September AOTM #1: Luv(sic) Hexalogy

Album of the Month: Luv(sic) Hexalogy - Nujabes & Shing02

From the start, Japanese rapper Shing02 wrote the lyrics for "Luv(sic)"-- from it's initial first part back in 2000-- as a love song told through rhyme and riddle. While the specific meaning behind each track varies, the tone and sense of appreciation for life is maintained throughout. Luv(sic) Hexalogy collects the 6 parts to Nujabes and Shing02's series alongside remixes and instrumentals, and as a unit it is the perfect tribute to Nujabes as an artist and a beautiful expression of partnership and fraternity. More than anything else Nujabes' music creates a vivid sense of comfort, like sinking into a warm bed on a cool Spring night.

The unfortunate reality of the Luv(sic) Hexalogy is that in part it was put together after the tragic death of Nujabes in February of 2010. Parts one through three comprise the original tracks, released in various forms from 2001 to 2005, with the final three released after Nujabes's passing. These final three demonstrate Shing02's immense skill at writing fluid and simple lyrics, but with such a candid tone that you can't help but feel what he precisely what he felt. His lyrics are at their best in parts 5 and 6, eulogizing Nujabes and a former fan named Jeff Ressureccion who passed away in January 2010.

Accompanying Shing02's rhymes were Nujabes's beats with production handled by himself with Uyama Hiroto assisting after his death. Nujabes's simple drumbeats and slick jazz samples form striking instrumentals, rooted and perfectly fitted to Shing02's fairly off-the-cuff raps. Nujabes chops, loops, and flips his samples to take advantage of their distinct melodies. Strings, piano, and even acoustic guitar often make up the lead samples, containing strong hooks both manufactured from sampling and preexisting within the sampled material. Nujabes is revered as producer for a reason, he was an absolute perfectionist about his beats, and it shows in his economic use of samples and in their elegance..

The tracks for Luv(sic) Hexalogy represent the whole of Nujabes's career, and as a result throughout the 6 tracks you can hear the subtle changes in his style. Earlier in his career Nujabes utilized a stronger boom-bap style of drums, his iconic taste in jazz/soul samples were present but the focus was far more on placing melodies to contrast against the verses. On this collection you can hear that especially in part's one and two, with prominent and bright drum mixing. "Luv(sic) Part 3" was originally released in 2005 on Nujabes' Modal Soul, and has overall a more laid-back feel to the prior two parts, and this sort of style would really flower on the beats Nujabes put together for the final three parts-- far more atmospheric and for the lack of a better term "jazzier". Shing02 flows right overtop the dark and mystical instrumental for "Luc(sic) Part 5", the rap and beat move in unison and make for an altogether more fluid song. And on "Luc(sic) Part 6)" the hexalogy comes to a bittersweet conclusion, drenched in heavy emotion.

What Luv(sic) Hexalogy does better than any other record in Nujabes' catalogue is its consistency, because for as good as Modal Soul and Metaphorical Music are they can't touch the warm, comforting, and expressly emotional atmosphere of the Luv(sic) Hexalogy.