Haphduzn & Dimitry Killstorm: Whittier Alliance Review
Many of you may already be familiar with Dimitry Killstorm’s work with Wide Eyes 2nd album, Hands Tied, which helped them definitely garner some recognition and respect among their peers in the local scene. Once word came across that he was producing an album by Haphduzn, who is known from his days with Conflict of Interest, a group made up of Haphduzn and Illab, we ended up getting a trio of visuals, but most notably we got the feel-good vibe that is the video, “Brand New Nostalgia”. That song, along with Haphduzn’s amazing live show and Dimitry’s soul-drenched production provide what is Whittier Alliance, the debut album for Haphduzn and Dimitry as a duo.
To kick things off right, you get the song “Hope”, with its nicely tinged piano line and head-nodding drums, while Haphduzn provides an introduction for those who might not know who he is as an artist, and that in turn becomes the mission statement for the record. After the feel-good “Brand New Nostalgia,” you end up getting “Been Wrong,” which is a well-weaved tale of hardship over the chipmunk soul sampled soundscape that Dimitry weaves, and then you get the xylophone and guitar sprinkled “Carpe Diem” which gets back into that feel-good element, and then Greg Grease pops up along with Haphduzn on “It’s Alright”, which has a nicely tinged soulful guitar sample, while Greg and Haphduzn trade verses about the hardships among friends while reminiscing on simpler times. “Headphones, Trunks & Boxes” features Blu and Big Zach which is a very rhythmic feel, which should cause infectious head nods, while all three deliver effervescently over the track.
Meanwhile, dark and soulful horns along with a knocking percussive element are provided on “Lost In Translation” which allows Haphduzn to get energetic and very stern, but regardless of that you have a lot of tracks that serve as a loose biography into Haphduzn’s life, especially in such tracks as “Have My Doubts,” and “In The Streets” which continue on with the biography of Haphduzn’s past, which has a very rich narrative, while “T.O.F.U” is full on braggadocio, where Haphduzn and Slug trading lines over a dope horn line, while “Take Control” goes back to the feel good vibe and delivers a critique about how rap used to be. Regardless of the track, Dimitry provides a very awesome soundscape for Haphduzn to spill his soul into each and every track, and for the course of the 51 minutes of the album, they deliver all that, and then some.
Whittier Alliance is a well delivered and detailed debut into the mind of Haphduzn and Dimitry Killstorm, it stimulates all the senses audibly speaking and lyrically, Haphduzn is razor sharp with his delivery and cadence and pulls no punches, and with Dimitry by his side, they deliver a masterpiece in Whittier Alliance that should end up in everyone’s best-of the year lists.
Haphduzn & Dimitry Killstorm will be holding a release party for Whittier Alliance on Friday, March 22nd at the Nomad World Pub. Performing live will be Greg Grease, Mike The Martyr, Illab & Baby Shel. The event will be hosted by DJ Snuggles, with That Dude Trey and B-Rock on the wheels, and live art by Rogue Citizen. Doors are at 9pm for this 21+ event. Tickets are $7 before March 22nd, and $10 on the day of the event.
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