Si on pouvait labelliser les genres comme on labellise certains de nos breuvages favoris, pour sûr l’indie rap canadien mériterait une Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée tant il nous apparaît depuis l’éblouissant Vertex de Buck 65 singulièrement différent de ce que nous catégorisons de coutume sous le terme “hip-hop”. En effet au pays des caribous, l’idéal-type du b-boy est à mille lieux de l’iconographie hiératique du bad boys Angelinos. Aussi, de ce côté-ci des Grands Lacs, dans la province du Saskatchewan, là où l’ennui des prairies sans fin remplace celle des quartiers sans horizon, le rappeur est souvent blanc, peut avoir comme modèle Johnny Cash, porter des chemises en laine en plus d’être à carreaux, détester le Moët, les blunts, les putes au fessier aussi rebondi que les suspensions d’un Monster Truck en action et leur préférer le whisky sans âge, la clope sans filtre et les femmes sans seins ; écouter le Wu-Tang les pieds vissés dans la boue, une canne à pêche dans une main, un livre de Burroughs dans l’autre ; sentir la paille humide plutôt que le bitume froid et croire encore que sa musique à une âme.
soso – Tinfoil on the Windows (France)
This special release of Tinfoil on the Windows is on the brilliant French label, KÜTU FOLK RECORDS. There is new cover art, made with care and attention to detail – each album is designed by the artist hand finished on a sewing machine!
Weaving compelling personal narratives with his sparse, beautiful production style, the Saskatchewan-based artist, soso has become a fixture of the avant-garde hip hop/art rap movement. In an ongoing effort to privilege experimentation and risk, soso adopted a collaborative approach for his latest production. Enlisting the talents of his friend, tour-mate and indie-rock darling, Maybe Smith, Tinfoil on the Windows is the most musically ambitious and creative soso release to date.
soso delivers fragile vocal melodies and close, confessional lyrics over an assemblage of field recordings, electronic bleeps, programmed drums and sprawling instrumentation evocative of My Bloody Valentine and Do Make Say Think. Additional contributions from Maki and Scott Da Ros add punch to the lovely melodic soundscapes. Tinfoil on the Windows challenges typical genre conventions and soso treads this unfamiliar ground with crafty song writing and integrity.
Tinfoil on the Windows, Foutraque (FR)
Joli coup pour le label Kütu Folk Records avec la sortie en France de l’album du Canadien Soso, Tinfoil On The Windows… Ce disque onirique, élégiaque et planant est une rencontre réussie entre un hip hop las et mélancolique, des guitares post rock aériennes et une pop échevelée ; on pourrait évoquer à son sujet un mélange vraiment bien foutu et particulièrement saisissant entre les univers du labelConstellation et des artistes Why ?, Neil Young, Buck 65, Arcade Fire et Beirut, ce qui n’est quand même pas rien !
Works on Paper
Works on Paper is a term used by museums to classify a range of artifacts produced on paper. Taking playful liberty with the designation, this exhibition presents work from the Mendel Art Gallery Permanent Collection that reconsiders the medium and explores its material and conceptual potential. This alternate take on the thematic exhibition showcases the cheeky and inquisitive spirit of artists working in the past half century and offers insight into the business of collecting, sorting, and classifying objects for preservation and display.
Mind the Gap
Celebrating, with resounding exuberance, the wealth of talent amongst the diverse population of emerging artists in Saskatchewan, Mind the Gap! displays contemporary visual art by 30 artists. Comprehensive and ambitious in scope, the exhibition offers insight into the trends, innovations, energy and interests evident in the artwork of our contemporary artists who have mapped our province geographically, cerebrally and artistically.
all they found was water at the bottom of the sea, Mic (GR)
Αν απαντάτε γρήγορα και αυθόρμητα πού είναι το Saskatoon και ποιός ευαίσθητος hip hoper κατάγεται από εκεί, είστε θεοί, έχετε σίγουρα στα χέρια σας, ζεστή, την καινούρια κυκλοφορία του καναδού Soso, από την πρωτεύουσα της επαρχίας Saskatchewan (προφέρεται με δυσκολία) και η ανάγνωση του κειμένου αυτού περισσεύει. Οι υπόλοιποι περάστε στις πιο κάτω γραμμές παρακαλώ.
Continue reading “all they found was water at the bottom of the sea, Mic (GR)”
Nestor Wynrush – Trinnipeg !78
CD | CHR016 2009
Six years after his debut record, Guy, I’m From Here, Nestor Wynrush raises the curtain on his newest creation, Trinnipeg !78. On this record, Wynrush (the fabulist) rides the rails from Winnipeg to Toronto, rapping bluesology and forgetting his heart on the window seat at every whistle stop. On board the train with Wynrush are some of Western Canada’s elite. Beats on the new album are provided by soso, mcenroe, Odario Williams, and DJ Kutdown with offerings from undercover upstarts Murdock and Lonnie Ce. Guest appearances by JUNO award winner and DMC Canadian champion, DJ Brace and Grand Analog round out the roster.
