Northern Lights
Elekwent Folk have gathered up the mist over the Salish Sea, the snow sparkling on the peaks of the North Shore mountains, the climactic sunsets at Wreck Beach, the sizzle of Vancity barbeques, the mushrooms swelling beneath old growth cedars, and condensed it all into a free-spirited explosion of North West Coast hip-hop. The group, consisting of producer AstroLogical, and emcees A-Ro and Slippery Elm, have been together since highschool, and on Northern Lights their chemistry has never been stronger. AstroLogical provides a colourful musical backdrop using jazz and progressive rock samples and raw drum breaks, while Slippery & A-Ro rock a diversity of lyrical styles; from chanted incantations to boom-bap party-rockin funk, they assert themselves both as powerful emcees and adept storytellers. This is hip-hop born of dynamite and wild roses, of record crates and groove-elixir– hip hop that was born on a street corner in the nucleus of an endless cipher. With this album, EF have invoked the power of Rhyme, the power of Polaris, and the silvered kiss of a midwinter moon.
Available on the Elekwent Folk website:
http://elekwent-folk.bandcamp.
Concrete Honey
As with their previous musical endeavor “Milky Ways”, AstroLogical provides the musical backdrop for Slippery Elms poetic lyricism. The title “Concrete Honey” balances two starkly contrasting images. This juxtaposition reflects the vibe that the two achieve with the album — urban, hard-hitting, raw, yet still smooth and organic. These beats are thick, syrupy, and golden. The last project Milky Ways was a night time album. This album is about the Sun, plants blooming, vines snaking up brick walls, block parties, and summer time in Vancouver. Concrete Honey is the Nectar of the Metropolis.
Jellyfish Recordings 2011
Available on the Jellyfish Recordings website: http://jellyfishrecordings.bandcamp.com/album/concrete-honey
Milky Ways (And Other Slippery Galactic Phenomena)
Milky Ways is a revelation—an electric dream, and a succulent curse. It is the shared artistic vision of two Vancouver hip-hoppers questing to realize the dark spirit of space-lust, also known as nazza, in sound form. Celebrated producer & musician—AstroLogical, and emcee & published poet—Slippery Elm, have ventured deep into the black waters of their unconscious and emerged with a new jazz & poetry that is at once otherworldly, insurgent, and uniquely their own. Unlike previous creative endeavours as members of Vancouver hip-hop group Elekwent Folk, for this project Astro and Slippery have navigated away from their usual eclectic and carefree sound in favour of a highly stylized, focused, and specific vibe that permeates the entire album—start to finish. Twisting psychedelic word-images wrap nimbly around cosmic cushiony beats oozing with space-lust and the milk of all worlds, in a dazzling display of musicianship and lyricism. Here are two masters of their art who shaped and polished the rough coal of these songs till they glowed like a supernatural diamond. And they’re not alone; the album features collaborations with Vancouver vocalist Claire Mortifee, and saxophone player/editor of White Hot Magazine of Contemporary Art—Noah Becker.
If what they’re saying is true, and Astro really did produce this album in a two day beat-making binge, and Slippery really did get kidnapped from out his window by a giant black bird while enjoying a morning wake and bake, and if lightning really did breakout in Vancouver during the recording of this album—mid take, the result is a musical masterpiece designed to be enjoyed while on mushrooms, in a dark forest, or while sipping absinthe from a silver goblet in a leather chair by fireside. Regardless, whatever your listening preference, play this album at night.
Jellyfish Recordings 2010
Available on the Jellyfish Recordings website: http://jellyfishrecordings.bandcamp.com/album/milky-ways-and-other-slippery-galactic-phenomenon
Praise for Milky Ways:
“Style!”
Moka Only
“Sounds like you sendin peeps on a journey…I like this shit”
Self Jupiter of Freestyle Fellowship
“…a Slick Rick story in the twilight zone”
Scott Ramsay, CBC Literary Award Finalist 2009
“Moka Only informed me of AstroLogical’s exceptional powers in music…a man most worthy of high praise…”
Noah Becker, Founder and Editor-in-Chief of White Hot Magazine of Contemporary Art
Folk Fest
Like the name suggests, the album Folk Fest truly is a folk festival—where different cultures harmoniously collide in a vibrant mosaic of colour and life. Folk Fest built on the foundation established by The Genesis, as Elekwent Folk honed their style: further exploring themes of freedom, spirituality, spontaneity, and love, while attacking the excessiveness and destructive world views of modern society. Given that it was written and recorded when they were at the pivotal age of 17-18, Folk Fest was an album of self-discovery for the group: each member beginning to powerfully define who they are as people, and artists. The album is a celebration, an offering to music and to the World. It is a collection of young poets and musicians experimenting with the English language, funk, jazz, and progressive rock, to propel them into the future.
Indep. 2009, re-released Nasty Habits Entertainment 2010
Available on iTunes and many other online music sellers.
The Genesis
Before there was Elekwent Folk there was Satyr — a duo comprised of AstroLogical and Slippery Elm. This album is made up of the very first songs ever to be written, recorded, and produced by any Elekwent Folk member. On the Genesis, the jazzy beats, playfulness, and insightful themes that Elekwent Folk would later come to be known for, first took their shape. The album commences with an introduction by Nimf One, a mischievous urban spirit. It then follows the story of a young bardic emcee named Satyr (played by Slippery Elm) who is created by a group of Druids during a thunder storm. After his creation, Satyr proceeds to comment on the 2010 Olympics, have a bardic duel, and rock numerous parties. This album is now out of print but there are a few copies left and can be ordered here: