For the Melbourne-based producer/turntablist Kut One, his new Live Wires compilation LP is the final puzzle piece to the incredible output he’s had over the past year. He’s collaborated with artists like Neek the Exotic and Nine on The Icons, Vol. 1 & 2, and produced the entirety of King Magnetic and GQ Nothin’ Pretty’s joint release, David Goliath: Slingshots. And yet, amidst all that, Kut One maintained his hustle and put together a way to kick the hinges off 2020 with Live Wires, a producer compilation featuring the likes of Daniel Son, Rockness Monsta, Recognize Ali, Kwest (Tha Madd Lad), King Magnetic, and many more.
Kwest kicks off the project with a bang on “Active Shooter,” a highlight for listeners and Kut One alike. The producer expressed his excitement for getting the opportunity to link with the Queens emcee, noting that he’s been a fan of his for so many years. He shared that sentiment when talking about the album as a whole, too, saying that it was surreal “to be able to get the artists that I listen to on the regular, on my beats.”
Those artists, including those already mentioned, hail from various places around the globe. On “Experience the Best Teacher,” Kut One teams with fellow Melbourne resident Ciecmate for an absolute banger that borrows from Gang Starr’s “Above the Clouds” on the scratch hook. And then there’s Brooklyn legend Rockness Monsta’s appearance on “Fake Fancy,” a slapper filled with verbal darts for the phonies out there. Equally as dope, Baltimore’s ILL Conscious shines on the brassy “Despise the 85.”
In all, Live Wires is a victory lap for Kut One, an artist who seemingly never sleeps and also never rests on his laurels. While his affinity for boom-bap is evident across this album, he tinkers with the sound to inject new life and, more importantly, his own unique flavor. And for those who love the culture as much as he clearly does, what more can you ask for?
Live Wires is available now through all major digital retailers and streaming platforms via Chopping Block Records. Follow @eldorado2452 on Twitter and Instagram for all your music and entertainment news.
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