demune

Demune
Crossbreeding and Grafting/Fossils
By Thomas Quinlan

For his latest, Demune has opted to go the remix route, reworking the weaker tracks from previous album Crossbreeding and Grafting, as well as adding two new songs and remixes of two songs from his earlier albums. While the remixes are almost always better than the originals, it’s also worth noting that the only highlight from Crossbreeding and Grafting that gets remixed is “Damaged Goods,” the best song on that album and the only song on Fossils to receive the remix treatment twice. Both keep Demune’s spoken-word delivery and odd emphasis, but they also do away with the dark, spacey beat of the original. Nejel’s version is up-tempo, jazzy hip-hop with a fun live jam feel, and Cars & Trains turns “Damaged Goods” into minimal glitch-hop. Rayplay, J. Lauxen, Mole and (repeatedly) Mattr also make the originals into harder, faster, more experimental remixes. Unfortunately, Jai Lewis only comes through on his two remixes, “Firefly” from EXN and “Brains” from Attack of the Zombie King, but is somewhat boring with his trip-hop beats for new songs “Vent” and “Jack of all Trades,” and Yosef Una is a little repetitive with his production for epic posse cut “Good Morning Sun.” They’re not bad songs, just lulls that slow the flow. Still, Fossils does make for a great introduction to Demune's art-rap, although it’s best as a companion piece to Crossbreeding and Grafting. (Ponowai Flora) - Exclaim.ca

Imagine Sage Francis doing a Slick Rick impersonation--that's one way to hear this Hawaii/Long Beach underground rapper's inimitable vocals, which sound wise, sassy, and deliberately crazed all at once. But use the voice as your intro, then get to the lyrics; there's sharp stuff in there, too. - Download.com

Demune - Crossbreeding and Grafting
(Ponowai Flora)

If aliens brought hip-hop to our planet, it would probably sound like this. Demune is one of the strangest mc's out there, but talented nonetheless. Featuring Ancient Mith, the Mole, Benyomen and others. - Erasoul.com

Quad Mag Article of Demune

- Shoots Demune (Interview by Jeela) -

A Maui boy with Cali roots, Demune (pronounced 'de moon') is easily one of the most thorough artists in the Hawai'i music scene right now.

His recent release, Crossbreeding and Grafting (Ponowai Flora and Subversiv* Records) features dark, quirky, intricate music- and artwork- that defies genre classification, but his flows put him firmly in the underground hip hop camp.

Demune chose the bold and too often over-looked step of including the lyrics with his album, but took the time to break it down further for QuadMag about one of our favorite tracks, "A Ceiling Observations," produced by Kingston (Blue Sky Black Death).

"The first verse speaks about me and my lady's struggle with school and her future goals, while we were keeping our relationship going long distance," he explains in a charming westside-meets-island accent.

"The second verse is about my struggles as an independent musician not sticking to the socially acceptable forms of expression, but keeping strong in belief towards my vision."

"The whole song encompasses a vision I hold, in which I feel that we have to strive for a work ethic and drive higher than what's standard in our society."

Well all right

Demune also did QuadMag the favor of sharing a new release from fellow label-mate RushYa, on which he is featured: "Six Million Ways to Live."

Enjoy - QuadMag

I once read in a description of Demune that a person will either love or hate Demune’s flow/vocals. If that statement is true then I obviously love them. Yet whether you love or hate them, you can’t argue that they are not unique. For me personally they remind me of what I think good Breakcore/Noise music should be; discordant yet melodic, dirty but beautiful. [haha] Demune released his debut solo album “Crossbreeding and Grafting” back in 2006. It is a broad selection of diverse tracks that he had been working on over the past few years with some self-produced tracks as well as production work by the likes or Orphan, Platelunch, the Mole, and others. It was released on Ponowai Flora Records which is run by Ancient Mith and Demune. If you dig hip-hop that experiments with new directions that transcend the genre check the shit out!

