On Chicago native Spirit of the Black 808’s new EP we are treated to the producer’s penchant for a deep, moody and layered sound. The A side contains “King Kong” and “Guerilla Shit”. “King Kong” begins with an 808 drum pattern reminiscent of Quando Quango’s classic “Love Tempo”. A sample of an angry Denzel Washington exclaiming “King Kong ain’t got shit on me!” echoes throughout the track and Chicago-style jack patterns on the drums add some energy to the deepness: snare on each beat and a clap on the “4” when the beat reaches its climax.
“Guerilla Shit” is a moody and chill number, which consists mostly of a percussive play between a rolling bassline and a drum pattern with fuzzy hi-hats and a “Guerilla shit” sample. Ultimately, the track is pretty flat, short and leaves something to be desired.
On the flipside we have the standout track of this release, “4dabrothaswhoainthere”. The track starts out sparse and keeps revealing subtle and wonderful surprises through its evolution, like a well-constructed track should, like a life well-lived should and the life of this moody, deep track fascinates with it’s juxtaposition with an angst drum pattern which is more Minimal Wave and Rock and Roll than House, and makes it so much more interesting than if it were to have a formulaic drum treatment for a track in this genre. There is also a loopy Acid squelch throughout the track that just adds more dimension to it like a 303-fractal and later is joined in the play by another rotating and sparkling synth. Toward the end of the track we hear a man ask “Why Does the Sun Kiss the Earth?”. This track is like a dangerous and beautiful representation of the generative and evolving cycle of life – in essence, a very thoughtful and well-constructed tribute to the people who have passed. This track alone makes the purchase of this EP so worth it. It combines many disparate elements effortlessly and is a great indication of this producer’s growth and I can’t wait to hear their future releases.
