Ceo, Executive Producer, Owner and Founder of Music Record Label Big Roach Records Since 1990, Mase Sam Jackson returns with his latest instrumental hip-hop album – “The Black Seed”. Inspired by his experiences and the world around him, the record shares the same atmospheric intensity of his previous works. The keyboards on “Anythings Possible” flicker like the flames of a midnight campfire; the woozy “Bengermin” is minimal and brooding; the languid, yet awake piano-driven “Doing Him Dirty” caters to the chillout listening audience; while “Ephraim” has undulating rhythms, pensive and purposeful, it mirrors the movement of Mase Sam Jackson’s creative mind.
Mase Sam Jackson has grown from a hip-hop beat maker into a leader of smoky, twilit and cerebral soundscapes. His ethereal and moody sets will make him a favorite among deep thinkers of instrumental music. His productions, plush with keyboard arrangements and accompanied by delicate, skittering percussion, will earn him a regular place on the playlists of many electronic music fans.
“The Black Seed” is the acid test for chilled hip-hop based instrumental music in 2021, and sets a standard that will be undeniably difficult to match, let alone beat. Each song is a perfectly crafted, emotive piece of work. Using simple sounds, they highlight Mase Sam Jackson’s talent in electronic music making, with expertly crafted intricate drum patterns, found sounds and eloquent keyboards and synths.
From the track, “Everybody Got a Price” onwards, it became it became instantly apparent to me that one should hear this album in the dark. After hitting the lights, its celestial and sublime arrangements had space enough to dance around at full capacity in my head. And dance they did.
Whether slow keyboard burners or percussive pumpers, Mase Sam Jackson’s songs act as sonic narratives that ripen and unfurl each minute. His frequent use of crescendo functions via the drums in these narratives, come through loud and clear on “Facts”. On the other hand, the eclectic “Judah”, exemplifies Jackson’s ability to sculpt enormous depth of sound with seemingly few frills.
While the producer entrances with his otherworldly compositions on “The Black Seed”, the record’s piano-dominated motifs, showcased on “Life is What You Make it”, are just as intriguing.
Mase Sam Jackson’s boundless expression allows the mind to float in its various intricacies, shades, and tides on “Mannassah”. As one might have expected from his new album, “The Black Seed” is from the offset undoubtedly Jackson’s work through and through.
He has always made textural, cerebral-based music, and this album is no exception. “No More Hard Times” bounces with understated, but tangible joy, while “Something Gotta Give” restores a pensive mood to the proceedings. The album closer, “The Main Event”, maintains a contemplative mood, while the drums thump and thud with calculated scrutiny.
The evolution of Mase Sam Jackson’s work has been a joy to observe. Each record has always sounded both distinct and distinctly his; there’s a clear progression in craft, becoming more sophisticated, polished, and also more accessible. “The Black Seed” is another rich set of downtempo hip-hop instrumentals, with plenty to get excited about. Mase Sam Jackson’s ability to immerse the listener in gorgeous instrumental escapism is better than ever.
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