Tools can sometimes get in the way of creativity…
…having 20+ synthesizer options could stifle your composing…
…yet artists always seek more of what they have…
…that is not the case with Голос КАА…formerly a part of the local dark jazz project Fugu Quintet in Saint Petersburg but now based in Singapore…
Голос КАА is a solo project with four releases, three EPs, and one single, Голос КАА is still on the verge of a breakthrough, continuously shaping his unique hip-hop/rap and electro-fusion sound.
Голос КАА dropped his EP “OP-1” on the 12th of Jan of this year… perhaps some of you are wondering, “OP-1”?
…yes, Голос КАА used only the Teenage Engineering OP-1 pocket synthesizer to produce his EP…
Now we get back to when we talked about having too many options could stifle the creative process, this is what Голос КАА did with this album, he put limitations…and we’ve heard before, limitations give birth to creativity, which is why Голос КАА’s “OP-1” is an EP only filled with creative musical dreams…Голос КАА’s creativity is completely unstifled here.
The EP sounds amazing and hits brilliantly…let’s not forget that this is also because of Achernavsky’s mixing skills and VLM’s mastering expertise (Lil Yachty, Anderson .Paak, Snoop Dogg, Mos Def, Lil Uzi Vert, J Dilla)
“OP-1” has 3 songs on it…
“Сквозь тернии к страху”…This track sets the tone for the EP with its vibey beat, subtly referencing Clipping and Death Grips while maintaining its unique sound. The lyrics explore how our minds can create nightmares, showing that our deepest fears are often self-made…it’s cinematic, it’s storytelling, it’s dark and very powerful…and the vocals here are like nothing we’ve heard before.
“Под ноги смотри!”…this track features a unique Vietnamese beat and transitions into an evil reggaeton beat, reflecting the experiences of Russian expats adapting to life in Asia, with dark and ironic lyrics.
“Оператор 1″…this is where Гoлoc KAA discusses his journey in creating old-school hip-hop in the modern scene, offering self-analysis and insights through raw beats and lyrics.
“OP-1” is 8 minutes 39 seconds of unhinged creativity put into an artist context that would easily and highly appeal to any hip-hop/rap fan out there in the world…even though the songs are all in Russian, the cadence, energy, and emotional storytelling hits even if you don’t understand the language.
If you’re into hip-hop/rap, Голос КАА’s “OP-1” is for you, make sure to check it out right away.
Wishing all the best to the very creative artist.
Cheers!