MP3: Souls of Mischief x Adrian Younge – “Panic Struck”
The Wall Street Journal Premieres Souls Of Mischief x Adrian Younge’s New Jazz-Tinged Single From Forthcoming Concept Album, There Is Only Now, Due Out August 26th
08.11.2014
The Song:
“We were hanging outside of a club, at a party, and a guy walked up to us pulling a ski mask down, telling everybody to get down, and as he said that, a shot went off,” recalls Souls of Mischief rapper Tajai to The The Wall Street Journal. This real-life incident serves as the basis for the group’s latest single, “Panic Struck,” and is the third single from their forthcoming concept album, There Is Only Now, due out August 26th. During initial conversations about working together for an album, producer Adrian Younge interviewed the group about significant moments in their career and said, “They start talking about this incident that happened to them in 1994, and my mouth was on the floor. I said, ‘This feeling you just gave me right now is what we need to bring to the audience, let’s base the album on this incident.'”
There Is Only Now was fully-produced using strictly live instrumentation, no samples nor computers. Referencing the jazzy vibes heard on “Panic Struck,” Adrian reflects, “I wanted to make an album that was like Native Tongues meets Souls of Mischief meets Herbie Hancock and Bob James. I wanted them to be like four horns, so each person is a separate horn player in, for lack of a better term, this hip-hop jazz production. I wanted them to bob and weave between each other and when you listen to the record, you can hear them playing off each other like that.” This sentiment is reflected through Adrian’s ambitious production methodology, matched by Souls of Mischief’s notable lyrical prose. “Panic, feeling anxiety, can’t imagine or fathom why they would lie to me or leave me abandoned, damn it / in the land of the free, we scramble to eat, if you can’t compete you harm your family tree,” the group raps on the song’s chorus, sharing the harrowing narrative atop Adrian’s laid-back drums and bass-heavy track.
Set in ’94, There Is Only Now reads like a audio-only blaxploitation film with drama, suspense, and plot twists involving strong character roles played by Busta Rhymes, Ali Shaheed Muhammad, Snoop Dogg, William Hart of The Delfonics, Scarub from Living Legends, and all four members of Souls of Mischief, who play themselves. The plot of the entire album is based on a violent incident that Souls of Mischief experienced in San Francisco early in their career. The project is produced entirely by multi-instrumentalist and renowned producer/composer, Adrian Younge and will serve as the inaugural release for his newly launched label, Linear Labs. The album is available for pre-order here.
The album is available for pre-order in several formats: CD, digitally, double-LP, and cassette tape. All formats, including the 7 inch vinyl that features the title track on the A-side and “All You Got Is You Word” on the B-side are available here: http://linearlabsmusic.com/store.php
Souls of Mischief are also performing the album in its entirety alongside Ali Shaheed Muhammed, Adrian Younge’s band Venice Dawn, The Pharcyde, Blu & Exile, Phife Dawg, DJ Rhettmatic, House Shoes and more, September 4th at The Mayan Theater in Los Angeles. You can buy tickets here.
Check out the Wall Street Journal premiere: http://blogs.wsj.com/speakeasy/2014/08/11/souls-of-mischief-recall-confrontation-on-panic-struck-exclusive-song-premiere/
Listen to “Panic Struck”: https://soundcloud.com/linearlabs/souls-of-mischief-panic/s-zAoBz
iTunes pre-order link: https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/id890335149
Souls of Mischief Background:
Starting with their landmark debut ’93 ‘til Infinity, Oakland’s four-person rap group Souls of Mischief has blazed the trail for hip hop’s evolution. Members Tajai, A-Plus, Phesto, and Opio have left their mark sonically, lyrically, and stylistically on Kanye West, Just Blaze, Big Sean, Big K.R.I.T., P. Diddy, Vampire Weekend, John Mayer, and many more who have cited them as cultural icons and influencers. Souls is also credited as having pioneered the independent label movement when they started Hieroglyphic Imperium Records in 1997 following their departure with JIVE Records, creating the infrastructure blueprint for other successful independent hip hop labels. Co-founders of the Hiero label also include emcees Del Tha Funky Homosapien, Casual, Pep Love, and producer Domino. Souls’ also forged hip-hop’s relationship with the skate, surf, and snowboard communities after iconic skate brands included their music in their VHS videotapes in the mid-90’s. The group’s creative output and legacy as a whole continues to thrive, and they show no sign of stopping. In 2013, Souls celebrated the 20 year anniversary of ’93 til Infinity, prepped a documentary film, embarked on a 50-city “Still Infinity Tour,” and released a joint 20th anniversary limited edition tee shirt capsule collection with Ecko Unlimited. They are now prepping for the August 26th release of their sixth studio album, There Is Only Now, a cinematic collaborative effort with renowned producer Adrian Younge on Adrian’s newly launched Linear Labs record label.
Links:
official site | twitter | facebook | youtube
“Panic Struck”: https://soundcloud.com/linearlabs/souls-of-mischief-panic/s-zAoBz
HYPETRAK Video Interview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=44uBxjQmNek
“All You Got is Your Word”: https://soundcloud.com/linearlabs/07-all-you-got-is-your-word
“There Is Only Now” feat. Snoop Dogg & Ali Shaheed Muhammed: http://youtu.be/4jLqfrBrDTw
Bio, pictures & streams available here: http://www.audibletreats.com/souls-of-mischief
Linear Labs store featuring all seven formats of the album: http://linearlabsmusic.com/store.php