Bay Area producer Mophono put together a cerebral mix for Ninja Tune’s Solid Steel radio show this past Friday, and it’s an hour of pure beat music magic.
We included Benji Illgen, otherwise known as beat thaumaturge Mophono, on our singles list a few weeks back with his hard hitting track “THIZZ BITS” off his new M.O.3 EP. His sound is a juxtaposition of archaic machinery and forward thinking composition that defies genre. Though grounded in beat music, his catalog is replete with inventive tracks that come from toiling with outdated drum machines and synths, and coming out with motifs of sonic reverie.
His mix, which features a great number of his originals along with songs from artists such as Mr. Carmack, Death Grips, Bleep Bloop, and Mr. Oizo, this mix mashes together new and old experimental beats and showcases the artist’s unique style.
“After getting started on the mix, immediately I realized how tough the struggle would be.” said Illgen of his creative process. “Soon I would be aggressively wrestling these beasts into submission. What I had seen before as unique treasures to cherish and behold, instantly changed into nonconforming monster hybrids, making it impossible to compartmentalize them in any way. Looking past the filth and runoff, I saw beauty in their unruliness and chopped and scratched them to bits and pieces.”
This mix is brilliant, once you start listening you can’t pull yourself away, so make sure you have a solid hour to get lost in Mophono’s aural journey, no matter what tempo he goes into or what track he throws in, it’s all pulled off without reproach.
Be sure to grab Mophono’s M.O.3 EP out now on Liquid Amber.