A Sufi and A Killer

In these recent heady days, hype spreads like digital swine-flu and new artists are subjected to the sea change of an entire career before ever developing their sound. So to exist outside of the spotlight and develop a sound at once ready for the masses online, yet rooted in the fierce individualism of artists past may seem somewhat of a quaint notion until you hear Gonjasufi. At the moment, he stands just outside the spotlight cast on his friends and collaborators Flying Lotus and The Gaslamp Killer, but the sonic brotherhood that exists is implicit rather than as similarities in sound. Drawing from unearthed strains of global psychedelia and merging it with a rejuvenated sense of hip-hop clarity currently distinct to the West Coast, Gonjasufi is more than just a songwriter, MC or performer. His debut album "A Sufi And A Killer" recalls moments in love as well as trading sinister threats with enemies, sometimes within the same song. Trading in both the murk of lo-fidelity vintage samples and the concentrated crispness of current West Coast production, "A Sufi And A Killer" is both a roadmap to the riches of the distant past and a signpost to the future.