Architextual Design is finally here!

My good people. Two things.

1. This Tuesday, November 30th, my album 'Architextual Design' is coming out from Tru Ruts. This is my best foot forward as a solo artist. My first real, full length album. A concept album. An album about pyramids, family structure and the social, artistic and spritual foundations on which we stand. It's epic, it's funky, it's clever, it's bouncy, it's somber, it's introspective and it's party music. It's Architextual Design.

I produced and recorded the whole thing my self with help from friends and family. There's guest rappers, singers, beat makers and poets. I did the album design and I took the photos in Mexico.

Show love and download it. Share it with your friends and spread the word. This is the cultivation of my work as a human being to date.

2. Friday December 3rd, I'm celebrating it's release at Hell's Kitchen in Downtown Minneapolis. I have a killer line up, a bad ass dj, some video in the works and maybe I'll even have cd's for sale. Cross your fingers.

If you only come to one of my shows this year, this should be it.

$5. 18+. Parking ramp next door (cheap).

Mayda
Guante
Fresh Squeeze
Heidi Barton Stink
See More Perspective

Tables turned by The Rube.

It wont be the same without you.

Hey folks, I wanted to share a few links with you and perhaps catch you up on some free music that I am immensely proud of. Take a listen and feel free to download this hard work (for free), and of course, share with anyone you think may dig it.

Here's the 3rd and latest track from my Boombox Emporium, a free monthly music series. Check out the two tracks from September and October, too. These are thoughtful, playful and carefully crafted tracks, not something thrown out to meet a quota of new material. Lot's more collabs and other goodies to come.

http://truruts.bandcamp.com/track/pyramids-ganzobean-remix-see-more-perspective

Next is my latest halloween music adventure. This is my first collaboration with Dameun strange as we unite to form "Strange Perspective". This is more Dia de los Muertos than Halloween and it jumps off of a Jazz Funeral concept. It's playful, smart and efficient.

http://truruts.bandcamp.com/album/strange-perspective-the-lost-souls-boys-choir-in-jazz-funeral

check out our city pages interview here: http://www.citypages.com/2010-10-27/music/strange-perspective-united-by-ghostly-tales/

In addition, and in closing, the 'Architextual Design' campaign is on and poppin'. My full length solo debut is revving at the gates for a 11.30.10 release and a wonderful show 12.03.10. featuring MAYDA, GUANTE, FRESH SQUEEZE, HEIDI BARTON STINK and THE RUBE. I can't tell you how great this will be, because it truly is something you'll need to experience yourself. I t just won't be the same without you.

Thanks and Love,

SEE

Pyramids remix!

"November’s installment of ‘See More Perspective’s Boombox Emporium’, an eclectic, monthly free music series, presents a spectacular remix of a Chicago underground classic. ‘Pyramids’ interweaves loose cultural allegories of See More’s Mexican heritage and its relationship to African history while drawing parallels to ancient civilizations and modern day hip hop. The inspired, electro-funky remix, featuring an upgraded chorus and a new verse, delves deeper into these multicultural undertones and brings out the idea of how hip hop and its practitioners are building cultural monuments for the ages. Just the kind of casual, big picture yet party appropriate philosophy you can expect from SEE MORE PERSPECTIVE. Ganzobean has been busy producing tracks for local legend Musab, touring with the likes of Abstract Rude and just released a free EP dedicated to Jack White."

Strange Perspective and The Lost Souls Boys Choir in Jazz Funeral

The album came out:





and it's still out. Get it here:
http://truruts.bandcamp.com/album/strange-perspective-the-lost-souls-boys-choir-in-jazz-funeral

it was reviewed and loved by City Pages:
http://www.citypages.com/2010-10-27/music/strange-perspective-united-by-ghostly-tales/

and we threw a hell of a halloween party with ridiculous, mind-bending performances and the best damned halloween atmosphere you could ever ask for complete with a psychic and sideshow oddities:

Introducing 'Strange Perspective'

As you may have heard, I have a new group with the very talented Dameun Strange as 'Strange Perspective'. We're kicking off our new collaborative effort with a Halloween album in the tradition of 'Return to El Guante's Haunted Studio Apartment; remixed and re-imagined by SEE MORE PERSPECTIVE'. While this new work is not a remix album I think we've successfully remixed and re-imagined ourselves and our music in new and inventive ways for one hell of a Halloween album that is sure to satisfy long after this Halloween has passed. It's called 'Strange Perspective and the Lost Souls Boys Choir in Jazz Funeral'. The album title is almost longer than the album. It's under 20 minutes, but I like to think it goes a lot of different places in that time and begs further listening. The new album will be released for FREE on October 26th, this year.