The songs are an ode to Canadiana in all its subtle, tragic glory. Trinnipeg!78 is a celebration of roots, agonized love and good times. At times Wynrush’s lyrics describe the painful quest for identity in a “multicultural” society — a quest to find one’s voice in a crowded room. Trinnipeg !78 – The place that he was proudly born into.
TRACK LISTING
01. Winnipeg South Blues
02. Accent (Peanut Punch)
03. Coprock
04. Blood Rock
05. So High (The Richardson)
06. High Park Sunrise
07. Ole Mine Town feat. Grand Analog
08. Metro Radio feat. DJ Brace
09. Liks
10. Garbage Hill
Crossing the Pond
Crossing the pond (artist emergings, there and here) is an artist-initiated international screening series featuring video works by emerging artists from Canada, England and Belgium. Organized by Canadian artist, Troy Gronsdahl and his English co-conspirator, Matt Giraudeau, Crossing the pond is a collection of six short videos presented in the spirit of curiosity and collaboration.
soso & DJ Kutdown – all they found was water at the bottom of the sea
The new instrumental album produced by soso and DJ Kutdown is slated for release on Hue Records, Japan. Blending their very different but complementary production styles — soso providing the melody arrangements and Kutdown providing the drum sequences — All They Found was Water at the Bottom of the Sea was created in the spirit of collaboration and friendship. The album retains the character that defined much of their earlier work and reflects their ongoing appreciation for beautiful samples and drums that smack.
soso & DJ Kutdown – all they found was water at the bottom of the sea
CD
HUIP-1043 2009
BUY on iTunes
TRACK LISTING
01. all ties cast off
02. hand over fist
03. like old folks like rain
04. under the yoke
05. knots and lumps
06. for anything I know
07. and all good things
soso – Choke You With a Rag
soso teams up with Swiss upstart label, mism, to release a split 7inch. Over another inspired Maki production, soso channels the ghosts of never will be. “Choke You With a Fucking Rag” is a clenched jaw expression of disgust, disillusionment and frustration. Listening to this record will give you an ulcer. The flip side features French supergroup and my good friends, Motionless. Limited to 300 copies, this 7 inch features artwork by Toak.
soso – Choke You With a Rag
7 inch
mism02 2009
OUT OF PRINT
Tinfoil on the Windows, Sparkplugg (US)
Soso is better than alright; in fact I’d say it’s great. Ambient, pretty, and undulating, the music washes over you like a giant reverb-laden sedative cocktail. In contrast, Tinfoil On the Windows is lyrically blunt and anguished. The vocals are a mixture of singing and talking, at times reminiscent of that “Wear Sunscreen” song from the nineties — but done right (only minimally cheesy). Soso is not afraid to tackle those high notes, however creakily… but this is the type of music where you want a little creak. A little reality. The album is diverse, and the mood changes from fevered to lazily meandering and back again. I like when you can tell that a musical project is someone’s “baby;” their pride and joy. And I think this is one of those projects.
Tinfoil on the Windows, Pop Matters (US)
soso’s own press material says that he falls into the genre of “avant-garde hip hop/alt rap”. Listening to his latest album, Tinfoil on the Windows, one would likely suspect that the primary reason these labels apply to him is that spoken word artists just don’t sell as well as hip-hop artists.
Tinfoil on the Windows, University Chronicle (US)
The evolution of the new indie hip hop scene has thrown another curve ball with the atmospheric and melodic new album by Canadian songwriter soso.
Continue reading “Tinfoil on the Windows, University Chronicle (US)”
the generosity of mechanics (is not well documented)
the generosity of mechanics (is not well documented) is a short experimental video that considers notions of vulnerability through an intimate portrayal of a man enduring the physical symptoms of Parkinson’s Disease.
Continue reading “the generosity of mechanics (is not well documented)”
Tinfoil on the Windows, London Mewsings (UK)
It didn’t take very long for this album to grow on me: only one listen, really. Since then I’ve been almost physically unable to not just press repeat when the album finishes. The simple melodies, captivating imagery and simple instrumentation keep it repeatably listenable.
Continue reading “Tinfoil on the Windows, London Mewsings (UK)”
Tinfoil on the Windows, Exclaim! (CAN)
For his first album released by someone other than his Saskatoon-based Clotheshorse Records label, rapper/producer Soso has done a little bit of tweaking. The least abrasive on the Endemik roster, Soso’s newest album is depressing, mellow emo hip-hop with nods to electronic music and indie rock.
Tinfoil on the Windows, Pop News (FR)
Cet album, ce devait être le plus ambitieux de soso. Sorti chez Endemik, label plus exposé et mieux distribué que le sien, enregistré avec la guitare et le son rock de son ami Maybe Smith, “Tinfoil on the Windows” visait sans doute à donner une nouvelle dimension au rappeur et producteur le plus singulier du Saskatchewan. Et de fait, l’affaire s’annonçait plutôt bien. A mesure qu’approchait la date de sortie de l’album, on a vu soso mentionné là où il ne l’avait jamais été (c’est-à-dire, ou peu s’en faut, n’importe où en dehors du présent site). C’est pourtant le même personnage que sur les très bons “Birthday Songs” et “Tenth Street & Clarence” qui se retrouve ici. Le rap de soso se traduit toujours par ce spoken word introspectif et ces quelques poussées de chant aigu et étranglé. Il y a toujours cette histoire d’amour névrosé et noyé dans l’alcool, ces mêmes évocations d’une vie paumée dans le grand nord lugubre des prairies canadiennes, ces mêmes aphorismes à vous démoraliser un régiment (“the absence of pain is often mistaken for happiness”) déclamés avec sècheresse et justesse. Il y a même ces petits détails issus de la vie courante dont soso a toujours était friand, comme ces cris d’oiseau qui ouvrent le disque ou les grincements qui accompagnent le piano de “Floorboards On”.
Tinfoil on the Windows, Norman Records (UK)
Lastly from me before I go out and clatter someone for stealing my (empty) wallet this aft (no joke, a friend got stabbed last night in a mugging too. All go round these parts….) is soso’s latest ‘Tinfoil on the Windows’. This is occasionally more along the lines of Buck 65 with intelligent & poignant lyrical flows over shimmering steel guitar & intermittent big, crashing drums that recall Flaming Lips. One section throws meandering post-rock shapes like Godspeed grimacing at that bloopy android fridge dumped by Grandaddy in 2001. Another is Daniel Johnson-esque rush of regretful “sozzle & strum”. There’s a sparsity & bleakness here that really affects you. The songs are quietly arresting, interspersed with some tender minimalism & experimentalism. I’d say staple these many references together and if yr tits are leaking milk at the prospect then yr obviously ready to embrace Troy Gronsdahl’s melancholy world!
Tinfoil on the Windows, Fake For Real (FR)
Cet album, ce devait être le plus ambitieux de soso. Sorti chez Endemik, label plus exposé et mieux distribué que le sien, enregistré avec la guitare et le son rock de son ami Maybe Smith, Tinfoil on the Windows visait sans doute à donner une nouvelle dimension au rappeur et producteur le plus singulier du Saskatchewan. Et de fait, l’affaire s’annonçait plutôt bien. A mesure qu’approchait la date de sortie de l’album, on a vu soso mentionné là où il ne l’avait jamais été (c’est-à-dire, ou peu s’en faut, n’importe où en dehors du présent site). C’est pourtant le même personnage que sur les très bons Birthday Songs et Tenth Street & Clarence qui se retrouve ici. Le rap de soso se traduit toujours par ce spoken word introspectif et ces quelques poussées de chant aigu et étranglé. Il y a toujours cette histoire d’amour névrosé et noyé dans l’alcool, ces mêmes évocations d’une vie paumée dans le grand nord lugubre des prairies canadiennes, ces mêmes aphorismes à vous démoraliser un régiment (“the absence of pain is often mistaken for happiness”) déclamés avec sècheresse et justesse. Il y a même ces petits détails issus de la vie courante dont soso a toujours était friand, comme ces cris d’oiseau qui ouvrent le disque ou les grincements qui accompagnent le piano de “Floorboards On”.
Continue reading “Tinfoil on the Windows, Fake For Real (FR)”
Tinfoil on the Windows, Goddeau (BE)
Als rappers zangers zijn die niet kunnen zingen, hoe noemen we de artiesten dan die niet eens kunnen rappen en dus maar wat praten over een beat? Spoken word-artiesten zijn het niet, want daarvoor ligt de nadruk dan weer te weinig op de woorden alleen. Gesjeesde rappers of gewoon avanthoppers?
Tinfoil on the Windows, 3 Bar Fire (UK)
‘Tinfoil on The Windows’ will be, for a lot of readers, the first time you’ve heard of a musician/poet/public addresser who goes by the name of, Soso. But one can rest assured that this Canadian is fully aware that “that local hero shit is wack”.
Falling somewhere between country, alt rock and the softly spoken word Soso manages to encapsulate thoughts we’ve all run through hundreds of times before in that sludgy mush we’ve got inside our respective skull pieces. His home truths and intriguing thought processes melt willfully into your ears and being left with shuddering ear lobes, perky arm hairs and cold elbows has never felt so damn good.
Tinfoil on the Windows, Grapeshift (UK)
Soso hails from Saskatchewan in Canada and Tinfoil On The Windows is the first time Grapeshift has heard anything from him. With a direct hook up from Endemik label boss Scott Da Ros we were delivered a dark gem of an album that eschews alt rap, spoken word and country music fuelled by a darkened edge that lisps with insecurity and pondering.
Tinfoil on the Windows, Allmusic (US)
Canadian rapper Soso began as your average backpacker, full of thoughtful and often socially conscious rhymes and low-key beats. Tinfoil on the Windows, a collaboration with fellow Saskatoon musician Maybe Smith, is a complete change of pace that doesn’t belong in any given genre.
soso – Tinfoil on the Windows (Japan)
Weaving compelling personal narratives with his sparse, beautiful production style, the Saskatchewan-based artist, soso has become a fixture of the avant-garde hip hop/art rap movement.
In an ongoing effort to privilege experimentation and risk, soso adopted a collaborative approach for his latest production. Enlisting the talents of his friend, tour-mate and indie-rock darling, Maybe Smith, Tinfoil on the Windows is the most musically ambitious and creative soso release to date.
soso delivers fragile vocal melodies and close, confessional lyrics over an assemblage of field recordings, electronic bleeps, programmed drums and sprawling instrumentation evocative of My Bloody Valentine and Do Make Say Think. Additional contributions from Maki and Scott Da Ros add punch to the lovely melodic soundscapes. Tinfoil on the Windows challenges typical genre conventions and soso treads this unfamiliar ground with crafty song writing and integrity.
soso – Tinfoil on the Windows
Weaving compelling personal narratives with his sparse, beautiful production style, the Saskatchewan-based artist, soso has become a fixture of the avant-garde hip hop/art rap movement. In an ongoing effort to privilege experimentation and risk, soso adopted a collaborative approach for his latest production. Enlisting the talents of his friend, tour-mate and indie-rock darling, Maybe Smith, Tinfoil on the Windows is the most musically ambitious and creative soso release to date.
soso delivers fragile vocal melodies and close, confessional lyrics over an assemblage of field recordings, electronic bleeps, programmed drums and sprawling instrumentation evocative of My Bloody Valentine and Do Make Say Think. Additional contributions from Maki and Scott Da Ros add punch to the lovely melodic soundscapes. Tinfoil on the Windows challenges typical genre conventions and soso treads this unfamiliar ground with crafty song writing and integrity.
Tinfoil on the Windows, Gaffa (DK)
Han er en pudseløjerlig fætter som få, canadiske Troy Gronsdahl, der opererer under aliaset Soso, og som siden midthalvfemserne har været én af de helt centrale aktører på scenen for avantgardistisk hiphop indhyllet i lige dele electronica- og indierock. Programmerede trommer danner bunden og lægger skuldre til elektronisk fremelsket knitren, akustiske og elektriske guitarspor samt ikke mindst Sosos indfølt fortællende rap, der er et enormt aktiv i sig selv. Pladen åbnes modigt af et ikke mindre end ti minutter langt nummer,Rubber Rings, som med sine dvælende stemningsbilleder er en fin indikator for resten af albummet, der oftest hviler velafbalanceret i sig selv. Indimellem er musikken smuk og meditativ som på de fabelagtige Your Mom Is In The Next Room og den bjergtagende finale For A Girl On A Faraway Hill. Andre gange bliver den slet og ret for tålmodighedskrævende, som når Soso kompromisløst trækker tingene i frustrerende langdrag på All The Useless Things These Hands Have Done og Floorboards And. Yderst interessant dog.
Bachelors’ Drinking Club, Fake For Real (FR)
Jusqu’ici, nous avons moins vu qu’entendu nos chouchous du label Clothes Horse. Mais aujourd’hui, grâce à une sortie qui joint l’image au son, nous pouvons les découvrir sur scène, aux côtés d’autres rappeurs de la scène indé canadienne.
Continue reading “Bachelors’ Drinking Club, Fake For Real (FR)”
European Tour, 2007
Japanese Tour
In 2007, soso and Maybe Smith embarked on a Japanese tour in support of the album, Tinfoil on the Windows, on Hue Records.
soso with Maybe Smith
September 8, 2007 at O-nest, Tokyo
Royal Red
Royal Red — pretty much the best gallery ever — was founded by Troy Gronsdahl in 2004 and officially christened on November 4th, 2005. It was a unique little spot nestled in and amongst the city’s commercial galleries, Artist Run Centres and lovely, well funded Public institutions. No artist fees were ever paid but the parties were really fun. The gallery shared space with Phonographique, a boutique record shop, which closed in 2007.
soso – Bachelors’ Drinking Club
Bachelors’ Drinking Club is CHR’s first foray into the realm of video. Documenting his 2006 tour of the same name, this DVD features live performance footage from soso and Maybe Smith as well as performances by fellow indie-rap cohorts like Epic, Bleubird, Gruf the Druid, Grubbs, Nestor Wynrush, Pip Skid and Thesis Sahib. Also features an insightful conversation with soso and the music video for Hungover for Three Days Straight (Don’t Matter). Limited to 100 copies. Running time 58 Min.
soso Bachelors’ Drinking Club from Troy Gronsdahl on Vimeo.
soso – Bachelors’ Drinking Club
DVD
CHR013-LE 2007
OUT OF PRINT
TRACK LISTING
01. Conversation with soso
02. Bachelors Drinking Club road music
03. soso & Maybe Smith – Returning to an Empty House
04. soso & Maybe Smith – Finding Out About a Big Pile of Stones
05. soso & Maybe Smith – Hungover for Three Days Straight (Don’t Matter)
06. soso & Maybe Smith – Sweet Euphemisms
07. Epic – Another Left Wing Peace Song
08. Epic – Dave Steib
09. Gruf – Process Assimilate
10. Gruf – Fillossaphee
11. Pip Skid – Bastid’s Verse
12. Pip Skid – Elbow Grease
13. Nestor Wynrush –
14. Bleubird – Pilgrim of St. Zotique
15. Grubbs – War Drum
16. Thesis Sahib – What Kind of a Rap Photography Show is This?
17. Thesis Sahib – Inside Voices
18. Thesis Sahib – Theo Sasquatch
19. Thesis Sahib – Mud Pies
20. Maybe Smith Thanks the Drake Hotel (in its empty glory)
21. Hungover for Three Days Straight (Don’t Matter) music video
Wuerzburg, Germany, 2006
November 24, 2006 at Cairo. Wuerzburg, Germany
Amiens, France, 2006
Birthday Songs, Pop News (FR)
L’an dernier, il y a eu un petit frémissement critique autour de soso. “Tenth Street & Clarence”, son dernier album, a recueilli les suffrages favorables de gens extérieurs au petit cercle des fans habituels de Clothes Horse Records. Et comme il faut toujours battre le fer tant qu’il est chaud, les Japonais du label Hue ont trouvé le moment adéquat pour rééditer ces jours-ci un “Birthday Songs” vieux de quatre ans, le meilleur album à ce jour du Canadien. Fidèles à leur irréprochable politique de sortie, ils ne le proposent pas tel quel, mais sous un nouveau packaging, avec note explicative en japonais et paroles dans les deux langues. L’intéressé lui-même s’est joint à l’effort. Il est responsable de ce chien sur fond blanc qui remplace le gâteau d’anniversaire qui ornait la pochette précédente. Et il a revu, corrigé et ajouté certains titres.
soso – birthday songs (Japan)
In 2002, soso released this collection of well crafted songs, marking his progression as both a lyricist and beat smith. Characterized by beautiful, haunting beats and poignant lyrics, Birthday Songs asserted itself as one the finest productions of the year. In 2006, soso teamed up with Hue Records to release a revamped version of Birthday Songs for Japanese release! Featuring two additional songs, re-worked vocals and new artwork.
Birthday Songs, Hue (JP)
hue下半期最初のリリースとなるのは、sosoのファーストアルバム
「Birthday Songs」のリイシュー。2002年の発売だが、再プレス
されることなく近年は長らく廃盤となっていた。そもそも、この
アルバムとの邂逅によって俺とsinは本格的にこちらの道へと足を
向けることとなったもので、思い入れもひとしおな一枚である。
だが、同時に最近この手の音を聴き始めた人たちがこのアルバムを
入手できないことを遺憾に思っていた次第で（このアルバムの
レビューを書いた2002年のことを今でも鮮明に思い出すが、あれから
4年も経過したのだ！ そりゃ、またワールドカップやってるわけだ）
soso – tenth street and clarence (Germany)
Informed by culture and place, soso spins narratives that interweave family and social histories with landscape and weather. His third self-produced release, tenth street and clarence is a beautiful, poetic effort. This limited edition LP released by the German imprint Subversiv features new full colour artwork.
Stagnation and Woe, PopMatters (US)
soso, the idiosyncratically-capital-letter-averse beatsmith behind Canada’s fiercely independent Clothes Horse Records, makes shimmering, gorgeous, and unbelievably beautiful beats.
Stagnation and Woe, Hip Hop Core (FR)
“Injuries are something to be enjoyed”. Pas de doute: Recyclone est de retour. Presque une décennie après ses débuts discographiques au sein d’une scène d’Halifax alors bourgeonnante, l’auteur de Dead World trouve enfin une occasion de trouver la reconnaissance qu’il mérite, grâce à son association avec soso. L’an passé déjà, en rééditant les deux premiers EP’s de Recyclone sous la forme d’un Corroding The Dead World indispensable, soso avait tenu à rappeler le rôle majeur de Jon Hutt dans l’apparition d’une voix canadienne sans réel équivalent au pays de l’oncle Sam… Une voix hors du temps et des modes, qui n’a cessé de nourrir l’éthique irréprochable de CHR depuis sa création.
