Interview: Gone Beyond on the Creation of 'Notes From The Underground'

Underground Dance Music Promotion

September 5, 2018

Seasoned hip hop producers Gone Beyond and Mumbles have issued an album for their ten-years-in-the-making project, Notes From The Underground. Borne out of their participation in a 2007 concert series titled The Pravda, the project saw the producers incorporating the works of Stalin-era Russian composers into their beats. An artistic commentary on the ability of the human spirit to overcome oppression, the album was recently released by Los Angeles imprint The Content Label, with listeners entranced — and made introspective — by the seamless fusion of old and new.

Curious about the process and inspirations behind this release, we sent some questions to Gone Beyond and he graciously provided us with much detail on the project. This interview has been lightly edited and condensed.

Had you heard any of this Russian music before this project? What were your first impressions?

Gone Beyond: My first encounter with Russian classical music as an artist began in the ‘90s when I sampled Charles Mingus’s “All the Things You C#” for a record I produced in 1998 called Dabadawikidumdum. Unbeknownst to me at the time, it had borrowed the main theme of Rachmaninov’s “Piano Concerto No. 2 in C#”. But the real education came through the research we embarked upon for Notes From The Underground. We spent an extensive period seeking out and sifting through the majority of works from Stalin-era Russian composers, including the lesser-known pieces and variations. During this process, I feel I was a bit more musically capable of understanding and appreciating the brilliance, deep emotive expression, and general musical genius that went into each of these expressive compositions, not to mention a better appreciation for the conductors and musicians playing these complex, heart wrenching, and fluid compositions.

Was the idea of the project — working with these classical pieces — intimidating at all?

Gone Beyond: We embarked upon the project from an artistic and historical angle. Our goal was to take a snapshot of the emotional state, expressed in the music, which directly related to the social distress and political ruin of the Soviet Union under Stalin. We wanted to paint that picture in an accessible way for a modern audience, that may otherwise have little connection with Russian classical music, and weave samples and motifs together in a way that classical aficionados would also understand and appreciate the points of reference. There is an intensity to the majority of the original compositions, which if listened to on repeat for hours upon hours, for months and years, seats you vicariously in the emotional state the composers were experiencing. In that respect, it was very challenging being a medium to that channel this.

What I do find intimidating is the potential for history to repeat itself. The life circumstances of these composers, ruled by an authoritarian dictator who called dissenting press “the enemy of the people,” who controlled the unchecked propaganda of The Pravda, and the genocide that took place didn’t happen overnight. It was never our intention for this music to have any current socio-political relevance, and the fact that it does is intimidating and alarming to me. The heartbreaking sense of turmoil, disparity, and the strength it takes to overcome such social hardships through endurance, art, and expression was a major impetus for the composers who lived under the shadow of Stalin, and that fortitude is seemingly becoming more relevant.

Working so intimately with the compositions stirred up an internal process, similar to how an actor may become affected by a particular role they play off-screen. I connected with the composers and the music in a way I would have likely never connected with if we hadn’t approached this project the way we did. Overall, the foreboding and ominous grit with subtle hints towards hope and resolve feels more relevant now than it did ten years ago.

Did you approach Notes From The Underground differently from your previous joint releases?

Gone Beyond: Yes. Originally, the majority of the music was created specifically for a live performance at the Walt Disney Concert Hall for a week-long event titled The Pravda: The Shadow Of Stalin in 2007. The theme was centered around the music Of Shostakovich, Prokofiev, and the impact Stalin had on the composers' lives and music. We included Rachmaninov on the album because although he had left the Soviet Union for America, he was never able to return to Russia due to war and chaos. There was a limited time frame to create tracks for the performance, and the theme was clearly defined. We tailored the music for the performance, to be accompanied by visuals, imagery and political references pointing towards events endured under The Shadow Of Stalin. The process was a little different than a traditional collaboration where you lock down in the studio and create a record.

The other unique and unusual aspect to Notes from the Underground was that most of the music was revisited and finished ten years after we had started it. When we finalized the concept for a commercial release with Dday One and The Content Label we picked up on where we left off. We spent much of 2017 completing the album, creating several new tracks and breathing new life into older mixes. It was a fun challenge keeping everything consistent while trying to incorporate a more modern mixing and mastering palette.

It’s been an educational, gratifying and healthy challenge bringing this project to light, and we feel it is a valuable release for our times.

What is the meaning behind the title Notes From The Underground?

Gone Beyond: The project was named after the famous Russian existential novel by Fyodor Dostoevsky — considered to be one of the first existential novels and a famous piece of Russian literature. It marked the beginning of the modernist movement, up there with Nietzsche, Freud’s Three Theories of Neurosis, and Kafka’s Metamorphosis. The entire novel revolves around a narcissistic, self-inflated and self-loathing bereft man, struggling with his toxic past as a bureaucrat, unable to stop humiliating himself and embarrassing others. He realizes he’s trapped in a prison of his own design.

