KoolQuise

Texas based emcee, KoolQuise, recently released a video for his song, “PlayLi$t,” directed and edited by Simon Phoenix of 13th Village. Produced by Nu Vintage, “PlayLi$t” is a deeply layered beat, with a light, airy atmosphere and sparse melody which recalls the production style that dominated airwaves in the mid-90's. Watch the video for “PlayLi$t” below and then look for a few of my thoughts afterward.

The beat. The scratchy vinyl sound, the subtle building of the horns, the steel drums, the kick drum that sits below everything else in the mix and still catches your attention all the same.
The hook. ”Niggas go insane tryna chase the fame/But who’s to blame when that nigga doesn’t make it/Labels on the sideline hating/Your dreams is whack, need to face it/I’m just tryna make a playlist.”
The concept. Refreshing, with a unique spin on making it. I really enjoyed the concept on “PlayLi$t” and think it alone warrants a listen. Check it out! - ES1

Texas based emcee, KoolQuise, recently released a video for his song, “PlayLi$t,” directed and edited by Simon Phoenix of 13th Village. Produced by Nu Vintage, “PlayLi$t” is a deeply layered beat, with a light, airy atmosphere and sparse melody which recalls the production style that dominated airwaves in the mid-90's. Watch the video for “PlayLi$t” below and then look for a few of my thoughts afterward.

The beat. The scratchy vinyl sound, the subtle building of the horns, the steel drums, the kick drum that sits below everything else in the mix and still catches your attention all the same.
The hook. ”Niggas go insane tryna chase the fame/But who’s to blame when that nigga doesn’t make it/Labels on the sideline hating/Your dreams is whack, need to face it/I’m just tryna make a playlist.”
The concept. Refreshing, with a unique spin on making it. I really enjoyed the concept on “PlayLi$t” and think it alone warrants a listen. Check it out! - ES1

KoolQuise's new EP, Small Time Lo$er (The Dream Theory), is definitively his. No overabundance of guest spots, no swagger-jacking flow or a grandiose gamble on riding a trends coattails. At times self-deprecating and at others stream-of-conscious confessional, it wasn't until songwriting was complete did the lyricist realize he had written a record with shades of Jung and Lacan. The Dream Theory became a natural subtitle to the record.
For the EP's production, KoolQuise shot from the hip, scouring Bandcamp and using beats he found interesting. "The dream theme came from me being a dreamer," he says.

It could have resulted in a mismatched scramble of sounds and samples, but the record's cohesiveness proves that there was something in the young MC's subconscious that was bound to shine through, tying the record together.

"We are all dreamers in this life," he says. "Who's to say what the difference between dreaming and reality is? This is that theory in audio form, so dream on dreamers and enjoy."

The result is a jazzy, down-tempo chill session, with KoolQuise's soft syncopated snarl, leveling out somewhere between whisper and warning. "PlayLi$t" was recently released as a single, along with a video, featuring the lyricist wandering around Dallas, in stark black and white, possibly in a dream.

Stepping out in the forefront is a new mission for KoolQuise, who can be found onstage with his Team From Nowhere crew, led by -topic.

"I hope to achieve a wider range of recognition outside of Dallas with his EP," he said. "I don't feel like I'm as well-known as I could be in Dallas right now, but that's what I'm working on."

KoolQuise plans on continuing shows with TFN, while booking himself as a solo artist as well. He also said Small Time Lo$er is a first in a series of musical series he calls, "TheStruggle." - Lee Escobedo

KoolQuise's new EP, Small Time Lo$er (The Dream Theory), is definitively his. No overabundance of guest spots, no swagger-jacking flow or a grandiose gamble on riding a trends coattails. At times self-deprecating and at others stream-of-conscious confessional, it wasn't until songwriting was complete did the lyricist realize he had written a record with shades of Jung and Lacan. The Dream Theory became a natural subtitle to the record.
For the EP's production, KoolQuise shot from the hip, scouring Bandcamp and using beats he found interesting. "The dream theme came from me being a dreamer," he says.

It could have resulted in a mismatched scramble of sounds and samples, but the record's cohesiveness proves that there was something in the young MC's subconscious that was bound to shine through, tying the record together.

"We are all dreamers in this life," he says. "Who's to say what the difference between dreaming and reality is? This is that theory in audio form, so dream on dreamers and enjoy."

The result is a jazzy, down-tempo chill session, with KoolQuise's soft syncopated snarl, leveling out somewhere between whisper and warning. "PlayLi$t" was recently released as a single, along with a video, featuring the lyricist wandering around Dallas, in stark black and white, possibly in a dream.

Stepping out in the forefront is a new mission for KoolQuise, who can be found onstage with his Team From Nowhere crew, led by -topic.

"I hope to achieve a wider range of recognition outside of Dallas with his EP," he said. "I don't feel like I'm as well-known as I could be in Dallas right now, but that's what I'm working on."

KoolQuise plans on continuing shows with TFN, while booking himself as a solo artist as well. He also said Small Time Lo$er is a first in a series of musical series he calls, "TheStruggle." - Lee Escobedo