What was it like recording Crossbreeding and Grafting?

It was a long process; I recorded it on a variety of mics from cheap to eventually fairly descent condensers. It was all recorded and mixed in my room (a few of my rooms); I must have moved 8 times by the time it was completed. Usually long nights of writing and mixing, then recording on days off, or houseless periods. It’s a collection of my favorite works over a 4 year period.

You’re working on a remix album, what can you tell us about it?

Banging like zulu from Haliimaile to Kapahulu (For Nabahe). It’s got some unreleased originals on it, but it mainly consists of remixes from my last album and a few others. Check it out... Tell me how you like it... myspace.com/mcdemune

How is the project with Mattr coming? Weren’t you and Staplemouth working on some material too? What the fuck has he been up to anyway?

haha... Staplemouth has been a family man, and getting his first release together. I heard a few of the gems.. Gems!!! Dope, infact Noah 23 is on the album. I should also be on it as well. As for Mattr and I, we have a group together called “Cloth”. Our first album is due to be released sometime in the summer of 2007. More slow, down-tempo, and absorbable content. It’s been in the works for more than a year now.

In a past interview I read that you were a “metal head”, has your love of metal affected the music you make today?

Yes sir... I like screaming, technical proficiency, and evil vocals.

What passions do you have that influence your music?

Recording has influenced and enabled the art form. I have been involved with playing other instruments, but really MCing has been the passion. Practice makes better... I’m not getting better, must not be practicing.

What instruments do you play? Have you ever used or plan to use this ability in the music you record and release?

Drums, Bass, Guitar... But I usually only used it to sample things from. I haven’t played for a while unfortunately.

You’ve done songs like “Self Defeating Threads” and “Triangle” that have a real aggressive feel to them, have you ever wanted to do a full-blown project of that style?

I would love to do an album in that style per say. In fact in 2008 I want to focus on that or a glitch album.

Will this next album be such an undertaking as “Crossbreeding and Grafting” was?

No... I had to figure out the process on that album. Recording, Mixing, Mastering, Art, Pressing, Funding, Promoting...
Now I am familiar with it, so it won’t be as demanding on me.

What visions do you and Ancient Mith have for the future of Ponowai Flora?

Currently Mith partnered Ponowai Flora with Factor in a vinyl release of a Shapeshifters album. The overall plan is to focus on our own releases, but plans change. Who knows maybe it would do better with bigger names. Only jumps, vision, and luck will tell. I recently recorded a quick 5 to 6 song record with Cleen of Life for the Better (my fam in LA). It’s been code named “Well”, and may be released this year on Ponowai. “Rushya” is also due to release a 2nd album soon.

You are living in Portland, Oregon now right?

You’ve also lived in Hawaii and other places, What are some of your experiences in these places?

Jumping into new scenes. It seems the same everywhere. There’s some cat that respects your art and gives you a break. There are also cats that don’t care about you and you have to show and prove. Everywhere
someone is hustling to finish their album, and others that have talent but won’t get off of their ass.

What were the days like back when you roomed with the Mole and Tang Li Wheebs?

I was usually stressed from full work days and no sleep, because I would stay up all night with music, b boying, or my girl... I think that they got their fill of me and me of them as far as rooming goes. But it had its moments. I remember when we had a fridge full of mushroom chocolates and a (unnamed) roomate was mislead by Platelunch into believing that they where regular chocolates. He ate like 8 times worth that of a good trip. Haha I only figured out what was happening after I had driven him to his parents house. He thought that he was losing his mind. We had a music room and roaches that would play the instruments. Mole had a wheel chair with flat tires he wheeled around the house in, and Bodies room doubled as a sauna... I would have to hide my tooth brush from the cane spiders, and it was impossible to catch the cockaroaches that lived in my speakers... (Sneaky fuckers!)

Are there any plans for a tour at some point?

