Search - Hi-Fi Killers, Blackout, Solgie :: Hi Fi Killers: Jamaica

With two previous releases under their belts, Seattle's Hi Fi Killers (Kevin Lee Oakland and Johnny Horn) are off to a prolific start in their short career. The duo's third release is a bit different from the other two records, Possession and Loaded, which were an amalgam of funk, soul, hip-hop, and dub. As the title implies, Jamaica leaves its imprint on the Killers' newest offering. Oakland and Horn--self-professed reggae junkies--itched to make a reggae record with Jamaican MCs. But there aren't many Jamaican MCs in the Pacific Northwest, so the duo sent a tape of their best dub, reggae, and dancehall loops down to Jamaica, where they hooked up with Clinton Fearon, Blackout, and Scorpion. The result is an authentic, pro-quality record with tuff dancehall rapping and some forward-leaning beats and pieces--the payoff, no doubt, of the duo's adept way with hip-hop, dub, and funk. --Tricia Romano