We have a show scheduled at Hell's Kitchen for October 30th to celebrate the new release and give us a reason to put on a hell of a show with incredible acts and artistry of all kinds. Mark you're calendar, its going to be amazing.



This video was hooked up by Daniel Rangel and Javier Cedillo.

Like my new group with Dameun Strange here:
http://www.facebook.com/strangeperspective

and let us know if you're coming to the Jazz Funeral Halloween Extravaganza here:
http://www.facebook.com/#!/event.php?eid=127669530617206

Dameun and I premiered our new collaboration at Ghastof's a couple of weeks ago for their annual 'Spoutstock' cover song contest with guest judges of high esteem including a member 'Babe's in Toyland'. We won! Hopefully a good omen for things to come...

The song we covered that night is available for FREE here:







We also recently did an interview with Mike Walsh for the City Pages, which if all goes well, will come out October 27th.

Sorry to drop all that info into one blog, but it's been crazy busy and I had to take the chance to update on all the fun I'm having with 'Strange Perspective'.

All the best and thanks for reading,

SEE

Introducing BOOMBOX EMPORIUM; a new free download series

ladies, gentlemen and everything in between,

I've been workin' haaard in the studio this year! As you may have seen in my cryptic facebook status updates, there's a lot coming that I'm not advertising quite yet, or that's just starting to leak out.

The first in this series of surprises is a free download series called 'SEE MORE PERSPECTIVE'S Boombox Emporium'. We're kicking off this series as a thank you for the folks who support at shows, buy cd's, download new projects, share my work with their friends or even just check out my different pages from time to time and read my status rhymes and what have you. The first in this new series is a very special collaboration with up and coming Minneapolis producer Julian Fairbanks.

You can listen, download and share here:



The Boombox Emporium will continue as a monthly series of free downloads. October's is gonna be a lot fun, leading into one of my annual Halloween-themed projects. This year, I've collaborated with musician Dameun Strange to create ‘Strange Perspective and The Lost Souls Boys Choir in JAZZ FUNERAL’, which will be released October 26th on Tru Ruts/Speakeasy Records. The release party for ‘JAZZ FUNERAL’ will be on October 30th (10pm), at Hell’s Kitchen with Strange Perspective, plus Mayda, Guante and more!

Artwork for the new free music series:




Artwork for the first track in the series, 'Maintain/Transcend':






This song was inspired by and written for students all over the US, (and the world, really) who struggle with the pressures and trappings of economic, educational and community neglect. I've taught you. I've learned from you. I've been you. The first step is to maintain. Once we get that, we've gotta transcend our environments. Bless.

Thanks and Love,

SEE MORE PERSPECTIVE

trading remixes for liner notes

About a month and a half ago, my old friend and gifted Breakbeat Poet, Playwright and Hip Hop head Idris Goodwin agreed to honor me by writing the liner notes for my upcoming solo full-length debut 'Architextual Design'. I in turn, agreed to remix a song of his from his latest album, 'Break Beat Poems'.

A touch later than we had planned, we've fulfilled our agreements and he has a new and (if I do say so) excellent remix and I have stellar and insightful liner notes.

Idris g is in the process of gathering instrumentals for a new ep of both remixes and new material, which promises to be full of bangers and surprises... stay tuned at idrisgoodwin.blogspot.com for news about this and other fine releases, shows and  goings ons. Make sure you listen to his new album!

Meanwhile, I'm plotting the release of 'Architextual Design' with Tru Ruts/Speakeasy Records for this fall. The music is finalized, the design is nearly complete and we're biding our time to make our move...

More about the building of 'Architextual Design' to come!

Introduction to 'Breaks in The Clouds'

In any aspect of life, there seems to always be a blanket of something we struggle through. For the (so called) average person it may be the mundania of the day to day or political and socio-economic fences that depress and oppress. In art it may be a lack of inspiration or opportunity to be seen or heard.

