New single by SkySplitter and Dj Kanganade with a video coming soon from Church Street DJs.

A face-melter of a single from a powerful team-up: DJ Kanganade and SkySplitterInk. Both of these young men have been tireless assets to the 802 scene, and they’re both hella talented, too. “Triage” is the opening shot for an upcoming EP project, and there’s a video on the way, courtesy of the Church Street DJs team.

In case you missed it, SkySplitterInk recently dropped a gorgeous single with Teece Luvv, “Too Long,” and DJ Kanganade was all over Mavstar and ILLu’s Gangsta Trail Mix, the latest release from Equal Eyes Records.

First up, props to the 99 Neighbors team for keeping it moving. They’re fresh off another sold out show last weekend, this time at St. Lawrence. On the way, they shot a quick video featuring Sam. tearing through some light work:

On the way to a show at Saint Lawrence University we pulled over to shoot some videos. One of them being a freestyle over a beat chosen on the spot. Instagram Links: https://www.instagram.com/sampaulinomusic/ https://www.instagram.com/chasechowder/ ©99Neighbors 2018 https://www.99neighbors.club/

Their next big gig is coming on Halloween - they’ll be taking over Metronome along with Loupo and Chyse for The Graveyard Smash on October 31st.

There’s a lot of gigs between now and the 31st, though. For starters, Maine/LA “art rap” loyalist Milo will be at ArtsRiot tonight, along with his longtime co-conspirator, producer Kenny Segal. 8:30 pm show. $15. ALL AGES.

ArtsRiot is doing back-to-back rap shows, too: the very next night (Thursday the 4th) they’ll be welcoming Chicago rapper/singer/multi-instrumentalist Nnamdi Ogbonnaya. His music is funky, catchy and deliciously weird. To sweeten the deal, HANKNATIVE of 99 Neighbors will be opening. 8:30 pm show. $10. ALL AGES.

Closer to downtown, there’s a bumping show at Sidebar that same Thursday night. DIGGS is a new band, and a damn promising new band, at that. They do big funk-rap numbers with horns, and they will be rocking with Mister Burns and The Hounds, his latest live band lineup. 10 pm show. $3. 21+.

Friday night at Club Metronome, there’s going to be a dope beats convention going down. The lineup is packed: Loupo and David Chief will be putting in work alongside JFear, Ron Stoppable and the one-man army SVPPLY. 10 pm show. FREE. 21+.

Finally, don’t forget: Atmosphere is coming to Higher Ground on October 9th. They’re legends for a reason — it’s one of the most polished live shows in hip hop. 8 pm show. $29 adv / $32 door. ALL AGES.

FRESH TRACKS

We’ve had some new names show in the past month - first up, producer THEN WHAt, who also raps as Selfish Presley, has been on a tear lately, dropping new singles and fresh beats. Check out “Don’t Speak,” a lush instrumental cut…

Been camped in the lap making so many new instrumentals, I had to take a second and share one of my favorites right now!

Another new artist from Southern VT has, in classic Randy Orton style, come outta nowhere with a fully developed sound. Humble Among is definitely some left field material, but it’s damn interesting work. His Silly Human EP is a clearly stated manifesto that speaks for itself.

Last up is 802 super-producer Es-K, who has quietly added yet another weapon to his arsenal: he’s playing his own basslines now. Check out his latest showcase, “This Is It / Hall and Oats",” a Dilla-inspired jazz meditation.

I recently started taking bass lessons and my teacher told me to start learning some bass lines of songs I like. This isn't exactly a "cover", but I came up with it jamming along with the original beat and a live version by The Roots. When I decided to recreate it I quite honestly failed - despite how simple the track was.. but I'm digging what I came up with regardless. I basically tried to use the bass as much as possible and tried to come up with variations to the original bass line while still following the general direction of the original beat. I'll try to make this a weekly thing in between my lessons with whatever song I decide to start practicing and learning. Anyways - thanks for taking the time to check it out, I would love to hear what you think. (PS - Any bass players out there definitely reach out, would love to connect)

In our recent interview with 802 beatsmith Dokowala, he announced that there was a new project right around the corner: Loops 4 The Soul, a split beat tape with Instinct. That tape dropped on Monday — and it’s a free digital download, for now. There will be actual cassette copies soon, but getting tapes duplicated is tricky.

