After a very successful 2012 centred around his widely revered album This is How We Never Die, Chasm has returned in 2013 with a fresh approach to releasing his music. The Chasm EP series, the first of which is set for release on March 15th this year, will comprise of four separate digital releases, each featuring a different vocal artist.
The collaborations, in true Chasm style, will spotlight artists from his international network including Guilty Simpson (USA), Blak Twang (UK), and our very own Monchichi (AUS), Skryptcha & Rachael Berry (AUS). The first EP from the series Diamond Cuts, features Chasm’s long time collaborators Skryptcha and Rachael Berry.
Chasm first worked alongside Skryptcha producing the Sydney emcee’s debut EP Left to Write. The two then collaborated on Skryptcha’s first LP The Numbers in 2010, which included hit single Get Mine featuringRachael Berry’s velvety vocals on the hook. Berry and Chasm went on to work on new songs together, which unfortunately never saw the light of day. Recently during a studio session for Skryptcha‘s mixtape The Summer, Skryp heard the unfinished tracks and knew he had to rap over them. Thus the EP came together.
Diamond Cuts – polishing up rediscovered gems from the vaults. The first single from Diamond Cuts is ‘Oo La La La’ is an up-tempo, vibing, straight up party number. Featuring an impressive verse from the bilingual Ozi Batla (The Herd), ‘Oo La La La’ is all funk guitars, accented claps, and a signature hook from Berry.
Obese Records, Australia’s first hip hop label, was established in 1995 as a small record store originally named OB’s. After the business was bought and renamed by Tirren Staaf (Pegz) in 2002, the label was created as an outlet for the distribution of Australian hip-hop.
Melbourne’s emcee Reason with his album Solid, was the first release on the label, closely followed by the scene-defining Culture of Kings and Obesecity compilations. Over the course of its twelve years, Obese Records has seen success stories such as Hilltop Hoods, Muph & Plutonic, Drapht, Illy, release award winning albums, play to crowds of thousands at Obese Block Parties, and cement their places in Australian hip hop history. Current artists on the roster include Plutonic Lab, M-Phazes, Dialectrix, Thundamentals, Spit Syndicate, Pegz, Chasm and more.
The nerve centre at Obese HQ, headed by Operations Manager Fern Greig-Moore, Publicist Lindsey Martin, and Sales Manager Terry Ho, includes sales, publicity, marketing, accounts, and A &R services. In 2013 Obese Records signed its first management contract with successful underground emcee Kerser, one of many important artists on the extensive distribution roster.
As the label continues to wave the banner for credible hip hop releases in Australia, the demand for distribution has increased. Boasting industry stalwarts such as Broken Tooth Entertainment, Crate Cartel, Wordburner/Bias B, Lookup and Karsniogenics, Obese Distribution umbrellas over 100 of the country’s finest hip hop acts. Managed by Frank Mincone, The Prahran store (4A Izett Street) has become a hip hop mecca in Australia for committed fans, hosting media listening parties, in-store signing sessions, radio marathons, and its own segment on Obese TV.
After years of demographic observation, Pegz recognised the demand for a cultural hub in Frankston after noting a large portion of hip hop enthusiasts inhabited the bay side region. The decision was made to replicate a second retail store. Conveniently positioned at the heart of the township, the shop features an impressive wall piece by Melbourne graffiti artist Shem and will be open five days. Business hours are Tues – Sat 10am-5:30pm, and 10am – 6pm on Fridays. Besides vinyl, CDs, and the label’s own merchandise, Obese Records retail will stock street apparel and accessories from brands such as 1Line, Wu Tang, Burn Crew, and Kangol. Quality paints from Ironlak, Molotow will also be available to customers over 18, as well as a wide range of arts supplies, street art magazines and DVDs.
The store’s opening signifies an important time in local hip hop culture, where in the face of the demise of physical music sales across the industry, the hip hop community continues to support vinyl and CD production. With a highly productive 2013 and beyond planned, keep an ear out for upcoming Obese Records related events, and other announcements in the coming months.
