Although hailing from a Hip Hop background – check his remix EP’s for the science – Canadian beatsmith Koushik’s more recent output could be dismissed as coffee table musak. That would be a mistake, as although his folksy psyched out soundscapes can become repetitive, there’s a playful lightness of touch about his dreamy arrangements while his reverb drenched warblings betray a refreshing vulnerability.
‘Nothing’s the Same’ is simple but evocative utopian womb music – the soundtrack to the type of world I’d want to raise children in. But don’t let my faggy hyperbole put you off. It’s a winner. Brasil Beat 15 is less memorable but I like the fact Stones Throw have the balls to put this out; they are rapidly becoming the benchmark for Hip Hop related avant-garde eclecticism.
Peanut Butter Wolf could probably shift a comp of Eurovision re-edits, but thankfully he’s blessed with impeccable taste and a flair for pinpointing what’s good about any genre of music he turns his hand to. Check the album for more mellow madness. This doesn’t bang; it floats.
By: Max Weldon