Thesis Sahib – Loved Ones
CD | CHR012 2006
On his third full length offering, Thesis Sahib showcases his well-honed, rapid-fire delivery, harmonic vocals and imaginative lyrics. An ambitious 30 track album produced by Nyles (of Howl), Loved Ones, is a creative, musically diverse album exploring alternative instrumentation, playful arrangements and tempo variations.
TRACK LISTING
01. Dengue
02. The Butcher’s Daughter
03. I’ll Ride Away *End
04. Mud Pies
05. Thought This as Thoughtless
06. With What We Have
07. How Fortunate
08. On Secondhand
09. Twenty Sick Sweet Teeth
10. Plastic Spoons
11. Punk Rock Soccer Mom
12. Stuffed as a Champion
13. * Abandon
14. Part of the Family
15. And So and So
16. On the Road to Rotting
17. The King’s Men * Lets See
18. Useless Honest
19. Near the Low Stream
20. Crawling on Your Needs
21. A Different * Lullabies
22. Inside Voices
23. Eavesdrops
24. Calling Home
25. Action Man
26. Laugh Lines
27. Sleep to the Sound of…
28. The List * Thin Veil
29. Again and the Guilty Man
30. Face and Hands
Stagnation and Woe, Exclaim! (CAN)
After the recent re-release of his first two albums as the single CD Corroding the Dead World on Clotheshorse Records, Halifax, NS-based Recyclone returns with his fourth album, Stagnation and Woe — a collaboration with CHR in-house producer and label-head soso. The melodically dark and depressing beats are the perfect accompaniment to Recyclone’s Doom Soon theories and nihilistic lyrics, made even more suitable to his anti-rapper style with clunky, clanking mechanical samples mixed into the backdrop.
Recyclone & soso – Stagnation and Woe
soso has applied a clanking mechanical edge to his lovely melody driven beats to compliment Recyclone’s barrage of dark revelations. The mad man is in fine form, spitting delightful, nihilistic lyrics addressing social ills and environmental sickness. The album is a tight, cohesive work culminating with the gritty eight minute call-to-arms featuring fellow Halifax mc’s Squig, DP, Wall Flower, Adam Hartling & EMC. This is an enhanced cd featuring the video for “Gearbox Therapy.”
Recyclone & soso – Stagnation and Woe
CD
CHR011 2006
TRACK LISTING
01. Gearbox Therapy
02. The Earltown Hermit
03. Episodes of Constant Torture
04. Trash Culture
05. Body Parts
06. Ghosts
07. The Introduction feat. Squig, DP, Wall Flower, Adam Hartling & EMC (Second Front)
08. Gearbox Therapy Bonus Video
soso – tenth street and clarence
CD | CHR009 2005
Informed by culture and place, soso spins narratives that interweave family and social histories with landscape and weather. His third self-produced release, tenth street and clarence is a beautiful, poetic effort. Unique soft poly packaging with 8 page lyric booklet.
Epic & Nomad
CD | CHR010 2005
This new full length album features Epic’s off-kilter, slice of life raps with the charming warbling vocals of Belgium’s Homesick Nomad. Maki has put together a great collection of beats for this album, and Epic enlisted the talents of a number of indie rap’s finest. Cam the Wizzard lends his impeccable baritone flow to a couple of tracks, Nomad’s bandmate Siaz drops on a couple tracks, Canadian DMC Champion Dj Brace rips it on a track and soso chips in a beat as well! Cover art provided by the incomparable, Thesis Sahib.
TRACK LISTING
01. hot 2006 mentality
02. another left wing peace song feat. DJ Brace
03. time flows by
04. from canada to belgium with love feat. Cam the Wizzard & Siaz
05. my name is nomad
06. days n times (whats really good)
07. isolation interlude feat. Asthma & Cam the Wizzard
08. i can’t hide feat. Siaz
09. certain radius
10. act on stage
Recyclone – Corroding the Dead World
CD | CHR008 2005
The two seminal hip hop albums from mad genius Recyclone. Re-mastered & available on CD for the fist time, these rare recordings chronicle the formative years of the Halifax hip hop explosion. These albums were recorded over the span of 1997-1999 with beats by the one and only Sixtoo (ninja tune) and Graematter (Buck65). The album also features an exclusive bonus track featuring Pip Skid and the remix of Set Fires. The liner notes include a short story authored by Recyclone titled Chapter 1- Dementia.
TRACK LISTING
01. The Beginning Was the End
02. Inside The Industrial Castle
03. Fucking Animals
04. Magic
05. Anthropic
06. Digital Six
07. Contact
08. Grave Architecture
09. Land Based
10. The Great Tree
11. Earth, Human Lab
12. Dog Dick
13. When It Was Real
14. Armour
15. Slow Rot
16. Virus
17. Oil Burner
18. Set Fires (remix)
19. We Don’t Exist f. Pip Skid
Epic – Local Only
Vinyl LP | CHR005-2 2005
We’ve teamed up with Subversiv, one of Europe’s finest imprints for the release of Local Only on limited edition vinyl with new artwork and full colour covers!
