These guys love giving you stuff for free, Audio Alchemy, Obba Supa’ new EP is available over at www.projectmooncircle.com, so download it while you read this review… There is a playful experimentation here, Obba Supa seem to have absorbed the templates of hip-hop, and thrown out the sacred text in favour of a loose, organic approach to production, Hey!zeus has hit on a great sound.
“We Are Right Now†plays with a subtle drone, weaving in gurgling Orb-esque ambience and a dash of soul guitar, Teknical Development nailing the lyrics and vocal delivery, being buried just deep enough in the mix. Instrumentals like “Black Candle Music†and “Ear Drums†use simple ideas and loops, creating a mesmerizing sketch of sound, while “Don’ Test Me†feeds spiritual jazz moods into the blender, the tonal qualities of the vocals remind me of the underrated Earthling, another piece of UK music history. “Hold A Mehdi†seems to easily combine ambient pan-pipes, eastern sounds and South American tribal sounds, “Live In London†spitting a more political angle of a jazz room soundtrack. “Raw Footage†and “Craked Friendship†compliment with a more Dilla style take on future beats, while “Too Far Gone†seems to channel early 70′ psychedelic soul, once a hated genre, its taken almost four decades for people to realise the sampling potential, creating a soulful ambient soundtrack full or warmth. The Bioniqsoundlab remix of “Don’ Test Me†rounds out the EP, with the most straight-up hip-hop track on the whole release, reminiscent of another great UK label, MoWax.
If its quality you’re after, Audio Alchemy has an abundance, the 14 tracks may be mostly short sketches, ideas, fleeting memories, daydreams, but this works in its favour, creating a flowing, constantly evolving luxurious sound, you really do need to hear this EP.
Wayne Stronell
