Stogie T Continues His Sonic Adventures In New EP ‘Lasours'

In his latest EP, ‘LASOURS’, Stogie T continues his sonic explorations. In his previous EP ‘Shallow’, he rapped over synth-laden beats inspired by ‘80s aesthetics. 

On ‘LASOURS’, he joins forces with the producer Aleksand SAYA from La Réunion, an island in the Indian Ocean.

Aleksand SAYA blends traditional Maloya music with Electronic and Hip-Hop elements, creating a unique style known as “M’Bas” (Maloya Bass). This fusion incorporates traditional percussion instruments, Creole vocals, samples, and synthesizers, resulting in a distinctive sound.

It’s this sonic philosophy that defines ‘LASOURS’. The first sound you hear on the project on the intro is the rhythmic twang of a bobre (a traditional Maloya instrument), only here it’s bolstered by a thick bassline. It’s this marriage of unlikely sounds that defines the EP’s sound. When a song starts, there’s no predicting where it could end. ‘Emoyeni’, for instance, starts off reserved, with a brooding bassline and a looping guitar, but halfway through, it’s elevated by screaming electric guitars and robust live drums.  

The experimental sound is met with varied flows—ranging from hard to melodic—which makes for an entertaining listen. 

But, not to be overlooked is the equally diverse subject matter that stays tethered to the existential strife. ‘Koz In Ta’, for instance, is driven by the tension of survival in politics and everyday life overall. Stogie T name-checks Malcolm X and JFK and drops lines like: “In the maze of the concrete jungle, I carve my own path/ Every scar tells a story, every loss fuels my wrath.” 

On ‘No More Parties In The North’, Stogie T reflects on the passing of AKA, Riky Rick, PRO, Citi Lyts and many more, many more who’ve passed on. 

He raps:

“Tweeting alleged plots

Revisiting pictures of where he drop

I recall every call

Speaking of a Wicked industry,

Linda and Citi, Dimplez and Riky

and many more many more”

Features on ‘LASOURS’ include Stogie T frequent collaborator Bonj alongside Ntsika (The Soil). 

Stream ‘LASOURS’ below: