Letters To The Sun – Appetizers (FREE EP)

Originating from two of the most musically isolated parts of country, Western Australian rapper Coin (The Stoops / Coin & Taku) and Tasmanian DJ/producer Akouo (Class A ‘Fitzroy’ / Dunn D ‘Can’t Catch Me’) have been quietly building a cache of songs that blend various sounds and styles, namely electronic neo-soul, backpack rap and percussive rhythms. The two members (under the name Letters To The Sun) draw inspiration from a range of influences, from underground hip hop producers such as Beat Junkies, Pete Rock, Hitek, Exile and 20Syl to neo-soul figures like Amp Fiddler, Erykah Badu and Common.

While the duo piece together the final parts of their yet-to-be-titled forthcoming, debut long player, they’ve given an offering in form of a free promo EP aptly titled ‘Appetizers’. The 6 track head-knocker gives brief introduction to Coin and Akouo’s scope as a collective, baked with the essential classic boom bap flavors and seasoned with soulful, electronic-infused sounds.

DOWNLOAD THE FREE ‘APPETIZERS’ EP FROM WWW.LETTERSTOTHESUN.BANDCAMP.COM

Introducing…Letters To The Sun

Yo!

So it’s been almost a year since my last project (Javs and Akouo – Double Helix EP) dropped, and things have been a bit quiet this year, in my direction musically.

But I’m pleased to let you know that I’m currently working on a new project with Coin (The Stoops) from Perth, and we’re already about 12 tracks deep into this project!

As a duo, we’re working under the moniker ‘Letters To The Sun’ – this release is really something else, Coin is a beast, and I feel like I’ve stepped my production game up and I actually get down on the sung vocals a little myself on this one.

So to celebrate the upcoming project, we’ve put together a special tune for ya’all, to download for FREE – it’s a cover of Foster The People’s ‘Pumped Up Kicks’, and it features Pronto (The Stoops).

Enjoy!

2011

Afternoon!

Recently, i’ve been on a slight hiatus, life has become a bitter-sweet distraction to my production work.

On the sweet end of the scale, come June this year, my wife and I shall become proud parents of our first-born and i’ve also just begun building a new two-roomed home studio at our house in Launceston, which will soon be operational!

On the bitter side, my production work has taken a back seat and my new projects have creeped into the background of the matrix that is my computer. But thankfully, I feel inspiration is just around the corner, so keep an eye out for some new music from yours truly mid this year.

Until then, enjoy a tune I produced for Melbourne MC Julez towards the end of 2010, titled ‘Run Away’.

JNA (Javs & Akouo) – Double Helix EP (FREE DOWNLOAD)

The City: Melbourne, Australia
The Year: 2009
Two prior cross continent musical collaborators happen to move to the same city at the same time, and subsequently begin work on a new hip hop project, combining their styles to create a smooth blend of boom bap, neo soul and underground rap.
The two artists are Californian rapper ‘Javs’ and Tasmanian producer/DJ ‘Akouo’, and the project is titled ‘JNA – Double Helix EP’.

Akouo’s production style is made up of many parts, including live instrumentation, creative and unique drum sounds, with a mix of crunchy record samples, and can be likened to that of Ant, DJ Hi-tek and Stro of the Procussions.
Akouo is one part of the live hip hop collective Loose Cannons and has previously worked with artists such as Phatchance, Class A, Dunn D, Elf Tranzporter, Thorts among others.

Javs’ MC style marries intelligent lyricism with a smooth, seem-less flow and a presence that resembles that of rappers like Evidence or Buff 1.
Javs has also featured on other projects by Australian producers including albums by Obese Records signees Jase and DJ Bonez, as well a being a long time collaborator with Vernac of US group Speach Impediments.

If you’re a fan of the hip hop sounds of Cali or solid old school boom bap, you’ll definitely enjoy this record.

DOWNLOAD VIA THE LINK BELOW:

http://doublehelixep.bandcamp.com/album/double-helix-ep

Hey ya’all,
Just finished a tour with my Loose Cannons brothers, where we hit Sydney, Adelaide, Melbourne and Tassie, supporting Phatchance.
Here’s some video from the Sydney show:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v83-W-B-VQI

Also, Dunn D’s ‘Can’t Catch Me’ film clip is finally out! check it out!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PsAMufuFv_E

That is all.
I’m so lazy, so i’ll see you all in another 3 or so months, haha.

Phatchance ‘Inkstains’ National Tour

Hi guys,

It’s been a few months since I last dropped in here, but i’m back to let you know that i’m heading out on the road as tour DJ for Sydney MC Phatchance, on his ‘Inkstains’ National Tour.
I’ll be hitting Melb, Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide, Byron Bay, and Gold Coast.
Also my crew ‘Loose Cannons’ will be performing at Melb, Syd and Adelaide, so make sure you head out and catch some dope hip hop!

Here’s the dates:

Loose Cannons Vid Journal – Sept 09

Wassup people, it’s been a little while since I checked in over here, but i’ve got updates! so check out our video blog for details on what i’ve been up to, along with the rest of my Loose Cannons brethren!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IAm3UwEDd4k

New tour dates with Dunn D and Jonny Hack

Yo what’s up, just wanted to stop by and let you know i’ve got a whole bunch of shows coming up over the next couple of months with Dunn D and Jonny Hack, alongside the likes of Diafrix, Classified, Urthboy, Snob Scrilla, among others.
So make sure to get on down and help support your Tassie hip hop representatives!

Find the brand new tour dates at www.myspace.com/akouo

Oh hey there, didn’t see you come in…what’s that? you want to hear more about what’s going on with Akouo? sure you do, who doesn’t?!

So things are going well in the Burn, been DJing a few times a month at Section 8 in the city, I got Thursdays at the Swan in Richmond and currently we have a residency as Loose Cannons (Dunn D, Jonny Hack and myself) on Saturday nights at The Johnston, in Fitzroy.

Dunn D’s album is 15 tracks deep and has maybe 1 more track to go before it’s complete, i’ve gotta be honest, i’m pretty fucking excited about this one, we’re happy with every track and I think Dunn has improved dramatically with this release.
So we should have some new tracks upped on myspace very soon for you kids to listen to, but before then, Dunn is performing most of those tracks live with Loose Cannons, so head on over to the next Cannons gig to hear that shit!

I’ve also been working on tracks for Javs, Azrael, Phatchance and Class A (who’s album is very soon to be finished), all of which are sounding very nice, I think.
I find that i’ve finally found a production style that i’m really happy with and i’m sticking to it, which is a cross over between classic, sample based boom bap and a form of electro soul.

Anyway that’s about it for now, be sure to add yourself to my fan page on Facebook if you haven’t already done so, peace out, and be good.

A-Q-O