Photo by Hayden Schwartz
Brooklyn producer Jaryd Velez, a.k.a. Kala, today shared his seething new L.O.T.O (Liberation of the Oppressed) EP, hot on the heels of a pair of notable contributions to recent Mixpak and Club Chai compilations. Containing samples of Tupac, Lumidee, and Black Panther Party co-founder Bobby Seale, the release finds the Fake Accent and KUNQ-affiliated artist pairing themes of urgent political engagement with an ambiance of unwavering claustrophobia. Overall, the self-released record is particularly attuned to the hauntingly ephemeral use of negative space, but it still has its fair share of club-ready thrills.What are some of the themes and ideas you wanted to explore on L.O.T.O? Why is club music a good space for this project?
For L.O.T.O I wanted to explore quite a few themes and elements. Some of them include empowerment, rage, love, and Caribbean culture, all with a touch of social commentary. I think club music is a good space because the genre has crossed over to so many different genres and outlooks that are open to experimentation. People in the scene are quite vocal and aware of social issues, also, so it makes sense to fuse them together.You're affiliated with both the Fake Accent and the KUNQ collectives. Can you tell us about what your relationships with them?
My relationships with the crews are both bound by a love of music. I originally met False Witness and Rizzla a couple years ago back, through our mutual support of tracks. I was then introduced to Tygapaw after attending Fake Accent almost two years ago. After developing relationships with each crew, I was asked to join and I'm truly honored.How did you first get into what could loosely be described as the "Brooklyn club music scene"? I know you grew up listening to hardcore, reggaeton, and Jersey/Baltimore club.
After seeing Jersey and Baltimore expand, Brooklyn is right next door, so I would drive over to shows on the weekend. The initial intro was through the internet first, and it got deeper when I became friends with people in real life after moving.On top of being an artist, you're also an audio engineer. How does that technical training affect the way you approach your own productions?
Audio engineering taught me to be minimal in my production and strategize long term organization. I also take into account mixing and mastering which I do on my own, so the skills prepare me for each stage of the song process.L.O.T.O was released yesterday; you can get it on Bandcamp now.Follow Alexander on Twitter.
Advertisement
For L.O.T.O I wanted to explore quite a few themes and elements. Some of them include empowerment, rage, love, and Caribbean culture, all with a touch of social commentary. I think club music is a good space because the genre has crossed over to so many different genres and outlooks that are open to experimentation. People in the scene are quite vocal and aware of social issues, also, so it makes sense to fuse them together.You're affiliated with both the Fake Accent and the KUNQ collectives. Can you tell us about what your relationships with them?
My relationships with the crews are both bound by a love of music. I originally met False Witness and Rizzla a couple years ago back, through our mutual support of tracks. I was then introduced to Tygapaw after attending Fake Accent almost two years ago. After developing relationships with each crew, I was asked to join and I'm truly honored.How did you first get into what could loosely be described as the "Brooklyn club music scene"? I know you grew up listening to hardcore, reggaeton, and Jersey/Baltimore club.
After seeing Jersey and Baltimore expand, Brooklyn is right next door, so I would drive over to shows on the weekend. The initial intro was through the internet first, and it got deeper when I became friends with people in real life after moving.On top of being an artist, you're also an audio engineer. How does that technical training affect the way you approach your own productions?
Audio engineering taught me to be minimal in my production and strategize long term organization. I also take into account mixing and mastering which I do on my own, so the skills prepare me for each stage of the song process.L.O.T.O was released yesterday; you can get it on Bandcamp now.Follow Alexander on Twitter.