The title of this album came to me on the verge of sleep, in those precious moments where you dream without quite encountering slumber and the conscious mind, meandering as it may, is still vigorously active. I jumped out of bed to write down the thought that came to me. After all, I’ve lost enough ideas under the weight of the ending day, waking only to the idea that I had a great idea…and didn’t write it down.

The story of how it came to me may be a microcosm of the whole idea itself. The break though. The moment of inspiration. Recognition. Fortification. Love. Light breaking through clouds at just the right time to speak to you, direct and anonymous as you wake, drive, work, cook, clean or even dream. A moment of clarity as it were...over a breakbeat.

This new collection of instrumentals I plan to release in volumes (starting here with my best two feet forward) is a series of moments that break through. Depending on the timing, these breaks can be both light and dark and you’ll find a mix of moody, dark pieces along with lighter and hopefully more inspiring pieces. The effect may be a sort of bi-polar track listing, but isn’t that just like life? The ebb and flow of our routine, struggle, progress and finally, breakthrough?

This is my so called beat tape. A concept album in volumes. A never ending story. So much for the simple one off to release something for the hell of it before my full length drops at the end of the summer.

So it goes.

Thanks for listening,
SEE MORE PERSPECTIVE

"Breaks in the Clouds", a Conceptual Beat Tape

 

 Tru Ruts/Speakeasy Records presents BREAKS IN THE CLOUDS
MC and producer’s first beat tape is a psychedelic musical narrative

“Spitting classical flows with a quick angry tongue over crisp beats, it was hard to digest but I’d be ready to hear him again any day.” – City Pages

“Hip-hop and spooky graveyard fog find a surprisingly tight chemistry…” – A.V. Club Madison

“(See More Perspective) is a voice of this generation.” – Rich Albertoni (Madison’s Isthmus)

Like the other artists on the Tru Ruts/Speakeasy Records roster (Sha Cage, e.g. bailey, Guante, Truthmaze, etc.) See More Perspective wears a lot of hats.  A teacher, a rapper, a drummer, a beatboxer and even a cook, See More is ready to show the world his talent as a producer with his first full-length beat tape, BREAKS IN THE CLOUDS.

Winner of the “Best Producer” award at the 2009 Urban Griots Awards, See More has worked with some of the brightest talents from the Twin Cities, Chicago (his home for nearly a decade) and beyond.  This beat compilation collects some of his favorite productions—some full-on instrumental arrangements, some rap songs stripped of their vocals, and some wild experiments thrown in for good measure.

The result is a psychedelic gumbo of styles and flavors.  These aren’t sped-up soul samples, generic club bangers or DJ Premier knock-off beats.  These are the products of a producer who has developed a real musical personality of his own and isn’t afraid to let it shine through.

“This new collection of instrumentals is a series of moments that break through,” See More says.  “Depending on the timing, these breaks can be both light and dark and you’ll find a mix of moody, dark pieces along with lighter and hopefully more inspiring pieces.  The effect may be a sort of bi-polar track listing, but isn’t that just like life?  The ebb and flow of our routine, struggle, progress and finally, breakthrough?”

See More Perspective will be releasing his debut full-length as a rapper, “Architextual Design,” later this year.  And if this beat tape is any indication, it’s going to be something pretty special—fearless, progressive and forward-thinking.

“The break though,” See More says.  “The moment of inspiration.  Recognition.  Fortification.  Love.  Light breaking through clouds at just the right time to speak to you, direct and anonymous, as you wake, drive, work, cook, clean or even dream.  A moment of clarity as it were, over a break beat.”

‘Breaks in the Clouds’ is available as a free download for a limited time at Tru Ruts’ Bandcamp.

"Big Cheese" - New Single from upcoming "Breaks in The Clouds"!!

The artwork:




The write up:

Second single from the upcoming beat tape concept album, Breaks in the Clouds (Volumes One + Two), to be released July 27th.

Winner of the “Best Producer” award at the 2009 Urban Griots Awards, Tru Ruts/Speakeasy Records artist, See More Perspective, has worked with some of the brightest talents from the Twin Cities, Chicago (his home for nearly a decade) and beyond. “Breaks in the Clouds” is a beat tape that collects some of his favorite productions—some full-on instrumental arrangements, some rap songs stripped of their vocals, and some wild experiments thrown in for good measure. The result is a psychedelic gumbo of styles and flavors. These aren’t sped-up soul samples, generic club bangers or DJ Premier knock-off beats. These are the products of a producer who has developed a real musical personality of his own and isn’t afraid to let it shine through.