I am going to tour Europe with Ancient Mith and Otem Rellik... Late March to Early April... The information is on my page... - diseasedrecords.com

This is an interview I did in late July of 2006 with a dope local Oahu, HI zine. Katie was my interviewer and as far as I know is the figure head and mother of the not for profit project. I found 2 versions of the interview on line and with this version there where a few pieces of the puzzle that needed to be put into the right places. So if you can bear with it...(It is long) Thank You for taking the time to read this...



Interview by Katie Whitman

*You used to live on Maui and set up shows?

I was born on Maui and my father's side of the family is from Maui. I have been going back and forth since I was 5 years old. I first truly entered the hip-hop culture as a teen there. Before that I listened to hip-hop like Run DMC, Sugar Hill, and D Nice, old skool cats, but I was not a hip-hop head. I was more of a metal head. Sepultura, Megadeth. Long hair, black shirts…

*Why? What was it that made you get into hip-hop here?

It was the people, actually. There was this group of kids that were from either California, Arizona, or Hawaii… They where into some ground breaking hip hop at the time when the main stream was like Snoop, Dre, and Dog Pound. No disrespect meant towards LB, it's just that not much people cared about hip hop past the top 40. These cats ( JES ) taught me so much. My crew introduced me to artists like Nas, his first album nobody gave a shit about until 5 or 6 years later. Basically, Maui brought me into the community. I left the Isle around 99, then I returned in 2001. Me and a select few ( Cafeteria ) got into throwing shows, because there were not that many happening at that time. Maui really needed it. I talked to some of the old-heads in Maui, and even some of the old-heads in Oahu, they [said] that in the 80’s the culture was everywhere. There was a lot of organization going on. I guess a lot of the more popular promoters now doing the bigger shows got their start doing small hip-hop venues. And I was like, “Wow, that would be really cool if we had a scene over on Maui, our heads are dope! They deserve it!” So we organized battles and performances that ranged from regular to abstract hip hop.

So did people go? Were people excited about it?

It was really good. It kind of reminds me of when I went to Kauai. Sometimes it was just teenagers, but the first Represent we threw had a lot of families come in. Young kids, old kids, parents. 400-500 people came from every age range… It was more like a community event… This was in 2002 or 2003.

*What do you want to do now? You’re moving to California. Do you want to keep trying to build up being an artist?

Yeah. My goal is to make it self-sustaining. As far as being able to record and release albums, then when I am established I would like to help other artists. What I want to do now is build up enough of a fan base so I can sell CDs, merch with my name on it – underwear, socks. They’re not very expensive and everybody needs them.

*Do you have any of that stuff yet?

I got a lot of dirty socks.

*With “Demune” on them?

In funk. [laughs]
…

So basically, this new album is my first official full length solo album – “Crossbreeding and Grafting.” My friend -Ancient Mith- and I started the record label “Ponowai Flora.” Right now, we have my full length and his new full length with XNDL -Rushya/Modern Day Mcarthy- for sale online... ( www.ponowaiflora.com )

*How did you record your album?

In my room. I like having that ability! People can record at home and sell music online. It’s such a musicians market, not like it was a few years ago… That’s why hip-hop, indie, and punk get along so well – because of the do-it-yourself mentality. It is soooooo affordable now, too. I remember in the late 90’s, after you bought your 4 track and a drum machine you couldn't afford a mic. But now with a computer you have everything, plus good mics are so cheap. You do it yourself for long enough and you catch on. I was lucky enough to have gone to a trade school for recording. They even offered me a job there. I worked the position and eventually got fired, because I was there too much.

*Because you took advantage?

Well, it was a give and take thing. Everyone knew people took advantage, but it was accepted except that the catch was you couldn’t get caught by the owner. The owners assistant caught me, at like six in the morning when I had been there for eight or nine hours after a full days work.

[I laugh]

Whatever! I couldn’t afford equipment!

