[wpaudio url=”http://wordisbond.data.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/03-vortx_of_distorsun-slept_on-frb.mp3″ text=”Vortx Of Distorsun – Slept On” dl=”0″]

[wpaudio url=”http://wordisbond.data.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/08-vortx_of_distorsun-projects_experiments-frb.mp3″ text=”Vortx Of Distorsun – Project Experiments” dl=”0″]

[wpaudio url=”http://wordisbond.data.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/09-vortx_of_distorsun-my_daily-frb.mp3″ text=”Vortx Of Distorsun – My Daily” dl=”0″]

From South Central, California, Vortx Of Distorsun present their debut Children Of The Sun. A pretty mysterious release.  I was passed a copy of it by a friend not long ago with nothing else but a solid recommendation.  Not much information is found on the back cover, and it seems not much opinion of it exists online either.

The product description states “…a positive blend of fresh hip hop music that makes you want to listen again and again. An album that mixes the best of new school and true school hip hop samples…” and “An album that makes you think of the blues of Sun House to the jazz of Sun Ra over drums, from Clyde Stubblefield mixed by Bob Power.”  On the whole, the album lives up to the hyperbole.

The production, handled by the collective of vortx of distorsun (Dion Brown, Jams da Boombox, Life Line Eternal, Cool D, In Otha Wordz) has that understated jazzy quality that gives the album a laid back, ambling pace.  Chopped vocal samples of singer Azra Nawal are a common sound throughout the tracks, at times giving them an eerie sense of deja-vu, like a half remembered memory.  Lyrics, by vortx of distorsun, are largely abstract and are delivered in harmony with the progressive instrumentals.  Layered and echoed, they seem to approach from every corner of the track whilst fading in and out of themselves, further adding to the dream-like quality of the album.

A fairly concise listen at 11 tracks, with only a couple of those just breaking into 3 minutes long, it delivers on its claims in a subtle and care-free way.  Enjoy the preview tracks above, and feel free to share your thoughts in the comments below…

PURCHASE: UGHH • iTunes (US) • Amazon (UK)

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