The Abstract
Arsonist EP
By
K-Saulz and
Diffhop
K-Saulz is an emcee from Surrey in Southern England, now
residing in South Wales, he is signed to the label Bard Picasso Records. Part
of Surrey based Hip Hop group Glass Eyed Pupils, K-Saulz has amassed a decent
sized catalogue as solo artist as well as with the group. His vocal sound
ranges from oldskool boombap 90’s style to a more melodic and atmospheric
sound.
For this new EP, The Abstract Arsonist, he has teamed with
East Cardiff based production/beat maker duo Diffhop. Otherwise known as
DaiHard and HardyBeatz, the guy’s sound comes from hardware sampling and crate
digging and is heavily influenced by the mid to late 90’s sound.
All being said, what can we expect from The Abstract Arsonist
EP?
Well, join me as I take you through the EP track by track
and give you my thoughts and feelings.
The album kicks of in an upbeat feel-good style where we get
to feel that sampling and crate digging vibe on the beat from DiffHop as plenty
of classic samples combine to raise our moods. Record In Time see’s
K-Saulz take us on a surreal trip through some key moments in history where he
intertwines his own experiences with these historical moments. This is all used
to good effect as he gives us the lowdown on his career and progression to
date. The tone then changes as DiffHop bring in this deeper and more mystical
tone. Drums and a music box melody combine for a vibe that pinches and
stretches your nerves. That musical backdrop is perfect for K-Saulz to take us
on a mind-bending journey that is number based. On 6th of the 7th
he skillfully spins an intricate web of bars that detail special and important
dates and much more that relate to the numbers Six and Seven. This is no Sesame
Street though with everything from his birthday to the seven chakras and beyond
getting a mention. This is one track that you get a buzz out of listening to
over and over as you focus on picking out everything that packed in this one.
Colourful World has this nice simplistic beat of
guitars and drums But, mixed into this are the dulset tones of the one and only
Bob Ross, what more could you want right. As you float along with the
simplicity of the production, it gives more focus to the words from K-Saulz.
Here we get some slick verbal storytelling that all relates, in some way, to
colour. This creates this wonderful mental picture of just what a colourful
place the world around us is. Its all about taking the time to really see and
feel those colours. This is probably the closest you can get to a verbal Bob
Ross painting. Time to switch things up a little now as DiffHop take a mixture
of violins, bongos, and drums to create a boombap that not only makes you wanna
bounce but, also captures your full attention. Shape Shifters has K-Saulz
looking at all the shapes that create what we see in the world around us. This
seems a natural progression from the colourful nature of the world. The shapes
we see everyday seem to be infinite in their appearance, morphing from one
thing to another. There is also an analogy here in that, in life, you can
remain fixed in your attitude and your approach to life’s journey, or you can
be the Shape Shifter, constantly morphing and adapting to what comes your way.
Our final track of the EP has DiffHop dropping another
upbeat track which features drums and a rock style guitar. This sound not only
serves to uplift but, also to inject some energy that really makes you wanna
move. On Different, K-Saulz is all about how it is so important to really take
a different perspective when looking at our life experiences. One perspective
see’s a challenge that appears to be too much, while another aspect see’s that
challenge as a chance to adapt and to change in order to overcome, it’s all
about looking at this differently, just as an emcee or producer does in
creating their music…
Overall, The Abstract Arsonist EP does exactly what
is says, taking an abstract view of life and the world around us and doing it
in such a way as to a fire in the heart and soul of the listener.
K-Saulz shows he is more that adept at switching his style
to suit the beat and his wordplay really does set up some intricate stories
that not only entertain but, also give you something to think about, igniting a
desire to want to go back to again because you are sure you missed something
the first time around, or was that the third time around, I forget…
DiffHop’s production is spot on here. You feel their influences
and chosen way of beat making in each track but, there is depth also that
perfectly captures the musical vibe to setup K-Saulz. The range of vibes they
created for the EP is excellent and gives plenty for the listener to enjoy.
That whole sampling and crate digging vibe really takes you back to the 90’s
but, also has enough to keep their sound fresh.
What I do like about The Abstract Arsonist EP is that
it is one of those releases that enables me to say more with less words. Plus,
the use of Bob Ross is probably genius here as you can’t help but love a bit of
Bob. More than that is this EP has a bit of a timeless aspect in that you could
listen to this anytime for days weeks and even years and there will be
something here that will relate to whatever situation you are in at the time,
and I have to give huge credit to K-Saulz and DiffHop for creating that feel.
On a number of occasions, I have included some notes about
how you can often get a different outlook on some tracks depending on how you
hear them or in what context. Here on The Abstract Arsonist EP, I can
once more show you that. The EP’s first track, Record In Time, was
conceived by K-Saulz as a track that details the history of the vinyl record
from the perspective of vinyl. What is key here is that you pay particular
attention to the first bar with the date, then the history of the vinyl record
becomes more apparent. However, if like me, you obviously missed that, then you
could well see the track the way I did in my review. This really shows the
multi-layered aspect of the EP and how you can pick up different things with
each listen. A real credit to K-Saulz writing.
The Abstract Arsonist EP has gotta be one you need to
check out. Give it a listen or more and see if you agree with me. It’s out now
so go grab yours…
On that note,
I’m outta here or maybe I’m still here? It’s all about
perspective, I guess…
See Ya,
Steve.
LINKS
Get the EP from Bandcamp Here:
https://k-saulz.bandcamp.com/album/the-abstract-arsonist-ep-k-saulz-diffhop
VIDEOS
Record In Time (Official Video)
No comments:
Post a Comment