Acid house and acid jazz arrived with a shared hunger for liberation through rhythm. One was born in secret Chicago basements where the 303 squelched, commanding dancers to surrender to repetition. The other emerged in London rooms thick with cigarette smoke and style, stitching funk muscle to jazz harmony and club intent. Both cultures prized motion, community, and risk. CETE’s Natural Selection lands squarely inside that lineage as a statement: These sounds still seduce rooms today.
Put this record on during the hour when the lights drop low and conversations thin out, and it makes immediate sense. You can imagine Chicago’s The Music Box in the mid-1980s and SOHO’s The Wag Club during its jazz-minded reinvention, two cities separated by an ocean yet obsessed with groove as escape and declaration. Natural Selection could ride comfortably in either space, toggling between acid house energy and acid jazz sophistication, with the occasional flash of techno cement binding it together. The album moves with confidence and mischief, never wasting a bar along the way.
‘Never Give Up On A Dream’ opens the door with authority. Thick bass locks the room in place while smooth sax phrases loop and taunt, creating tension without clutter. This is house music that understands physical response, propulsive and inviting without shouting. ‘Funk Jam’ follows as a nod to classic craftsmanship. Crisp cymbals sparkle in the gaps while synth piano and a sturdy kick and snare combo keep things buoyant. There is humor here, a wink toward sequined vests and roller skates, and the track earns that grin through tight arrangement and patience. ‘Acid Junky Returns’ draws the lights down further, deploying darker tones and a hypnotic acid line built for late sessions when time blurs and the crowd moves together as one mass.
‘Program Me’ reintroduces melody with electric piano chords that glide into solid house drums. A plinky lead repeats with stubborn charm, gradually layering jazz inflections over acid foundations. The track stretches elegantly, letting complexity emerge through repetition. ‘Summin Unreal’ pushes urgency to the front. Acid motifs collide with harsher techno accents, vocal snippets puncturing the rush and heightening tension. It is assertive without chaos, a reminder that aggression can still groove. ‘In The Dark’ pulls back slightly, opting for restraint and deep growling bass lines that coil and release, carving atmosphere with control.
‘Pissed Up (Pad Edit)’ stands apart as a deliberate experiment. Four-on-the-floor kicks lock down static acid bass lines while odd synth flourishes drift in the background. It resists easy placement, yet its presence adds character, revealing a producer willing to test boundaries instead of fitting things in neatly. ‘Jazz Train’ is the album’s most confident fusion moment. Funk bass, crooning brass, and jazz seasoned drums glide together with precision and joy, capturing the heart of acid jazz without resorting to dusty nostalgia. ‘Another Day With You’ leans into a distinct 1980s aura, pairing smooth pads, agile acoustic drums, and female vocal snippets with a soulful undercurrent that warms the room.
‘Space Cake’ closes the album by shifting gears into slower, exploratory techno. The acid is set aside in favor of a darker drive, evoking fast city movement after midnight when streets stretch endlessly and decisions blur. It is an effective ending, refusing neat resolution and instead leaving motion in the listener’s body. Natural Selection captured our attention early on because it honors its roots while sounding fresh, revealing CETE as an artist who understands dance music not as a trend but as an evolving conversation that still has plenty to say.
Natural Selection by CETE released on 1st of May 2026 on CETE Records