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Edition no. 1 of label Effortless Audio’s compilation series - housed in a sleek double LP in Vinyl featuring waxy and jazzy sounds along with a selection of dreamy beats. 

Radio Juicy proudly introduces British producer Sugi.wa dropping his debut album "Romantic" that he recorded from head to toe, vocals, instruments and effects all come from deep within like an ode to that blue sentimental feeling. Taking inspiration from old school R&B, Soul, Jazz and Blues music but more precisely from that first slow you danced with a partner when you were a kid. Like a lingering feeling Romantic talks to that special place in your heart where you keep memories of your romantic life. Get ready to vibe on this one all night long on your own or with your partner. Things are bound to get heated. – Radio Juicy

Mash-ups of different tracks by MF Doom and Sade. Originally released as an exclusive digital mixtape for DatPiff in Feb 2016. DOOM’s love for Sade is the stuff of legend at this point – just listen to Operation: Doomsday standout ‘Doomsday’, which is built around a large sample of Sade’s ‘Kiss of Love’.

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Young Portsmouth-based producer Seanh2k11 has used this concept as the jump-off for SADEVILLAIN, an eight track EP that blends the best of DOOM with the best of Sade.

In feudal Japan, the Bushido Code defined the way of the samurai. It was a blueprint to conduct warfare with honor: a system built upon the qualities of rectitude and courage, honor and loyalty. In the modern world, these historical tenets may seem antiquated, or sometimes even obsolete. But the power of tradition is resolute and unyielding. The art of the rugged drum and the razor tongued rap are timeless.

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After a decade in the music business, Mello Music Group has witnessed the dealings and promises of the record industry. Running counter-clockwise to the mainstream ethic, Mello has settled on its own code of conduct and value system. Their catalogue is a Hagakare of hip-hop -- a practical and spiritual guide to the essence. While the sounds are varied, an MMG release ensures that the art comes first, the artists are religiously devoted to the upholding of standards and values. The musicians swing fast blades and fly the Mello banner with speed and strength.

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This is Bushido, the latest Mello Music compilation gathering the current roster and the label’s closest brethren. As always, the core shoguns are present: Apollo Brown, Oddisee, Quelle Chris, L'Orange, Joell Ortiz, Skyzoo, and Homeboy Sandman. The rated rookies brandish sharpened swords: Solemn Brigham, Namir Blade, and The Lasso. The legacy teammates with championship trophies are all present: Open Mike Eagle, Georgia Anne Muldrow, Elaquent, Kool Keith, and Mr. Lif. So are label affiliates, Murs, The Alchemist, RJ Payne, and B-Real. The veteran general rounds out the roster, Stalley, the newest member of the Mello family. This isn’t merely an anthology, it’s a fully formed vision of what hip-hop can be. A meticulously assembled arsenal of past, present, and future. – Bandcamp

At the cross section between Jazz, Soul, Rock, Blues, Hip Hop, R&B and Funk stands Stimulator Jones. Coaxing strings that tremble with a cosmic frequency, keys beat in soulful repose while percussion relays some ancient, deep-rooted pulse. This is Stimulator Jones on La Mano. 

Stimulator Jones’ sophomore LP finds its way on the Oslo-based record label Mutual Intentions as the artist explores the musical possibilities contained in his hands. La Mano is a striking collage of sonic hues, developed through 13 musical vignettes across the LP. Prodigious and far-reaching influences are re-defined in succinct musical clusters as La Mano travels from Kingston’s bustling yards to serene Parisienne walkways.

A multi-instrumentalist whose talent matured through the iconic Stones Throw camp, Stimulator Jones broke onto the world with the sensational Exotic Worlds & Masterful Treasures in 2018. Developing a distinctive fusion in his craft, the artist made bold strides on his debut, as rumbling bass-lines and visceral keys, counterpointed Jones’ delicate and tender vocals. The album presented an artist, who could harness the intricacies of the great musical languages of our age in the accessible executions of a pop song.

La Mano finds the artist treading a new, yet familiar path, resting his vocal chords as he puts his hands into action. Playing an arsenal of physical instruments, Stimulator Jones’ dexterity is visceral as he moves between keys, guitars, drums and wind instruments. Arrangements coalesce around organic- and synthetic sounds that live in some tranquil equilibrium with the first vibration of the universe.