Australia’s most dexterous producer Chasm will be releasing a series of EP’s this year. The first of which, Diamond Cuts, out March 15th, features long-time collaborators Skryptcha and Rachael Berry. Lead single Oo La La La will be available from iTunes when the EP drops.
EP’s to come see Chasm team up with esteemed artists Monchichi, Guilty Simpson, and Blak Twang. Check out the behind the scenes video for Chasm’s next clip Dreamin feat. RUCL and Gappy Ranks below.
Skryptcha has a knack for making the philosophical non-confrontational. His second masterpiece Mindful is not unlike its creator; perceptive, sharp and ahead of its time. After the notoriety surrounding previous LP Numb3rs, and break out EP Left to Write, the slick young wordsmith has found time to knock out a Journalism degree, and travel substantially.
Crafted during the most pivotal years of his life, Mindful takes a considered look at Skryptcha’s unique journey thus far. Skryptcha now teams up with beatsmith extraordinaire to bring to you a brand new free release titled The Summer. The Summer mixtape features production and remixes from Chasm, Lotek, Ta-Ku and Dr Don Don. The release also features special guests Rachael Berry and Daniel Mifsud. To get your copy head over to Skryptcha’s new website here.
24 dates have now been announced on Illy’s Bring It Back album tour which winds it’s way around the country through August, September and October. As the beginning of the tour approaches, Illy has hand-picked local supports to join Chasm Soundsystem and Skryptcha on the road. The local openers include M-Phazes, Flagrant (special A/V show), Mr. Hill, Fozzey and VanC, Elemont, Dylan Joel, Jackie Onassis and The Stoops.
The tour is the first time for fans to hear tracks from Illy’s third studio album, Bring It Back, live. The album is set for release in late September but has already spawned snowballing hits in Heard It All and album’s second teaser, Where Ya Been feat Pez. Bring It Back is a positive departure from 2010’s The Chase and takes the Melbourne emcee back to his fundamental hip-hop roots. It features creative collaborations with his Aussie hip-hop peers including M-Phazes, Pez, Trials (Funkoars), Mantra and Reason.
Along for the entire tour is Chasm Soundsystem and Skryptcha – both from Sydney. Chasm is one of the leading hip-hop producers in Australia who has worked with Aussie heavyweights such as The Herd, Resin Dogs, Dialectrix, Thundamentals and Urthboy. Chasm’s new album This Is How We Never Die is out now.
Skryptcha has a knack for making the philosophical non-confrontational. His second release Mindful is not unlike its creator; perceptive, sharp and ahead of its time. Mindful is the follow-up to the LP NUMB3RS and break out EP Left to Write and it’s available now.All tickets are now on sale from http://www.illyal.com.Heard It All and Where Ya Been are available on now iTunes. The new album Bring It Back will be released later this year through Obese.
Illy Bring It Back Tour 2012 Thursday 9 August – Tomba’s, Toowoomba Qld Friday 10 August – The Zoo, Brisbane Qld Saturday 11 August – Great Northern Hotel, Byron Bay NSW Wednesday 15 August – The Plantation, Coffs Harbour NSW Thursday 16 August – The Cambridge Hotel, Newcastle NSW Saturday 18 August – Black Swan Hotel, Bendigo Vic Monday 20 August – Swindlers, Mt Hotham, Vic Wednesday 22 August – The Station Resort, Jindabyne NSW Thursday 23 August – RSL Auditorium, Dubbo NSW (all ages) Friday 24 August – Zierholz @ Uc, Canberra ACT Saturday 25 August – The Hifi, Sydney NSW (licensed all ages) Thursday 30 August – Fowlers, Adelaide SA Friday 31 August – Frat House Friday @ Metropolis, Fremantle WA Saturday 1 September – The Capitol, Perth WA Wednesday 5 September – Corner Hotel, Melbourne Vic (18+) Friday 7 September – Corner Hotel, Melbourne Vic – sold out Saturday 8 September – Corner Hotel, Melbourne Vic (Arvo U18) Saturday 8 September – Kay St Ent. Complex, Traralgon Vic Wednesday 12 September – Sugarland Tavern, Bundaberg Qld Thursday 13 September – Hervey Road Tavern, Gladstone Qld Friday 14 September – Magnums, Airlie Beach Qld Saturday 15 September – Union Jack Hotel, Cairns Qld Friday 12 October – Hotel New York, Launceston Tas Saturday 13 October – Republic Bar, Hobart Tas
The final in the Friday Flips series brought to you by M-Phazes and Illy, the track is Gimme Shelter – Rolling Stones.
