess.