Critical
Praise for Bisco Smith:
"Bisco's debut album has a decidedly dark, creepy and measured ambience, much like a thriller when the hero is about to turn the corner... he examines the fragile nature of our existence." - The Source
"Bisco is continuing the longstanding NY tradition of cutting edge hip-hop." - Skunk Magazine
The
Song:
"Layin' down track, that's why you hear bangin'."
Bisco Smith is largely seen as a solitary artist- the eccentric genius type, creating distorted headphone rap for late nights and early mornings. On his new single "Railroads", however, Bisco brought some homies along. Typically, rappers use tracks with several guest artists as an excuse to make a banger with significantly more style than substance. After all, it's difficult to carry out a narrative when each emcee gets only one verse to get his message across. Bisco and guests Human?, Grimace, and Esen manage to masterfully buck this trend on "Railroads," off Bisco's upcoming second full length The Broadcast. The four emcees' chemistry is evident, and it's no wonder, since they are anything but randoms brought in off the street to spit. "I keep my tune making within the family, with friends and folks I actually kick it with. This lineup is both the closest to me and a group that stays 100% involved in the music creation."
Perhaps it's not surprising to hear a track with a train theme from a rapper whose first passion was graffiti. In fact, one of 2009's best music videos, Bisco's "Strange Love," was directed by graffiti legend Carl Weston and features Bisco painting an enormous piece in the middle of the night. "Railroads" is, of course, only about trains on the surface. The track's four emcees use the railroad as a jumping off point to explore work ethic, movement of the masses, and thought patterns. Feeding off of the collective energy and insights of old friends and collaborators, "Railroads" is a posse track that pushes with the same unstoppable energy as a chugging freight train.
Bisco Smith's second full-length album The Broadcast will be available January 19, 2010.
"Railroads" Feat. Human?, Grimace & Esen (single artwork above): http://media.audibletreats.com/Bisco_Smith-Railroads_Feat_Human_Grimace_and_Esen.mp3
Video : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vuMikYlFkgU
Please contact Michelle or Dan if interested in talking with Bisco
The
Background:
 Bisco Smith moved to NYC 10 plus years ago from Connecticut and quickly made a name for himself DJ'ing at clubs, distributing mixtapes, performing at open mics, and in graffiti circles. His debut release, The Basics EP (2006), gained the favorable attention of music critics and his subsequent release, The Stay Up Project mixtape (2007) was downloaded over 5,000 times. Bisco's penchant for capturing our chaotic reality with his narratives, images, and collaborations has earned him a reputation as one of the most honest and creative artists of today. Going beyond music, Bisco Smith is also an accomplished graphic artist. He's done cover art, designed promotional materials and spearheaded art direction for artists such as Aesop Rock, The Perceptionists, C-Rayz-Walz, Murs, El-P, and others. His art has been featured in several magazines and art house coffee table books and in galleries, such as Danny Simmon's Rush Arts Gallery. 2008 was a big year for Bisco. He released the critically acclaimed album When Electric Night Falls (Embedded Music), toured the US, and performed at CMJ, SXSW, Scribble Jam, and NXNE. Since the start of 2009, Bisco has already released a multimedia project entitled The Strange Love Project, and is now preparing for the release of The Broadcast. It is clear that he shows no sign of slowing down. He spends his time designing everything from record covers to websites, painting walls, participating in art gallery shows, and mentoring the city’s youth with art and music, all the while transmitting top quality music to the world. Prepare to tune into Bisco Smith's forthcoming LP, The Broadcast, available January 19, 2010.
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