Evian Christ - Kings and Them Review
Make no mistake, there is some tripped-out shit at work here.
Splicing slurred Southern rap with shadowy beats that occupy a ground somewhere between footwork and witch house, the recently-revealed-to-be Joshua Leary made a name for himself by anonymously posting tracks on YouTube at the end of last year. His spectral, drugged-up, slowed-down take on 808 house made for an ideal union with Tri Angle (also home to the likes of How To Dress Well and oOoOO), who in turn released Kings and Them - a free mixtape of high-res versions of the tracks he already uploaded.
Occupying a territory somewhere between Holy Other and Clams Casino in terms of the Tri Angle roster, one of the most notable features of the mix as a whole is its revolution around minimalism. Christ doesn’t melt as many things as possible into the pot, rather, he is very selective about his ingredients and as a result each track is very precise, with simple rhythmic structures helping to hone in on one specific sound. Kings and Them tends to be very linear in that respect, traversing the nervous corridors of a haunted house and refraining from turning any doorknobs. Not that Christ is limiting himself here – there are plenty of influences fusing together, but like many of his label-mates, his work benefits from thoroughly exploring one landscape rather than turning dynamic corners at any possible juncture.
At their foundations, each track rests on the same brooding, introverted nature pioneered by fellow British producer Burial and claimed by the solitary for their cigarette fuelled walks and late night bus journeys. However, Christ unfolds that alone-with-everyone atmosphere, pumps it full of codeine, and layers it with rich bass tones until it becomes something that wouldn’t sound out of place in a club, serving to emphasise rather than isolate the person next to you that you’re inevitably rubbing sweaty elbows against.
Strung together by woozy rhythms, tuned kicks, and translucent tones, the tracks construct a sort of negative space where the breathing room adopts just as much atmosphere as the instrumentation. Not unlike Clams Casino’s work (and particularly his collaboration with A$AP Rocky for ‘Wassup’), Kings and Them has a dazed and weightless feel to it that evokes a spacious room thick with smoke, though where A$AP finds his confidence in this element, Christ focuses more on its cold uneasiness. It’s the difference between a hanging out in a hotboxed basement and wandering around a foggy wood at night. Kings and Them is riddled with lingering paranoia; during moments where the more ethereal witch house influences creep in, images of the dance academy from Suspiria or Mario’s Ghost House Levels practically conjure up themselves.
From the mostly instrumental tracks thick with reverb (‘Drip’, ‘Fridge, Crank, Gun’) to the more rap-heavy moments (‘Go Girl’, ‘Fuck It None Of Y’all Don’t Rap’), the clever integration of vocal fragments emphasises both the malice of the latter whilst also bringing a sizzurp-soaked swagger to the more understated moments. The more menacing vocals are usually sliced in at the most opportune moments, although the combined effort of ethereal synths and manipulated rap verses on ‘Snapback Back’ sounds something like what would happen if Tyler, The Creator reeled himself in a few notches and decided to use Fruity Loops. You can make your own mind up about how appealing that sounds.
Although, individually, each track has a focus as sharp and clear as glass, the lengthier contributions (‘Horses In Motor’) tend to become a step over repetitive and lack the vibrancy to maintain the same level of attention as the more concise ones (‘MYD’). At this stage, at least, Christ is at his best in short doses. With that in mind, a mixtape that clocks in at just over half an hour is an appropriately timed showcase of his abilities, and as more of an official debut than his YouTube uploads, Kings and Them is a solid introduction to a promising career. Tri Angle have picked up early on a good thing that has the potential to be great.7.0
By Emma Garland
By me, for MTHRFNKR.
