Facing high expectations, Emancipator and 9 Theory drop their second EP

The ambient duo returns to rekindle their organic sound, and explore the shared soundscape which waits between them

Since the release of the acclaimed ‘Cheeba Gold’ EP back in 2019, critics and listeners alike have been waiting to hear more from this west-coast duo. Emancipator & 9 Theory have managed to uncover something special in their collaborative work, a project which seems to have developed so naturally that it was simply waiting for the two producers to cross paths.

Emancipator was noticed early in his career by Nujabes’ Japanese label Hydeout Productions, has opened for Bonobo, and today receives praise and recognition as the founder of Loci Records. His talents in downtempo and ambient sound overlap with the skills of instrumental beat maker 9 Theory, an artist caught up in his own love for sonic melody and rich beats.

Together the artists have been pushing each other further, and the highly anticipated EP ‘A Thousand Clouds’ is evidence of that. It’s a compact release of just four tracks, each approaching downtempo ambience from a separate perspective. As a whole the collection is a vibrant journey balanced between the synthetic and organic, offering a chance to breath in a more open world. Our selected track, ‘I Feel You’, embraces heavier beats, supporting melodies which melt into the air.

Stream the EP on Spotify or listen on Bandcamp

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With polished single ‘Tangerine Sour’, Emancipator and 9 Theory introduce new work

The two exceptional artists return and rekindle their collaborative fire, producing masterful EP 'A Thousand Clouds'

‘Tangerine Sour’ is a track produced by the flourishing artistic relationship between 9 Theory and Emancipator, producers who each cultivate their own vibrant discographies but share a deep love of music and experimentation.

Amongst other explorations into sound, 9 Theory has claimed ground in instrumental beat making. His sound is fed by a diverse range of inspirations, touching on trip hop, indie, piano and raw talent.

9 Theory’s collaborator in this project, Emancipator, is a standout artist in the electronica community. The Virginia native has been proactive in carving out his own path, while inspiring others to involve themselves in the electronic community, his label Loci Records operating as a platform for artists new and upcoming to the scene.

Together the pair has produced music both technically impressive and unmistakably beautiful. Smooth downtempo and ambient tones have featured in their work, as well as ventures into instrumental beats which strike a perfect balance of organic and edited samples.

Emancipator and 9 Theory are on the point of releasing 'A Thousand Clouds', a fresh EP which follows their previous collection ‘Cheeba Gold’. ‘Tangerine Sour’ leads the upcoming EP, and reintroduces us to the irresistible, effortless world the duo succeeds in bringing to life.

Stream the track on Spotify and pre-order the EP on Bandcamp

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Radiating warmth and melody, Murge presents ‘Alone Together’

Murge’s new single moves bodies and emotions, as he renews a connection with vocalist Sierra Lundy

Producer Murge has put time and effort into the live DJing scene, both internationally and in his home country of Canada. The house music he creates is the consolidation of influences from a multitude of sources, embracing Latin jazz rhythm and cosmic electronica, allowing dancefloor beats to co-exist with ambience and field recording.

In the past few years Murge has begun to establish a discography beyond his live shows with the support of Loci Records, label of iconic US producer and DJ Emancipator. His sound has won him acclaim from his contemporaries, and led him to preform alongside artists like Bonobo, De La Soul and the Wu Tang Clan.

A significant connection made by Murge in recent years is that with the vocalist Sierra Lundy, part of the talent behind Pacific Ocean duo ‘Ocie Elliott’. The two have collaborated in the past to create tracks which overlap electronica and organic harmonies, furnishing Murge’s sound with a new, hauntingly beautiful dimension.

‘Can’t Hurt Me Now’ on March’s ‘Here We Are’ album is an example of the melodic balance the two are able to achieve, and newly released single ‘Alone Together’ returns to that unique downtempo environment, rich with emotion but drifting from reality.

Support the album on Bandcamp or stream it on Spotify

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A vivid walk through Andrew Rothschild’s new single: ‘Lokta’

Andrew Rothschild with his latest release on Loci Records, in his characteristically colourful style

Andrew Rothschild creates around himself an environment of controlled explosions. His talents lie in part with Folk & Blues guitar, but the influence of that more traditional sound on his vibrant electronica tracks is normally diffused across the music, or just one classifiable element of a much broader tapestry.

There’s no sense of aggression in Rothschild’s work, but an overlay of different samples and styles creates a soundscape of carefully measured out intensity. Purely classical orchestral sequences run alongside trip hop style sampling, and physical percussion gives a sense of spatiality to much of his work. Try pulling out other tracks and EPs from his well-formed and growing discography and you’ll come across influence from a truly eclectic range of areas.

The result of this mixing of genres could be chaotic, but Rothschild keeps everything delicately in its place, leading the listener along a well-kept path, passing by vibrant bursts of sound.

With his most recent single ‘Lokta’ Rothschild collaborates again with Loci Records, run by US producer and DJ Emancipator. Known for its melodic downtempo and instrumental hip hop, the label promises to be an appropriate fit for this artist’s collage like style of production.

Support the single on Bandcamp or stream it on Spotify

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Emancipator & 9 Theory stick together like buds on 'Cheeba Gold'

What happens when two of the most reliable stalwarts of the west coast indie beat scene come together for a collab? You find gold. Cheeba Gold, that is, the result of a 4-day studio session between Portland’s Emancipator and LA’s 9 Theory. The collab makes a lot of sense musically; these two have been pushing lush, organic, laid back beats for so long now that it’s become one of the signature sounds of electronic music in the PNW, gracing festival stages and outdoor events for over a decade.

On the EP Cheeba Gold, no doubt a product of the title’s slang allusion, the two musicians find effortless rhythms with rich percussive elements, and lush timbric harmonies that showcase both their sense of musicality and deft instrumental skills. These guys know exactly the kind of sound they want to make, and it’s clear on Cheeba Gold that they are operating in top form.

RIYL: Bonobo, Tycho, Thievery Corporation

Cheeba Gold is out now on digital platforms, and if you really like it, a 12” vinyl is available from Loci Records.

— review by autonomy

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