In this era’s abundance of mixtape and EP releases for both underground and mainstream hip hop, TNGHT’s groundbreaking, self-titled effort is working miracles.
The set’s cover art – a red background with blots and splashes of various colors – is enough of an allegory to suggest how tight the music production is. The duo’s five-song, 15 minute in-and-out EP – released July 24 – is a visceral excursion into minimalist hip hop production, booming ambient funk and trunk rattlin’ electronica beats. At its core, the collection of instrumentals is some rap tracks that your favorite MC could spit their hottest 16 with ease.
TNGHT’s debut buzz on the live stage and festival circuit this year was so infectious, even Grammy Award-winning musical genius Kanye West made it a priority to join them on stage in Brooklyn. Consisting of Glasgow-based producer/DJ Hudson Mowhawke (aka HudMo or Ross Birchard) and his Montreal-based cohort Lunice since meeting in 2008, the dynamic pair kinda takes listeners back to the synergy Arthur Baker and Juan Atkins laid the foundation for but the mid-90s Dirty South bass/quad speaker thumps on the dance floor If this is the dynamic duo’s attempt to segue into the American music scene, then this is one hell of a debut effort to consider.
One thing TNGHT can do easily is embrace sampling and looping with the oddest of sound effects (i.e. baby coos, bursting bubbles, finger snaps, guns cockin’, glass breaking and water dripping from a faucet). Nonetheless, the beats are dope as shit! Opening with “Top Floor,” the beat quakes over a layer of distorted, spliced vocals. “Goooo” and “Bugg’n,” with their futuristic overtones and somewhat hollow drum loops, emulate video game chords. “Higher Ground” marries looped vocals and trippy drum patterns to majestic hand clapping and refraining horn blares. The closing track, “Easy Easy,” blends many of the listed effects: resulting in a mind-boggling track that could leave the listener craving more.
Best part about TNGHT’s production is that nothing is over the top. Simplicity wins. All things considered, HudMo and Lunice have a great future ahead of ‘em if they keep concocting musical perfection like this. In the meantime, TNGHT has created one of 2012’s dopest and memorable collections of music. PERIOD. Check out the album sampler below.
10/10
