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As editors for their college newspaper's art section, Eriksolo and
Quarterbar shared an interest in all things musical. The two became
roommates and started making lo-fi rap songs on a barely-working
4-track, then eventually recruited friends to form the Santa Barbara
hip-hop crew mic.edu. After the duo moved upstate to Oakland, they
formed Meanest Man Contest. There, they spent their free time digging
through filthy stacks of flea market records, like so much bruised
fruit, looking for samples and inspiration. From this effort came a
series of short songs that would form their collage-like first single,
"Contaminated Dance Step." It set the stage for a eclectic catalog of
songs that are rich in both humor and resentment.
Meanest Man Contest's sound has evolved around a constantly expanding set of influences. Their first LP for Plug Research, Merit, pushed their sound into thoughtful, atmospheric places with jazz samples and live guitar. More recently, MMC's beats and rhymes felt right at home next to Languis' reverby pop songs on their Split LP, as well as on the electro-tinged single, "Throwing Away Broken Electronics." Now, Meanest Man Contest's "Some People" EP finds the duo expanding their roles, stretching the boundaries of their hip-hop roots. On this set, which jumps from rap to '80s dance to electronic pop, the music is often based more in melody than rhythm, propelling the tracks forward with propulsive, bubbly keyboards and harmonic basslines that provide a refreshing change from the typical 8 bar loop. The group has also taken its flirtation with singing even further. It suits MMC well, as they etch their richly detailed lyrics with a colorful array of inflections. "Some People" is yet another big step ahead for this forward-looking group, whetting appetites for the stunner of a full-length on the horizon. Although each MMC release has its own personality, earnest profundity and wide-ranging remain constant. |
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