Large Gary and Cold Kevin Present : Maze
You’d be hard pressed to find Hip Hop from these moody shores that manages to retain it’s ‘Englishness’ without falling back on old tropes in the way that Maze does.
This is testament to Gi3MO’s curation skills, a key figure in the Brighton music scene and a founding member of Rum Committee, he has worked with Rag’n’Bone man, Frankie Stew, Dirty Dike and Inja to name a few. Bigzy who co-stars in this production, is fast becoming a well known face in the Brighton music-circuit. Supporting acts such as CASisDEAD, The Manor, Blak Twang and even Arrdee. He has recently dropped some heavyweight soul on J.Felix’s mint experiment, as well as songwriting with Tommy Jules, Ceezlin and a few others since relocating from East London to the seaside town.
The concept; A maze is a network of paths, designed as a puzzle where one has to find a way out. The metaphor may seem obvious but as Gi3MO aka Large Gary and Bigzy aka Cold Kevin explain “Not only do we have to navigate physically, but to make the best of things, we have to find ourselves in our own minds. This journey is one that allows us to overcome challenges which overarch our lives”
Gi3MO’s gravelly quips are punctuated by broad strokes of Bigzy’s soulful tone to decorate Son-pat’s thumping, off-key soundtrack which culminates in the eerie feeling of an 80’s record, rooted in protest.
Mastered on a reel to reel to cement said feelings, the project is a nod to the old-school, melting pot of working-class, British, music culture. From the dark but soulful ‘Give it up’ down to the reggae driven bass on the title track, the relentless yet simple drum patterns thud along hypnotically while the pair conjure over-the-top imagery and ask questions on the politics of the day. The final track ‘Bigzy’s Mojo’ brings the warmth of the Dawn light after a dark evening of conflict. The sentiment ‘everything will be ok’ ringing assuringly.
The cover art by KOMPLY, mixes up the legacy of radical Eastern European Constructivism with contemporary minimalism. The heavily rendered but elegant arrangement of letterforms are abstract yet they compliment the interior, aural geometry of the ‘Maze’ soundtrack.
Available on all major streaming platforms and to purchase on Rum Com’s Bandcamp page as MP3 or limited edition Cassette Tape. Inquiries to Largegarymusic@Gmail.com