Okay. Ponowai. Back to Ponowai. Do you know what Ponowai is? No. OK. In Hawaii, there’s a lot of cane fields and a lot of pineapple fields. I those fields there are water catches. Call them wastewater ditches. That’s called a ponowai. Now envision plants growing within these ditches- ponowai flora. A lotus out of the mud.

[Here we have a brief discussion about Tom Cruise and Scientology spurred by a bad headline in some newspaper on the table.]

*When did you come over to Oahu?

I have been here since around May (it was currently late July). I was living on Maui, working hard on my album, grinding away, then a family emergency brought me back to California. A year down the line I was back to building for myself, with barely any possessions except my equipment. I realized I had never really traveled, so I packed my things into my momas attic, and went to Colorado to work with a friend. Ater that I came out to visit my lady for her graduation. I was supposed to catch the airplane back, but I didn’t. It worked out. Nabahe and two other cats let me sleep on there couches.

*So you’ve really only been on Oahu for a few months?

Yes. On Oahu, Demune is a new kid. Meeting new people everday, and learning a lot about the scene every time I go out.

*You were immediately inserted into the scene. I was thinking, how did I miss this Demune guy? He is so big. How did I not know about him?

It was a blessing. For one, I knew the right people, and they knew me from Maui. It’s kind of like I was in, but I had always been away. I knew the right people at the right time. I really gotta give it to Nabahe, Josh, and Unity Crayons.

*[We then muse about the success and continuous growth of Unity Crayons. And somehow get on to Pinky and the Brain.] A discussion of the Anamaniacs’ “States” song leads to talk about high school and education.

I went to Wilson High in Long Beach... On Maui, I went to Maui High… I spent most of my time either writing in my tablets or drinking. Then I got over drinking, which is good. I just drunk myself into a stupor for a while, then after that, I was like “OK, this is not cooooool. This is not really where I want to go.

*” What were you writing about?

Random s**t. Something that I miss. I was so grateful for the culture. It was hard for me to express myself at that time in my life, and MCing is all I wanted to take part in. Also, I was very impressed with how some emcees could just have that delivery. They could just drive a scenario into your skull! I was taken by the art, so taken by it that I would skip school and spend seven to eight hours writing and reciting lyrics commonly… That’s why I like working with the younger generations of emcees. They have that illogical hunger, these heads can push everything to the side and focus just for the sake of creating something impressive.

*You’re not quite as driven anymore?

I got jaded. I’ve been in so many groups that it kinda killed the vibe for me. There’s not that magic anymore, and it's hard to get that magic back. I am 26 now. ( going on 27 ) I’ve been doing it since I was 14. It gets monotonous. But you can go to punk shows, listen to new hip-hop heads, go to metal shows and just look at the way they do things and for me – that world, since I’ve been in the lab for so long, it’s like I’m learning things all over again. - the808scenezine.com

Die wenigen Menschen, die Demune auf der PonowaiFlora-Tour gesehen haben, können nun den vielen Men- schen, die dieses Erlebnis verpasst haben, ein schlechtes Gewissen machen. Wollen sie den Effekt ihrer Erinnerungen verstärken, können sie das mit dieser CD voller Remixe tun. Die meist vetrackten und oft heftig knallenden Beats stam- men von unter Anderen Johannes Lauxen, Mattr, Mole und Ji. Demune ́s Stim- me räkelt sich auf ihnen, dreht und win- det sich, bis sie Arbeitstemperatur erreicht hat und erlegt dann mit schier unglaublicher Geschwindigkeit Track für Track für Track. Erhältich auf www.demune.com - deadmagazine.com

