The Joker’s not the next big thing. He already was two years ago, as an 18-year old prodigy straight out of trip-hop mecca, Bristol. Even then, he was initially pegged as a savior of grime, then dubstep. Making beats on Fruity Loops at 14, spinning regularly at 15, always heavily hyped, as far as heavily hyped Anglo-centric dance music goes. But Joker doesn’t really make dance music. Whenever he’s asked, he usually rebuts the labels, explaining, “it’s just Joker, isn’t that enough.”It is.
What’s so thrilling about the Joker’s music isn’t merely the ease with which he flouts genre restraints. Successfully dissecting his beats would require an entire evening–think a skewed geometry of post-Timbaland space-hop, a narcotized successor to Detroit House, the rightful heir to Roll Deep’s throne, or Lee Perry given drum machines, grim weather, and a crop full of bitter British herb.
To indulge a fantasy baseball scenario, Joker and Flying Lotus need to tour together, preferably in an grassy field with liberal drug policies and ready supply. When said tour ends, they need to start producing for rappers, because god knows people should be spitting over this rather than the “I Love College,” instrumental. Thankfully, the Rap Pack, the South Philly super-group of 2ew Gunn Ciz, Magr, and Clean Guns, had the same thought, bodying the beat, and generally doin’ it in a manner to make Joker and LL proud.
In other related Rap Pack news, 33 Jones has a zip of Zilla Rocca’s Bring Me the The Remix of Zilla Rocca for free download, and Metal Lungies has the new, 5 0′ Clock Shadowboxers cut, “Dirt Naps.“And it’s 1:43 a.m. and I’m going to sleep.
Download:
MP3: Joker-”Do It”
MP3: Joker-”Digi-Design”
ZIP: Joker-Joker Mix Sou Wow (Left-Click)
MP3: Joker ft. The Rap Pack-”Do It”
9 comments
dan says:
May 12, 2009 at 8:51 am (UTC -7)
loves me some joker
i want to shout at anybody passing about his twisted goodness when let outdoors with an i-blaster
but then, i’m probably an asshole
tis definitely thrilling alright. I like Flying Lotus and all but Joker just seems necessary.
stuart says:
May 12, 2009 at 9:58 am (UTC -7)
oh damn
The Rap Pack- “U Ain’t Neva Gotta Ask Again” | Yosef's Blog says:
May 26, 2009 at 1:58 am (UTC -7)
[...] Passion of the Weiss » Blog Archive » The Psychedelic Runway of … [...]
sotns says:
May 30, 2009 at 4:26 am (UTC -7)
that rap pack remix feels so good, defo the start of big thingz.
Passion of the Weiss » Blog Archive » The Streets-”Blinded by the Lights (Nero Remix)” says:
June 18, 2009 at 3:18 pm (UTC -7)
[...] night, in the midst of Joker’s absolutely brilliant set at the awkwardly named Dubstep at the Roxy, Scion House Party, somewhere [...]
Ess Dees says:
June 18, 2009 at 11:22 pm (UTC -7)
Dude’s composition is too musical to be dubstep. Is it drug music, why not just good music?
Passion of the Weiss » Blog Archive » Health-”Die Slow (Tobacco Remix)” says:
August 23, 2009 at 3:57 pm (UTC -7)
[...] Moth Super Rainbow never bleaches eyes, instead he angles towards chromatic distortion. Other than Joker and Caribou, no one’s got the striking synesthesia of Tom Fec, who slathers the grissaile [...]
Passion of the Weiss » Blog Archive » Joker- The “Kapsize EP” says:
September 29, 2009 at 3:00 am (UTC -7)
[...] For those interested in the burgeoning Bristol Purple scene, Richard Carnes’ Resident Adviser piece provides the most in-depth look at Joker, Guido, and Gemmy yet. I wish that the crew didn’t have names that read straight out of a never-aired “Batman Goes to Italy” episode (60s camp-edition), but I’ll manage. The piece confirms that a Joker full-length is on its way, one which portends to build on the strength of the instant-classic “Digidesign” and “Do It” singles. [...]
Mike Abb says:
October 14, 2009 at 11:20 am (UTC -7)
Joker is tops in my book his silky synth style is unmatched he doesn’t have to play a ton of notes to get the dope across and his drops are just murder.
Props to this article good to see the man behind the myth
Abb