Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania native Buscrates, aka Orlando Marshall, releases his two-track, 7” single, “Internal Dialogue,’ via Bastard Jazz. And right up front, know that it’s ultra-scrumptious.
Buscrates’ sound merges influences from ‘90s hip-hop and ‘80s electronic funk, witnessed by the booming, swinging drums and bouncy Minimoog basslines in his productions.
He works locally and sometimes internationally either behind a pair of turntables spinning 45s or working his trusty Roland SP-404SX sampler and various other little portable gadgets at one of his beat sets. A few of his production credits include Phonte & Eric Roberson, Wiz Khalifa, and the late great Mac Miller.
“Internal Dialogue” opens on a mid-tempo rhythm made up of crisp percussion and a fat bassline, resulting in a mellow boogie joint accentuated by tasty Moog textures, dazzling ARP strings, and syncopated clavinet chord stabs, giving the tune a creamy flow topped by both percolating and streaming leitmotifs.
While “Early Morning” travels on low-slung, shimmering tones atop a thumping kick-drum, infusing the rhythm with a luscious ‘90s neo-soul beat. Layers of soft, gleaming tone glide smoothly overhead, imbuing the harmonics with slow sensuous coloration, intertwining to form silky surfaces, at once lustrous and cashmere.
Buscrates has it going on! “Internal Dialogue” delivers swanky funk that’s glossy and sexy, dripping with polished sheens of sound.