Während ihrer ersten Europa-Tour ergab sich die Möglichkeit, die drei Künstler des Ponowai Flora Labels, Demune, Ancient Mith und Otem Rellik, kennenzuler- nen - hier ein kurzer Einblick in ein langes Gespräch: „Die Wahrheit ist doch, dass sie das mit jeder Musik-
Kultur machen. Egal ob es Metal, Country, Punk oder Hip-Hop ist. Wenn sich etwas verkaufen lässt, dann nur weil ursprünglich etwas dahinter steckte. Mir ist das egal. Ich assoziiere mich nicht mit solchen Leuten.“ er- klärt mir Demune auf die Frage, ob er aufgrund dessen medialen Bildes noch etwas mit Hip-Hop anfangen könne. „Wir wollen einfach gute Musik machen, da ist es egal für wen. Ich möchte nicht nur eine bestimmte Gruppierung ansprechen; die Hauptsache ist, dass mir zugehört wird. Wenn ich einen Abend mit einer Punk- Band spielen kann, ist das toll“, ergänzt Ancient Mith. Sie wissen, dass sie „zwar Hip-Hop machen, aber nicht wirklich ‚Hip-Hop?‚ sind“. Doch zurück zum Anfang: Wer sind diese drei Musiker überhaupt? Ancient Mith, Demune und Otem Rellik bilden das kleine
Label namens Ponowai Flora. Die drei leben über die USA verstreut; durch Ancient kam der erste Kontakt zwischen ihnen zustande, gegründet wurde das Label von ihm und Demune. Ponowai Flora soll ihnen mehr Kontrolle über ihre Musik geben, also mehr Möglichkeiten ihre eigenen Sachen voranzutreiben, sie publik zu machen und eigene Vertriebsmöglichkeiten zu haben. Die bisherigen Veröffentlichungen sind u.a. Demunes „Crossbreeding and Grafting“, sowie das dazugehörige Remix-Album und Ancient Miths Projekt zusammen mit Xndl als RushYa!. Anhand dieser Tonträger kann man schon die unterschiedlichen Charaktere und Musikstile erkennen; einer der Gründe für den Charme des kleinen Unternehmens. Es lohnt sich also, einen Blick aufjeden einzelnen zu werfen:

Ancient Mith wird gerne als „Left-Wing“ und Polit-Rapper bezeichnet, auch wenn er selbst es überhaupt nicht leiden kann, als solcher klassifiziert zu werden. Daraufhin angesprochen macht er jedoch eine Fest-stellung, die eine Einsicht verdeutlicht, die so manchem Politik-Studenten fehlt: „Wenn ich ein politischer Rapper sein soll, dann nur weil das Leben politisch ist.“ Wenn er mit Amerika-Flagge und Osama Bin Laden-Maske auftritt, eine Verschwörungstheorie über George W. Bush und Chuck Norris (die ein und die selbe Person sein sollen) aufstellt, damit gleichzeitig sämtliche paranoiden bis antisemitischen konspirativen Fantasien karikiert und sich über die Selbstdarstellung des US-Präsidenten lustig macht, dann kann man zwar verstehen, warum er als Polit-Rapper bezeichnet wird. Doch ist sein Ansatz nicht primär politisch, auch wenn das Spiel mit popkulturellen Zitaten ja durchaus politischen Charakter haben kann.

Demune hingegen fällt vor allem durch seinen sehr außergewöhnlichen Rapstil auf: Das Wechselspiel zwischen verschiedenen Rhythmen, das Ziehen der Worte bis zu deren Unkenntlichkeit, nasal-klingender Gesang, „rapid-fire“-Raps und vielschichtige Stimmbilder. Während die anderen ihn damit aufziehen, dass er ein Perfektionist sei, der bei Aufnahmen manchmal Stunden für einen Satz brauche, gibt sich Demune bescheiden: „Ich werde oft auf meinen Stil angesprochen und es freut mich natürlich, wenn meine Musik so ankommt. Ich denke aber, dass ich nur wie eine schlechte Imitation meiner Vorbilder klinge.“ Das sorgt zwar für Gelächter bei den Anwesenden, passt aber mit seiner Motivation Musik zu machen zusammen. Für ihn geht es darum, Grenzen zu testen und zu verschieben wenn es um Vocals geht. „Du hörst jemanden wahnsinnig schnell rappen und willst genau so schnell sein; auf einmal fangen irgendwelche Kerle an zu singen und du denkst‚ wow, das muss ich auch probieren.“Diese rastlose, stetig auf Verbesserung abzielende Haltung gepaart mit seinem Wissen als Sound-Engineer, hat seinen Stil geprägt, resümiert er.

