Local Review: less.people – Origins

less.people
Origins

Self-Released
Street: 10.24.17
less.people = Nujabes + Flying Lotus + Sleepdealer

As I am writing this, I am prepping myself for the stress that is traveling for the holidays, and Origins has become the musical Xanax I didn’t know I needed. For their first release, less.people brings out the type of lo-fi sound that you’ll find popping up in mixes on YouTube and Spotify around the time students are prepping for final exams. Origins features 17 songs and less.people did not skimp out on sample usage, with nods to classic gaming characters like Yoshi in “We can’t be friends,” paired with dreary and droning synths and a snappy beat. Other tracks hold a more original sound like “Tadow,” which starts off with psychedelic, distorted guitar and a funky bass line that transitions into a jingling beat, which brings to mind a more downtempo version of “Zodiac Shit” by Flying Lotus. For me, the standout track of Origins is “Finally,” which samples a keyboard riff from a live version of Childish Gambino’s cover of Tamia’s “So Into You” on Triple J Studio’s “Like A Version” segment. The riff flows smoothly in the original and seems to fit almost even more in this lo-fi track, bridging a gorgeous progression with a jingled procession and haunting vocal samples. less.people seem to understand what makes a beautiful album, by incorporating beautiful and unlikely samples from the likes of live performances, video games and even the depths of vaporwave. less.people has released three new singles, two of which fall in line with the holiday season, with one being one of the best takes I’ve heard of “You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch,” entitled, appropriately, “TheGrinch!” less.people is a project to keep an eye on as 2018 approaches, and with many new single releases recently, I wouldn’t be surprised to see more music in the works! Check out Origins and more at less.people’s Bandcamp page waylesspeople.bandcamp.com. –Connor Brady