Infinite Sounds UK: Album Review: Diggin In Outer Space by KISTA

Diggin’ in Outer Space

KISTA

Diggin In Outer Space marks the first time I have had KISTA on the blog, and not before time too. Kista is a self-confessed vinyl junkie, producer, and Graff writer. He is also the owner of Soundweight Records, on which this is released. The album is his latest release in a career that spans the last two decades and features many standout releases such as ‘Collecting Dust’ which he produced alongside US emcee Glad2Mecha, and the highly acclaimed ‘Songs From The Sea’s Edge’.

His deeply rooted and traditional Graff style has seen him produce work for many of his own releases and Diggin In Outer Space is no exception. The cover, by KISTA himself (See above), features a number of different pieces that show his name and demonstrate his broad but classic style. The cover also has this cut and paste style to it and features Graff pieces that are interspaced with images of legendary NYC Graff writers, images of vinyl records, Hip Hop and other musical influences, plus just a hint of psychedelia too. This stunning imagery more than mirrors the what the promo material says about the album “From start to finish this album takes you on a timeless nostalgic trip of all this hip hop, record digging, graffiti, drum breaks, spoken word, 90’s mix tapes, and Skateboarding”.

Now, I have always been a lover of the cut n’ paste style mix and so I am truly looking forward to deep diving on this one. So, let’s not hang around one more second. It’s time to join me as we turn the clock back to the Mid-eighties and early 90’s for a journey into hip hop, dedicated to the one and only ‘The 45 King’, let’s go Diggin In Outer Space with KISTA…

We begin our journey, of two halves (or sides as it were), by lifting off from planet Earth, into the void of outer space with the Intro (Stereo Test). This is more than intro to the album, but also and intro to vinyl records, how to play them and a hint at crate digging too. It all comes courtesy of a vocal sample from yesteryear over banging drum break, with a dash of some electronic vibes to boot. Now that the needle is in the groove and we are suitably thrust into our seats for the ride it’s time to get the Correct Technique, and we do this by listening, intently to the drum break and all the various samples, as they come together to get our head nodding, and the head nod sound is something that is always critical as it transfers the energy from the music into your body. Especially so when you’re floating through the void of space. Now, something that was always a huge part of the early Hip Hop Electro sound was the fact that it had that futuristic computer sound, and that also expanded into the Graff scene too with futuristic styles, and it’s time to explore the Graff side of things on Computer Rock (Future Shock). Wicked infectious bass guitar and a dope beat, really gets ya adrenaline flowing, just like the kick of grabbing a bag of spray cans and markers and getting out onto the dark streets and into the subway tunnels to get your name up, in the freshest style. The sampled vocals from graff writers really takes you back to watching documentaries, like Style Wars, for the first time. You would get a huge kick from practicing your own tag, before heading out and getting up for the first time. Computer Rock Pt2 (The Essence) takes us deeper into something that is the essence of both a graff writer or an emcee, and that is the technique; each has to have their own individual style or styles of creating their craft, from the tags and bubble, or wild style pieces, to the wordplay and flows, you technique is everything and is up to the observer to see if they can follow. Keep It on mixes up organ notes, xylophone notes, and vocal samples over a wicked drum beat to give us a sound that almost has a laid-back edge to it but, still has that banging vibe that keeps you bouncing as our journey through the cosmos continues but, if you thought that the link to planet earth was lost, you are mistaken as Solstice brings that link to bear with a hypnotic sound that has these sampled vocals that seem to speak to your unconscious, reminding you that no matter how far you travel, you are always still close to nature and should always remain so. That idea of remaining close to nature, even when surfing the cosmos leads us into Mushroom Clouds where the beat is laced with hypnotic piano notes that allow us to drift off into a different type of cosmos, one where some, possibly, natural substances help us reach a cosmos of our own making. The organ notes and guitars on Take You Higher find us inhaling more of those substances to transcend that induced cosmos, before realising that sound and music also has the capability to takes up to other places, and that is where we end the first part of our journey into outer space.

