Kitchen Khemistry "Transit"

You think you knew Uncommon Records and all of their artists fairly well, and then you find out about a new artist called Kitchen Khemistry. Who exactly is Kitchen Khemistry? Well, according to the official press release "Kitchen Khemistry is a voluntary, rogue, outer body experience. What KK does is find hidden lights in the universe and translates these lightwaves into sound. Therefore, Kitchen Khemistry is a translator of light waves. What you hear is what you don't see!"
But what does that really tell people? Expect something different from this release than what Uncommon has done before. Before people worry let me remind you that different DOES NOT mean something bad, it is just a different sound. The quality of music and idea of creating full albums is no different on "Transit" than other Uncommon Records albums so let that put your mind at ease. Now on to what this album is all about.
First time I heard "Transit" I was thrown off by the feeling of being attacked by laser rifles and plasma bombs at beginning of the album's lead "Transit Authority." Ok maybe that is an exaggeration but I was not prepared for the very heavy digital sounding beats that are on this album. Then you realize something else about this album, it is might have the most infectious hooks of any underground rap album in years as we find out with the intro "Life is a metropolis to me, in the heart of the city is the Transit Authority." That is correct, the beginning of the song is a hook and it will not let you go, no matter how hard you try. The beginning of the first verse also does a great job of explaining to the listener why the album is different from what we are use to "Look ma, I'm digital, its not like my analog was pitiful, I just had to change my frequency, and this thing called change is critical." So begins your journey that is "Transit" and the cohesiveness of the album. We travel first to the Transit Authority and are introduced to why this is the ride you have to take.
First stop after departing the station takes us to an ATM aka "Cream Machine." Continuing the pattern of leading off hooks, "I'm so convenient, I must be used more than gasoline, find me anywhere and come take a ride on the cream machine" displays the creativity of Kitchen Khemistry by putting us in the place of ATM and running us through some the regular situations it encounters including over draft fees, messy children, criminals and realizing just how important to our modern society ATMs have become.
After getting some cash "Transit" continues on the digital trip through the night, stopping off to visit a "Liquor Licker" apparently "she likes drinking, she is a professional, she is not green." The beat and lyrics work well placing you in the car with her traveling as well as various bars and clubs and stays on course.
The next stop leads us to a mainstay in any city, the "Starving Artist" (available on "No Dough, No Show") which captures perfectly the struggle of well, a starving artist. You can tell that Kitchen Khemistry has been through this stage of life one way or another, feeling the urge to follow their heart and create art instead of going the safe route of being just your typical 9-5 suit.
We are then introduced to the person that a starving artist would despise (or the realistic side of what an artist has to do as they pursue their art), the one and only "Microslave" who is knows it is "time to find a new job, tired of eating burgers on my lunch break."
"Eye Entity" leads us to a new segment of "Transit" as we stop visiting people or objects and are kicked in the face with a great instrumental intro that leads to a electronic tinged voice that makes one feel like we are introduced to our tour guide and we are preparing to go in a new direction on our travel.
We are transported to a great "Friday Nite" where any and all aspects of our appetites can be satisfied and anything is possible as we tell our self "the night is mine, that's right I own it." It makes you feel like it is time to go out and experience a night like this, no matter how much of a hermit you typically are, and the beat helps to get yourself off your seat and enjoy the ride.
Before we get too excited though we realize that some things and people are "Off Limits." We meet someone who who has some important information that is summed up by the chorus that will stick in your mind for a while "I know you're ready for romance, theres no chance you better call it quits that girl is off limits." I love how on a song with one of the best dance beats I've heard from any indy rap album the main message is you need to step back and realize the possible ramifications of your actions.
We are then come face to face with the idea that lots of people go out to forget about what is happening in their real life, and need to just escape their problems just for a night and if you try asking them what's wrong you meet up with these two words "Not Tonight."
To end our night out we visit "Misfit Pizza" where another important discussion is held between a girl and her friend (physical or psychological) about whether or not to pursue the guy from the evening or continue playing hard to get. We are left never knowing the choice, just as it is nearly impossible for a woman to know the answer to that question until much time has passed.
Kithen Khemistry's "Transit" is new area of Uncommon Records in a aural sense with much of a techno dance hip hop sound but remains tied to the idea of producing actual albums with talented MCs who know how to craft solid songs that grab a hold of you. "Transit" takes you on a journey through a typical evening in the city, jumping from person to person through the Eye Entity (ok the lyrics of Kitchen Khemistry) and I think it is summed up very well by saying that "this is the shuttle, the subway, the life. This is space, this is street, this is real." And in the end, "Transit" is very real dealing with struggles we as people face even if it might be hidden a bit and be packaged with beats that make it hard to stay still.