This Is How We Never Die is the refreshingly on-point third instalment from prestigious Sydney producer Chasm. Joined by local and international artists; Chasm approaches beats like a learned artist with a brush, building on classic principles to create evolutionary new music.
aahh: This Is How We Never is the title to this absolute masterpiece of a production album. Explain to us the concept behind the title of the LP and what the you wanted to accomplish with this album? Chasm: The title is taken from a Currensy line I heard on one of his latest tapes, ‘Real music lasts forever, this is how we never die’. I just really like the phrase and I have always loved that idea with music, that it’s a legacy, something you can leave behind when your gone and people can hear it twenty, fifty years later and still feel it.With this album, I was just making music that I was feeling, I was just interested in working with MC’s that I loved and respected and making good soul music, that’s it.
aahh: When did you begin developing the concept to this album and how long did it take you to complete from start to finish? Chasm: I sat down with my manager and kinda said ok let’s do this now, maybe eight months ago, something like that. Before that I just had a verse done here, a verse done there and had a bunch of beats I knew I wanted to use. But I was busy with other projects so it was just a matter of organising a timeline and making the whole thing happen, but once it got underway it came together quite quickly really. For this album I used the MPC 5000, Logic, Maschine, records, a bunch of soft synths and a Moog Source. That was the artillery.
aahh: The emcee’s featured on This Is How We Never Die reads out like a who’s who of hip hop. We’d like to ask you about all the artists involved, but can you just give us a little background on a few of your favourites and how the relationships came about. Chasm: I had a great session with Guilty Simpson and Phat Kat when they were in town, such humble good dudes and we had a dope studio session. Both were inspiring to be in the lab with. Also to collaborate with Lazy Grey, Delta and Brad Strut was for me a huge thing. All legends of the scene and crazy talents so to have them bless my joints was killer. Gappy Ranks was another highlight, he came down to my studio when he was on tour out here, he just vibed on that beat in the lab and wrote and recorded it on the spot, another inspiring session watching him work like that.
aahh: The first single from the album is titled The Truth and features The Tongue, Hau and Dazastah. Tell us a bit about the recording process with this one we hear it was knocked out pretty quickly by the MC’s? Chasm: Yeah Daz had a day booked at 301 studios here in Sydney. He was out here on tour, and had a day in the studio finishing off collabs I think. So he had invited a few people down to work on stuff and asked me to pass through. So I took my MPC down with the original of ‘The Truth’ just chopped really simply on the sampler. When I played the tune those guys were all vibing on it and the energy in the studio was ill that day, just a good creative vibe, so they all ended up writing that afternoon and recording later that night. It was dope. Hau put down the chorus a couple of months later.
aahh: Your no stranger to the music scene in Australia, you’ve released albums with Astronomy Class through Elefant Traks and also solo work through Obese Records including numerous other side projects. What keeps you inspired and motivated to keep producing music? Chasm: I just love music and I love being creative so it’s just something I always will do, even if I get frustrated and sick of the industry, give myself a few days off and I’m excited again to get in the studio and make something. I guess mainly its just hearing music old or new that is inspiring that gets me pumped to make more music, and just life, things in my life motivate me to express myself through the music.
