By Alex P80 Parks
Codenine and Loman, both from the North Shore of Massachusetts combine their talents on Sane No More, 11 tracks of Code’s razor rhymes over melodic samples, thumping drums and some subtle touches with slight nods to the instability associated with mental health and sanity.
DRHH caught up with Codenine to discuss the start of his collaboration with Loman and working with one producer.
Codenine: “I first used 3 of Loman’s joints back on Codex Leicester; Me & Billy just had a great sound together so we knew right then we had to do a full length project.. All the beats he sent for this project essentially already fit and had a vibe so i just took that direction and ran with it.”
DRHH: How is it working with a guy locally/was that important?
Code: “Not even so much “local” but just working with one producer for a project keeps that cohesiveness for me. Workin with Billy (Loman) is dope because he provides a canvas and gives me 100% artistic freedom to do what I feel the joint calls for.”
Loman lays a mix of textures, dusty samples and effects, plenty of well-dug loops and a even couple of frenetic beats for Code to lay his sharp lyrics across.
On the title track, Code bounces his rhymes with double entendres like: “Back in the trenches like Dylan Kliebold.” Loman provides a bluesy, laid-back canvas on “Vantablack” as Code sways through the smooth groove. On “Heir Macs,” Estee Nack provides his complex layered rhyme schemes over floating keyboard notes and rising strings. Code’s deliberate flow is evident here as he rhymes:
“Lit indigenous herbs, Villas wit buena vistas,
Aim wit an eye squinted like Tiny Lister,
Lane shift in Tahitian vanilla chaffon Fisker,
Crooked PD friskin a felon, fishin, gefilte ”
From one standout joint right into the next,”Blue Semibreve” with its haunting vocal loop, subtle flute notes and light percussion, Code vomits vivid imagery with lines like
“Dungeness Crab trapped, stench like durian acid,
black magic mask in foyers at the Radisson,
joyride in Patterson like midgets sit in passenger..”
Jamil Honesty spits venom and Bub Rock provides his smooth flow on “Milk Plus” over a jumbled jazzy organ. Daniel Son breezes through for a typically potent verse on “Opium Bazaar.” The rising LeftLane Didon comes through on “Bareface Bandolero.” The rumble of “Tabi boots” brings in the late 90’s/early 00’s vibe with synths and booming chopped drums to accompany the 2 guest lyricists Rim and Jay Royale. On the closer “Never Sane Ever“, Loman creates an anxious pulsating vibe, appropriately fitting the title and theme.
DRHH: The album art is pretty interesting and thought provoking..
Code: “The art I just wanted to be pretty abstract and eye-catching to convey the message of being insane or feeling like you feel out of sorts in your own head, nahmean.”
On Sane No More Code flexes his lyrical dexterity across a variety of finely crafted soundscapes courtesy of the ultra talented Loman. They capture some of the changing moods evoking a loss of sanity throughout the well-developed project.
Cop the album, available here:
Deeply Rooted HipHop 