It’s rare for the scene to be blessed with the release of a 7” in these often cynical times. Making music is an expensive habit, and there are a lot of broke artists languishing out there with stillborn plans. Melbourne based producer/MC Dazed has said fuck all that and gone ahead with a limited release, collectors edition vinyl featuring two tracks from Sydney based artists and his own inimitable production.
Rest in Syn is a record by a man who still values the memories of flipping through magazines and freaking out on seeing new track produced by a favourite artist; as Dazed puts it, “it’s all about remembering where we came from in this digital age.” The solid, dependable feel of a slice of vinyl, slightly warm in your hands – so much more precious than an mp3 ever could be. But this record isn’t about unchecked nostalgia and pissing on where local hip hop has taken us. It’s all one, big, unknowable, inexpressible ride we’re on – and looking back with gratitude to the past and sheer amazement at where our travels have taken us is the theme of the A side to Rest in Syn, No Regrets featuring Sydney’s powerful Bingethinker, Rinse.
“No one gets to hide from their fate,” as he says – and the choices make the man. “What if I’d’ve never smoked weed? What if Hoods had never had the Nosebleed? What if Kingsmill was a fan of real hip hop?” – how different life could be if things had taken a different turn! The ribboning Trem vocal sample combined with yearning strings folding throughout this track create an impressively mature sound that lingers long after the needle has found the end of its groove. Flipping over the record we’re treated to another taste of Sydney, this time in the form of the Grand Arkiteks crew.
Dazed has chosen a more sinister sound for the B side, layering unsettling synths over the tics of insolent strings and ominous dragging bass for the track King Killaz. The contrast between the two sides could not be more pronounced, but it shows off the malleability of Dazed’s production – this is not a man to get stuck in a rut – or one to happily choke on the easy lies of the powers that be. King Killaz is a healthy, alert companion to the dazzled wonder of No Regrets.
Rest in Syn is a rare collectable gem in this modern throwaway world, and a fitting tribute to the places we’ve been. All copies include the digital album and pre-orders receive a DFTC Records compilation CD featuring new tracks from G-Force, Sparts, Sinks, Mol1 and Dazed.
Purchase 7″ or Digital Copy: http://dftc.bandcamp.com
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