Cruising grooves and mellow melodies convey a gauzy touch, breaking down the intellectual barriers of genre for the corporeal intimacy of the soul. La Mano finds the artist diligently pursuing an exploration in a fusion of musical languages, which he channels into novel territory on his debut for the Mutual Intentions collective. – Bandcamp

Is it a multi-genre ‘hybrid’, or is the ‘Astral Love’ LP a compound in its own right? It is, most certainly, a composition of sound formed from a very rich heritage that we’re about to examine in abridged form. ‘Astral Love’ is an awesome, inspiring collection of skillfully performed pieces that draw heavily on hip hop, nu-disco, funk and, of course, soul.

Those of non-Antipodean persuasion won’t require, nor appreciate this overly-simplified initial commentary. But, ‘down under’ gifts us with some truly spellbinding interpretations of the arts; food of course, and certainly, very firmly, music. Initially cultivating his craft from Adelaide, to cherry-pick ‘just some’ of the ‘feathers’ in Jules Habib’s cap, might go something like this: 2011 releases on Amsterdam’s BOOGIE BASH; a plethora of remix work from there onwards; outstanding releases on Dopeness Galore; notable ‘tech’ releases on RUSH HOUR’s ‘Store Only’ series; Hot Shot Sounds which included a collab with REGGIE B; Outerspace Connection on the monumental BBE; Planetself on TOKYO DAWN. And now, ‘Astral Love’, on UK-based Atjazz Record Company. But, relax, this will all make perfect sense soon. Very soon.

‘Astral Love’ bears all of the aforementioned ingredients, crafted by Jules Habib under his Inkswel moniker. It’s a bold, accomplished collection of skilful tunes, featuring talent spanning a global alliance of like-minded performers, all of whom are now very much at home, together on Atjazz Record Company. - Bandcamp

The American Negro is a mammoth project from producer and multi-instrumentalist Adrian Younge: a 26-track part-spoken word, part-orchestral examination of the structural racism underpinning the identity of modern America. It forms just one part of Younge’s current projects on the same theme, including a four-part podcast, Invisible Blackness, and a short film, T.A.N.

Delving into this work of immense depth, Younge harks back to the social consciousness soul of forebears such as Marvin Gaye and Donny Hathaway on the communal funk of the title track and the twinkling soul of Watch the Children. The propulsive protest rap of Revolutionize updates Gil Scott-Heron’s The Revolution Will Not Be Televised, and A Symphony for Sahara showcases Younge’s deft hand at producing a luscious, cinematic score following his work on films such as 2009’s Black Dynamite.

Much more than a pastiche of influences, though, it is Younge’s impassioned spoken-word interludes – dissecting everything from the Frantz Fanon-referencing double consciousness of racial awareness to the creation of racism to solidify class structures – that give this record its unique tone and profundity. It may be an intimidating undertaking, but one that is well worth the time. – The Guardian

James ‘J Dilla / Jay Dee’ Yancey leaves behind an impression on Hip Hop that will last the test of time. A bridge between Hip Hop’s underground and mainstream, Dilla’s contributions ranged from single handedly defining Detroit Hip Hop as a founding member of Slum Village to providing his production talents to Common, D’Angelo, Busta Rhymes, Erykah Badu, A Tribe Called Quest, The Pharcyde, The Roots, Janet Jackson and Macy Gray.  The Shining marked the reunion of J Dilla & BBE, who had released Welcome 2 Detroit, J Dilla’s debut album. The Shining was near completion when J Dilla passed on February 10, 2006. In pursuance of his mother’s plan that his musical legacy continue, The Shining was released on August, 22nd, 2006. To add to that legacy, The Shining Instrumentals are to be released; allowing the listener to hear the intricate warmth of Dilla’s beats completely untouched by MC vocals. - BBE

Is It Electro? Hip Hop? Techno? House? Funk? Disco? Balearic? Obscure?

It’s all up to you. Ottagono Design Of Music is back introducing from its Italian headquarter the Japanese crossover Hoodoo Fushimi‘s Oto (sound) Imprint. Fushimi Sensei from his private studio in Yokosuka (the city where he is born ) during 1979 -1993 used to work on many projects, producing different music albums, working as a painter and illustrator, working also for a few Japanese magazines as a music writer and English translator. Nowadays for many people, he is considered one of the Electro Disco Tech Funk Japanese pioneers/ innovators. Tamaran released during 1989 was available only on CD format on Syntax ( ’89 was the boom of CD Japanese Market ) for the Japanese Local Market becoming a true hard to find during the years, finally thanks to Ottagono after 30 years it takes the first official vinyl release. The Japanese Fushimi sound trademark looks still beautiful, fresh, and powerful ( from the Japanese word utsukushii) with influences that remind early Afrika Bambata, Cybotron, Egyptian Lover, De La Soul. Tamaran is featured by the club Hit “ Kaette Ne ” where Fushimi joining with singer Harka made a love song where still today it seems a true manifesto to Chicago Warehouse, New York Paradise Garage, it is something like a true mix of early Joe Claussell Instant House/Jungle Sounds, Chicago Trax Records with some reminiscence of Nami Shimada and Soichi Terada. We are sure that Larry Levan and Frankie Knuckles would have liked to play at that time if only had a chance to have this pearl in their hands at that time. Claudio Mate from his musical vision after introducing Zen Oikawa Studio Ghibli director with the first Ottagono release remarks the Otaku Sound concept, where Artists, Producers, Musicians from the land of Rising Sun are responsible for Soundtracks for Anime, Video Games, Drama Live Action, Movies as at same time fathers also of a few pieces such as of Underground Music, indeed more recently Hoodoo Fushimi Ongaku (Music) got featuring over a few episodes of Giri/ Haji the cult Netflix Uk/ Japanese Drama series. Claudio and Fushimi Sensei together introduce one more time another Italian /Japanese connection impossible to lose !!  – Bandcamp

Something Wicked This Way Comes is a mischievously gleeful carnival ride through groove-laden funk, hip-hop and soul. The Herbaliser rolls with a crew that is deep with fork-tongued lyricists and a badass horn section to add to the studio genius that is Jake Wherry and Ollie Teeba. Tracks like "Worldwide Connected", "24 Carat Blag" and "Mr Holmes" carry the dramatic, mysterious orchestration of a James Bond movie soundtrack. Layers of thick funk instrumentation and rumbling basslines provide the foundation while Lyricists like Iriscience (of Dilated Peoples), MF Doom and Blade fuel the verbal fires. Each MC adds his/her own character to the personality of the album. Iriscience brings precise lyrical dexterity, Wildflower lives up to her name with her diamond-in-the-rough, heavily accented cockney rhymes and Phi Life Cypher comes with West Indian street wisdom. The whole album sounds like the aural equivalent of a Guy Ritchie movie – irreverent, carefully orchestrated but carried off with a devil-may-care shrug of perfectly stylized musical shoulders, and above all, cool as hell. A dark tone pervades the album, in keeping with its cheeky grin of a title. With Something Wicked This Way Comes the Herbaliser invites you not just to listen, but to step inside its world and meet the characters. – All About Jazz

The Shape Of Jazz is the debut release by Zvi Belling aka ZEDSIX, producer, composer and bass player. The album is part of an ongoing experiment in re-shaping American and African jazz standards through hip-hop. An all star series of collaborations investigate the intersection of boom-bap and be-bop, it sounds like the future! – Bandcamp

Famed DJ and producer Preservation is a long-time collaborator of Yasiin Bey (fka Mos Def), forms one half of Dr. Yen Lo with Brooklyn emcee Ka, and has crafted tracks for artists like RZA, GZA, MF DOOM, Raekwon, Aesop Rock, KRS-One, Jean Grae, and many more. Now, Preservation is back with Eastern Medicine, Western Illness, a new album produced during his time living in Hong Kong. The project features an arsenal of top-tier lyricists, including Ka, Mach-Hommy, Your Old Droog, Roc Marciano, Quelle Chris, Navy Blue, Nickelus F, Tree, A.G., Billy Woods, and more. Sourced only from Chinese records, the album showcases some of the best hip-hop talent from the West over sounds from the East, blending cultures and styles to create a potent musical elixir. – Nature Sounds

The creative process of the album revolved around two Sun Ra’s ideas - deconstruction and discipline. “He sent members of the Arkestra out to research individual players in Henderson group in the order to get the feeling right when playing their parts. Sun Ra told them they weren’t copying those pieces, they were re-creating them, and with the proper information they could know the spirit behind the original." That’s how Herman Sonny Blount treated the music of the swing legend, Fletcher Henderson. EABS approached the composition of Sun Ra in exactly the same way. An equally important element with recording was a regime associated with the discipline and precision that the pianist from Saturn fought for, using a series of exercises-compositions entitled ‘Discipline’ previously used by Arkestra. They were strictly designed for exercises with the minimum amount of material, the most common built on the brass section parts, with a cyclical melody unfolding from fragments so each person played their lines meticulously, without any deviation. This is what the title of the album ‘Discipline of Sun Ra’ refers to.

