Six years after his tragic death, the ghost of James Yancey still hovers above the drum-computers of the international beatmaker-scene in unshakable radiance. While everyone (and everyone’s mother) keeps claiming to be his actual musical reincarnation in the USA, Häzel has been quietly turning into the European Chef-Dilla-disciple on the old continent. But before the Brazil-born musician who lives in Paris won those laurels, he needed some kind of kick start. He got it from a certain Slakah the Beatchild, who back then was working with a still unknown Drake and helped making it all happen. It were the warm neo-Soul-borowings from Häzel’s machines that led the way to the international career of the aspiring rap-newcomer, beginning with his mix-tape »Comeback Season« in 2008. »The Lost Tapes«, which were put on the web by Häzel in 2011, are now being released as a physical sound carrier. In addition to the mentioned Drake-features »Share« and »Between Us« and the Ebrahim-song »This Is Dope«, it offers 20 instrumentals, beat-sketches and various rap-songs without rap. It’s not to be compared to Madlib’s sampling craziness or Hudson Mohawke’s playful friskiness – because Häzel feels best in those non-linear acid-groove-spaces, where also the Soulquarians used to cavort. Composure instead of cockiness, subtlety instead of constraint. The only downside is that these delicate beat-diamonds – despite their powerful rhythm of 90s HipHop and spherical synth-drops – suffer from paying too much tribute to the former mentioned beat-genius from Detroit. Montmartre still isn’t Conant Gardens
The Lost Tapes
