I mostly just recognize Lunice's name because of his collaboration with Diplo on that sick Deerhunter remix, but that remix was good enough that when I saw that he had a new release on the way, it was definitely on my radar. On August 16, Lunice released One Hunned on LuckyMe, and it's pretty much exactly what I would have hoped for. It's the sort of EP that makes you want to dig deeper, makes you wonder just what you've been missing out on all this time. And if you enjoyed that famous remix, you'll certainly like this–I'd say "Helicopter (Diplo & Lunice remix)" brought a vibe more similar to this album than the tropical sound you'd associate more with Diplo.
"Glow" eases you into the EP and is followed by "I See U", a smooth, lovely track that lands on the ambient side of the spectrum. "Juice" feels like a poppier hip-hop track, something you could imagine a rap over but certainly don't need a rap over. "Bricks" brings in hints of vocal samples and faster-paced synth sounds that wouldn't be entirely out of place on a dance floor. "Guardian" is like the soundtrack of a sort-of-broken Gameboy, with the hip-hop beat and occasional distortions of sound giving it a bit of a dark feel. "And She Said" is the most wordy song on the album by far. Lunice closes things out with two worthwhile remixes of "I See U."
This is instrumental hip-hop at its finest, and it's short, too. This is music you can zone out to, but it's also music you can focus on. I'd recommend giving the 33-minute EP at least one attentive listen. Then, just let it wash over you as you do whatever you do with your time. It's smooth enough to sleep to, but definitely not too boring to listen to more actively. In this way, it reminds me a bit of Clams Casino, whose music I feel has similar flexibility-of-function. So yeah, if you're into that, you'll like this.
Purchase: Lunice – One Hunned EP