Off Limits - Kitchen Khemistry by UncommonRecords

Starving Artist - Kitchen Khemistry by UncommonRecords

You can get "Transit" from Uncommon Records Bandcamp page on October 31st and other digital retailers (Amazon) on November 2nd

Vijay Iyer "Solo"

I first heard Vijay Iyer on his collaboration with Mike Ladd "In What Language" back in 2003. I was blown away by both he and Ladd. Since then I have followed both of their careers closely and have not been disappointed with an album either has released including their second project together "Still Life with Commentator." One thing I wanted to hear was a solo piano album by Vijay Iyer and when he released the aptly named "Solo" almost 2 months ago I got that chance. I will admit I was nervous about the album because I wasn't sure how it would turn out, mainly had I set my expectations too high.
Running through the track list a few songs jumped out at me, mainly the Michael Jackson cover (which Miles Davis also did) "Human Nature," "Epistrophy" made famous by Thelonious Monk, and the Duke Ellington classic "Black & Tan Fantasy."
Iyer's stripped down "Human Nature" is a great choice for starting off the album, giving the listener something they are probably familiar with but one that he takes and makes his own, not an easy feat considering the two giants of music who did the song prior. He follows that up with "Epistrophy" another incredible undertaking, and while it doesn't top Monk's version (then again no one else has done that either) it stands as a solid and original interpretation. Iyer then shows he can hold his own with some of the greats of the jazz world with his covers of "Darn that Dream" and "Black & Tan Fantasy" doing rather straight forward versions of both songs and doing them very well.
The album really begins to shine when Iyer plays his original songs. Where the first 4 tracks show the listener what Iyer is capable of as a "traditional" jazz pianist his own compositions begin to show you why he's become known as one of the most original talents in jazz today. He not only shows his incredible technical proficiency buthe starts to open up and feel at home with "Prelude: Heartpiece" which acts as a buffer between his interpretations and his own creations. Then my jaw drops for the next 15 minutes as "Autoscopy" begins and is followed by "Patterns." I struggle to define just how these two songs sound without asking you to imagine what it would sound like if Monk, Charles Mingus and Roscoe Mitchell composed two songs together.
Just as you think you know what is coming next, the much more introspective "Desiring" begins, showing just how easily Iyer can go from one sound to another and appears comfortable anywhere on the musical landscape.
Steve Coleman's "Games" ends the streak of Iyer originals but continues to show he isn't afraid to leave himself open. Once again, as with the beginning songs I remind myself that these are songs usually performed by groups and Iyer is tackling them head on and at no point are you left feeling like something is missing. Iyer then shows no fear as he follows "Games" with the Duke Ellington piece "Fleurette Africaine" best known for the version that features both Charles Mingus and Max Roach off the album "Money Jungle," while it has a different feel from tension filled original, it works just as well as the exploratory free flowing piece that Iyer has transformed it into. The album ends with another Iyer original "One For Blount" where he pays homage to Sun Ra (born Herman Poole Blount) and does so very well with more impressive piano work but with a touch of that Saturn sound.
After waiting to hear a Vijay Iyer solo album for 7 years I am glad that this album lived up to if not exceeded my expectations. Iyer is one of many of a group of talented young jazz musicians exploring all corners of the musical universe, pushing jazz forward while never forgetting where it started. Highly recommend any fans of jazz get this album or any other Iyer album for that matter.