DJ Premier is basically hip-hop royalty at this point and in my book will go down as one of the greatest producers of all-time. So when he works with an artist or even cosigns them I take notice. And when he actually signs an artist that isn’t even a hip-hop act and then proceeds to single-handedly produce the majority of their project, it becomes a must listen. That’s where Torii Wolf, pop singer of unknown origin, comes in. First thing that jumped out at me was just how unique her voice is, it’s raspy and has a soulful quality to it that you just don’t hear everyday. Matching that with Premier’s gritty production, sampling, and signature scratching created something truly unique and worked better than I could have ever imagined – there’s a clear synergy between the two and it’s every bit as exciting to hear Premier really stretch his production in ways we’ve never really heard before as it to hear Torii sing over them. Torii Wolf’s haunting vocals and unbridled creativity paired with Premier’s masterful production, create one of the most unique listening experiences I’ve had in quite some time and I hope they have even more in the works.
“You knew the mess you’d get into
Roaming alone after dark
When there’s no return from the places you went to
Roaming alone in the dark”
Have you heard Flow Riiot? What’d you think about it? Do you think the pairing between the two worked as well as I thought it did? Let me know in the comments below and be sure to leave your own ratings and reactions to the album.
