Montreal producer Lunice Fermin Pierre II gained renown in a two-man project with Hudson Mohawke called TNGHT. Since then, he's been refining his approach to bass-heavy electronic music for his debut studio album, CCCLX.
"CCCLX (Curtain)" opens the album with arpeggiating synths reminiscent of the Stranger Things theme but more evil-sounding, like the 'Upside Down' version of that theme. Guest Montreal rapper CJ Flemings acts as the master of ceremonies, introducing the album title and appearing on a couple of other tracks throughout.
"Drop Down," aided by SOPHIE and Le1f, should light dance floors on fire. The first single, "Mazerati," is polyrhythmic, especially towards its end, and the bell tones give a doomy vibe. "Freeman" follows that up as a very anthemic hip-hop track.
Lunice's skill and vision imbue the whole record with balance and cohesion, but a number of guests help liven the energy on this dark, heavy, beat-driven record. Flemings appears the most, and his versatile but punchy flows work well with Lunice's intricate beats — he could almost be heard as the audible voice to Lunice's technical wizardry.
Lunice's production style favours gritty bass parts, slower, hip-hop tempos with rapid subdivisions and soured, cinematic synths. The tightly coiled rhythms and ominous moods show influences from trap to dubstep, but with around 10 years of mixtapes, remixes and other projects under his belt, the individual influences have long-simmered for a fine blend.
Lunice's dedication has paid off in the form of CCCLX, which positions him nicely for continued success.
(Lucky Me)"CCCLX (Curtain)" opens the album with arpeggiating synths reminiscent of the Stranger Things theme but more evil-sounding, like the 'Upside Down' version of that theme. Guest Montreal rapper CJ Flemings acts as the master of ceremonies, introducing the album title and appearing on a couple of other tracks throughout.
"Drop Down," aided by SOPHIE and Le1f, should light dance floors on fire. The first single, "Mazerati," is polyrhythmic, especially towards its end, and the bell tones give a doomy vibe. "Freeman" follows that up as a very anthemic hip-hop track.
Lunice's skill and vision imbue the whole record with balance and cohesion, but a number of guests help liven the energy on this dark, heavy, beat-driven record. Flemings appears the most, and his versatile but punchy flows work well with Lunice's intricate beats — he could almost be heard as the audible voice to Lunice's technical wizardry.
Lunice's production style favours gritty bass parts, slower, hip-hop tempos with rapid subdivisions and soured, cinematic synths. The tightly coiled rhythms and ominous moods show influences from trap to dubstep, but with around 10 years of mixtapes, remixes and other projects under his belt, the individual influences have long-simmered for a fine blend.
Lunice's dedication has paid off in the form of CCCLX, which positions him nicely for continued success.