Prince Kong Rising

Posted by homoludo on May 29th, 2009 filed in !Kaboogie, Hardcore continuum, Irish bands, Irish producers, live sets, music, news, prince kong, writing

 

Lady Grew (all pictures by Aoife from the !Kaboogie records 01 Squidge ep launch  last friday)

A big couple of weeks in Irish Bass/dance music. Two releases from Irish artists on Irish labels, on vinyl. One on Alphabet set the other the first release on !Kaboogie, lauched two weeks ago and last week.

Prince Kong blazing on both. Here’s how Boomkat put it (who have sold out of their first order all ready)-
Good Lord! What the hell is this?!?…-Prince Kong and T-woc have just shocked our afternoon to the core with a blinding pair of future Dub cuts seemingly beamed from another planet. Prince Kong’s ‘Crossroads’ sounds like The Bug inna deep war with Babylon, sending hordes of dreadlocked bass disciples armed with industrial kickdrums and razor-edged rave signals to bring down any System that tries it, only better.
For me Prince Kong is a totally original Irish producer with a transnational sound. Bringing on MC driven bass and barbed wire riddims to scarify while avoiding the usual traps of imitating Detroit, London, Aphex bloody twin or whatever.

Mc Rodrigo

He’s had a power and originality from the first time I heard him in Eustace St a few years ago(first dublin gig I think) This has come to the fore at a series of gigs over the last two years. The sound getting weightier and skankier with every gig. Dancing to it you’re caught between the bass rooting you to the floor and the high end jerking you up.The show is now a Tour de force with MCs chatting and chanting over shuddering sounds.

Working with MCs like Warrior Queen and Jah balance and legends like Eccleton Jarrett and more recently focusing on local talent like Lady grew and MC Rodrigo. Occaisionally I’ve been asked by local bass younglings to recount the history of Irish beats but that story is of depressing failure so I’ve avoided writing about it. Refreshingly, this feels like success. And with Alphabet set and the launch of !Kaboogie records hopefully more to follow.

Here are a couple of exclusives. The first a 4×4 stomper with a bass hovering like a UFO over bouncy loops. The second unashamed breakcore with soul.

Prince Kong feat Lady Grew  – Whatcha

[audio:/whatcha%20feat%20lady%20grew.mp3]

Download

Prince kong feat Jah Balance and Eccleton jarrett
– Bloodwar

[audio:/Prince%20kong_.mp3]

Download

The live set sounds amazing, sounding vinyl mastered which is something for a live set. A good sound track to the Irish Babylon crisis.

[audio:/prince%20kong%20feat%20lady%20grew%20and%20mc%20rodrigo.mp3]

Download

Prince Kong and Lady Grew

There are upcoming releases on !Kaboogie and Middlemanagement . With !Kaboogie 002 a full Prince Kong ep.

Lady Grew

Also more on T woc soon.