Sun Ra was aiming to record timeless music that could still be alive in a 1000 years, and with no hesitation, he managed to do it. The music from distant planets is infinite. “By infinity, Mr.Ra means creating jazz of the future, but also covering the past”- the same idea is carried by polish musicians. On the ‘Slavic Spirits’ album, EABS was inspired by the ancient past. As we now know, discovering Sun Ra’s concept wasn’t coincidental. He also believed and shared the philosophy of coming through the darkness to see the sun and enlightenment. In case there’s no hope for living on our planet, we need to look for metaphorical escapism. That’s where the idea of building a cosmic ship under ‘Polish Space Program’ was born. – Astigmatic Records

Much about ‘Beat Bop’ is shrouded in mystery. Who really produced it? Why was Jean-Michel Basquiat relegated from rapper on the track to drawing the cover and labels? What are they actually rapping about for most of the ten-minute length?

These questions, however, are all part of the enigma and rich legend surrounding a song that is an undisputed piece of true hip-hop genius. The combination of graffiti artist Rammellzee and rapper K-Rob is a potent one, with each MC adopting a persona - hustler and B-Boy respectively - that they maintain against an unusual swirling backdrop that must be one of the best instrumentals ever committed to wax.

The original Tartown Record pressing was limited to 500 copies, a mere test pressing in the eyes of the assembled artists, with scarcity further driven by Basquiat’s rising rep in the art world. Those few hundred copies – and a subsequent re-release on Profile Records (the same label where K-Rob played out the rest of his brief career) – punched well above their weight in terms of lasting influence.

Consider the early vocal tones of the Beastie Boys (who also sampled the track), or the huge part it played in the sound of Cypress Hill and B-Real. His voice is almost homage to Rammellzee’s on ‘Beat Bop’, while they also lifted the chorus of ‘Shoot ‘Em Up’ and even a sample of ‘Cypress Hill’ from the track too. It’s unsurprising – this is a multi-layered, complex song that reveals a little more of itself each time you play it but remains damn funky.

This reissue boasts the vocal and instrumental versions in full, as well as both the full cover and label artwork from the original Tartown Release. – Mr Bongo

The record is entirely crafted from sampling rare Soviet jazz and funk records from his home country of Russia and other former Soviet countries. Turned into deep and heavy instrumental hip-hop, with analog synthesizers, dub techniques, and subtle knob turns on a delay pedal to morph the context of these samples. – Rucksack Records

If history has taught us anything, it’s that music has played an integral part in the pursuit of social justice for a long time. James Brown’s ‘Say It Loud – I’m Black And I’m Proud’, U2’s ‘Sunday Bloody Sunday’, Rage Against The Machine’s ‘Killing In The Name’ and – more recently – Kendrick Lamar’s ‘Alright’ are just a few of the songs that have soundtracked revolutionary action over the years. 

Over the past week, thousands of people have taken to the streets in the US and across the world to protest following the death of George Floyd, an African-American man who was killed on May 25 when a white police officer, who has now been charged with second-degree murder, knelt on Floyd’s neck for almost nine minute as he lay on the ground during an arrest (his alleged crime? Possession of a counterfeit $20). Floyd’s horrendous killing has reignited widespread Black Lives Matter protests, online and in the streets. 

‘Run The Jewels 4’, the much-anticipated new album from hip-hop duo Run The Jewels – comprised of rapper Killer Mike and producer/rapper El-P – couldn’t be more appropriate for the times we’re living in. “And you so numb you watch the cops choke out a man like me/ Until my voice goes from a shriek to whisper, ‘I can’t breathe’,” raps Killer Mike, RTJ’s beloved social activist, on the defiant ‘walking in the snow’. It’s a track that also sees them question the school system, biased news reporting and unruly religious mobs. 