One quick flip, and the needle is back in the groove, and our journey continues, with just that little pause. Now we get things back on track with the title track Diggin in Outer Space, which takes us back to NYC. Here we get the low down on how a vinyl record is produced before breaking into sampling, the MPC and more. This track is almost like a cut n paste mix in itself as KISTA mixes in a wealth of vocal samples with switching sound along the way as the focus of the vocal sample’s changes. It keeps you on your toes and shows the work that goes into creating that physical product you love to hold in your hand and then watch, mesmerized, as it spins on the turntable bringing the sound you love to hear. Crescent Moon takes us into a jazz infused sound with classic drum break with strings to give it a chilled air. Then there are the piano and horns that really bring in that jazz sound. Something that really came into hip hop music in the 90’s, bringing a sound that was rooted in hip hop but, had this jazzy vibe that you could chill to, showing that somethings just blended so well with that hip hop sound. Now, Walkman Blues opens with a little soundbite that I can associate with as I had my first introduction to Hip Hop by listening to a cassette of the latest tunes. Here the beat, organ notes, claps and vocal samples all come together to create this vibe that gets you reminiscing of the days you had a cassette Walkman, and then a CD Walkman. I remember making my own mix tapes or putting the latest albums on tape to listen to on my train journey to work. Later, I had the means to do the same with CD’s. This one really takes me back, and the blues comes in when you forgot to get back up batteries, or the tape massed up. Those were the days. Xylophone notes bring us into Moon Rocks, where those notes mix with organ notes over the beat to give you this upbeat sound that kind of lightens the mood somewhat. It keeps that jazz vibe going once more but, in more chilled way, and makes you think of bouncing around on the moon in low gravity, looking back at the earth, the same way you might look back at music that has gone before, how it has influenced you and how you might be able to use it in the future. On the subject of musical influences, the Chrome Face (Skit) brings in a short funk fuelled guitar sound, alongside a nice drum beat that switches your focus to the equipment needed to take all of those musical ideas, that are floating around in your mind, and getting them into a usable form, recorded and ready for use. Similarly, your idea might be to take a Stack of 45’s and produce a funky little mix out of them, and if that is your idea, then you might just come up with something like this little beauty. No more needed to say here just kick back and enjoy. The penultimate sound on our little journey right here is Endless Summer, and this one takes a pounding drum break and mixes in piano, horns and more to bring you a sound that puts you slap bang in the middle of NYC, in the heat of the summer. From the busy summer days to the rocking summer nights, this one takes you there, as a little aside from travelling icy depths f outer space. KISTA rounds things off here with the Space Cookie (Outro), a spaced out drum and key infused sound that reminds you this journey is took you out into the depths of the cosmos for a ride through the foundations of the Hip Hop sound and much more. Now you are left with a little decision to make. Do you come back to earth for more or do you stay floating, out there in deep space…

This has been some trip for sure, and it is not always easy to review a release such as this because you hear so many sound bites, samples, and more that you recognise that you question, do I list all these that I recognise? Now, if I was to do that, we’d be here forever. So, what is best to do is just give you the things that come to mind as I listen.

What this album did do was to take me back to those days of old, to a time when I first heard Hip Hop, properly, when I knew what it was. That old Cassette, that I still have, was my first introduction. Yes, I had heard Rappers Delight on vinyl but, I didn’t know what I was listening too, at the time and was only eight or nine years old. When I got to thirteen and was told that this is Hip Hop, things blew up. I loved those times, trying to make pause button mixes or listening to Double D and Steinski’s The Lesson series or taping DMC mixes from the John Peel Show on a Monday Night. Now I wasn’t a skateboarder, so I can’t comment on that but, I know it was a huge within some in Hip Hop so, it definitely has its part to play. Hip Hop wasn’t just music, it was Breakin’, it was Graff, and it was knowledge. I learnt so much from listening to Hip Hop and researching what heard in the lyrics.

So, not only does Diggin In Outer Space take you back to those early years, it encapsulates everything about that time. From buying records, tapes and CD’s, to trying to write Graff, trying to be a Breaker, and trying to Rap or be scratch a record (in the musical scenes). It brings all that alive once more, putting you in touch with those feelings and reminding you of what it was about Hip Hop that struck you, the oneness. You were part of a movement, a culture, something new that was growing, and still alive today, if you look in the right places.

KISTA proves, right here, and without the shadow of a doubt, that he is one of the premo Hip Hop producers out there that still embodies the roots of what Hip Hop is all about. Diggin In Outer Space takes you on a trip that is seamless from start to finish. It is a rollercoaster ride that is not just a great listen but, one that takes you to new or old places and elicits emotions and adrenaline shots with every beat. KISTA has this instinct that know exactly what beats, breaks and samples to use to convey the message he is putting across, and that message seems to be that this is Hip Hop music and this music can break down the walls and take you anywhere you want to go. So, turn up the volume and feel the love for the music, the culture, and your fellow brothers and sisters across the world.

For those of us who grew up in the 70’s, 80’s this one is a nostalgic trip that will take you back and have you grinning from ear to ear, and if you grew up in the 80’s and 90’s, it will have a similar effect. For those of you hearing this who grew up in noughties or after, this one is going to give you an insight into a time when playing with music and bringing fun and good times was the name of the game and I hope it ignites a new flame inside you to explore the music and bring that energy back, because we need that fun energy to back into music and inspire unity beyond borders.

This has to be high on my albums of the year as it is a stunning slice of Hip Hop that ticks all the boxes and proves, once and for all, that Hip Hop is in the house, and its alive and kicking.

Diggin In Outer Space was release back in August and the vinyl has now sold out. It is still available on digital though so, grab a copy.

My huge thanks to KISTA for allowing me to bring this one to you.

So, till next time,

Peace Out.

Steve

LINKS

Grab your digital copy here:

https://kista.bandcamp.com/album/diggin-in-outer-space

Soundweight Records Website:

https://soundweightrecords.bigcartel.com/

KISTA and Soundweight Records Socials:

https://www.facebook.com/neil.k.richardson.5