Otem Rellik ist der Ruhigste der drei. Er hat den Status als Außenseiter, denn bisher waren seine Alben in Deutschland nicht erhältlich. Doch er sieht darin ganz klar einen Vorteil: „Wenn die Leute mich nicht kennen, dann haben sie keine Erwartungen. Ich kann sie eigentlich nur positiv überraschen.“ Dass seine CDs nach dem dritten Auftritt ihrer Europa-Tour schon ausverkauft waren, unterstreicht dies nur. Otem's Musik beschreibt sich vor allem durch den eindeutigen Folk-Einfluss seiner Instrumentals, dazu sind seine Texte melancholischer und in-sich-gekehrter, als die seiner Label-Mates. Er schreibt viel persönliches, der Prozess des Schreibens ist für ihn ein verarbei tender, therapeutischer. „Viele meiner Songs und Texte entstehen während den Pausen meiner Arbeit. Ich brauche etwas, das ich verarbeiten kann. Wenn ich nur zuhause sitze, fehlen mir die Erfahrungen. Da fange ich an, über Dinge in meinem Raum zu schreiben, was meist nicht zu guten Ergebnissen führt.“ Seine nächste Solo-Platte wird über Ponowai Flora herauskommen und dann glücklicherweise auch in Deutschland erhältlich sein.

So unterschiedlich ihre musikalischen Ausprägungen, ihre Ansprüche und Motivationen auch sein mögen, nach ihrem Einfluss und Werdegang gefragt, zeigt sich ein gemeinsamer Nenner: Anticon. (Bei Demune auch Freestyle Fellowship und Project Blowed.) Für Ancient Mith und Otem Rellik symbolisiert das kalifornische Label einen Wendepunkt. Ancient erinnert sich, dass er diese Art von Musik zunächst eher schlecht fand. Ähnlich ging es ihm, als er Demune und The Mole zum ersten Mal hörte. Doch langsam begann er zu verstehen: „Du konntest Hip-Hop machen und rappen, ohne nach New-York klingen zu müssen.“ Es wäre verkürzt sie als „anticonesk“ zu begreifen, dafür ist ihre Musik zu eigenständig und an Hip-Hop orientiert. Sie nahmen den Hip-Hop-Hybriden, jeder individuell, machten ihn sich zu Eigen, formten ihn mit ihrem persönlichem Input nach den eigenen Vorstellungen und Vorlieben.

Text: Patrick Schwendkte
Fotos: Masc

- deadmagazine.com

ANCIENT MITH, DEMUNE, OTEM RELLIK - 21 Sound Bar - 4 avril 2007
Par codotusylv , vendredi 6 avril 2007 à 20:57 :: Concerts :: # 482 :: rss

Les plus gros concerts ne sont pas les meilleurs, on le sait depuis longtemps. Nouvelle confirmation en cette soirée d'avril, avec la prestation réussie dans un bar parisien de trois MCs américains sortis du fond du gouffre du rap indé.



Vous avez toutes les chances de ne pas connaître ces trois MCs et c’est un peu normal. Car Ancient Myth, Demune et Otem Rellik, c’est tout de même franchement obscur, c’est même le fond du gouffre du rap indé. Il est d'ailleurs tout à fait exceptionnel que ces gens aient pu, grâce à l’acharnement d’une poignée de passionnés, profiter d’une mini-tournée française. C’est donc en comité réduit, au 21 Sound Bar, dans un troquet du XIème arrondissement de Paris, au milieu de gens venus y boire un coup ou tailler la discute, que les trois rappeurs sont venus se produire sur des sons préenregistrés, dans une formule optimale en matière de proximité et d’interaction avec le public.

