Koan Es-K

• 1 Moments of Clarity 03:03
• 2 Hiveminded 02:25
• 3 Moonlit 02:35
• 4 El Gee Zee 02:11
• 5 You Said You 02:24
• 6 Sevenuvum 02:17
• 7 A Product of It 02:31
• 8 Five Forty Two 01:39
• 9 Ddmmdi 02:30
• 10 L.A.T.E. 03:03
• 11 Beachfront 02:56
• 12 Koan 02:17
• 13 Solemn 02:55
• 14 Stopwatch 02:47
• Total Runtime 35:33

Info for Koan

In Zen Buddhism, the term koan denotes an enigmatic riddle, story or saying used to challenge the thinking and faith of students. Used primarily during meditation exercises, koans are used to provoke self-growth and a deeper understanding of the world's universal truths. For Burlington-based producer Es-K, these paradoxical sayings reflect the conflict he feels when creating in the moment while thinking forward to his long-term musical projects and goals. And so it felt only natural that he name his latest solo project after them.

Es-K's Koan is mature boom-bap at its most refined. Sleek Rhodes keyboards, unquantized, skittering hi-hats, and filtered sample chops weave their way in and out of each beat, creating a hazy, mindful mood that doesn't let up throughout the whole project. That's not to say that Koan is without its moments of raw excitement, though. One such moment comes when Es-K works in a sample of Redman's rowdy 1994 anthem "Can't Wait" into the coda of "Hiveminded," amplifying the track's energy and serving as a reminder that none of Redman's many references to "buddah" throughout his career have ever been about Buddhism. Some of the album's other highlights include the warped "Sevenuvum" and closer "Stopwatch," where Es-K's crisp production eventually breaks down into a bluesy, freewheeling solo by guest keyboardist Danny Whitney.

And unlike many chillhop producers who focus primarily on instrumental music, Es-K is also well-versed in working with vocalists. He's closely affiliated with Smif-n-Wessun's General Steele — who he released a collaborative album with back in 2016. Their project — the polished-yet-overlooked Building Bridges — is a case study in aging gracefully in the music industry, while updating a classic sound for the present.

"Sometimes I feel like my main “koan” or paradox with music is the fact that I am goal oriented and project oriented - but still have to completely separate myself from that while I create. It is a challenge I have had for years and is something I constantly have to practice." In Zen Buddhism, the term koan denotes an enigmatic riddle, story or saying used to challenge the thinking and faith of students. Used primarily during meditation exercises, koans are used to provoke self-growth and a deeper understanding of the world's universal truths. For Burlington-based producer Es-K, these paradoxical…

Es-K, production
Danny Whitney, keyboards (track 14)

No biography found.

This album contains no booklet.