Did you learn any new or unexpected methods or techniques by working with classical compositions? Is there anything from the experience you now apply to your work?

Gone Beyond: Any project with this approach takes an unusual amount of groundwork, finding passages and motifs that are naturally in the same key, scale, and tempo. For Notes from the Underground, we worked loosely in slip mode while editing the breaks, rather than having the timing rigidly quantized within a grid. A lot of the drum patterns were edited manually with subtle changes in timing over a 16-32 bar sequence, to keep them feeling more lively and less static. I also used trigger software on the drum breaks to layer subharmonics and transient accents. Most notably, we started a PDF word file with samples and compositions that were in the same key. Our approach has always been to find samples that fit together naturally with little alterations to the original musical expression and layer them to create a new tapestry/composition. Notes from the Underground has many many samples from various compositions and records woven together on each song, and we hope that beat diggers and classical aficionados alike will be able to appreciate and recognize when a particular motif appears. I feel this is the hidden alchemy on the album. We also had a friend, classically trained violinist Ben Beames, overdub subtle layers as well towards the end of the arrangements.

Beyond techniques, I feel every genre continues to enrich my understanding of music and composition. As artists we inherently emulate and integrate that which touches us, to some degree. I have found a deeper understanding of harmonic structure, dynamics, and tempo through observing classical form, working with it in a hands-on way. Rachmaninov was a master at delicately utilizing deceptive cadence, balanced with refrain in his harmonic progressions, particularly in his piano and cello sonatas. Shostakovich was unapologetically raw and visceral. There aren’t many composers who can hold a bold state of tension like he could and still keep a symphonic piece tangible. Prokofiev was a master of motifs and was able to convey storytelling through his compositions as on Romeo and Juliet, Alexander Nevsky, and his beautiful sonatas. I believe I will always be influenced to some degree by the honest and unveiled expression exemplified by these composers.

What was the audience like at the performance at Walt Disney Concert Hall? Were there beat-heads, or classical music enthusiasts, or an even mix of both? If both, how did each react to the music? Did they have different attitudes to it?

Gone Beyond: The audience, as I recall, was a mixture of both groups but felt more like an audience one might expect at a world-class concert hall than a dance party. The L.A. Philharmonic hosted the event, so I think a lot of classical aficionados were present out of both support and curiosity. Most people were wearing dress attire, but the stage lights were so bright I honestly could n’t see how people were reacting. It was a bit intimidating knowing some very prolific musicians and artists were present. The Walt Disney Concert hall is a premier classical music venue, so I am thankful that Cut Chemist gave us the opportunity to be there. We didn’t get hit with any tomatoes and received extended applause after our performance, so I’m assuming the music was well received well enough by many. I was able to catch the other performers Cut Chemist, Amon Tobin, DJ Spooky, J-Rocc, and Peanut Butter Wolf from the audience perspective, and it was good vibes. I’ve played a lot of shows in the past, and It undoubtedly remains one of the most surreal.

Has this project made you want to tackle any other composers or styles of music that you might not have considered before? In light of this project, what ‘out of left field’ style of music, artist, or composer would you love to remix?

Gone Beyond: Having been a record collector for several decades, my musical taste is always morphing, growing and changing. Often one obscure style of music leads me into another exploration, carried forward by some common narrative.

The last 12 years or so, during the inception of Notes from the Underground, we were digging for jazz-fusion/psych and prog rock. Most of the drum breaks and additional samples on Notes from the Underground came from '70s fusion/ rock records, which give the album its rhythmic character. Russian classical music opened my ears up to dynamics, space, and subtlety, which eventually drew me towards more minimal psychedelic space music. Groups like Popol Vuh, Imaginations of Light, The Cosmic Jokers, and Sensations Fix come to mind while reflecting on the early discoveries. These groups led me to explore even more exotic experimental electronic tape obscurities from the '70s and '80s New Age era.

I’ve now been exploring both tapes and vinyl in this loosely defined genre for the past eight years or so. Much of what I find is previously undiscovered, so that is always exciting! I do feel that each in-depth musical exploration, whether it's Russian classical, the spiritual jazz of Alice Coltrane, or Strata East releases, or dense, heady progressive rock like Dun-Eros, all leave an imprint that becomes a part of my compositional grab bag.

For the last 11 years I have continued to digitize and organize my entire vinyl and tape collection as a loop library, a process that started with Notes From The Underground In 2006. I now have 6000 records broken down into potential loops, organizing the loops within folders on drives arranged by tonic key and relative BPM. The source material is now so vast, and readily accessible that the sky is the limit as to what sounds can be explored.