Le premier à s’y coller, avec beaucoup de retard sur l’horaire prévu, c’est Otem Rellik. On comprend aisément pourquoi la soirée commence par lui : ce n’est clairement pas le rappeur le plus charismatique de la création, ce qui était prévisible si on se souvient de ses disques, notamment de ce Petrified Human Project chroniqué sur ces pages. Avec sa barbe et son corps enveloppé, le bonhomme se montre moins effacé que le post-adolescent malingre que j’avais imaginé à l’écoute de son rap de chambre. Mais sa musique, fragile, jolie et accrocheuse sur disque, passe mal l’épreuve du live. Surtout quand le rappeur y ajoute sa voix faible, son phrasé sans rythme à la Sole et des difficultés à contrôler son souffle. Tout cela apporte un bon témoignage de ce qu'est Otem Rellik, une invitation à découvrir au casque les sons de cet ami d’Astronautalis, mais la prestation, elle, est loin d’être mémorable.

Mais après, ça change du tout au tout. En matière de physique et de look, tout d’abord. Sorte d’Eric Judor (d’Eric & Ramzy) en plus élancé, Demune est à l’opposé de son prédécesseur. Plus fluet, il est aussi plus élégant avec son béret, son écharpe noire, son pull ras-du-cou aux manches retroussées et ses chaussures de ville. Et surtout, le bougre rappe redoutablement bien. Son phrasé rapide et son débit légèrement chevrotant font tout de suite mouche auprès des gens présents. Le rappeur se présente comme un entertainer, il nous demande de l’expulser de France s’il ne parvient pas à nous divertir. Mais ce soir, aucun risque : dans le bar, tout le monde en redemande. Demune impressionne, même s’il garde une certaine distance, même s’il reste placide, par exemple quand il s'installe tranquillement sur le comptoir pour reprendre des paroles de Dose One à une vitesse aussi effrénée que l’original. Bref, ce rappeur a un charisme fou et ce qu’il révèle de son répertoire ce soir donne furieusement envie de le découvrir sur disque.

Avec le dernier intervenant, la soirée gagne encore en puissance. Autre barbu, Ancient Myth n’est pas avare de son énergie. Il entre dans le vif du sujet en se proclamant de façon tonitruante "real american", drapeau américain et masque de Ben Laden sur la tête. Puis il enlève le haut, arborant sur son torse un bandeau bariolé, simulacre de soutien-gorge. A l’image de cette entrée en scène, la suite est très rock’n’roll. C'est un peu balourd, ça n’est pas toujours très subtil, mais le rappeur (rappe-t-il vraiment, d’ailleurs ?) se dépense tellement qu’il ne peut que capter l’attention. Un temps, il monte sur le rebord de la fenêtre. Un autre, il passe de l’autre côté du comptoir, il s'échappe même du bar le micro à la main pour rapper dans la rue. Et il profite de sa proximité avec le public pour blaguer et pour échanger, nous révélant par exemple que George W. Bush et Chuck Norris ne sont en fait qu’une seule et même personne. Tout au long du show, cette pile électrique ne cesse de bouger et d’inventer de nouvelles danses de St-Guy, à la grande surprise des habitués du bar, lesquels se demandent bien d’où peut sortir un tel énergumène.

Contrairement à Demune, l’intérêt de toutes ces pitreries sur disque reste à prouver. Mais aujourd’hui, nous sommes tous convaincus qu’il faudra aller voir Ancient Myth chaque fois qu’il passera dans notre ville (si toutefois l’occasion se représente un jour), qu’avec lui un bon moment est garanti. Pas de doute, ce 4 avril, à 5 € l’entrée, Demune et Ancient Myth, ont explosé de records de qualité / prix en matière de prestation rap. Un grand merci aux organisateurs. Ils ont parié sur les bons chevaux. - fakeforreal.net/index.php/2007/04/06/482-ancient-mith-demune-otem-rellik-21-sound-bar-4-avril-2007

Demune - Crossbreeding and Grafting

Jarda Petřík, 04.10.06, rubrika Recenze alb
Label Ponowai Flora je sice americký a hiphopový, ale dál už je to úplně jiná flow-tale. Všeobecnou představu, jakou má z dostupných médií o 'jůesej' hiphopu průměrný Čech, převrací vniveč a bortí v základech.