The duo have highly complimentary styles, and this is a strong set. Any given track here could get picked up by Adult Swim — both producers have a spacious, jazzy touch. Loops 4 The Soul mines funk from unlikely sample sources, and it’s the subtle moves that really make it work. Much of the material here is primed for your next “chill beats” playlist, but there are some real burners on deck, too.

Overall, another impressive release from a producer on a hot streak, and a great opportunity to get familiar with Instinct. Dig it.

Tonight, local DJ Two Sev will be spinning vinyl at Side Bar, a superior drinking spot on Main Street. From there, though, the weekend is largely taking place in other corners of the state. Let’s take a road trip through your entertainment options:

First up, Khaosity’s Kings of the Weekend series continues at the Barre VFW on Friday night. The Eden emcee has been working on paving new platforms for unheard independent artists, and the lineup in Barre will include Corty Booth, Stormyweather, Trippie Banz, Royce Matic and Douglas Campbell. 6:30 pm show. FREE. All ages.

At Positive Pie II in Montpelier, selector Jahdan Blakkamore will convene a special edition of Dub School. Discerning heads will be most impressed. Expect a flawless evening of deep cuts and a succession of special surprise guests. 10 pm show. $10. 21+.

On Saturday night, check out the Pelpa Album Release Party at The Engine Room in White River Junction. Pelpa is a New England artist repping Jamaica, and he’ll be joined by Marquis, Cody Barton, and … the reunion of Causin’ Effect, the tag team of Vazy and Jibba “The Gent.” Gonna be a hot ticket. 9 pm show. $10. 21+.

Finally, it’s not exactly a secret show, but it doesn’t exist on Facebook: HLR Entertainment will be hosting another Hip Hop Night at Babes Bar in Bethel. It’s a stacked bill in a great little spot, and also a fundraiser for local sports. Expect to see Sircho Bangz, Omega Jade, Modest, and Ciurleo sweat it out for a good cause. Oh, and Bar None the Best will be there to destroy a set. Like I said: “stacked bill.” 9 pm show. $5. 21+.

Stream/Download » https://chillhop.lnk.to/PhaseSo We wanna welcome Es-k with his first release on our label. Together with pianist Danny Whitney he creates the perfect tune for the upcoming hoodie season. Follow Es-K https://spoti.fi/2ObhcE4 https://soundcloud.com/beatsbyesk https://www.facebook.com/beatsbyesk https://twitter.com/BeatsByEsK https://es-k.bandcamp.com/

Es-K branches out once again, debuting on Netherlands label/platform Chillhop Music. “Phases” is a gorgeous piece of work, featuring BTV keyboard auteur Danny Whitney over some timeless jazz breaks. In other words, the perfect soundtrack for a rainy fall day — dig it.

Es-K has new work on the way, as always: expect another LP, on wax this time. More news on that soon, but: that’s a huge, huge accomplishment and he’s earned it honestly. Props.

KINGBREAD Remains The MOST Publicized/Popular Hip Hop Artist In Vermont. #BackedByStats 'NYTE LYFE' Was Produced + Recorded At Heartless Ent. Studios Mixed/Mastered By: Mr. GOODBARZ Of YHL (Young Hustle League)

The crew at Heartless Ent. have released a new single — “NYTE LIFE” is a slice off the forthcoming HEARTLESS FOREVER mixtape. It’s an anthemic celebration of selling cocaine to college students and getting away with it.

BL SPITZ has been an outsized, caps-lock presence on social media since his return to the scene, and KINGBREAD — formerly known as Cornbread — is a BTV legend. Some of you reading this may remember him for him daily habit of stomping around town, screaming bars at the top of his lungs. It was a beautiful thing. Watching him startle the shit out of Sunday shoppers on Church St. … these are memories I will always treasure.

Naturally, their claims to be the best — and to be the true founders of “Vermont Hip Hop” — has generated a lot of online beef and a few IRL incidents, too.

The most interesting development, though, is the possibility of a live battle against the Street Religion crew. As a matchup, that makes a hell of a lot of sense. Both crews are working in similar lanes and definitely share some mutual influences. What’s more, that’s a lot of talented writers under one roof.

Straightforward thug rap might not be Burlington’s favorite flavor, but there’s no denying that BL Spitz and Kingbread are damn good at it. Up against a writer as sharp as Yung Breeze, well, it’s going to be an entertaining night. Keep your fingers crossed.

