Bricknasty releases bold new mixtape 'XONGZ አስቀያሚ ጡብ', blending jazz, RnB, and hip-hop, featuring surreal visuals for 'vinland' directed by Hugh Mulhern.
Irish collective Bricknasty continue to defy expectations with their latest release, ‘XONGZ አስቀያሚ ጡብ’, a genre-blurring mixtape that feels both experimental and deeply personal. This 9-track project released via FAMM (home to Jorja Smith and ENNY) offers a fearless mix of jazz, golden-era RnB, and hip-hop, creating a cerebral sonic landscape that feels fresh and raw. Bricknasty’s music echoes a sense of displacement, introspection, and vulnerability, wrapped in a sound that is both intimate and vast.
Their new single, "vinland," perfectly captures this essence. The track is driven by a restless beat that propels the arrangement forward, layered with live instrumentation that unfolds slowly like a journey through uncharted emotional terrain. It’s a track that demands attention - not just because of its hypnotic rhythm but because of the sense of longing that it evokes.
Paired with a visually striking music video directed by acclaimed Irish filmmaker Hugh Mulhern, “vinland” becomes a fully immersive experience. Mulhern, known for his ability to fuse surrealism with raw, nightmarish imagery, deepens the track's disorienting, otherworldly feel. The grotesque visuals add an extra layer of tension, with Mulhern citing references like American Werewolf in London and Jan Švankmajer, bringing eerie and surreal elements to life. The result is a video that not only complements the music but amplifies its emotional intensity.
‘XONGZ አስቀያሚ ጡብ’ marks a major step in Bricknasty’s evolution. While their 2023 EP, ‘INA CRUELER’, explored the past, this new mixtape is an exploration of the unknown - a freewheeling journey that captures the band’s experiences of loss and recovery. Tracks like "mouthy" blend acoustic instruments with experimental soundscapes, showcasing their ability to create music that defies easy categorisation. Directed by Connor Clarke, the accompanying video is equally surreal, matching the track’s distorted atmosphere with madcap, off-kilter visuals.
The collective, spearheaded by Ballymun native and frontman Fatboy, is rooted in community spirit, creating music that reflects both their internet-fueled upbringing and the realities of life in their hometown. Joined by producer Cillian McCauley, bassist Dara Abdurahman, drummer Korey Thomas, and saxophonist/keyboardist Louis Younge, Bricknasty is as much a product of chance encounters on Soundcloud as they are a fully-fledged live band. Their sound is a unique intersection of influences ranging from Kendrick Lamar’s Untitled Unmastered era to the soulful poetry of Dublin’s Damien Dempsey.
At the heart of Bricknasty’s music is their ability to reflect the often-overlooked complexities of life in the Ballymun estate. Whether through slurred rap delivery or falsetto-infused melodies, their tracks offer a raw, unfiltered perspective that resonates with a generation raised in the chaos of internet culture. And it’s this mix of absurdity, soul, and punk-folk grit that sets them apart from their peers.
With ‘XONGZ አስቀያሚ ጡብ’, they prove that they are more than just a buzz-worthy band; they are a collective ready to push the boundaries of music and visual art.
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