Two years in the making, Local Only represents the most comprehensive Epic release to date. Over a fine collection of beats, Epic drops verses about aging rappers, creditors and everyday injustice with his trademark wit and unorthodox flow. Epic enlisted the talents of some of Canada’s finest including mic rippers, Pip Skid, Micill Write, and Conspiracy, turntablist, Kutdown and beatmakers soso, Maki and Muneshine (Lightheaded).
TRACK LISTING
01. Running Away from Saskatoon
02. Old Guys Are Ready to Rock the Mic f. Micill Write
03. Midnight Move f. Pip Skid
04. Bring the Heat
05. My Briefcase is a Weapon
06. Towtruck
07. Poor People Are Scummy
08. Middle Aged White Guy
09. Where’s the Cipher
10. It Ain’t Easy
11. Masses f. Conspiracy
12. ame 109
The Goose Hunter part 1 & 2, Exclaim! (CAN)
For the first single from his upcoming sophomore album, soso opts for a two-part instrumental seven-inch. Both sides of “The Goose Hunter” open with the isolated sound of migrating geese before morphing into mellow, melancholy hip-hop beats.
Continue reading “The Goose Hunter part 1 & 2, Exclaim! (CAN)”
The Goose Hunter part 1 & 2, Dot Alt (UK)
This seems to be a conceptual two-parter, as both halves open with the same sample of clucking geese. soso makes rather minimal instrumentals in a trip-hop vein, and admittedly my head isn’t exactly on that at the moment. Nevertheless, good beats are good beats.
Continue reading “The Goose Hunter part 1 & 2, Dot Alt (UK)”
Epic – Local Only
CD | CHR005 2004
Two years in the making, Local Only represents the most comprehensive Epic release to date. Over a fine collection of beats, Epic drops verses about aging rappers, creditors and everyday injustice with his trademark wit and unorthodox flow. Epic enlisted the talents of some of Canada’s finest including mic rippers, Pip Skid, Micill Write, and Conspiracy, turntablist, Kutdown and beatmakers soso, Maki and Muneshine (Lightheaded).
TRACK LISTING
01. Running Away from Saskatoon
02. Old Guys Are Ready to Rock the Mic f. Micill Write
03. Midnight Move f. Pip Skid
04. Bring the Heat
05. My Briefcase is a Weapon
06. Towtruck
07. Poor People Are Scummy
08. Middle Aged White Guy
09. Where’s the Cipher
10. Untitled
11. It Ain’t Easy
12. Masses f. Conspiracy
13. ame 109
soso – The Goose Hunter pt 1 & 2
For the first single from tenth street and clarence, soso extended his capable reach into the realm of instrumental hip hop music. The sound of migrating geese create the backdrop for this evocative two-part piece characterized by beautiful melodies, haunting vocal bits and smart drum compositions. For the limited edition 7″ soso enlisted the talents of visual artist Tamara Bond. Each piece is numbered and signed by soso.
soso – The Goose Hunter pt 1 & 2
Limited edition 7″
CHR006 2005
TRACK LISTING
01 The Goose Hunter pt 1
02 The Goose Hunter pt 2
soso – poor man’s survey
A companion piece for the soso 7″, this is a selection of soso’s favourite instrumentals culled from various projects and presented as the poor man’s survey of his work to date. A limited edition disc, individually signed, numbered and made with care.
soso – poor man’s survey
Limited edition CDr
CHR007-LE 2004
OUT OF PRINT
TRACK LISTING
01. *
02. dust
03. Dave Steib
04. hand to the plow
05. middle aged white guy
06. dyke look
07. pretty mound of dirt
08. it goes
09. EPMD
10. towtruck
11. girls
12. it ain’t easy
13. midnight run
14. running away from Saskatoon
15. thought process
16. marcus and tom for city hall
17. cool run ins – Epic & Conspiracy*
* indicates exclusive bonus tracks
Birthday Songs, Ugsmag (CAN)
This is a difficult album to review. I was introduced to Soso with the Sour Suite EP and was incredibly surprised at the quality of an album coming from a relatively unknown MC from a relatively unknown city, at least for its hip hop community, Saskatoon. It’s been two and a half years since I wrote a review for Sour Suite, and after a great deal of procrastination I finally am sitting down to write a review for Birthday Songs. So, what’s changed in the meantime? Everything, and nothing.
Epic – Heater in My Truck
Vinyl Ep | CHR004 2003
Released in anticipation of his album, Local Only, Heater In My Truck features Epic’s combination of charming wit and socially relevant lyrics. Production is handled by soso and Maki with contributions from rappers Conspiracy and Ben.e Elim and cuts by DJ Kutdown.