Yesterday I threw on the new Mavstar & ILLu LP and hot damn, I was impressed. It’s been five years since he dropped the Even Out EP, and during that time he’s evolved into a whole new artist. On the mic, Mavstar sounds both more relaxed and more confident, and bar game has sharpened considerably. Check out the jumpoff cut, “What’s Been Going On,” where he explains his hiatus better than I could:

Turntable wizard DJ Kanga shows up on four cuts here, and that’s a very good call. Kanga should be on everyone’s albums, and I don’t understand why he isn’t. At just eight tracks, Gangsta Trail Mix still hits you like a full meal. Every song is carefully fleshed out and it all sounds professional as heck, thanks to the experienced touch of engineer Zach Crawford aka SkySplitterInk.

The album also features one of the best rap songs about roleplaying games I’ve heard - “Dungeons & Dragons” features both DJ Kanga and Bless The Child lyricist / hermit, Humble.

2018 has been full of surprises, and this project is one of them. Gangsta Trail Mix is one of the strongest releases Equal Eyes has dropped, and definitely one of my favorite albums so far this year. Props to everyone involved.

Back at the beginning of September, we covered Dokowala’s beat tape, Cold Waves. Even in the middle of a strong year for instrumental hip hop in the 802, it’s a standout slice of laid-back boom bap, more jazz than funk. Here, the humble beatsmith talks shop about his process and the journey it’s brought him on.

VTHH: Really enjoyed Cold Waves, man. I'm curious if you were curating beats that nailed that particular vibe, or was that just the space you've been in lately with all your production work?

Dokowala: I'm very humbled by how well it is being perceived by people so far. Cold Waves was definitely a project that had the tracklisting switched out, rearranged - songs added or subtracted, all the way up until the release. While I want each loop to tell a story - I wanted it to be a cohesive project. Something that conveys emotion front-to-back. I only came up with the title after the majority of tracks were chosen. At least for me - every beat I make is a reflection of my current headspace as a human being. I guess the right answer would be a little bit of both.

VTHH: A lot of the producers I talk to in the 802 say they exist on the internet more than they exist in Vermont, thanks to the larger network social media provides. Is that the case for you?

Dokowala: My online presence is nothing to write home about. I really gotta give it up to my friends & family because without them it wouldn't feel like I exist at all, man. The biggest support always comes from my friends & family in Saint Albans. They've all been listening & buying music from me since I was in high school doing this on Fruity Loops. That is the big "keep going" motivation when things get tough. Anytime you get somebody who genuinely listens to your work, then approaches you in person to tell you what they enjoyed about it - that's existing to me.

VTHH: What is the scene like in Saint Albans these days?

Dokowala: I moved to Burlington because Saint Albans doesn't really have a music scene. Don't get me wrong when I say that because there are a number of dope artists in their own right that come from there. There's just not an audience to play for - much less a venue to play at. I got my people there who support but that's it. There's a small venue called The Burrow, I see them constantly trying to hold shows of all genres in their basement space. That's a start.

VTHH: What are you using for equipment these days? Do you still create in FL sometimes?

Dokowala: I haven't used FL in at least 5 years or more. The Master file always comes out of Ableton nowadays. I've used FL, Reason, Maschine & the 404. My favorite, by far, is my Ableton + APC40 setup. Everything works a little different for production so it really came down to what gave me the most sandbox approach to the work. Ableton provides that freedom.

VTHH: What do you have in the works next?

Dokowala: Actually, a cassette with my long-time friend Instinct, we just finished it & we’re waiting for it to be duplicated. It's a split beat tape of 10-tracks each. We have dubbed it "Loops 4 The Soul". This will be available for purchase soon. Instinct is a beast in his own right & has a unique sound of his own - look him up! Other than that - I'm stacking audio for another release!

Higher Ground remains one of Vermont’s most iconic venues, and they keep booking quality hip hop, too. Here’s a quick look ahead.

Sept. 23 (Sun.) - Jedi Mind Tricks and Q-Unique. A whole lot of hardcore hip hop in the building - Q-Unique was part of NYC crew The Arsonists. (Track down their LP “As The World Burns” if you’ve never heard it.) Expect to see a clinic on crowd control. All Ages. 8:30 pm show. $20 adv / $23 door.

