Hi-Life Soundsystem

Members Only has been killing it lately with a string of several solid local hip-hop albums and the latest Members Only joint to hit the Internet, the much anticipated debut from Hi-Life Soundsystem, is another win for the Members Only crew.

You can download Hi-Life Soundsystem’s self-titled debut album for free over at the Members Only Bandcamp page. I’m about halfway through the record and it’s a pretty smooth listen and it features quite a few names anyone familiar with local hip hop should know about including guest spots from Sol, Helladope, Thig Nat, Grynch and State of the Artist. Oh, and as for Hi-Life Soundsystem, it’s a team of a few locals you should already know about too in Khingz, B-Flat & Crispy from the Godspeed Collective.

So go ahead and click play on “Death of the Party” above and give it a listen while the album is downloading. - Travis Hay

Hi-Life Soundsystem just dropped their FREE full-length. I’ll be back with more on this later (stealing time at work to blog — that’s a no-no!). Get it by clicking on the album cover above or with the adorable little Bandcamp widget below.

2-0-6 keep “Bounce”-ing… - Unknown

Though their self-titled debut record officially dropped yesterday, Hi-Life Soundsystem's release party at the weekly Capitol Club party Jet Set--aka the best Monday night in Seattle--was so wild it pushed this blog post back a day. The trio of Khingz and B-Flat on mikes and Crispy on beats play it both soulful and funky on their anticipated release, accented by top-notch recurring handclaps and nuanced flows, and there's a solid list of local guest spots from the likes of Helladope, Sol, The Physics' Thig Nat, Grynch, and State of the Artist

Debut single "Death of the Party" still hits as hard as it did back in October, and another highlight is Thig Nat collabo "Pimpin' Strong"--which, with the exception of the chopped Thig line "Walking down the block with a bop like my pimp is strong," is more about rapping tough and being swagger-rich than actually hustling. Some other go-to tracks you haven't heard yet: "Pimpin' Strong feat. Thig Nat," "Something Like feat. Sol and Jerm D" and "My Baby feat. Grynch." Preview those while the record assembles itself in your downloads folder.

The Hi-Life record follows MO releases including State of the Artist's debut SeattleCaliFragalisticExtraHellaDopeness--but also precedes what's sure to be an impressive slate of new music; new projects from SOTA, Helluvastate, and Viper Creek Club are all on the docket. It's been said before and it'll be said again: Members Only is a crew to keep an eye on. - Nick Feldman

Released this past Tuesday, Hi-Life Soundsystem’s self-titled debut album (available for free here) is a solid collection of lighter-fare rap done by artists who don’t usually make this kind of music. Following the promise of anthemic lead singles “Death of the Party” and “Bounce,” the Seattle trio round out their full-length with odes to aspects of the hi-life outside the dance floor — including life itself.

Don’t go into the project expecting an album of straight-up party music. The two singles are still the best things on here, truly exhilarating club records that are unmatched in their energy and moments of jaw-dropping lyricism from Khingz, but the other 11 tracks hold their own by taking genre norms and adding depth and the little artistic touches that made “Death” and “Bounce” so good. “Relax” is funky as all hell, featuring more wicked bass slaps from musical mastermind Crispy, while “TetraHIdrocannabinol” is an astute weed song (and I got it guys, papers not swishers) with more of the tiny musical complexities that make Hi-Life a great headphones project.

Of course, a wise man once said “it ain’t no fun if the homies can’t have none,” and all the homies do roll through to partake in the hi-life. Sol, Grynch, Thig Nat, MO labelmates SOTA, and reps from Cloud Nice all drop by to say their parts, but none outshine the obvious chemistry between B-Flat and Khingz. In our November interview, Khingz said that the Hi-Life project allowed him to open up and go into poetic overdrive because he didn’t have important points to get across as on other projects: “With the Hi-Life stuff I just wanted to rap, so I’m just rapping. Every song has its own subject, but sometimes I’m just saying, ‘I’m dope.’” Really, the sentiment doesn’t need to be made too explicit, as he murders most every track he’s on.

B-Flat may not spit the impenetrable polysyllabic prose, but his more decipherable verses serve as the perfect counterpoint to those of his groupmate: less dense but more boisterous, the passionate baritone to Khingz’ more controlled cadences and higher-pitched flow. My fellow Westsider shines brightest on “Forever,” the album’s penultimate track. Before calling the town car for the quick lift to the uptown penthouse after-party, the hi-life emcees take a solitary smoke break away from the lucid lights and willing women to muse on life without the “hi” part. B-Flat reminisces on wilder times — not crazy club nights but “Thunderbird and Kool-Aid,” wild out of recklessness and angst rather than celebration.

