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Like
many of the heralded acts before him this 22 year-old emcee is
more than just a rapper. He’s a musician, who not only can spit
laid back, witty rhymes, but also creates the melodic fusions of
samples and organic beats which provide the sound-scape to his
work. Currently, his single “Modern Times” created for a Charlie
Chaplin musical has reached No. 1 on the Billboard chart in
France upon the release of the musical’s soundtrack. Meanwhile,
Johnny’s debut album, Summer, is set for a June 15 release and
represents such creativity; at very first listen, the album
exemplifies the wide array of songs he’s capable of making, all
of them impressive, all of them unique. With regards to
Summer, there’s little doubt the album is a
reflection of Johnny’s varied musical influences--he also plays
the guitar and keyboards, as well as the creative sonic
environment in Los Angeles he’s been a part of for the past
decade. There’s the two part “Sand Castles” which starts off
with Johnny’s articulate and brooding poetics about coming of
age over a mournful and melodic production, but morphs into a
rousing electric-guitar driven head banger. Or, the old-school
sounding “Pacific Passion” which wittily uses an experience
swimming in the Pacific as a metaphor for sex, all underlined by
flutes, a sparse snare beat and a catchy back beat. The
funk-soaked “Be Gone,” showcases Johnny’s versatility as he
spits clever flirtations at a female over a thick bass line and
equally velvety guitar progression. "Bohemian Funkman,” an
unabashed party song is a far more upbeat track, which shows
Johnny’s penchant for obscure, crackling samples melding
Johnny’s hilariously frenetic rhyme scheme with a bevy of
soulful beats and an organ hook. “Call/Response,” features
Johnny hurling powerful verses over a haunting strings sample,
all designed to get the attention of anyone who has the nerve to
question his skills. “The song is all about getting a response
out of people,” says Johnny. “How you got to break your neck to
have somebody listen to what you’re doing.”
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