Remember the tuba mpet stabs on Hudson Mohawke’s massive “Thunder Bay”? Well another Scott might have just one upped HudMo in the brass department. Today, Abderdeen-based producer Lockah’s When U Stop Feeling Like a Weirdo & Become a Threat EP dropped on Mad Decent’s Jeffree’s. Taking cues from everyone from HudMo to Lone to Samiyam, Lockah is one of the brightest up and comers in the bass/hip hop game. Far less club oriented than the past few Jeffree’s releases (Branko, Baauer, etc.), Lockah opts for intricately composed and overtly triumphant anthems. The southern hip hop influence is palpable, but not in the sense of massive 808’s and/or the “shove as much bass as possible wherever we can” mentality. The four track EP is far more of the head nodder quality than booty grinder.

We’ve been anticipating this release for quite some time now and it doesn’t disappoint one bit. Each of the three originals are distinctly unique and represent different facets of Lockah’s beat making abilities. “The Sour Drink From The Ocean”, is a pensive and measured take on late 90’s Southern hip hop. The track manages to take cues from the trance of yore without falling into any sort of cliche. “Now U Wanna” sees Lockah giving HudMo a run for his money. Big room hip hop at its finest, transitioning between maximal and minimal elements with ease. And that fucking trombone. No one has made a trombone sound this cool since Henry Mancini. “Goons N Roses” feels like an announcement that someone important is arriving.. in the future. Again, I can’t get over the brass, this time triumphant sounding trumpets. Lockah has arrived in high style and should be joining the big boys in no time. Like all Jeffree’s releases, When U Stop Feeling Like a Weirdo & Become a Threat is available for free download.