THE PURIST

On ‘Pyrex Scholar’, Brighton-based hip-hop producer The Purist explores a world that couldn’t sound less like it came from a seaside town in England if it tried.

From the first few seconds of plodding bass and jazz flute on track one, ‘Patina’, one can’t help but recall pimp canes, gold teeth and chrome-plated Mac 11s. The Purist recruits a whole host of US artists for the five track album, chief among whom is Midwest MC Freddie Gibbs, whose Madlib-produced ‘Pinata’ album topped end-of-year lists the world over at the end of 2014.

‘Pimp Hand’ is thick with G-Funk influence as synth trumpets, slick keys and plodding bass combine to recreate that luxurious West Coast sound.

The Purist’s lyrics only serve to add to this grandiose aesthetic; opening with the lines ‘Pimp hard on a ho’ and offering no let-up until the outro.

Recorded in the affluent hills of Encino, California, the track is the perfect end to this candy-painted collection.

Words by Lewis Lister

Tipped by Kristi Shinfuku