Somethinksounds (the brainchild of cult culture magazine somethinkblue) put their name on the map last year with Eliphino’s wildly successful debut release ‘The Undivided Whole” EP. This year the label is back with their second output, “The Slow Ground” by newcomer, Lucky Paul. This release is part one of an impressive aural package (the followup dropping in early summer 2011) and comes complete with three remixes, most notably a worldwide exclusive first from G$ vs Gold, Gadi Mizrahi of Wolf & Lamb and Eli Gold of Soul Clap, respectively.
Situated comfortably between the bassy, futuristic hip hop of Flying Lotus and Tokimosta, the progressive sounds of Animal Collective and Panda Bear and the melancholy productions of Mount Kimbie, James Blake and The xx, “Slow Ground” is sure to attract fans from across the mutual spectrum.
Although Lucky Paul (a New Zealander currently residing in Berlin) is a new name for most, he’s been carefully honing his craft all over the world for years. He spent one year in Brazil studying it’s traditional percussion, and followed it up with a trip to India where he spent time living with and learning from Indian music legend Pandit Vikash Maharaj and his musical family. Lucky Paul’s musical vision quest then led him to Korea where he spent 7 months studying with Bae il Dong – a Pansori singer who learned his art by living near a waterfall for 5 years, singing into the water for fifteen hours a day.
His musical resume speaks for itself. Lucky Paul has performed and worked with top musicians from his home country New Zealand, including Ladi 6, Julien Dyne, and Mara TK (Electric Wire Hustle). And more recently began drumming for and working with Mocky and Chilly Gonzalez.
artist: Lucky Paul
remixers: G$ v Gold (Gadi Mizrahi & Eli Goldstein), Gang Colours & Eliphino
title: The Slow Ground EP
label: Somethinksounds
date: 13 June 2011
A1. Clouds
A2. Thought We Were Alone
A3. Slow Ground
A4. Demon Spawn
B1. Thought We Were Alone (Gang Colours Remix) Download
B2. Thought We Were Alone (Eliphino Remix)
B3. Thought We Were Alone (G$ vs Gold Remix)
“Slow Ground” features four original tracks and three remixes by some of the industry’s best. The EP opens with ‘Clouds’ a track whose heavy drum and percussion work appears to be a musical nod to Lucky Paul’s time in Brazil. Feeling both anthemic and ethereal at once, 1970’s disco legends The Bee Gee’s deliver the vocal sample.
Canadian artist Milosh (plugresearch/K7!) provides the moody vocals on the soulful ‘Thought We Were Alone”. His album ‘Meme’ was ranked #29 in better Propoganda’s 100 albums of the decade and in 2008 he was included in iTunes top ten electronic albums of the year. Most recently he can be heard on a track for Daedelus’ new EP out on Ninja Tune.
The haunting title track, ‘Slow Ground’ is both darkness and light. The tracks sporadic piano and flute-like notes balance the dark choral echoing and stomping bass, giving new meaning to emotional electronica. Next up is ‘Demon Spawn’ featuring vocals from Jamie Lidell’s drummer Pegasus Warning, aka Guillermo Brown. This production is the perfect follow-up, delivering a slow, crawling beat with a slightly off-key mutant funk vocal.
‘Thought We Were Alone’ gets the individual remix treatment by Gang Colours, who are hotly tipped as one of 2011’s biggest emerging stars with an album out soon on Giles Peterson’s label, Brownswood Recordings. Next up labelmate Eliphino takes a swing. The final remix is the exciting worldwide exclusive by G$ vs Gold.
That’s all – we’ll let the music do the talking now.
Following on from the stunning ‘Polyethers’, Py returns with her new single ‘Swimming Slow’, which is due for release via Champion Records on the 10th March.
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