Mike is no stranger to speaking out on social issues. Just last week the community leader delivered an impassioned speech during a press conference in Atlanta in which he pleaded with the protesting residents of his home city to not “burn your own house down for anger with an enemy”. Instead, he suggested it was time to “plot, plan, strategise, organise and mobilise.” - NME

Australia has been exporting plenty of diverse music, including works from Perth native and beat composer Ta-Ku. The Red Bull Music Academy alum has released a number of EPs over the last few years, most notably Late NYC and Re-Twerk Vol. 1 and 2. His latest, Songs To Break Up To, is a "cinematic musical journey for the broken hearted," unleashed just in time for 2013's cuffing season. Reminiscent of works by Nujabes, Flying Lotus, and Clams Casino, Ta-Ku invokes moods with his thoughtful use of samples, drum patterns, and effects. Going beyond mere instrumentals, he provides soundtracks to our life's journeys. – Couch Sessions

“The Ghetto Walk” originated from a session that resulted in Davis’ innovative 1969 studio album, In a Silent Way. Glasper isolated one two-chord pattern from the nearly 27-minute piece (released as part of the 2001 box set The Complete In a Silent Way Sessions) and looped it into the foundation for a jazz/hip-hop track.

AD “‘Ghetto Walk’ was so dope,” he says. “I got the concept quick because the name was already there. It’s called ‘Ghetto Walk.’ Those chord changes we sampled lend themselves to hip-hop so well.” – Rolling Stone

After the success of their collaborations on Bentley Bass Music and Trad Vibe compilations, as well as several DJ gigs in Europe, longtime friends DJ Cam and Moar team up for Beats. It's a special instrumental album, influenced by the great J Dilla, Pete Rock, New York in the '90s . . . and looking also into the future of beats in 2016. Limited blue vinyl. Includes download code. – Forced Exposure

Fredfades and his ability to capture a tangible mood through his productions has touched a fair few of our favourite records over the past two years. Wether he’s working with Kristoffer Eikrem as part of the Jazz Cats project or assisting on production duties for a member of the Mutual Intentions crew, Fredfades’ productions are immediately recognisable for their dusty charm and soulful inclinations. Music with the personality of a rare 7″ found amongst cobwebs in old second hand stores are brought into the present through the contemporary voices of peers like Ivan Avenue and Yogisoul where Fred’s music flits between grey areas amongst Jazz, Hip Hop and Nuo-Soul.

Warmth, his first fully realised solo work perpetuates the Fredfades sonic aesthetic, calling on an infallible list of voices to bring that human dimension to staccato arrangements where Fender Rhodes chords and synth melodies bounce off lethargic break-beat rhythms. A healthy dose of surface noise and needles clipping against tiny scratches on vinyl bring a healthy dose of colour and personality to the record, where they bound with life. Was it John Peel that said: “Life has surface noise”? Well Warmth certainly has that idea of living life engraved in its grooves. - Jaegeroslo

Low End Theory resident & veteran Los Angeles DJ Nobody creates the crucially timed full-length Vivid Green via Alpha Pup Records. Embracing the flux within LA underground musical movements of the last fifteen years, Elvin Estela has been on the studio grind while touring internationally refining chops in bass heavy beats, electronic bangers and psychedelic rock.

Vivid Green is strongly instrumental, but boasts the vocal collaborations of The Mars Volta's Cedric Bixler-Zavala, electronic songwriter Baths, laid-back SoCal rapper Nocando, freak-soul Kendrick Lamar collaborator Anna Wise (Sonnymoon), and Teri Gender Bender of Les Butcherettes/Bosnian Rainbows. – On Bandcamp

Jazzvolution' is our instrumental compilation series exploring the connection between beatmaking and jazz. The aim is to explore the boundaries of hip-hop beats, to showcase the idea that beatmaking is an evolution of jazz foundations.

And here we are, concluding the trilogy with the final chapter. In the words of Sonny Rollins: “Jazz never ends… it just continues.” And so does beatmaking. Let’s keep on looking for the perfect beat. – Bandcamp | Jazzvolution

Welcome to the weird and wonderful world of library music. For avid aficionados of the beatmaking and sampling scene, it’s no news that library records have always been a reliable source of obscure sample fodder.

