Whole Sum [New Noise #029]

bob soss
Oct 3
4 min read

YOOOOOO what's up fam, sossiety etc... Another serving of dope underground music on the platter, but don't forget to head over to "The Pantry" and grab some free loops to throw in your DAW.

OK HERES THE MUSIC - Bob Soss

WHOLE SUM

HAF N' HAF + JLENGA

It has only been your first year here at U of T as music student but you gotta admit aside from the academic band geeks you haven't really found "your people". Your flute has brought you many places in life - all good ones, but this has been a less than obvious fit in academia.

You're not entirely sure what kind of sound you've been seeking inside yourself, but your sure it doesn't have much to do with whatever slideshows are going on in the lecture hall.

Learning to take time away from your thoughts and ingest the city, you decide to check out Kensington Market - you've cruised by a few times but now feels like a good time to investigate the local hang.

You throw your board to the side and flop down anywhere. About to put your ear slugs in but you notice a jam off in the corner.

The stabs of the guitar seem to invite your ears, JLENGA is jamming along to his boombox while the next mans take the vocal-

you're gonna have to park your garden somewhere else dude

[Placid Tab 0:10]

[Haf n' haf]

"I'm come off broken but i know im kinsugi

tryna be the best sellin poet like rumi

my third eye wide floatin on my 6th doobie

the grossest throat chakra on the mic i spit loogies"

The flow is melted brown butter over waffles the lyrics seem to pour out of him and interlock in perfect puzzle pieces. Vibraphones and psychedelic sounds swirl around Haf + JLENGA as onlookers catch the vibe and bounce heads in approval. Maybe this is just what you needed to connect the music back to the culture.

You must have been staring, snapping you out of a daze Haf is waving his hands in your face "Yooooo broski if you wanna jam we are heading to Handlebar, it's just over there"

You're startled but remember your flute case is beside you. "Duh" you think. The jam refuses no melody.

You gather your sh!t and catch up to the two cats. It's a beautiful breezy day and a conglomerate has gathered out front, passing jazzy cigs and rhythms freely.

[Back in the Play 0:00]

JLENGA tickles around the keys a little before settling on easy loop only a producer would catch the swing of. A stand up bass player who hasn't taken his shades off since Clinton was in office lock in perfect time as our MC elocutes:

it wasnt this but it was a lot like this

[0:28]

Haf

"pops used to whip around an eagle talon coupe

it always smells like cologne and cannabis to boot

used to bump Slick Rick, Fabolous and Wu

I grew to love his quick wit, that travelin aloof...

He felt like a big kid

his habits would approve....

always with the trials tribulations, semi-truths.."

The casual phrasing and effortlessness remind you of jazz. Not that stuff in the college but those cats who could r e a l l y swing. It's the birth of cool all over again.

It's a mellow vibe and you lost track of how many smokables you sampled. So much so you notice you didn't even take the flute out of your case.

"F#@$%" .... You blew it. Or, you didn't, and that's the problem.

"Don't sweat it, we got one more spot, hurry it's almost sunset!" Haf says before bursting into traffic on his skates, grapevining his way over streetcar tracks down Dundas street.

JLenga throws his boombox on his bike rack and provides the soundtrack.

You throw down your board in pursuit and slide quick to Trinity Bellwoods park where the bass is already booming through the border of the park.

You penetrate the park and see an incredible gathering of souls. Strange devices laid across tables, illuminating in time with the music painting Pollocks in the smoke clouds. Most importantly, they have a P.A!

You see Haf in the mix already as his producer commands the aux.

"Sunset cypher fam!!!"

Peace signs in the air and the music takes center stage.

[The God Follicle 2:17]

"ALVIN AND THE CHIPMUNKS"

The double time sample drops into a perfect half time shuffle. It's a big band on ketamine, steamboat willie on Lucy.

Haf

"Took a knife to the gut but

they can never cut the locks

if I got the mic clutched

they follow like a russian bot

never touch the white stuff