| Having spent a bunch of time abroad, immersing themselves in spiritual, philosophical and religious pursuits, the Californian production duo of Matthew Fowler and Dahvin Bugas – known respectively as Mumbles and Gone Beyond, and collectively as S.E.V.A. – have created a highly percussive and intricate set of compositions with their debut release as a unit. Although delving into the somewhat passé and cringe-worthy musical paradigm of jazz-inflected hip-hop, and the equally problematic thematic arena of (groan…) spirituality, the pair pull it off remarkably well, and in the process, throw a new and interesting light on instrumental hip-hop practice. Indeed, S.E.V.A. – an acronym for Spirit Evolves Via Awareness, and a Sanskrit word meaning selfless service – sees the pair negotiate both their thematic and musical objectives with remarkable tact and skill, leaving both strands palatable and accessible, if so desired. While the record is thematically underpinned by an evolving spiritual narrative – including excerpts of readings by Swami Akshara and Swami Paramatmananda – musically Fowler and Bugas incorporate any number of stylistic variations, adding a range of sophisticated Eastern flavours to their strong hip-hop base. Layers of sitar, guitar, flute, saxophone and keys float in and around melodic loops, pulsing hand percussion and dense textures and rhythms, making for some brooding, contemplative and intensely mood-driven arrangements. The S.E.V.A. duo have pulled off something increasingly rare with this release; they’ve managed to inject their self-serving spiritual, conceptual and philosophical beliefs into their record, without it having a detrimental effect on the listening experience. And for those who are willing to dive into the spiritual abyss, I’m sure S.E.V.A. will prove all the more rewarding. - Cyclic Defrost |
1XLP/Out Of Print