Rapper Dirty Needles has released Paradise, a 7-song EP produced by Kollectiv. Inspired by his reverence for 1990s “boom bap” and Soul-based Hip-Hop, the EP is an embodiment of the music that shaped Dirty Needles’ teenage years. Kollectiv took sonic cues from producers like J. Dilla, DJ Premier and Pete Rock to create the landscape for Paradise, which features guest appearances from DJ Mrok, Hub City and Jenvoix.
Dirty Needles previously released Finally, a 2017 album that tackled serious issues like suicide and bullying. This time around, he has opted to shed himself of the previous hurdles he’s faced in life and embrace a more lighthearted sound. “It’s not reinventing the wheel or attempting to change the world,” he says. “It’s simply, as Phonte would say, ‘dope beats and dope rhymes.’ This is me continuing an evolution of creating relatable music. This project was a labor of love and appreciation for the music that molded my childhood. It’s my love letter to Hip-Hop.”
Despite its lighthearted nature, Paradise still provided a therapeutic experience for Dirty Needles, particularly as it pertains to the recording process. As he puts it, “I tried to channel and funnel my happy place into audio form.” He adds, “I wanted the project to flow seamlessly,” says Dirty Needles. “The goal was to curate it in a way where it could be played during a morning commute, a session at the gym, or something that you can play in the background without skipping.”
Recorded at Spider Studios in Olmstead Falls, the music aims to assuage the listener of his or her problems, at least while the headphones are on or the speakers are bumpin’.
Similarly, the EP’s artwork is inspired by the escape of happiness. “When we listen to music it can take our souls above the clouds and that’s what I wanted to illustrate on the cover,” he explains.
Paradise was released on March 8, 2019. Listen to it here. Later this month, Dirty
Needles released a music video for “Paradise.”
Check out the video and full EP below.
https://dirtyneedles330.bandcamp.com/album/paradise