TRACK LISTING
SIDE A
01. Poor People Are Scummy
02. I Only Like Rap
03. Girls f. Ben.e Elim
04. Petty Theft on Da Ave
05. Poor People Are Scummy Inst.
06. Old Guys Are Ready to Ric the Mic Inst.
SIDE B
07. It Ain’t Easy
08. Masses f. Conspiracy
09. It Ain’t Easy Instrumental
10. Petty Theft on Da Ave Instrumental
Birthday Songs, Hip Hop Section (FR)
Les anniversaires sont loin d’être gais chez le canadien Soso, à en juger par les chansons particulièrement déprimées “entonnées” sur son dernier EP, Birthday Songs. Ce constat n’étonnera en rien ceux qui ont eu l’occasion d’écouter Sour Suite, un premier essai que le rappeur, DJ et producteur du Saskatchewan avait sorti en 2000. Les quelques plages de ce nouveau disque y répandent en effet les mêmes sons squelettiques et dépouillés, la même ambiance sobre et dépressive.
Birthday Songs, Exclaim! (CAN)
In the mood for something fun and uplifting? Stay clear of Birthday Songs; it is an extremely depressing album.
Epic – 8:30 in Newfoundland
CD | CHR002 2001
8:30 in Newfoundland is Epic’s first full-length release. Produced by soso contributions from Gumshoe Strut, M.Phasis, Your Brother in my Backpack, soso and Pip Skid.
TRACK LISTING
01. thought process
02. live from the SaskatoonClub
03. Mic Geronimo
04. Fast words slow
05. dog shit tired
06. Canada Student Loans
07. My Friends Like My Songs
08. EPMD
09. 13% rant
10. Subject to a Change
11. Dave Steib
12. Midnight Run
soso – birthday songs
Birthday Songs is soso’s debut full-length album. This collection of well-crafted songs marked the progression of soso as both lyricist and beat smith. Characterized by beautiful, haunting beats and poignant lyrics, birthday songs asserted itself as one the finest productions of the year. Nominated for 2003 Western Canadian Music Award for Outstanding Rap/Hip Hop Recording.
soso – birthday songs
enhanced CD
CHR003 2002
OUT OF PRINT
TRACK LISTING
01 waiting for the harmonica to drop
02 it goes
03 for Ruby
04 pretty mound of dirt
05 dyke look
06 birthday song
07 hand to the plow
08 we always thought she’d be the first to go
sour suite, Star Phoenix (CAN)
The recent release of the Sour Suite EP is a landmark for Saskatchewan hip hop. It is the first time that a rap artist of this province has created an album on vinyl. Even more impressive is that soso (Troy Gronsdahl) has released the project under his own independent label.
sour suite, HHI (US)
Most Canadian hip hop artists I’ve been exposed to thus far have shared one common attribute: originality. The work of Sebutones, The Goods, Josh Martinez, and the Peanuts & Corn collective could hardly be labeled as anything but creative. Hailing from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Soso also shares this trait with his countrymen. Soso’s Sour Suite EP is highly original, as well as exceedingly sincere.
sour suite, Hip Hop Section (FR)
Et un canadien, un de plus. Et même si celui ne sort pas de la scène d’Halifax, son approche, elle, ressemble dangereusement à celle des Sebutones (Buck 65 et Sixtoo) ou autres The Goods (Kunga219 et Gordski). Soso, lui arrive directement de Saskatoon, dans le Saskatchewan, une province pas spécialement connue pour sa scène hip hop. Pour la bonne raison, sans doute, que Sour Suite, comme les œuvres des artistes mentionnés plus tôt, ne correspond pas trop à l’imagerie rap. Pourtant, tous les éléments habituels au genre s’y retrouvent : le type en question rappe sur des beats lourds, heurtés et insistants, agrémentés de samples et de quelques scratches discrets, qu’il produit également. Mais le tout, et cela fait la différence, avec une précision et un dépouillement relativement rares, et une mélancolie plus qu’annoncée par le titre du EP.
soso – sour suite
Clothes Horse Records inaugural release. A conceptual six track ep, soso marries rich production with tales of infinite woe. This vinyl offering includes six songs as well as two instrumentals. All beats, cuts and vocals by soso, with contributions from Epic and John Smith.
soso – sour suite
Vinyl EP
CHR001 2000
OUT OF PRINT
TRACK LISTING
A01 untitled (paralysis)
A02 drink f. John Smith
A03 blessed f. Epic
A04 drink instrumental
B01 dust
B02 loss
B03 swan song
B04 loss instrumental
sour suite, Exclaim! (CAN)
Troy Gronsdahl, owner of Saskatoon, SK’s Clothes Horse Records, produces some heartfelt beats and drops concept-heavy but extremely introspective lyrics on Sour Suite, under his alter ego, Soso.
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