“This music is my life,” he admits before revealing his true appreciation for the art: “Could have been a statistic / Hiphop you saved me.” B-Flat, Khingz, and Crispy do enjoy the finer things in life, but “Forever” reveals what the Hi-Life truly is: to create hiphop. If their debut is any indication, Hi-Life Soundsystem are indeed living the good life, and are living it quite well. - JoeyMC

After countless hours spent listening to hip-hop, writing album reviews, and generally just soaking in as much music as possible, I've come to develop somewhat of a "been there, done that" attitude. In other words, an album really has to bring something new to the table to leave a lasting impression, and in a hip-hop game that is often muddled by a slew of online releases, mixtapes, and digital downloads, it is rare that an artist or group stands out with a fresh and unique sound. Enter Hi-Life Soundsystem, a newly formed "super-group," consisting of emcees Khingz and B-Flat and producer Crispy, looking to take the Seattle hip-hop game by storm with their self-titled debut release.

So what exactly does the trio from the northwest bring to the table? Well, for starters, the group blends hip-hop with elements of soul, pop, and electronic music, creating an eclectic blend of songs that keeps things interesting throughout. And when it comes to rapping, neither emcee is hesitant to switch up his flow to match the ever-changing pace of the music. Compliment this with plenty of guest emcees, and "Hi-Life Soundsystem" is a surprisingly deep album that rarely warrants hitting the "next track" button prematurely.

The album's lead single is titled "Death of the Party," and although it features pounding kicks and electronic synths, don't be fooled into thinking it's just another clichéd club hit with subpar rhyming. Khingz and B-Flat flow over the deep bassline and flaring horns that accompany the beat, painting a picture of the typical strung-out party girl as they rap: "So far gone mind blown way out/Used to shine so bright now she's just burnt out/ You ain't even that bad girl/ Wipe that shit off your nose have some class girl." And on "Bounce," an upbeat , fast-paced track with the same club feel as "Death of the Party," both emcees kick it up a notch to match the beat, rapping with Twista-like speed at 1:30 in.

While both these songs feature catchy beats and impressive lyricism, the heart of the album lies with the soulful vocal samples, strings, and pianos that lace a majority of the instrumentals. Songs such as "Hella-Hi" and "Somethin' Like," the latter sounding like an old Pharcyde or Souls of Mischief track with a jazzy trumpet and piano, have a relaxed feel to them, and Khingz and B-Flat slow things down accordingly. And "Forever," one of the best tracks on the album, has a more old-school hip-hop feel with a raw set of drums and a chopped soul sample. Each emcee, along with guest artist Nam, spits an introspective verse, with lines such as:

"I was dancing with the devil
Ridin' through the bass and treble
Never on a higher level
Considered a blind rebel
An angry motherfucker with a temper like a kettle
And it took so many years before I let my mind settle"

Hi-Life doesn't stop here, as they vary it up more with "Fresh," a sparse but head-bobbing beat that features guest appearances from Helladope, Mr. Mikey Nice, and Stay Low. Things get more aggressive on "Runnin' Man," featuring a heavy set of drums, a menacing piano and driving synth, as B-Flat spites: "I hit the track runnin' like Jackie Joyner-Kersee/ Styles out this world because the flow is unearthly'/ And me and Khingz we like Magic and Worthy." Things get slowed way down, though, with "TetraHIdrocannabinol," which features a soft fluttering synth and easygoing drums over a drawn out brassy bassline.

As the final track faded out, I was truly disappointed that there wasn't another song next to switch things up again and throw me another surprise, as the album is simply unpredictable, in a good way. The variety of beats and samples is remarkable, and the ability of Khingz and B-Flat to mesh their flows accordingly with the speed of the track makes for an enjoyable listen throughout. "Hi-Life Soundsystem" is by no means a flawless album; in fact, the opening track, "Hi-Life Intro," is one of the weaker songs on the release, as the two emcees simply don't have powerful enough flows to take control of the beat. Despite a few lyrical shortcomings though, the debut album from the Seattle trio is still well worth a listen, even if you aren't hailing from the West Coast.

Music Vibes: 8.5 of 10 Lyric Vibes: 7 of 10 TOTAL Vibes: 7.5 of 10

Originally posted: March 8th, 2011 - Mike Baber