"Rapping since the tender age of 11 and with over 80 live shows under their belt (Harvard, Miami to Montreal), this physical manifestation of a purple flurp has established a unique audio/video aesthetic for themselves; saturated in thick coats of grape purple and manic beats. With tracks covering such sensitive topics as cycles of abuse, love, and the animal kingdom, (Austin) doesn't shy away from any subject, employing humorous could-be one liners to paint the world in their own surrealist vision. There’s a persistent sting of humor to their vocal delivery and song arrangement that’s erratic and endearing; it’s as if there’s this infectious smile hiding behind every song, grinning wide beneath a pair of gleeful, almost sarcastic rolling eyes." - Guilty Guide
Self-produced/edited music videos from NYC to Chicago, scored: "ReAgitator Revenge of the Parody," "Dark Prism," WRBB "Brainwaves" + "NU-Politics," self-managed tours: multigenre, all ages, cathartic, crowd response.
Live sound/setup: Tavern On The Green jazz quartets, Leslie Uggams, Roger Penrose, Oxford Philharmonic, Ken Burns, The MET- mix/master for bands, rappers, producers.
Radio: NTS, WPKN, WHRB, C-Lab France, Reviews: Weston Forum Newspaper, Guilty Guide
Inspired by the classic funk music that I loved growing up: George Clinton, Curtis Mayfield, Patrice Rushen and the “Pure Funk” soundtrack. The original dance-oriented synth sketch was written in 2016 in Montreal.. This sketch was requested and used as the intro for an unrelated 2018 radio podcast about politics. Inspiration was taken from the comforting, home oriented folk music of Joanna Newsom, songs that take me back to safety. Andreas Vollenweider’s new age harp album “Behind the Gardens - Behind the Wall - Under the Tree....” sparked mystery and magic. Imagine pyramids, stars, late nights, early mornings, golden sand, and owl eyes shining in strange forests.
Originally rapped over and arranged for warbally granular synth, glitchy hip hop drums and funky bass. This is the first song from the album “STEAL RASPBERRIES,” touching upon personal space, property rights, gender roles, abuse and boundaries. This piece was rearranged for string quartet and piano. This alternative vision is focused on a sense of loss and letting go of unwanted emotions, but also on adventure: the endless realities and possibilities. Imagine yourself as a waiter at a luxury retirement complex, stealing exotic yellow raspberries.
Reminiscing on those who have passed, and birds. Birds are my alarm clock, reminding me in the morning that the world is alive. Regardless of death, and the constant reminders of it surrounding our everyday lives, birds arise like sunshine before the sun shines. Every morning they sing. They sing to each other, and in turn, to us. It would be a dream come true to bring back those that I’ve lost, to meet the relatives I've never met. At times it can feel like the friendships and relationships lost represent death in their own right. Birds still sing every morning, waking us up. They don’t care- they’ll sing regardless. Think of birds in the morning!
Fixed Media Works
Abridged ****
Inspired by a dream about fish taking over the world. Abridged version of the 10 song project, composed mostly with glass instruments. Featuring my words with small vocal features from friends. This project is about maintaining faith. It can be tough to believe that good will come in the future, when the world is being taken over by killer fish. When one has lost control, it can feel as if the Universe does not have the best intentions. In the dream I had a premonition by the ocean: fish eggs were about to hatch, near dozens of happy children- death was near. The eggs hatched and the fish came to take over land and attack humans. This dream holds precedence in this reality as we pollute the oceans and eat fish with plastic in it. We drill for oil and act surprised when it pollutes our water. We overfish and deforest, creating opportunities for invasive species. We want control, but the reality is that the more control we get, the more we’re killing ourselves.