Oct. 9 (Tues.) - Atmosphere with deM atlaS and The Lioness. Rhymesayers is a legendary label with a lot of talent, but that legend was built on the catalog — and work ethic — of Slug and Ant. They’ve evolved into one of the tightest live shows in rap. All Ages. 8 pm show. $29 adv / $32 door.

Oct. 14 (Sun.) - Watsky with Chukwudi Hodge. It’s encouraging that artists as earnestly weird as Watsky can still thrive and tour. He will be joined by the spooky talented Hodge, a budding star in his own right. All Ages. 7:30 pm show. $20 adv / $25 door / $85 VIP.

Oct. 18 (Thurs.) - Blockhead with Yppah and Arms & Sleepers. Blockhead still counts, right? No matter how left field, Ninja Tune, or EDM his sound gets, his live show has always been straightforward & entertaining. All Ages. 8:30 show. $12 adv / $15 door.

Oct. 28 (Sun.) - Prof with Mister Burns and Jarv. Prof has been a success story for the Rhymesayers label, and he’s a lot different than their usual sound — big, funny party rap. He’ll be joined by some of the 802’s finest. A tasty ticket. All Ages. 8 pm show. $15 adv / $17 door.

Tonight at Drink, a charmingly weird spot on St. Paul facing the park, the Red Handed Records team has put together a strong-ass lineup of local hip hop. Chyse and Learic are both top talents, and spoken word artist Rivan C. is riding a big wave right now. Also, Jarv will be coming through to deliver a set. That’s a full house.

This is a 21+ affair and there will be a $5 cover. Enjoy yourselves responsibly.

Tonight, Foam Brewers will be hosting the official Above The Radar 2018 Jump Off Party. There will be music from Jarv, somehow still humble despite being Rapper Of The Year, and Mister Burns will be headlining with his live band, The Hounds.

That’s a big enough deal already, to be sure, but: this is also the 1000th show that Mister Burns has played. That record owes a lot to his early days with Lynguistic Civilians, true, but the man has only stepped it up from there. Under the umbrella of his VMB Productions imprint, he’s been carving out New England touring circuits for independent hip hop. That’s because venues know he will bring through a top notch lineup — like his “Preceding The Warmth” tour this Spring, with none other than Masta Ace, or the “Will Rap For Art” tour this summer, which brought along Dillon, Eyenine and of course, Jarv.

Along the way, he’s been providing opportunities for new local artists, not to mention raising thousands for local charities. I don’t mean to imply that the scene owes him anything — I mean to state that as a fact. So head on down to 112 Lake Street to celebrate a landmark moment and get Above The Radar started right. It’s going to be an awesome weekend in BTV.

The 99 Neighbors team are in the middle of a very, very good year. They’ve been on a killer run of live shows, and the crowds keep getting bigger. Along the way, they’ve dropped two outstanding solo projects: Sam.’s Collision and then, weeks later, HANKNATIVE’s debut, Problem Child. Both albums are distinguished by their professional production and musical ambition.

But the music is only part of the movement with 99 Neighbors. This is a big multimedia collective and we haven’t even seen the true extent of their work yet. I caught up with HANKNATIVE to talk shop about his album, his team, and his future.

VTHH: Great work on the album. It is crazy cohesive, front to back. Clearly, that wasn't a quick process -- were you surprised at all by how "Problem Child" finally turned out, sonically?

HANKNATIVE: I was completely surprised with the final product. It was originally supposed to be 13-15 tracks, as well. I went into this project understanding how vulnerable and open I wanted to be, but I didn't necessarily have any real idea of what the soundscape was going to be like until we developed some themes behind songs. Somba, Juju, ( two 99 guys ) as well as another artist I work with named Kurt Stewart, they did an amazing job of understanding the concept of the album and running with it.

The way they were able to convey some of the things I was thinking and talking about into music was amazing. Especially on tracks like "Toes in the Water." Sonically, I wanted to branch out from stuff that I've done before, and I think that definitely happened throughout the 4+ month process.

Doors swang, hanknative in the backseat

VTHH: How much of the album process was improv and experimentation? Do you show up to the studio with everything laid out in your head, or do you like to stretch out in the session?

HANKNATIVE: There were definitely a few songs like “Toes in the Water”, “Pressure Cook”, and “Backseat” that had pretty solid plans for them, but even with those we just started with a base idea and spiraled from there. A lot of the time if I get stuck when I’m writing, I’ll start freestyling or switch around to a new beat and come back to it. So I’d say a combination of both, but for the most of the album it was feels driving the process.