Russian Classical compositions opened my ears up to the potential and power in classical music as a form, and also, how the space between notes and their delivery can be as meaningful and profound as the note itself, similar to how a painter or photographer uses negative space. Western classical music is a powerful tool for self-inquiry and poignant, emotive expression. While I can’t define or pinpoint what exact fusion I will deliver in the future, I can say for sure there will be a subtle imprint of every artist/genre that has made an impression on me along the way. Or, perhaps I will end up remixing John Cage's "4′33"" for my next project, that would also be a logical progression after these past years of exploring minimal music (hahaha). Time will tell.

Notes From The Underground is out now on The Content Label.

TRIBUTE: Celebrating 20 Years of Aceyalone’s ‘A Book of Human Language’

April 13, 2018 Jesse Ducker

Happy 20th Anniversary to Aceyalone’s second studio album A Book of Human Language, originally released April 14, 1998

Hip-Hop is often an exercise in the micro over the macro. Most artists express themselves by creating raps that relate to their own personal circumstances. Sometimes they’ll tie their rhymes into larger societal problems, but if they do, they let the listener connect the appropriate dots.

The philosophical ambition of Aceyalone’s A Book of Human Language is part of what makes it distinctive. Released 20 years ago, it’s an album that explores big ideas and concepts. Much as the title of the album suggests, it’s literary in its execution, with each song serving as a “chapter” in the album’s overall story. It’s the strongest of Aceyalone’s solo albums and one of the best overall albums that he’s contributed to.

Edwin “Aceyalone” Hayes, Jr. was first known as a member of the Freestyle Fellowship crew, a pioneering group of legendary lyricists from Los Angeles. As a member of the Fellowship and the Project Blowed collective, Aceyalone had already proven himself as one of the foremost lyrical talents in hip-hop, mastering verbal gymnastics and executing complicated flows, styles, cadences and off-the-head techniques. By showing that he could skillfully shift gears to addressing big concepts, he further established his emcee pedigree.

Just as integral to the album’s success is Matthew “Mumbles” Fowler. Aceyalone first worked with the Bay Area-born producer on his first solo album, All Balls Don’t Bounce (1995). Mumbles was the musical creative force behind two of the album’s most memorable songs: “Greatest Show On Earth” and “Makeba.” Acey chose to have Mumbles behind the boards for the entirety of Human Language and it pays off. Mumbles created the beats mostly using rough-and-tumble jazz samples, layering them into a complex soundtrack to accompany Acey’s deep thoughts. The result makes A Book of Human Language one of the most outstanding one emcee/one producer collaborations in the history of hip-hop.

Aceyalone begins the album with “The Guidelines,” previously known as “Guidelines ’94,” a hold-over from the All Balls recording sessions. Despite its origins, the song naturally fits into the scheme of the album sonically and thematically. Acey explains how he works to redefine the guidelines or break the barriers of what’s considered acceptable in his execution and approach to hip-hop music, because “I’d rather stimulate your mind than emulate your purpose / And we have only touched on the surface of the serpent.”

On tracks like “The Balance” and “The Hold,” Aceyalone is able to expound on concepts like finding balance in life and learning how to let go without sounding didactic or even overtly sentimental. “The Energy” is the album’s most fast-paced and briefest full song, a swift consideration on how the power of maintaining a positive outlook can conquer negative circumstances, as he raps, “I said it hurts so good but it’s…not pain / Just the electric charge coming from the mainframe / And my main aim to dig through the dirt, stay alert / Insert the power cord so my energy will work.”

Aceyalone’s way with words and complex rhyming styles allows him to delve into broad topics in a unique manner. On “The Faces,” he considers how physical appearance shapes human interaction and our perceptions of each other. Meanwhile, “The Walls & Windows” is a nearly six-minute song literally dedicated to the power and significance that walls and windows hold. The beat is Mumbles’ oddest creation for the album, filled with warped horns, chimes, and rattling percussion. It was originally an instrumental track called “At the Mountains of Madness” released on the Deep Concentration (1997) compilation. Yet Aceyalone’s exceptional delivery makes for an ideal marriage to the eccentric track.

Spoken word poetry remains a large component of A Book of Human Language. Often tracks end with extended poetic codas, and Acey incorporates other pieces as stand-alone tracks, such as “The Vision,” which examines the power of inspiration. As a whole, the spoken word pieces often function as the connective tissue and bridges from track to track. And really, only Aceyalone could incorporate an a cappella reading (through heavy vocal distortion) of “The Jabberwocky,” as in Lewis Carroll’s masterpiece of a nonsense poem from Through the Looking Glass, into the flow of the album.

At times Aceyalone explores the poverty that permeates the neighborhoods where he was raised. On “The Hurt,” he describes the pain that he feels when he observes the crime-ravaged communities that surround him. He hopes that his fellow residents will be able to rise up from these dire circumstances, but fears the worst, rapping, “But who am I to tell on who will prevail / And who's gonna fail and who in the hell / Are you going to tell? You’re new to the trail / You’re doomed to sail away.”

