Vancouver stand up, Mike Decline is repping you hard right now. His second release for Phonographique since July, Calmmunicate is another 30-minute mix LP that aims to bridge the gap between the golden age sound and a lo-fi, DIY aesthetic, utilizing strong chops and stronger song construction. These are intelligent beats for people rocking starter caps in 2012, indebted to Premier and Alchemist, and evading the current obsession with Otis and Dilla. Just don’t expect to hear any rehashings of “Living Proof” here. Decline isn’t about utilizing samples and templates – he’s about breathing new life into them, augmenting the mix with unique, unpredictable moments like the percussive carnival funk of “Stan Mikita” or the creepy, minimal chamber music on “Beat Smoke”. Increasing interest further is the collaborative aspect of the album. Smooth serenades from Ashleigh Eymann appear on most tracks, sometimes alongside sampled vocals for some interesting, doo-woppy effects and K-Rec resides behind the wheels of steel to handle the cuts and transitional elements. This specialized combination endows Calmmunicate with a subtle quaintness that jumps tempos and alters it’s approach often, creating a fresh perspective on instrumental hip hop that feels organic and self-contained. Peep it below, download it at Bandcamp and donate if you love it.
