Thursday, September 22, 2011

BEEN LISTENING TO 2


Didn't get a chance to check out the newer Hype Williams EP Kelly Price W8 Gain Vol. II until this week, prodded by a newer track surfacing under aliases Dean Blunt + Inga Copeland called "But Life Goes On Nahmean." I don't want to shit on the EP, but this new track simply blows its four tracks out of the water. W8 Gain is nice and all but it's bordering on par-for-the-course for Hype Williams. There's slightly-off drum sound rhythms ("Farthing Wood Dub"), spooky trash synthesizer noodling ("Boss Man"), the blunted ambient jam ("Rise Up") and the obligatory out-there spoken word musings over HW soundtrack ("Badmind").

"But Life Goes On Nahmean" breaks most Hype Williams molds, instead reaching some seriously fun pop-rock rollick. Inga Copeland croons in a language that is unintelligible and may or may not exist. Sounds like the melodies were lifted from some psychedelic Indonesian girl group band that some label that does things like that dug up and retro-branded. Also the song sort of proves that if they wanted to and/or had the means, Hype Williams could go for a seriously clean synthetic pop sound and succeed. With a bass sound so meaty it's hard to imagine them failing.



Dean Blunt + Inga Copeland - But Life Goes On Nahmean

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I was hit with a new Vinh Ngan track a couple weeks back. "Lo Por" is a "LoveRap" in Vinh's own words, a song about how one should love their significant other. Serious business. In other Vinh Ngan news, he provided something of a translation of the song "Sun Hing J" last month that I never got around to posting. The subject is gangs, in particular the New Cross Boyz (NXB for short) that Vinh apparently used to run with. I really don't want to delve too deeply into the politics of this gang or the politics of gangs in general, but the translation hints at violence and the satisfaction associated with carrying out violent acts for one's gang, whether they're for-real violence or simply violent intimidations. Check the new piece then the translation of "Sun Hing J."



Lo Por by Vinh Ngan Triad God


Vinh Ngan - Sun Hing J (translation):

New Cross Boyz worry fall
u people fall we still worry, be fall

Swear

Triad God will look after us, will take care
of us

We dont have to be scared
we go chop if any think
ah 1 leg in prision
1 leg in hell

Waj J
im the biggests
play it all New X boy
top level club prostitute
shop i look after it all is it
the top level big for the past
go chop people so
knife shine verion let me?
group show my talent
my heart will grow

If I die I dont care
put my blood in a ocean
so it flow in the sea


PREVIOUSLY:

Sun Hing J by Vinh Ngan Triad God

Remand by Vinh Ngan Triad God

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New Oneohtrix Point Never material hit "The Web" a couple weeks ago in the form of "Sleep Dealer," the first track to emerge from OPN's new album Replica, out this November on Software. Really into the new piece, certainly unlike the many serene ambient passages and searing cuts of white noise found on Returnal. "Sleep Dealer" is pounding and jerky, occasionally pausing to reveal signature OPN synthesizer warmth.



Oneohtrix Point Never - Sleep Dealer by Mexican Summer

1 comment:

xr said...

well, not that it really matters and not that you'd be interested, i guess, but Inga Copeland croons in Russian and the lyrics are quite intelligible