If you like your Hip Hop slightly left of centre (or more than slightly in this case), then you might want to check out Newcastle Upon Tyne's latest export, producer Cuttooth. (The other exports being Cheryl Cole, Ant & Dec, and Peter Beardsley, obviously). Having recently released his debut album 'Elements' through Psychonavigation Records, Cuttooth, aka Nick Cooke, saw the making of the album as a way to really make the sort of music he wanted to after making the decision to go solo.
Nick explains..."The idea behind the album was that I'd come off the back of doing the Forcefield Kids stuff, I then decided that other people are far too unreliable to work with so decided to make a solo record. I really loved 'Los Angeles' by Flying Lotus and though I'd been making weird hip-hop beats for years I never really felt part of that scene. Which is why when I heard that record and the records that I found through that I was like 'This is what I want to do'. Just concentrating on really pushing what I perceived that hip-hop beats could do, experimenting with some really loose rhythms and trying to fuck with people's perception of time and groove a little bit. It came out alright."
It certainly did come out alright, with the 16 track 33 minute record being an absolute aural pleasure to experience. It really needs to be heard in its entirety to be fully appreciated, however stand out tracks would be 'Infinite Hum', 'Sunshine', and 'Cold Moon' and 'This War' which both feature vocals from the excellent Bridie Jackson. Cuttooth has managed to create an album that is full of downtuned and experimental future hop hip beats, whilst still maintaining the clear essence and notion of the traditional blueprint of where it all came from. The record could be a soundscape for future utopian ideas such is its grandeur.
Those records where repeat plays are much recommended to further the listening experience are always a joy to discover, and 'Elements' is easily an album that does that. Grab it now through Psychonavigation Records // Cuttooth
Sunshine by cuttooth