Demune - Crossbreeding and Grafting
15 skladeb / 65:00, Ponowai Flora
Releasem s pořadovým číslem deset 'rodinného' labelu z coloradského Denveru Ponowai Flora (který založili právě Demune a polovina dvojice Rushya, Ancient Mith) je debutové dlouhohrající album Andrewa Kualaau. A i když Crossbreeding and Grafting vyšlo u značky zaměřené na hudbu ulice, odbýt debut rodilého havajského MCho a producenta v jedné osobě strohým 'hiphopová deska', by bylo v tomto případě hodně alibistické.

Demune totiž vstřebává opravdu všemožné vlivy a v pestrosti podkladů skladeb je to znát. Na jeho debutové desce lze najít odkazy k nu-metalu (Self Defeating Threads, parádně agresivní My Color T.V.), případně trip-hopu (Souls Join and Scatter připomíná atmosférou a použitými zvuky produkci DJe Krushe). Na své si přijdou i 'mávači' (rychlejší Do Not Forget a ploužáková Gemini Hybrid nakonec) a milovníci turntablismu (úvodní Beautiful to Ugly, Jack of All Trades). A nebýt doslova všudypřítomných flows (ať už samotného Andrewa, či hostujících MC's a rapperů), z čistě hudebního hlediska by se některé tracky z desky Crossbreeding and Grafting daly označit jako experimentální elektronika (Self Defeating Threads, Damaged Goods), nebo drum'n'bass (Must We Trust, pasáže v A Ceiling Observations a nekompromisně rozmetané beaty uprostřed skvěle vygradované Triangle).

Coby rapper má Demune všechno, co je třeba. Výrazný, originální a lehce zapamatovatelný hlas, kterým dokáže zaujmout na první poslech. Umí být naléhavý, provokovat, nechybí mu dostatek zdravé drzosti ani schopnost procítit emotivní pasáže ve svých (povětšinou) sakra rychle chrlených flows. O frázování by se dalo říct prakticky to samé, co o vokálu, s jedinou výjimkou: Rozhodně není lehce zapamatovatelné, či snadno napodobitelné. (Subtle by v tomto ohledu mohli Demune závidět.) Neboli to, že se z bookletu naučíte nazpaměť sáhodlouhé texty (mimochodem nijak optimistické ani veselé) ještě neznamená, že je společně s Andrewem budete moci rovnou i bez problémů 'odsekávat', aniž byste nezůstávali pozadu, nebyli napřed, či zcela mimo velmi specifický a nezřídka těžko předvídatelný rytmus.

K přinejmenším polovině tracků z desky nemám absolutně žádné výhrady a ani podle mě nejslabší trojice Precious, Jack of All Trades a Earthtones není vyloženě špatná. Jen mi u ní zkrátka chybí výraznější prvky, jež by skladby nějak oživily, ozvláštnily a učinily snadněji identifikovatelnými. Kdo čeká na pokračování záporné kritiky, čeká zbytečně. Žádná další přitěžující okolnost, jež by stála za zveřejnění, se mi už v souvislosti s debutovým dlouhohrajícím albem Demune nevybavuje. Naopak ještě na konec přidám jednu polehčující. Výtečné podklady slibují dohromady s hlavu a patu majícími texty (navíc s osobitým přednesem, který jen tak neomrzí) silný hudební zážitek i pro posluchače, kteří se jinak na hiphop zrovna nespecializující. Sám jsem toho důkazem.

75% - freemusic.cz/clanky/4955-demune-crossbreeding-and-grafting.html