Mansur Brown: NAQI Mixtape
Amai Data
LP|DL
Out on twenty fifth November
Pre-order from Sister Ray
By combining his NAQI EPs from earlier this yr, the multi-faceted Mansur Brown has created a superb mixtape that takes us to the dancefloor and again house once more. Louder Than Battle’s Gordon Rutherford opinions.
There’s so much taking place in NAQI Mixtape. Just like the Puerto Rico trench, it’s an entity of inestimable depth. Veering from flamenco guitar to atmospheric electronica; pristine jazz to ambient area; it’s acquired all of it occurring. The creator of this bold assortment is the uber-talented, classically-trained, Brixton born-and-bred, Mansur Brown. A veritable prodigy, Brown doesn’t confine himself to traditional boundaries. While his music is distinctly guitar-centric, with regards to classification, it has the span of an albatross.
Brown’s third album (kind of), NAQI Mixtape is a multi-faceted, intricately-layered beast: an assemblage of songs which were lovingly crafted. This can be very clear, polished with out being slick, with each be aware laid down with utter precision. Consequently, it delivers in opposition to Brown’s goal to make his music really feel rejuvenating. Like a Radox tub, these sounds revitalise and invigorate as they wash throughout you.
To date, I’ve been referring to NAQI Mixtape as an album. Nevertheless, while it’s introduced as such right here, in actuality it’s two discrete our bodies of labor – two EPs – which have been welded collectively into one attractive and handy package deal. Intriguingly, while they had been launched inside a few months, every EP has a really distinctive really feel, with each coming from fairly totally different locations. However that, each are trademark Mansur Brown. At no level is the listener in any doubt that the 2 sides of this report are the product of the identical artist.
Presumably one of the simplest ways to consider them, Volumes 1 and a couple of of Brown’s NAQI EP sequence, is to see them as one might an evening out. Quantity 1 is the membership. It’s uptempo and danceable, albeit in a lissom, unfrenzied method. Quantity 2 is the afters. The comedown. It’s chilled and laid again and significantly extra introspective. The temptation when confronted with two aspects of an artist is to check and distinction. Nevertheless, with regards to Mansur Brown, that’s not a straightforward dilemma to resolve. It’s not a case of 1 aspect being superior to the opposite, relatively one will inevitably be higher suited to a sure temper.
Inevitably, comparisons will probably be drawn between Brown and people different upcoming hep cats who’re creating new, thrilling types of jazz, significantly Duval Timothy and Oscar Jerome. There are parallels with each. NAQI Mixtape has that sense of one thing barely otherworldly, a faraway sound bleeding by means of some type of ethereal veil that Timothy has. On the identical time, his guitar work has the identical sharp precision as Jerome. However hell, there’s room for all three of those skills.
The album opens in bewitching trend with the hypnotic loops of No Approach. Brown’s dazzling flamenco guitar mixes gloriously with dubby beats and electronics on this Center Japanese-tinged invitation to bop. It’s adopted by My Luck, which brings extra entrancing loops and waves of electronica. A guitar line penetrates like scorching needles piercing by means of shards of ice. It’s a successful composition that carries a scrumptious distinction of the scorching and the glacial.
Rise is equally thrilling, with a grimy bass line that spars playfully with Brown’s guitar. Nonetheless on Quantity 1, Fever delivers one thing of a departure, with Brown laying the guitar down and utilising his flute to bestride these Burial-influenced beats. Layer-upon-layer, the observe unfolds with guitars (they aren’t fully banished) and electronics including unbelievable depth and complexity.
The title observe, Naqi, is the album’s pivot. It opens Quantity 2 and we will instantly detect a change of temper. Translated in Arabic, the title means ‘pure’ and that makes absolute sense whenever you take heed to this pristine tune. The penultimate observe, Contact, has a rippling heat and intimacy that appears like being wrapped within the golden fleece.
It’s not all excellent, in fact. Quantity 1’s jazzy Me and You is an fascinating concept that piques our consideration, nevertheless it doesn’t actually comply with by means of. It’s an identical story for Quantity 2’s Path. There’s no denying that Brown’s fretwork on this observe is scintillating, however finally when it concludes, it leaves you with the impression that it was merely a work-out for his elastic digits versus a fully-fledged music.
Regardless of. There’s sufficient occurring throughout this assortment to make it price investing in. In reality, the album’s stand-out observe, the ten-minute magnum opus and album nearer, Meikai, is well worth the worth of admission alone. Instantly, we’re drawn in by advantage of the truth that it’s the one time on the gathering that we hear voice. It’s echoing and atmospheric: a mixture of the gothic and Chicago home. Because the observe develops, we all know we’re going someplace just a little totally different now till, by the top, it feels prefer it has encompassed your entire NAQI Mixtape into its ten minutes. Choc-full of fascinating diversions, it’s a composition to lose your self in. Most fascinating is the introduction of a harp (I assume) two-thirds of the best way by means of, which appears to guide us into one thing of an epiphany. The beginning of a brand new daybreak.
There’s a robust argument to say that NAQI Mixtape carries essentially the most intricate, technically-gifted guitar work you’ll hear anyplace this yr. However Mansur Brown has the attention to understand that his virtuosic abilities aren’t sufficient on their very own and has, subsequently, mixed these with a spread of different expressions and sounds. Collectively, it makes for a heady, wealthy potion that takes us all the best way to the dancefloor and again house once more. In some ways, it’s the perfect mixtape then.
Mansur Brown is on Bandcamp. He’s additionally on Instagram, Twitter and Fb.
~
All phrases by Gordon Rutherford. Extra writing by Gordon might be present in his archive.
Gordon can be on Twitter as @R11Gordon and has a web site right here: https://thedarkflux.com
We’ve got a small favour to ask. Subscribe to Louder Than Battle and assist preserve the flame of impartial music burning. Click on the button beneath to see the extras you get!
