Some new UK experiments from the Project Mooncircle label, which has developed into a close brother of the Beta Bodega Coalition and Botanica Del Jibaro labels from the US. It doesn’ seem accidental either, all sharing a similar philosophy with their musical journey, cosmic conversations and artistic sensibilities, Gordon seems to undertake the graphical representation of the label, being the common thread of all three labels.
Hey!Zeus handles production duties on this cd release, also available on vinyl and digitally, while Teknical Development handles the mic with great ease. The UK rap scene has been somewhat lacking in my eyes over the last few years, loosing direction, being corrupted by grime… Obba Supa reaffirm my faith, not just in UK hip hop, but in electronica too, and in particular, Teknical Development has that tendency to draw his vocabulary from the cosmos, which is just so intriguing, so mesmerizing, having the ability to keep you listening. Tonally pleasing too, not unlike Earthling, an underrated band in the 90′.
Musically, without wanting to compare everything great to Flying Lotus, there is an element of that sound here, a large emphasis on warm soundscapes, eastern instrumentation, sombre horns, soothing flutes and comforting keys. There is a distinctive jazz influence here, but its way after midnight, cognac has flowed freely for too long and smoke chokes the air… There is some reference to the “wonky’ sound of Flying Lotus and the like, the disjointed drums, staggering beats, but ceases to be a genre copying album, mainly due to its many influences, the melancholy of late night jazz and hazy organic electronica winning out. Imagine the UK equivalent of Shadow Huntaz with the glitched edges of heavily edited electronics smoothed and stretched, and you’ll be halfway there.
Obba Supa deliver such a refreshing release, not just for UK hip hop, but for electronica too, pushing past neglected boundaries, conquering new worlds. Brilliant, an essential album, from an emerging giant of independent labels. Check them out at www.projectmooncircle.com.
Wayne Stronell
