DiZ is here. From Cambridge with the hazy production skills. This debut from the young mc and producer sounds wise and beyond his years.
The music on the album, how did you record it? It sounds like a mix of samples and live instrumentation, is that a correct assessment?
“Yes that is correct. On the tracks with saxophone that was me recording that live in my basement. I got a little set up, but the rest of the production is samples.”
You’re not going to find bombastic beats here, rather subtle grooves that nod to -waves and haunted moments of genres past. DiZ’ flow is just as easy most of the time, often times moving very freely over the production, not bound to the music of each track and thus free to spin off poetically in its own direction.
Tracks #6-#8 are the sweet spot of BLACK WATER for me.
“Can’t Get Enough” (Prod. Shayy) is intoxicatingly brief, features an infectious flow, and a sickly sweet molasses slow soul(?) sample. Hits some kind of spot for me. A perfect hip hop non-sequitur. Next we move to an aquatic (sample) realm, the sax comes out, the vocal affects come out. Carlos Gomes and Ziggi are featured on this track which is called “To See Is To Believe.” And I feel like I’m gazing at the stars. It could be the ocean though too. Something infinite, or seemingly infinite, no doubt. “Going Through The Motions” finishes out this strong triptych with a dreamy hook of a sample that rises and falls, DiZ winding his words around and around and up and down painting the picture. A pretty good jumping off point for this Cambridge artist, and definitely worth your time dear reader.
So, you’re from Cambridge right? Are you familiar with local hip hop artists, contemporary or that came before you?
“Yea, I’m originally from Cambridge. It feels like it will always be a part of me. There’s definitely a lot of rappers from there, my boys from Illegal Advisory of course, and this dude young bobout is fire, and kid freako and ugly boy. but I’m honestly not really too tapped in with the local scene I kinda just fuck around with my friends.”
Get BLACK WATER and more info on DiZ here.