VTHH: Congrats on selling out Higher Ground. That is some Grace Potter type shit. What is the next big goal for your team -- touring?

HANKNATIVE: Thanks, that was unreal for us. We've been going there and watching some of our favorite artists since we were little, and to be able to do it and have that much support was amazing. Touring is definitely one of our goals. We've been traveling a lot more lately in the surrounding states to local colleges and had the opportunity to perform at OTIS (so much fun). Which is a good start, but we'll have to see what the year has in store for us to gauge, I think.

VTHH: What inspired you guys to make 99 Neighbors such a full-spectrum media x culture operation? Was that just a matter of too much talent in the room all the time or did you have specific role models?

HANKNATIVE: Honestly its a mixture for everyone in the group, but those two points kind of sum it up. I know there are guys in our group that are super inspired by OFWGKTA and BROCKHAMPTON in the sense of their interchangeability in songs and ability to create, but others that look up to single specific role models and just want to be a part of something bigger than their craft as well.

When we started doing more performances and promotion for our music, we all kind of had to savvy up. Branding ourselves and the culture just kind of came naturally from what we do. Skating, tangible as well as media arts, are what brought a bunch of us in 99 together so it only seemed right to make it us.

VTHH: Are you looking to do an actual 99 Neighbors LP in the future?

HANKNATIVE: Man, the group chats been formed. Expect that this fall...

You can catch 99 Neighbors with Chyse and Loupo on October 31st at Club Metronome’s Graveyard Smash. Whalam.

As predicted, Summer 2018 was a huge success for the 802 hip hop scene. That’s thanks to a lot of hard work from a lot of talented people. This Fall is looking just as busy, and there’s plenty to report.

First and foremost: Above the Radar is back, this weekend. One of last year’s best events is getting bigger, bringing an incredible lineup of artistic and musical talent to the Queen City waterfront once again. The celebration begins on Friday night with a “Jump Off Party” at Foam Brewing, then things head to the Burlington Ferry Dock for a weekend of live art, jaw-dropping graffiti murals, rapping, DJ’ing and breaking. There will also be food trucks, so if you’re in town at any point, stop on through.

Next up: props to the young BTV hip hop x culture collective 99 Neighbors for selling out Higher Ground on Sept. 1st — a Saturday night. That’s a serious achievement, and they did a great job documenting it. Check out this short, beautifully shot video recapping the night.

After a long hiatus, Mavstar is back with some strong new material he’s been working on with producer / entrepreneur / radio host ILLu. They’ll be dropping an LP, Gangsta Trail Mix, on Equal Eyes Records. The release party is Sept. 21st, and the lineup is a knockout. In the meantime, check out the lead single, “Hyundai.”

Finally, the lineup for September’s 3rd Thursdays has been announced. Since Anthill Collective is understandably quite busy with Above The Radar, the crew at HLR will be running the show in another “Takeover” edition. The Joint Manipulation crew will be in the building, alongside Sed One of Boomslang, DZY of STILTZgang and Omega Jade will be hosting — an excellent choice. (Check out her recent single with Rico James, “Never Too Late For Friendship.”)

https://spoti.fi/2KuJcwb

David Chief is a producer -- and DJ -- who has grown into an important part of the BTV hip hop scene. His Soundcloud has always been worth checking, but it was last year's "them trees" tape that really cemented his rep as an ace beatsmith with a gift for lo-fi bangers & blaps. With the release of his latest tape, "rejections," and his contributions to the new Sasha Travis (also known as Notation) project, "Ego," it was long past time to interview the man. Dig it.

VTHH: Who were your big influences when you were starting out on production? Has that changed much since?

David Chief: I always listened to hip-hip growing up, but once I started using Soundcloud I found some of the early lo-fi producers like bsd.u, rsnz, grimm doza, deadxbeat to name a few.  The scene has grown a lot since then, but these are the OG's that influenced me to start making beats.  There's way too many talented producers to list, but Radio.Wavs is a Soundcloud label I'm a part of, and a  good place to check out a lot of them.   

VTHH: Do you feel like regular DJ sets are important to your process as a producer - or are those two separate worlds to you?

