Entry 145 - Elijah Nang - Gaijin

 

I'm big about exceptions to rules. They are some of the most exciting parts of music. If I have a general rule or stereotype I'll go out of my way to try to find something that subverts my expectations.

Elijah Nang's lofi works are exactly that for me. They are the exception to every rule I have for lofi hip hop.

Rule 1: lofi sounds the same. While Gaijin falls squarely within the lofi hip hop genre, this is hardly typical. There is a beautiful mix of Japanese influences and instrumentation mixed in with the hip hop. While this by itself wouldn't be enough to differentiate it, its the quality of the way the songs are constructed that drives this to a completely different level than most of the lofi genre.

Rule 2: lofi albums lack substance. Gaijin tells the story of a foreigner in feudal japan. Most of the album is instrumental, but there are samples scattered throughout that tie the entire narrative together. This is in stark contrast to most lofi albums that are just a collection of songs in different styles with a beat thrown below it.

Rule 3: lofi albums are short. Most lofi albums are 30 to 40 minutes or less. This is essentially double that length. At nearly 80 minutes in length, I consider Gaijin an epic in the genre.

Not only does Gaijin (and its sequels) subvert any and all expectations for the lofi hip hop genre, it shatters them. I keep coming back to this and Gaijin II time and time again. They meet a very specific need in my musical palate that no other musician has been able to replicate to this point.