On paper, Reggie Watts and John Tejada make a strange pair. Watts is now a household name to millions of Americans, after his virtuosic beatboxing and stand-up comedy landed him a regular gig as bandleader on The Late Late Show with James Corden. By contrast, John Tejada is a beloved techno legend whose reticent nature would make it difficult for even the most ardent raver to pick him out in a lineup. What they have in common is casual mastery of their respective crafts: performance and production. With their joint project Wajatta, the two Los Angelenos stretch out and show off that formidable musicianship.
While their 2018 debut Casual High Technology was haphazard, showing off its makers’ respective talents without ever synthesizing them, Don’t Let Get You Down feels more refined. It places Watts firmly in the role of lead singer, but also percussionist, lead synthesizer, and master of ceremonies. The album’s title might look like it’s missing a word, but the absence of the noun summarizes the duo’s studio ethos: Throw stuff at the wall, see what sticks, don’t sweat the details, have fun.
Wajatta certainly deliver on that last principle. The title track—described by Watts as “the poppiest song we’ve ever done”—opens with a whistled melody that’s wince-inducing at first, but becomes pleasant when Watts counters it with a falsetto. So much of Watts’ artistry is wrapped up in deft improvisation that it feels somehow natural when he slips into different accents or goes on an extended riff about the cool features on his new refrigerator, as he does on “Marmite.” On that same tune, Tejada loops a segment of his bandmate’s scatting voice until it resembles a maraca.
Watt’s effects-pedal-centric live show, with its vocal looping and chopping, exerts a tremendous influence on the structure of the songs. On the opening moments of “Renegade,” murmured syllables patter against Tejada’s immaculate drums; on the loping, arpeggio-heavy “Another Sun,” Watts flexes his vocal range atop his own beatboxing. He makes a refreshing sparring partner for Tejada, whose 2019 Performance Review EP only hinted at the bright, punchy house music they coalesce around on “Tonight” or “138.”
Lest we forget Tejada’s years spent dabbling in hip-hop and electro, Wajatta also bring the BPM down for a few songs. Watts channels Moodymann over a subby, minimal track on “Little Man,” but neither he nor the production are quite as menacing or seductive as they could be. “Depth Has a Focus” makes great use of Watts’ versatility, but the track as a whole falls apart any time the vocal loops become focal points rather than auxiliary percussion. The most memorable song to stray from four-on-the-floor is “January,” with synth-funk grooves and R&B coos that Watts builds into stacks of lovely background vocals.
Ultimately, Wajatta find the most success when they both play to their strengths, as they do on the album closer “All I Need Is You.” Watts crosses over from imitating a house diva to embodying one—dancefloor callouts and all—while Tejada shakes off any pretension to unleash some deeply satisfying tech house. Just as Tejada’s meticulous productions are a boon to Watts’ voice, the comedian-singer’s unique character and energy give Don’t Let Get You Down an ebullience. They might not be innovating the form, but their shared creative spirit has its own irresistible charm.
Buy: Rough Trade
