Category Archives: jazz
Just like superheroes, jazz musicians and rappers are fond of teaming up. The rebellious nature of the two genres means unifying the collective powers is, well, cushdy. That bridged with the fact some of the best hip-hop tracks ever have sampled some of most interesting and often obscure jazz. Having a British rapper take on the sporadic percussion of a contemporary British jazz group seems like a no brainier then.
So journeying through this exciting and immensely experimental 25-minute project from jazz maven Sebstian Rochford, the leader of the innovative group Polar Bear, and London-based rapper Jyager Maktwart—a man who calls the cult UK hip hop indie YNR run by legendary lyricist Jehst his home, you sense something special could happen.
That special isn’t immediately apparent, but it gets there. From music almost entirely derived from samples of Polar Bear’s Peepers album—seven out of the nine tracks are based on manipulation of the vinyl copy of the release—this is nothing like either party have ever produced before, and nothing like anything out there on the 1’s and 2’s.
After his much overlooked debut, Encrypted Scriptures, there isn’t another up and coming musician you’d rather see take on the challenge of Rochford’s mind-bending experimentalism than Jyager. But with that renegade risk to push boundaries the leap of faith does come with a few shortfalls. Piecing and emotional it’s not a project you can sit too calmly, or contemplate as general listening.
That said for the sheer outlandish bravado it wins big points, and if you’re game to explore the realms of your taste and patience you’ll be in for some real treats too. ‘Stay in Control’ is dark and addictive, so is ‘The Role I Choose’—only with a suicidal edge. ‘Don’t Think I Won’t’ strangely plays like a zombie party banger and ‘New Love’ is the best of the instrumentals, finding tranquillity in Jygar’s absence with a transient, electronic glow.
It’s the short and energetic ‘Enterprize,’ however, that shines the brightest. Like the most treasured child amongst a family of misfits. Rochford lays out an explosive tapestry of percussion and horns to shadow box Jyagers raps. Pow.
Words Ali Raymond
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