Hudson Mohawke performs in the Ballroom at the Buku Music + Arts Project in New Orleans.
Lantern, the second album to be released by Glasgow-based producer Hudson Mohawke, demonstrates a tasteful mastery of hip-hop production and Mohawke’s powerful style of trap music.
Mohawke is a serial collaborator with Kanye West, with production credits on “Mercy,” “I Am a God,” and “Blood On the Leaves.” The latter samples “R U Ready” by TNGHT, a Mohawke’s duo with Canadian musician Lunice. Fresh off his 2014 EP release “Chimes,” the song featured in Apple’s “Stickers” commercial, Mohawke announced Lantern, his first full-length release since 2009’s Butter.
A noisy introduction kicks off the album before launching into two strong, but different tracks. “Very First Breath” features Irfane on vocals and hard hitting percussion that blends with the buzzy synths, producing a song that is oh-so-very Hudson Mohawke. “Very First Breath” ends, and seemingly, a switch is thrown, taking listeners to the other end of Mohawke’s style with “Ryderz.”
Sampling D.J. Rogers 1973 track, “Watch Out for the Riders,” the song opens with the light-soul sound present on Rogers’ song before trap snare breaks, breathing energy and life into the song, modulating the vocals, and slowly introducing a glassy synth. The instrumentation dances around Rogers’ voice before dissolving into glitchy fragments.
These songs, as well as the rest on Lantern, each stand on their own, sounding unique while still maintaining Mohawke’s vibe. From the brassy, “Chimes”-esque “Scud Books,” to the spacey and percussive “Lil Djembe,” Lantern is an incredibly well-produced album that showcases the range and variation that makes Hudson Mohawke such a powerful producer.
“Shadows,” the 10th song on the album, is the epitome of Mohawke’s sound, and perhaps, the most solid track on Lantern. Despite being a short two minutes and 30 seconds, “Shadows” has everything you could want from Mohawke and more. Playful eight-bit synthesizers move around choppy vocals before being broken and smashed into a gritty tune with a driving drumline and catchy melody, just begging to be sampled.
Featuring Jhené Aiko, Antony Hegarty and Miguel, Mohawke balances his masterful instrumentals with strong vocals, using them not to mask his production, but to play with it. The lyrics and delivery are tasteful, allowing Mohawke to shine through on each track, while still showcasing the guest artists.
Mohawke was one of the highlights of the BUKU Music + Art Project, a New Orleans-based festival that was held in March, with a powerful energetic set. This album gives him the window to share the lighter side of his production, while maintaining his high-energy flow and keeping listeners enthralled and tuned-in to every hit. Mowhawke’s signature booming bass creeps in his songs, hitting before you realize what happened, and ensuring that you’ll be kept on your toes.
The album ends with the song “Brand New World,” an uplifting instrumental, leaving listeners in a good mood. About what, you ask? Perhaps about the state of not only electronic music, but music as a whole. The song provides an exodus from Lantern and an entrance into a brand new world.
If Mohawke’s tendency to be sampled by other artists continues, Lantern will be heard throughout a wide array of upcoming rap songs, ushering in a brand new world of hip-hop music.
