Emerging Muskoka, Onatrio, Canada-based producer District Lost caught our attention with his brand new instrumental project entitled Shroom-Fu. The 5 track project sees the producer utilizing electronic synthesis with traditional hip-hop beats with lofi sensibilities.

The project kicks off with “Enjoy The Ride”, a jazzy boom-bap track reminiscent of early No ID or Pete Rock productions. The woozy samples and solemn chords play together like peas in a pod and are laced with crunchy drum breaks.  This is followed by “Befriending A Chill Space Cat”, which has a higher tempo and smooth bounce than its predecessor. The atmospheric synth plucks and leads have a distinctly surreal feel that adds depth to the track and the extra percussion fills in the drums helps beef up the rhythm section as well. Next is “Level Up” which offers something different in terms of sound and feel. The drums are choppy and the swing element makes it off-beat in a good way. The main synths are moody and somewhat brooding while the video game Laser Blips gives it a playful aesthetic. So far, I like the simplicity in District Lost’s arrangement style which blends layered but not overly rowdy techniques to the forefront.

The project closes out with the experimental “Stargazing” and the sublime vibes of “Third Eye”. “Stargazing” doesn’t break the mould much and it sounds like background music to do chores with while “Third Eye” helps bring the project to a close on a sad note. Here, a dark synth lead is the main character peppered by thick bass synths, plucks and snapping drums reminiscent of classic Slum Village bops. There is also a weird vocal sample that comes into play and it might catch listeners off guard but it adds an extra touch to the progressive arrangement.

With a running time of 13 Minutes, 26 seconds, Shroom-Fu offers listeners a concise and cohesive collection of sounds that everyone can dive into even if it’s not your cup of tea. The fusion of familiar sounds and experimental synth-driven textures is quite engaging and novel as well.