Blue Iverson: Hotep (Dean Blunt) Vinyl LP

While most recent Dean Blunt & Hype Williams-related projects feature Blunts gruff voice and confrontational persona front and center, Hotep finds Blunt comfortably zooted in the producers chair instead, directing an ensemble of some of LAs finest studio musicians at the freshly minted Stones Throw Studios in East L.A. This predominantly instrumental session conjures jazzy hip-hop musack and UPN sitcom neo-soul vibes, sporting acheshire grinbut purely genuine at the same time. Despite the ace performances of the session players, the record retains a playful navet, no doubt thanks to Deans turns on keyboard and drums – instruments which he can hold his own on but probably hasnt practiced in years… but thats part of the charm. Imagine your own wide-eyed early Fruity Loops experiments reinterpreted by Ryan Leslie and King Krule.Or the sort of outsider funk obscuritiesPPUdigs up. Jennah Bell & Akuas gorgeous vocalsshow up about halfway through (Fake Loathe, Hush Money, the Isleys-esque Jennas Interlude), lending a remarkablymatureaura to a record that is otherwise childlike and playful (we mean that in the best way possible). After quietly surfacing on YouTube and racking up a small legion of sworn devotees, this bafflingly alluring record has finally been made available on vinyl courtesy of Benji Bs Deviation imprint, which is weird, but also sorta makes sense. Highly recommended.

• black vinyl pressing
• music label:Deviation 2017

reviewed bywilliam, shotgun sprayer 02/2018