Only Now is the land where cyberpunk aesthetics, underground african riddims, and spacious explorations into cinematic sound collide for intense and profound results. Record Label Records, based in Oakland, California, home to experimental music of the farthest reaches is proud to present this.
After years away of experimentation in african percussion, and industrial sound, Kush Arora decided to launch Only Now to explore new forms of sonic architecture, dripped in apocalyptic fantasies. Influenced by his more traditional excursions in the niche scenes kuduro, dark afrohouse, and tribal sounds, he aimed to fuse it with tuned metal, voice, and proto real synthesis. Influences can be heard from Buraka Som Sistema to Wax Trax Records and haunting film soundtracks peppering the record, but at the core of it lies unbridled experimentation and wall of sonic low end. A new live show awaits as well which will be unveiled shortly.
The final mix was done at Jingle Town Studios with Phil Jahns, and mastered by Sean Hatfield from Audible Oddities.
Guest Musicians and Session recorded at Pyramind Studios, San Francisco, CA.: Drums from
Gordon Clay aka Nappy G (timbale, pandeiro), Baba Deru ( slit drum, shakers, conga), Enrique Padilla aka Qique ( conga, bongo). A few vocal snippets from Pops Jabu
Mixing on SSL: Phil Jahns, Jingle Town Studios, Oakland
Mastering: Sean Hatfield from Audible Oddities
Thanks: Oz Mcguire, Afrolicious, Pyramind Studios, Zach Gunsel,