David Chief: DJ'ing gives me an opportunity to meet a lot of people.  I've met some of my best friends who are artists through doing shows/gigs, but they are two different worlds in a way.  You can't always go to a club or bar and play lo-fi, but I mix it in when I can.

https://soundcloud.com/david-chief & https://soundcloud.com/notationoffical took a journey through a lo-fi desert and came out with a 10 track project titled "Sands". CASSETTE PREORDERS: https://davidchief.bandcamp.com/album/sands-david-chief-x-notation ---------tracklist--------- 1. bermuda 2. tunisia (ft. rsnz ☥) 3. mirage 4. dunes 5. avon 6. coral 7. silica 8. emerald 9. santorini 10. granite

VTHH: Is doing cassette releases a matter of opportunity & demand, or does that format hold a special place in your heart?

David Chief: Getting on cassette was one of my goals when I started making beats.  It really gives your beats a certain vibe. Cassettes defiantly hold a special place in my heart.  Next step is to get on a vinyl though.

VTHH: It seems like you've gotten a solid workflow down and your releases are getting more frequent. What's on your horizon for the rest of 2018?

David Chief: I've been trying to release more projects rather than individual tracks.  In my opinion it creates more of a buzz when you release multiple tracks at once.  I'm still not releasing as consistently as I'd like though, but I'm working on it.  I'm trying to continue driving traffic to my Spotify lately, as Soundcloud seems to be slowing down a bit.  I want my first million on a track for sure.  Also that vinyl release I mentioned is a big goal for me.  Be on the lookout for that.

Es-K is back with a dope new project, and it's huge. "Trust The Process" is an instrumental album with 30 tracks -- and it's also a beat tape, expertly mixed by DJ Grazzhoppa. It was only back in May when he dropped his last LP, really one of his best projects to date, "Koan." 

While "Trust The Process" isn't nearly as lean as "Koan" was, the real winner there is you and me. This is a guided tour of Es-K's broad horizons, and his compositional skill remains razor sharp. So while these 30 tracks cover a lot of ground, it never drags for a second. Each cut is a puzzle box, a world of its own. 

It's the same thing that's always set Es-K apart: his real genius isn't just in finding the perfect loops, but finishing them. He's got a sixth sense for the touches that transform a collection of samples into something brand new. "Trust The Process" is an artist at the top of his game. Enjoy.

Big Homie Wes just dropped a short but tasty project, the Big Homie EP. As ever, he's rapping & producing, and operating in his own lane. Dude knows exactly how he wants to sound and he's working on perfecting it. "Wit My Dawgs" is the third track, and it's a fun, funny video -- you can tell they had a blast making it. 

'Big Homie EP' produced and written by Big Homie Wes "The Best". Also featuring verses from DZY and Faded Flow of STILTZgang. Mastered by SkySplitter from Burlington, VT. Cover designed by Zac Phelps (zpgraphicz@gmail.com). Apple Music: https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/big-homie-single/1416910215 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/album/1AklnjBrPvmcTkkWvbZayk?si=oYe3aVOyR2-Zz_geOQY1VQ

You can catch Big Homie Wes live on September 14th at the Middlebury VFW. He'll be rocking alongside Mavstar, Face One, Khaosity and Corty Booth -- part of Khaosity's ongoing "Kings of the Weekend" tour series. 

Alabaster Samovars are an improbably great rap group consisting of Philly-based producer Remington Iron and Burlington-based rapper The Marijuana Pot Man. Their debut album is one of the best I've heard out of the 802 this year, and you can read my review in Seven Days. More importantly, though, you can bump it right now:

In many ways, this is the Ricky The Fly Wine Taster album that Kool Keith promised us but never delivered. With this LP, they've become one of the most luxuriously original rap crews we've got. This is an RKO out of nowhere; this is a steel chair to the face. It's also deeply weird so your mileage may vary. Dig it.

UPDATE: by popular demand, here is a wikipedia page explaining what a samovar is. I don't judge you for not knowing. I do judge you for emailing me before using google. Cheers.

This was a random find on the "Vermont Hip Hop Artists Collective" group on Zuckerborg. It was an unassuming enough post -- "Beats for your enjoyment," he said -- but four tracks in and, hot damn, I was definitely enjoying these beats. Dokowala has a refined style, leaning into the Zen edge between lush layering and raw dirt. 

We'll have more on this cat shortly, but in the meantime, just throw this on and get some work done. Cheers.