Schwaza Style

Even if you haven't heard of Flatbush, NY you'll have heard from it. The Brooklyn borough that gave us Mos Def, Talib Kweli, Busta Rhymes, and Special Ed is a hotbed of musical talent, especially when that talent is of the drums-and-loops-and-words-that-sound-similar variety.

Next up to join the Wikipedia list of Notable Residents, between Norman Mailer and Jimmy McMillan, is prolific remixer and MC Melo-X – and he reckons he's not the only one on the up. “A lot of my close friends that are also artists are creating amazing music,” he says. “Lil' Friday for example, and other artists like Joey Badass and Flatbush Zombies, are carrying the torch for East Flatbush.” Of course, Flatbush also gave us Barbara Streisand, so caveat emptor, but Melo-X has form when it comes to recognising great artists. Along with Jesse Boykins III (peer to, among others, Bilal), he released one of the most interesting hip hop/neo-soul albums of the year. They'd been collaborating on and off since 2008, and their first full-length release as a duo is a must listen for anyone who appreciates anything on the wide, wide spectrum spanning what's often flippantly referred to as 'urban' music. When pushed on how to describe Zulu Guru for those that haven't had the pleasure, Melo-X goes for, “World soul and experimental free music: 'soul' not being used as a genre, but rather, heartfelt music from a real place, and 'experimental free' meaning being free to experiment with any genre of music that inspires us. This allows the album to have a broader feel.” It's certainly broad, but the eclecticism on Zulu Guru doesn't grate, leading me to ask how two established artists, each with a distinct and powerful style, were able to develop a signature sound. “We have some differences in our style but a definite thread within our music is soul and rhythm. We both have a Caribbean background, and this album is meant to be an exploration within those rhythms and styles of music we've discovered during our travels.”

Talking of travels, in support of the release of Zulu Guru Melo-X and JB are bringing their Schwaza style Down Under for performances in Melbourne, Perth and Sydney in November. What's 'Schwaza' you ask? “Schwaza is a feeling we all share,” says Melo-X enigmatically. “Some are able to acknowledge this universal happening while others have yet to recognise the feeling. Schwaza is spreading of good energy and acknowledging each other's role in the universal construct. The actual definition of 'Schwaza', is: 'an amazing occurrence that leaves you with a lack of words to express the gravity of the moment'.” A rose by any other name etc etc, and Schwaza by any other name sounds like: beautiful, mellow vocals; textured, sometimes rugged instrumentals; and an anchor firmly planted in the depths of postmillennial-conscious hip hop. Clearly though, there's more to it than that, and what better way to find out than by catching Melo-X and JB live on stage?

“Me and Jesse plan on doing a lot from our solo records as well as music from Zulu Guru,” he says. No doubt the solo joints will include Jesse Boykins III's epic B4 The Night Is Thru along with tracks from his yet-to-be released Love Apparatus album. “In my set”, continues Melo-X, “I usually blend my remixes, re-edits and original music so it feels like a party instead of just watching someone on stage.” Gathering acclaim across the industry for these mixes, and with Boykins on board, Melo-X's third visit to Australia is going to be a good one.