Jazz/hip-hop/progressive rock collective Xenat-Ra are pleased to announce the release of their debut studio album Science for the Soundman.
While many bands claim to be eclectic, Xenat-Ra truly lives it. Based in Corvallis, OR, Xenat-Ra is the result of years of shared musical experiences and a rich sonic vocabulary. Xenat-Ra owes allegiance to no particular genre, borrowing sounds from the fringes of hip hop, jazz, progressive rock, dub, metal and any other style that crosses their path. The sound can be spacious or dense, freely improvised or strictly composed, deeply funky or aggressively atonal, all topped by Monk Metz’ rapid-fire, often surreal, poetry.
Science for the Soundman features seven collectively composed and arranged original tracks, one live-in-the-studio free improvisation, and two cover tunes, one by John Zorn and one by Sun Ra. John Zorn gave his personal permission to record his composition, and considers Xenat-Ra's version “Fabulous.”
Science for the Soundman is available as a deluxe, 150 gram double LP, or on CD. Both formats include a digital download of the full album, with bonus tracks, in your choice of formats.
Press quotes: It thuds the medulla square in the joint where the better, cultured you resides. If ingested correctly, it traverses the swerve of sound and space, a wicked chug of color twisting jazz and rock and hip-hop and prose and whatever sweet pieces and sonic tech hurricanes blow through the breadth of its universe. Anything can happen here. Dig it? Cool. Do not? Your loss. —Cory Frye, The Corvallis Gazette-Times Entertainer
Brilliantly off-kilter, completely unquantifiable, Xenat-Ra is, at any given moment, the best prog/free jazz/hip hop/metal band you’ve never heard of. —Nick DeRiso
Xenat-Ra’s new album, Science For The Soundman, finds a relatively decent balance between rock, jazz, and hip hop. The mix of electronic noises showcases the futuristic and spacey edge, while the fast wordplay and urban consciousness reflects a more personal, poetic touch. All in all, the music is ideal for fans of rap, funk, jazz, and percussion, but the market for fans of all genres on one album may be limited. —Matthew Forss
While many bands claim to be eclectic, Xenat-Ra truly lives it. Based in Corvallis, OR, Xenat-Ra is the result of years of shared musical experiences and a rich sonic vocabulary. Xenat-Ra owes allegiance to no particular genre, borrowing sounds from the fringes of hip hop, jazz, progressive rock, dub, metal and any other style that crosses their path. The sound can be spacious or dense, freely improvised or strictly composed, deeply funky or aggressively atonal, all topped by Monk Metz’ rapid-fire, often surreal, poetry.
Science for the Soundman features seven collectively composed and arranged original tracks, one live-in-the-studio free improvisation, and two cover tunes, one by John Zorn and one by Sun Ra. John Zorn gave his personal permission to record his composition, and considers Xenat-Ra's version “Fabulous.”
Science for the Soundman is available as a deluxe, 150 gram double LP, or on CD. Both formats include a digital download of the full album, with bonus tracks, in your choice of formats.
Press quotes: It thuds the medulla square in the joint where the better, cultured you resides. If ingested correctly, it traverses the swerve of sound and space, a wicked chug of color twisting jazz and rock and hip-hop and prose and whatever sweet pieces and sonic tech hurricanes blow through the breadth of its universe. Anything can happen here. Dig it? Cool. Do not? Your loss. —Cory Frye, The Corvallis Gazette-Times Entertainer
Brilliantly off-kilter, completely unquantifiable, Xenat-Ra is, at any given moment, the best prog/free jazz/hip hop/metal band you’ve never heard of. —Nick DeRiso
Xenat-Ra’s new album, Science For The Soundman, finds a relatively decent balance between rock, jazz, and hip hop. The mix of electronic noises showcases the futuristic and spacey edge, while the fast wordplay and urban consciousness reflects a more personal, poetic touch. All in all, the music is ideal for fans of rap, funk, jazz, and percussion, but the market for fans of all genres on one album may be limited. —Matthew Forss