aahh: What was one of the hardest challenges you faced on producing an album like this, especially with its international artists? Chasm: It was just time-consuming organising everyone, making sure I got all the parts back when I needed them and making sure everyone recorded when they said they would.The hardest thing though was the different microphones and booths that were in the mix! For one track you could have two or three different recordings so there was no consistency with the mic and room sound for all the vocals which made it tricky when it came to mixing. Trying to make it all sound cohesive was a tough one.
aahh: You launched This Is How We Never Die at the GoodGod Small Club in Sydney earlier in the month with a host of local names plus a special guest in DJ Neil Armstrong. Tell us about that. Chasm: It was a great night, all my people’s showed up so it was a nice vibe man, I appreciated the love that was shown from the crowd and all the rappers that jumped up with me, it was a mad night, I had a ball. We busted out a bunch of Astronomy Class tunes which is always fun, having Ozi Batla and The Tongue and Sir Robbo on stage and Thundamentals fellas got up and did some older joints that we did together which was cool.
aahh: Four dates have been announced in the This Is How We Never Die tour, are there any more dates planned and do you have any details you’d like to share on that? Chasm: Through July I’ll be touring the country in support of the album. The show will be a sound system style show with Hau on the mic to hype the crowd for me, should be a lot of fun. Will be having guests jump up at certain shows too!
aahh: What’s next for Chasm? We know you have many side projects, will we see say a Dr Don Don album soon? Chasm: Yes Dr Don Don album is pretty much done so gonna drop that after a couple more singles. Astronomy Class are hopefully gonna do an EP this year too and I have some ideas for the next Chasm release so hopefully will begin that too.
This Is How We Never Die is the refreshingly on-point third instalment from prestigious Sydney producer Chasm. True to the quality displayed throughout debut album Beyond the Beat Tape (2008), and Move (with Vida Sunshyne, 2010) Chasm proves himself once more as a consummate composer.
Joined by local and international artists; This Is How We Never Die features USA underground vocal heavyweights AG (Showbiz & AG), Guilty Simpson (Stones Throw), Vast Aire (Def Jux), and Fashawn (One), New Zealand’s Dave Dallas, and Blak Twang (UK). Not to mention an assortment of Australia’s top lyricists including Solo, Lazy Grey, Mdusu, Delta, Dialectrix and Brad Strut.
Chasm approaches beats like a learned artist with a brush, building on classic principles to create evolutionary new music. The collection of beats chosen for the album vary from old to new, moving through down tempo, blunted soul, up-tempo funk, and reggae. The This Is How We Never Die Tour will consist of dates throughout July and August. Chasm will be joined by various contributors from the album in their respective states, and Hau will be onboard for the whole tour!
Tour Dates: Fri 13th July – Mojo’s – Perth Fri 27th July - The Laundry, Melbourne Sat 28th July - Republic Bar, Hobart Fri 3rd August – Alhambra Lounge, Brisbane More TBA
This Is How We Never Die is the refreshingly on-point third instalment from prestigious Sydney producer Chasm. True to the quality displayed throughout debut album Beyond the Beat Tape (2008), and Move (with Vida Sunshyne, 2010) Chasm proves himself once more as a consummate composer.
Joined by local and international artists; This Is How We Never Die features USA underground vocal heavyweights AG (Showbiz & AG), Guilty Simpson (Stones Throw), Vast Aire (Def Jux), and Fashawn (One), New Zealand’s Dave Dallas, and Blak Twang (UK). Not to mention an assortment of Australia’s top lyricists including Solo, Lazy Grey, Mdusu, Delta, Dialectrix and Brad Strut.
Chasm approaches beats like a learned artist with a brush, building on classic principles to create evolutionary new music. The collection of beats chosen for the album vary from old to new, moving through down tempo, blunted soul, up-tempo funk, and reggae.
The new clip for the track Smokey lifted from This Is How We Never Die and is produced & directed by Bryce Hooper & Tristan S Edouard.
