Morgan Zarate

Hookid EP Morgan Zarate

Morgan Zarate is best known for pushing R&B and hip hop into new spaces, taking influences from the US and UK and creating raw, emotional and psychedelic beats. On this first EP for Hyperdub, his production steps up in tempo, and the influence on his music of grime and dubstep shines through. He started on this path in early 2000 when he released the now classic 'Curvatia' as part of the influential group Spacek. He has since produced their critically acclaimed sophomore album ‘Vintage Hi-Tech,’ and following on from that has worked with soul legends Raphael Saadiq and Amp Fiddler. He’s produced for Ghostface Killah, Dilla's favorites Frank n Dank, Musiq Soulchild, Eska, and has worked on campaigns for Nike and others. Most recently his production unit The Shining has been playlisted on Radio 1. 'Hookid' is the first 12'' from his forthcoming solo album, which is slated for 2011 release on Hyperdub. The EP starts with ‘Hookid’ itself, a half time grime/dubstep influenced track where swirling and bumping synth melodies try and find space inbetween congas and hard hand claps. On ‘Buy Bye’ dense melody and rhythm splash and pulse, half-heard through a tight mesh of slip-sliding compression like a flashing strobe light through swirling coloured smoke … the effect is intricate and highly psychedelic. The EP ends with the more straightforward ‘SP’. A simple, urgent sounding synth melody that seems like it’s been recorded from a third generation cassette of a John Carpenter soundtrack builds over a hissing rhythm – it’s unusual and memorable in it’s brevity, like a sonic logo for a mysterious organization from a science fiction film.