Italian instrumental hip-hop via a German netlabel, brought to you by a global idiot: truly, the internet is an electronic group hug. Cristiano Crisci Digi G'Alessio is an Italian producer of crispy beats, as you'll find out if you listen to Shiny Brazil's nine tracks, most of which are under two minutes long - meaning you'll find them either irritatingly brief or just the right length; a sort of musical biscotto, if you will.
Signore G'Alessio's musical signature seems to be a "tape-stop" effect, used most noticeably in the opener, Lo french touch, where it's frequent deployment could be interpreted as an extremely slow form of "ducking", music production fans.* He's not afraid of a dominating, if not downright overpowering, snare drum. (Less is more, in my ever-so humble opinion.) While it's not the most ground-breaking EP I've ever heard, there's enough tasteful sampling and mellow 70's soul flavour to keep cheapskate Creative Commons hipsters happy long enough to tie their cravat and dance in front of the mirror.
Today's suggested track is a slow groover and will serve as an aperitif to your weekend/chocolate & TV binge/recovery from a traumatic hangover/jailbreak:
The flutes, brass and organ really tied the room together, didn't they?** Messicani sulla luna leads nicely into something funkier, Il Tiratoio, with a bass that only just sneaked past the mixing desk. The other tracks on this unabashedly cheerful and upfront collection of hip-hop are as frothy, fun and fleeting as, er, beer froth. I'm still waiting for the latest edition of Similes for Dummies.
Shiny Brazils owes its passport to the check-in staff at iD.eology, the Cologne netlabel that will release anything as long as it takes James Brown's advice: whatever it is, it's got to be funky. This week, the Cologne crew has released two more free albums as well as Shiny Brazils, thus giving you two chances to turn up your nose at CTW's recommendation and confirm, as if you really needed to, that I'm an idiot and you're a hip-swingin' mutha from the crushed-velvet side of town. Either way, you whine win.
Digi G'Alessio - Shiny Brazils
*One of CTW's traditions: every now and then I try to display some musical knowledge and always come up laughably short.
**Ah, The Big Lebowski. The internet issues a free DVD to every new blogger. It's true.