Over the years, there’ve been compilations of library labels such as KPM and Bruton, but no one ever took on the extensive catalogue of German library company, Sonoton. DJ, producer and record collector DJ Friction (Freundeskreis / Four Music) got in touch with Sonoton to discuss a possible collaboration. Once they agreed, he asked Dexter (Jazz Files, The Trip) – one of the most in-demand hip-hop producers and beatmakers working right now – to join him on this journey into sound. The idea was to not only compile a number of standout tracks from the Sonoton catalogue, but to sample these old recordings and transform them into a brand new collection of beats. Luckily, Sonoton was game and allowed Frico & Dexter to dive deep into the basement of the company's HQ in Munich. Out of those 200+ LP releases from the early 80s the two producers picked their favourites and went back to the drawing board. The iconic artwork of Sonoton’s 80s releases also inspired the cover sleeve of their new collabo LP.

Dexter and DJ Friction each produced one half of Diggin’ Sonoton. The result is an eclectic, exciting, and well-rounded instrumental album that clearly displays their respective individual styles, while at the same time transferring the distinctive vibe of the original recordings into 2020. All these tracks are digitally distributed via Sonoton as well, making this ambitious beat album a new addition to the rich history of library music. - Bandcamp

With the original UK 7” of this release now as rare as hen’s teeth, and with the group having recently ‘reformed’ for one last album together, the Mr Bongo replica re-release of this 1990 masterpiece by Gang Starr couldn’t be more timely.

The now-legendary duo of DJ Premier and Guru dropped this at the height of hip-hop’s sampling of jazz, which had led to a creative leap forward for the genre. Yet while others plundered in the dark, this instant classic wore its influences on its sleeve and paid verbal homage to the musicians they were sampling. The “melodious funk” of “Thelonious Monk” gets namechecked, while the track samples two of his records, including 1958’s Bop gem ‘Light Blue’.

While both versions presented here have common elements, the ‘Movie Mix’ – so-named for the song’s appearance on the soundtrack to Spike Lee’s mythic jazz biopic ‘Mo’ Better Blues’ – goes in a few different directions to the ‘Video Mix’. Rather than just drop in an instrumental for the B-side, DJ Premier instead shows his versatility by switching up the base track (Kool & The Gang’s 1971 ‘Dujii’) and layering in other samples. In more ways than one, his virtuosity here echoes the improvisation of a jazz musician, akin to Denzel Washington’s Bleak in the movie.

Of course, he’s not the only show in town. The late Guru’s voice is as mellifluous as an instrument itself here, his potted history of the genre and the artists of jazz delivered with his own unmistakable cadence. Without this record, would he have gone on to make his ‘Jazzmatazz’ projects? – Light In The Attic

Mellow, understated, jazzy hip hop drenched with the SP-404 treatment. Choice, classy samples are used throughout, backed with simple but effective drum sounds and an extremely laid back swing. This is Lo-fi Hip Hop at its finest, it’s none other than Wun Two with a great collaborator this time in Hubert Daviz.  

Tasty, fluid future jazz with a heavy hip hop and breakbeat backbone! 

Following up their 2019 release, Jazzbois Goes Blunt is their self-titled EP here in 2020. A promising trio of jazz and hip hop heads, their studied approach can also be seen as the foundation for improv. Definitely one to check out for fans of artists such as Karriem Riggins, Madlib, Kiefer, Kaidi Tatham, Henry Wu, Mansur Brown, Floating Points, and BBNG. 

1988 is the follow up to Knxwledge’s official debut album Hud Dreems (Stones Throw, 2015). The same year Hud Dreems was released Knx worked with Kendrick Lamar on To Pimp a Butterfly, earning the producer his first Grammy. A duo with Anderson .Paak called NxWorries was formed around the same time. Their single “Suede” became a viral hit, vaulting the singer to R&B stardom, and their album Yes Lawd! followed through on that song’s immense promise. Knx and Paak have quietly continued collaborating, and some of the new work is heard on 1988. A prolific artist in the extreme sense of the word, Knxwledge continues to redefine instrumental hip-hop almost in real-time with a stream of beat tapes numbering in the hundreds on Bandcamp, and video remixes on Instagram.

This prolific output began early. 1988 takes its name from the fact that much of the new record was created that very year, when Knx was an infant. As the story is told, little baby Knx was left alone by his mother for just a few moments and crawled to a family member’s vintage SP–12 sampler. When his mother returned he had already produced his first beats and nearly mastered the machine. These tracks, all produced before nap time while rocking a Nike diaper, were stored over the years on floppy discs, then brought to his studio in recent months where they were finished up, mixed, and mastered. – Stones Throw