yovenek: oshun
Francisco Espregueira
The story of a Parisian percussionist/beatmaker who has been wondering around the world in a quest for hidden music knowledge and spiritual wisdom. He presents us Oshun, an experimental study into abstract hip hop inspired by the boom bap era but looking towards the future. Released by the lo-fi enthusiastic label Nekubi, we introduce you to Yovenek.
On his last adventure in Cuba, where the producer attended some in depth percussion courses in La Havana and Santiago de Cuba, Yovenek learned a lot from the locals. Drums in Cuba are related to the "Orishas", to the Santeria and to the Yorubas. Oshun is the Orishas goddess of the rivers and forests, and Yovenek was told that she was the one looking after him during his Cuban wanders. This tape is what he felt he had to give her in return as a present and as a way of thanking her for what she offered him.
Oshun is a 60 minute trip through jazz-infused crispy drum breaks, intelligent use of sample phrases and minimalistic cuts. A place in which New Orleans jazz spiritualism meets the intellectualism of experimental hip hop beatmakers. All of that under the eye of the great Orishas goddess, to whom this tape is dedicated to.