Setting aside his turntable skills, Mojo Rising unveils Seven Wonders, a funk-infested roller coaster of downtempo frequencies, laid back segues and twisted wiring.
As a part of Los Angeles’ distinctive underground root system of the early 90’s, Joel Semchuck (aka DJ Mojo and/or Mojo Rising), mapped the foundations for some heavyweight events in and around Southern California such as F.A M.I.L.Y. and the old-school Insomniac parties (to name a couple). Having played a critical role in this slice of time, Joel has now signed up with Cold Busted for the debut subdued rhythms of Seven Wonders — set for release in December 2011.
Setting aside his turntable skills, Mojo Rising unveils Seven Wonders; a funk-infested roller coaster of downtempo frequencies, laid back segues and twisted wiring. Waves of espresso crash against the rim of your mug; just enough to tell you that bass lines plays a key role on this album. “Stonehedge” unravels in pure Cup Of Tea fashion; manipulated clips, samples, vocals, and slippery beats are delivered in kaleidoscopic color. “Hanging Gardens” wisps by as its lightly brushed “relaxed” vocal snippet peppers the landscape. “Colossus” focuses its jazzy manifest in hip-hop form as it dips through the haze of coffee lounges and late night after-party gatherings. The skewed trip and abstract hop of “Pyramids” tangles itself in a web of polished acidic undertones just as “The Lighthouse” delivers a technoid shape and stripped back wedge of pure groove. “The Tomb” casually blends piano extracts and slow-driving percussive scrapping against wide-open spaces filled with synthetic distortion harking back to mid-90’s era Legion Of Green Men.
Tribal minimalism, wind instruments and blurred hip-hop play an integral role throughout Seven Wonders‘ rather brisk forty-three minute venture through time and space. Fans of early Kruder & Dorfmeister and Statik Sound System should easily find solace in the warm chills of Mojo Rising’s trajectory; redefining past iterations of armchair funk for the now.
Seven Wonders is available on Cold Busted.