“The March” serves as a brief inspirational counterpoint to “The Hurt.” Here Aceyalone acknowledges the difficult environment where he was raised, and pledges to “refuse to be abused.” The ethereal guitar and bass-heavy track makes the song and Acey’s vocal performance nearly shimmer.

“The Grandfather Clock,” a meditation on the relentless nature of time, is the album’s peak. Mumbles outdoes himself, creating a pulsing, methodical drum track and bassline that of course sound very much like components of the nominal clock. Meanwhile, percussion and other haunting sounds filter in and out, giving the song an eerie feel. For his part, Aceyalone examines the exorable determination of time’s passage, even rhyming from the perspective of the clock and time itself, reminding the listener that “If you ever race against me, you will surely come up short."

“The Thief in the Night” explores similar themes, more specifically the inevitably and unpredictability of death. For this track, Mumbles creates a decidedly somber tone, building a track from mournful flute samples and melancholy chimes. The content itself is fittingly morbid, as Aceyalone reflects that death’s arrival is inevitable, and no matter how you prepare yourself, it often strikes when least expected.

The album’s last full-track is “Human Language,” Acey’s dedication to the power of words, language, and ideas. It’s also probably his best overall performance on the album. Mumbles sets the mood for the lyrical presentation, sampling “Lonely Woman” by jazz legend Ornette Coleman. The resonant, oddly tempo-ed bassline is ideal for Acey’s unorthodox flows, verbal construction, and rhyme schemes, as a flute echoes in the background. In the midst of explaining how he works to cultivate new ways of thinking, he expertly explains his pedigree: “Scientifically ain’t no ripping me, I’m terrifically well-spoken / See many attempts to get a glimpse to see what the hell I'm smoking / But it ain’t no ’bamma, I just mastered this bastard grammar / I go outside my parameter and stretch out my diameter It gets bigger than Gamera / So picture that with your camera.”

Aceyalone has continued to record music over the last 20 years, mostly as a solo artist, occasionally as a member of a group (either Freestyle Fellowship or Haiku D’Etat). However, this was one of Mumbles’ last production releases; he’s largely left the realm of hip-hop since A Book of Human Language’s release. It’s a shame the pair never worked together again, because their compelling collaboration resulted in the type of album that most artists would not deign to try. We should consider ourselves fortunate that these two decided to execute this ambitious undertaking, while further demonstrating hip-hop’s literary merit.

See full article on ALBUMISM: https://www.albumism.com/features/tribute-celebrating-20-years-of-aceyalone-a-book-of-human-language

Gone Beyond / Mumbles: Duet for Space and Time

Content (L)abel / Ooohh! That's Heavy Recordings

A Duet For Space and Time, Content (L)abel's latest collaboration with fellow California-based label Ooohh! That's Heavy Recordings, splits vinyl sides between Gone Beyond (Santa Fe, New Mexico-based beat-smith Dahvin Bugas) and Mumbles (Californian hip-hop producer Matthew Fowler). Not surprisingly, the EP's six cuts possess the rambunctiousness characteristic of Dday One's Content (L)abel releases, and the material likewise slots itself into a zone where instrumental hip-hop, electronics, samples, and classic jazz riffs collide.

Gone Beyond starts us off on a rather foreboding “Collision Course” where brooding piano runs drift alongside a swirl of downtempo beats and psychedelic atmospheres. The ominous vibe continues on into “Sky Burial,” though now things feel a bit more stable thanks to a tight headnodding beat pattern and more exotic, too, courtesy of a sinuous flute motif. There's a cosmic vibe to Gone Beyond's material, and it's simply not due to titles like “The Cosmic Within Ourselves,” as Bugas consistently pulls the material away from terra firma by slathering his sax and piano riffs with all kinds of trippy treatments and effects. At the same time, the tracks never come apart at the seams when beats are never far away; no matter how wild things get during “The Edge of Space,” for example, the beats that slam so forcefully throughout the track ensure it's solidly grounded.

In contrast to the four short cuts on side one, Mumbles presents two longer ones on the flip. The EP's oddity is his opening salvo, “Time is Running Out,” for the simple fact that it uses a charging Motown-styled drum pattern (think a slightly sped-up “You Can't Hurry Love”) as its rhythmic backbone—not the kind of thing one expects on an EP whose beats are generally more hip-hop oriented. At almost nine minutes, the epic meditation “Space Between Worlds” perhaps offers a more complete portrait of the Mumbles sound, especially when it adds to its downtempo pulse the crystalline flow of a hypnotic vibes solo. The twenty-seven-minute release, limited to 350 ten-inch vinyl copies with the picture disc displaying original artwork by Brooklyn-based Shane “Dwarf Baby” Ingersoll, may be over quickly but the ride is certainly scenic and packed with detail.