Known for making world’s collide Astral Black pair up production from activia Benz label boss and Ninja Tune signee Slugabed with High Focus Records’ rapper Ed Scissor for ‘FEEDEMFREEDOM’ an immersive four tracker that brings together Ed’s left-field lyricism and Slugabed’s post-club production.
The pair, known collectively as just Greg & Ed, each served up three reasons why the release is so special to them, as well as giving us the green light to premiere the EP’s lead track ‘The Rex’.
Greg
“There’s something very nostalgic about this music for me. The instrumentals are gentle and atmospheric, and coupled with Ed's evocative and poetic rambling it creates a special sort of fuzziness in my tummy.”
Ed
“The EP felt like an escape from my usual approach which was very rewarding and even though some people say it's signature songwriting on my part, it was liberating for me as it was driven by nostalgia throughout. I basically only looked backwards which was nice.”
Greg
“Although it’s clearly not 'rave' music, both the lyrical content and the overall sound somehow evoke the blissful yet anxious feeling of coming up on doofers in a corridor made of corrugated iron.”
Ed
“I feel like this project could be significant for anyone that used to hammer jungle and drum and bass raves way back in the day. Like every weekend. It was important for me to pay homage to that era. If you ever went to Stratford Rex and hopped train after train to get there then 'FEEDEMFREEDOM' should bring you happiness.”
Greg
“It was nice to work with a UK rapper who I like and respect. I hadnit listened to much UK hip-hop in recent years, and this project re-ignited my flame for it.”
Ed
“Putting project a together with Slugabed is something that I am extremely happy to have gotten over the line, as I am a big fan of his style. I think the balance between instrumental and vocal is pretty spot on. He threw some totally radical sounds at me, sounds that I hadn't considered before and I think the results are very interesting.”
You can cop the whole thing now on cassette or digitally over at Astral Black’s Bandcamp, or via Bleep.
Words: Grant Brydon
