This year has arguably been one of the most vibrant years for artists to thrive in the spaces between traditional Hip Hop as we know and love it and Hip Hop in the experimental way we’re learning to embrace.
Brooklyn’s producer/emcee duo Young Planet is no exception, and its hard-to-exactly-pin-down brand of rap-leaning music is standing out as they organically expand their fan base. Fact is, 2016 may finally be the year that fans are receptive to music that’s “different” by definition and in its execution. Young Planet, comprised of Cidida and Eibol, has been riding their own wave for years, and are showing it with their new EP, All Of Lives Dreaming. There’s no better time to catch up to a path they’ve long been paving.
The group produces, writes, records, mixes and masters in-house, and by placing such an emphasis on quality and music true to their specific mission, the group is establishing themselves as mainstays as their career continues to grow.
The three-track EP is one of their strongest releases to date, existing happily in the fringes, creating something that is as dreamy as the project’s title suggests. In their words, they aim to “create a vibe to fall into,” and this project inexplicably and graciously achieves just that. Building off of their first single, “Angie,” the focus for All Our Lives Dreaming became clear that the decision to slow down their tempos and focus on building melody would work in their favor, with the lyrics on each track presenting an intriguing story in its own right.
The EP holds traces of synth pop, soul and R&B in a way that makes for a tranquil experience, allowing their visual themes to shine through while they focus on discussing the places between lucid dreaming and being consciously aware or awake. The carefully-crafted EP also highlights a lone feature from fellow Brooklyn emcee, Koncept, on the project’s closing track “Dice Roll.”
As the three different scenes present themselves during the projects short-but-sweet duration, it’s without a doubt Young Planet is really onto something by doing it their way, and with conviction at that.
TheSource.com: How long have you been doing what you do?
Young Planet (Eibol & Cidida): We both have been making music since our early teens but collectively as Young Planet we have been creating together for five years now.
How did you get started?
We met working at Chung King Studios in New York City. At the time, we were pulling 12-13 hour sessions so there was a lot of time around each other which built our brother-like chemistry.
Is there an early memory you’d like to share about getting into your craft, such as when you realized this was more than just a hobby or a passion
Our boy, Jesse, who worked at Chung King, as well, was throwing a warehouse party and asked if we would come rock a 20 minute set. We didn’t have much material together at the time but we took what we had and made it work. The place was packed and people went crazy so that pretty much green lit our idea to move forward as a group.
How do you describe your sound?
Our sound is always changing and evolving and for this new EP, All Our Lives Dreaming, we wanted to slow down the tempos and really focus on melody.
Who are your influences?
Our influences are the people that get up and bust their ass everyday. We feel like our music caters to the scrappy underdog who has a ton of heart. That’s who we’re influenced by and in turn that’s who we aim to influence.
What is some advice that has stuck with you?
We have two, find out who you are and amplify that and always remain a student of the game.
What do you hope people take away from listening to your music?
We hope people just catch a vibe; the same way a cinematographer sets up a scene for the eye to watch, we’re creating a vibe for you to fall into.
Tell us a little bit about what concepts or themes that reoccur in your new project?
The EP is titled All Our Lives Dreaming and you’ll hear stories told much like the way a dream would unfold. Its tone is reminiscent, trippy and reflective.
What are you hoping to accomplish next in your career?
We’d would love to hear our music synced with the rolling credits of a film so we’re working on getting our songs licensed.
Photo courtesy Kit Crenshaw, album art by Pierre Schmidt
