Prefuse 73
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On each of his full-length releases as Prefuse 73 since–One Word Extinguisher (2003) and the new Surrounded by Silence–he’s advanced a fresh and immediately appealing vision of what hip-hop production can be. Broadly speaking, most producers fall into one of two camps: those who use mainly synthetic sounds to shape sleek, futurist beats (Timbaland, the Neptunes) or Atari’d-out crate diggers mining jazz and soul stacks to make beats crackling with the sound of old vinyl (Madlib, DJ Premier). Herren doesn’t fit into either aesthetic. He avoids nostalgia but doesn’t fetishize synthetic precision; his hard, propulsive beats run through a tonal palette that favors smooth, mellow jazz and lounge samples. His tracks are likely to include glitchy enhancements, but he also strives to create an organic, full-band sound, layering keyboards, vibes, and woodwinds to create a lush, sweeping funk.
Herren hasn’t changed his core approach for Surrounded by Silence, but the album features fewer instrumentals and more guest vocals than usual; it’s an album of collaborations, a sort of Genius Loves Company for the indie hip-hop set. He’s cast a wide net: guests include rappers Aesop Rock and Beans, the Wu-Tang Clan’s Ghostface, GZA, and Masta Killa, and indie rockers Alejandra and Claudia Deheza of On!Air!Library! and Kazu Makino of Blonde Redhead. (Herren apparently digs rock groups that include twins.)
These simple songs are a sign of growth in a musician who seems to be afflicted with the beat-production equivalent of overwriting. Herren is skilled at merging the cool, muted sound of prefusion jazz (hence the name) and post-rock with the visceral thrill of a driving beat and a three-minute song structure. But until now he hasn’t tried to focus his talents on writing a straightforward hip-hop track.
Where: Empty Bottle, 1035 N. Western
