Focus Five: Volume 9

Back for our 9th installment is Focus Five, our monthly feature shining a light on the slept on artists that you need on your radar. This month we’ve got a wide array of talents. We’ve got 2 remix masters: one who’s been doing justice to iconic 90’s classics and another who’s taking a wide array of hits and flipping them into baile funk bangers. Like heavy trap heaters? We’ve got a producer from British Columbia sure to excite you. Trying to do get dark for Halloween? We’ve got a treat in here for you. Oh and if you’re looking for a producer who can do it all in the beat realm, we’ve got one of those too. Don’t delay, get reading, and more importantly, listening.

junior state

junior state first came upon my radar through a SoundCloud repost earlier this month. When I saw a remix of Souls Of Mischief’s ‘93 ‘Till Infinity’ I instantly stopped scrolling. Seeing a remix of such an iconic rap anthem caught my attention, but I hesitated pressing play. What if it’s a future bass remix? I was having a good day and I didn’t need it ruined by something so tasteless. After a brief pause, curiosity got the best of me and I pressed play with healthy skepticism. As the track played out my uncertainty melted away. The rework was as tasteful as possible, combining the acapella with a completely fresh backdrop that felt like 2018 with healthy heap of nostalgia. I instantly smashed that follow and have been blessed with a wealth of new takes on classics each week since. In less than a month junior state has successfully taken on everyone from Biggie to Outkast, Lil Wayne, Wu Tang Clan, Missy Elliot and more. One of the most impressive of the bunch is their take on Nas and AZ’s ‘Life’s A Bitch’. Considered by many to be one of the greatest rap songs of all time, junior state’s rendition maintains the focus on lyricism while crafting a gritty, cinematic and jazzy backdrop that fits perfectly. It’s stripped down and pulled back at the right times while adding a banging element that makes it club ready. Given the quality of the production and crazy amount of support the tracks have received already, it seems this may be a new side project from a well-established producer. Rumours are swirling it may be KRANE, but the details have yet to be fully confirmed. Regardless of who’s behind it, I can’t wait to see what classic they take on next.
–C

LUNDN

Vancouver based trap producer LUNDN landed in a heap on my lap courtesy our very own Colin. Knowing I’m always on the lookout for Canadian talent, he brought LUNDN’s licentious bass to my attention and boy did this talent capture it. Starting at the top of his SoundCloud account and running right through the albeit short catalog, each and every track has the ability to send shivers down your spine and leave your face askew. His most recent, ‘Exile’ is all kinds of ominous evil energy, with sinister, stomach churning, swinging synths and itty bitty, yet uber effective samples that scurry around your head. Hard and hellaciously haunting, the predecessor ‘Elixir’ is equally unfriendly, punching with putrescence, bending both sounds and minds. But let me get to my favourite of the bunch and, in my ears, the exemplar of LUNDN’s lecherous quality, ‘G MA.’ Beastly and brutal, the massive bass leads this rough and raw, yet more dance-friendly delivery. It showcases his penchant for potent percussion and clouded, killer atmosphere. An obvious fit in the FUXWITHIT universe.
–OJ

Paul Mond

When you think of German producers your mind likely goes to techno – efficient, reliable and economical. You probably didn’t think about baile funk, but that’s what we’ve got here with Paul Mond, master of what he calls “future indie bounce.” Bootleg behemoth, his library is overflowing with warm, playful takes on your favourite tracks from ‘Sicko Mode’ and ‘Bodak Yellow’ to ‘Finesse’ and ‘Crank That.’ Now of course this means some of his tracks have short lives on SoundCloud, but the power of Mond’s magic cannot be killed, resurrecting on Bandcamp. And it’s clear why we’re so in love with these tracks, of course they are invigorating, re-imaginings of some of our favourite tracks, blending genres, but they’re also often mind-bending mashups. This is the case with my favourite, a mix of both ‘Praise The Lord’ and ‘Feel Good Inc.’ a truly inspired take which makes me love each track even more. Now if we talk about the brilliance Mond brings to his productions, not just an overlay of lush guitar grooves, there’s two top notch examples in the aforementioned ‘Sicko Mode,’ which shows off his more raucous trap production side, and ‘In My Feelings,’ which leaves room for the hook to flourish, but also paints a beautiful, vivid soundscape. He has too many treats to miss, so get on the baile funk bandwagon while there’s still room!
–OJ

Pax Impera

If dark and atmospheric builds paired with brutal bass and insane sound design is something you enjoy, Pax Impera may be your new favourite. Pax Impera crafts a soundscape that draws you, and never lets you go. ‘Ethos’ was my introduction and set the bar quite high. The engrossing, gloomy introduction lures you into the shadows while the drops transport you into a new dimension of darkness. Possessing a similar aesthetic are ‘Turbulence,’ ‘Ascension’ and ‘Broken Soul’. This collection of original releases combined with impressive remixes of RL Grime and Flume, prove that Pax Impera is one to watch. Embrace the darkness and get swept away in their sound, it is Halloween after all.
–C

recipe.

LA producer recipe. has all the ingredients necessary to make a great artist. Creativity, originality, diversity and some serious knock. With the ability to craft beautifully moving beat music or brutal bass, recipe. has a track for whatever mood you’re in. Looking for laid-back grooves? Check ‘twentythree’. Trying to relax with class? ‘Morning wood’ has you covered. Trying to hear familiar Jay-Z vocals chopped over some chest-pounding bass? Grab a plate of what he just pulled ‘fresh out the frying pan’. With releases on Lost Dogz and collabs with Player Dave and Sumthin Sumthin, it’s clear that recipe. is on the come up. The boy stays cooking up heat, so do not sleep.
–C