BetterRhymes

This October 18, Prism Lite released her newest album ELEMENTS. The 12 track LP sold via Mt. Fuji Tapes, is the culmination of the producer’s experience to date. After enjoying the album from a number of plays, the influences she followed are many.

Element is defined as “a part or aspect of something abstract, especially one that is essential or characteristic.”

From its onset, the album blends the genres of jazz, 90s hiphop, and vaporwave to create lofi hiphop. Those deliberate flaws, changes,and distortions were meant to change a song’s original form. Prism was then able to create something new and give form to a new rhythmic sounds.

The album begins with the melodic track dragon. The slow paced song is a combination of bass, a single saxophone, meet with an occasional violin, and and my newest track for lounging purposes. Then things pick up as fade begins playing, the 2 minute track is a culmination of various instruments. Fade feels as a track that would play during a spoken word event. It stimulates the mind with different sounds and lyrics.

Track 3 then switches to the more uplifting Fly. Fly is an apt name for the track as it’s composed with sounds that invoke elation (staying up). High Life follows and enters with a melody that involves a synth pop base. With the guitar and the drums, it leaves an almost haunting impression. HKPD is different from the other tracks as its lead with a solo flute. Supported by drums and bass, the composition feels like a march of funk.

Halfway through we meet Lighters and its atmosphere. The track sounds as if it would play when a stranger asks you a question in a bar. The focus on the saxophones sells the 1950s imagery. Nightglow (produced along side x sl.drft) continues the powerful jazz influence on the album. The track features more vintage harmony and it combines a series of lyrics to become a well composed soulful rendition.

Following is No Presidents produced along side with Riverwave 川の波. If the lyrics in the song sound familiar there’s a reason. The sample of Nas’ Dead Presidents but it doesn’t sounds familiar. The sound is and form is slower,different, and less serious. Afterwards Relief enters in smoothly with it’s echoing vaporwave. The track is fusion jazz at heart and is carried with drums in the background. The track is very laid back and a favorite.

Street Dojo takes us back to the 1970s, as it reminded me of older martial films. It’s chill and asks you enjoy some serious lyrics while remaining “lowkey”. It also is formulated very much a 1990s hiphop track by nature. The fall of the lin kuei, plays with what I believe is the sound of waves at the beach. The track is built to be ambient. Lin Kuei is a reference to an ancient clan of assassins from the Mortal Kombat series. The name and the nature of the beat makes sense, a force of nature, an element would be man’s fall.

The album’s outro is in the form of warlord, a track laced with windwood sounds. The soung conveys a somber ending of things. Eventually things end and a new window opens. But a warlord’s campaign doesn’t end.

In short, ELEMENTS is an album you should listen to. PRISM LITE is evolving with her craft and there’s more to come. My favorite tracks in no particular order are fade, high life, and relief. If you’d like to know what lofi hiphop is, I recommend listening to this album.