This Is How We Never Die is the refreshingly on-point third instalment from prestigious Sydney producer Chasm. True to the quality displayed throughout debut album Beyond the Beat Tape (2008), and Move (with Vida Sunshyne, 2010) Chasm proves himself once more as a consummate composer.
Joined by local and international artists; This Is How We Never Die features USA underground vocal heavyweights AG (Showbiz & AG), Guilty Simpson (Stones Throw), Vast Aire (Def Jux), and Fashawn (One), New Zealand’s Dave Dallas, and Blak Twang (UK). Not to mention an assortment of Australia’s top lyricists including Solo, Lazy Grey, Mdusu, Delta, Dialectrix and Brad Strut.
Chasm approaches beats like a learned artist with a brush, building on classic principles to create evolutionary new music. The collection of beats chosen for the album vary from old to new, moving through down tempo, blunted soul, up-tempo funk, and reggae. Lead single The Truth with its eclectic sample combinations, fuses Latin piano loops with brass accents and futuristic synth solos. Bringing a new shine to the art of braggadocio, the track features emcees The Tongue, Hau, and Dazastah.
Vast Aire and Dialect team up on the sample-heavy Intergalactic. The two brilliant rappers attack the beat as it slams alongside an eerie drone, while delicate piano flourishes glint throughout. I Am Legend features the masterful AG and Delta riffing over classic boom bap teamed with driving keys. Lyrically the track is a soulful reminisce to hip hop’s greats and the legacies left and lived by. This Is How We Never Die is certain to be a historical cornerstone reflective of the unifying strength hip hop inspires. A testament to the power an accomplished producer possesses, bringing the most diverse of artists and fans together.
Track List 1. New Day 2. Rusty Griz Feat. Lazy Grey 3. I Am Legend Feat. AG & Delta 4. The Truth Feat. The Tongue, Hau & Dazastah 5. Soldier and a Thinker Feat. Hau & Blak Twang 6. Highs and Lows Feat. Fashawn, Solo & David Dallas 7. Ruthless Feat. Guilty Simpson & Brad Strut 8. Intergalactic Feat. Vast Aire & Dialect 9. Smokey 10. Dreamin Feat. Gappy Ranks & RuCL 11. I See You Feat. Marvin Priest 12. All Lovely Feat. Phat Kat & Mr. Clean 13. King Pin Shottas Feat. Guilty Simpson, Mdusu & Hau 14. We’ve Arrived Feat. Jeswon, Tuka, Skryptcha, Scott Burns, Rinse & Dialectrix
Chasm – This Is How We Never Die is available through Obese Records on April 27.
Chasm’s highly anticpated LP release This Is How We Never Die is due April 27th through Obese Records and features big names such as AG (DITC), Delta, Lazy Grey, Hau, Brad Strut, Guilty Simpson, Fashawn, Solo, Blak Twang, David Dallas and many more.
Chasm is one of the leading hip hop producers in Australia, signed to Obese Records for his solo work and to Elefant Traks for his work with his crew Astronomy Class featuring Ozi Batla and Sir Robbo. Having released 2 crew albums, Exit Strategy (2006) and Pursuit Of Happiness (2009) and 2 solo joints in the last five years Beyond The Beat Tape (2008) & Move, Chasm also has a stack of production credits and remixes to his name.
The Truth is the new single from superlative producer Chasm, the first instalment from his upcoming LP, featuring three of Australia’s most proficient emcees; The Tongue, Hau, and Dazastah, the track is innovative and brazen.
From the get-go the track detonates out of a vocal crescendo into its punchy, progressive party feel. Chasm with his exceptional ear for eclectic sample combinations fuses latin piano loops with brass accents and futuristic synth solos. Bringing a new shine to the art of braggadocio, the three emcees effortlessly glide through verses, each repping his distinctive style with assurance. The Tongue, Hau, and Dazastah all wrote and recorded their verses for The Truth in one day.