The Track:

"WHAT'S KRACKEN?" - New single from upcoming 'BREAKS IN THE CLOUDS'!

The artwork:

First single from the upcoming beat tape concept album, Breaks in the Clouds (Volumes One + Two), to be released July 27th.

Winner of the “Best Producer” award at the 2009 Urban Griots Awards, Tru Ruts/Speakeasy Records artist, See More Perspective, has worked with some of the brightest talents from the Twin Cities, Chicago (his home for nearly a decade) and beyond. “Breaks in the Clouds” is a beat tape that collects some of his favorite productions—some full-on instrumental arrangements, some rap songs stripped of their vocals, and some wild experiments thrown in for good measure. The result is a psychedelic gumbo of styles and flavors. These aren’t sped-up soul samples, generic club bangers or DJ Premier knock-off beats. These are the products of a producer who has developed a real musical personality of his own and isn’t afraid to let it shine through.

The track:

Thoughts on Teaching; A Personal Reflection of 2009

In 2009, I learned a lot about teaching. This time last year I was teaching part time and every day of the week. I wasn’t just the cool artist coming in on a visit, but the actual “teacher” of a class and that, my friends, is much more difficult. I was using my tools of creativity to teach some basic computer skills and it was hard as hell! I learned that “buy in” is everything and that you truly need to achieve and re-achieve that everyday. Every. Day.

Every moment with my students was an obstacle course. Running this course of walls and traps set to protect a young mind from mis-education and disappointment was, to say the least, exhausting. It was also, for it’s challenges, enlightening. Being the teacher for a class of students every day during the school day made me a part of the establishment, whether I liked it or not. To many of the students, whatever I did and whoever I am, there was a cardboard cutout of all they have grown to despise about public education.

Personally, it was extraordinarily difficult to be seen as all that I have such disdain for in education. I needed to look deeply into myself to not only see beyond the grief this inspired, but to also see the parts of myself that do fit that mold of oppressor. Needless to say, this is scary, scary stuff…

Since then, I’ve practiced simultaneously having my guard up and being completely present. Learning to be a little tough with the class while showing my heart. Being forgiving while not “taking any shit” and to be as patient with myself as with the students.

'Breaks in the Clouds' cover art preview!

Here's the cover art to my upcoming beat tape release. A 'beat tape' is generally just a collection of beats to showcase what a given producer has in his or her vaults. A bunch of beats with no theme or message, other than "I'm a really talented producer".

While I've stayed true to that idea of the beat tape by opening the doors of my catalog and proving how wonderfully talented of a producer I am (wink/smile/sparkle), I couldn't help but to make something more of this collection of instrumental music.

The title is an inspired play on words. Breaks as in break beats, clouds as in the heavens above and overall, the idea that this music comes through me from a greater self, consciousness or plan. View it as you see fit.

I've written a formal introduction for the album so I won't go further into detail, instead let you take a look at the design and (hopefully) wonder what gems the album will hold :)
designed by yours truly:
 

 

Danger of the Single Story.

I'll start here. A video that resonated with me and the reasons for the name SEE MORE PERSPECTIVE. It's called 'Danger of the single Story' and it inspired the name of this blog.

The idea of the single story is this; If you have an experience, or even multiple experiences with someone of a certain culture or background, you develop a story for that person or culture. Believing this or these experiences to be the whole truth of a person or culture creates one, singular story for that person or culture. This sells them short, however true your experience may be, because there's always more to a person, situation or culture than is readily available to the eye.

Of course, in this video, Chimamanda Adichie explains this concept far more eloquently than I, so definitely watch it for yourself and hear her explain the idea through stories and experience. It's beautiful and sharp.




The single story can be dangerous in terms of culture and stereotyping but can also be dangerous in the way we view ourselves. If we limit the way we look at ourselves, the world, relationships, success, or progress for example, we limit the way we experience and digest those things. We limit learning opportunities in unlikely places. We limit ourselves and enriching experience.

With this, I urge you to SEE MORE PERSPECTIVE...and to swing by the blog from time to time. I hope you enjoy it, I hope you read something enriching or inspiring or are lead somewhere you didn't know about in thought or culture and share this message with those around you. I hope you come to my shows and buy my music :) Thanks for reading.

One Love; a lot of views on it,

SEE MORE PERSPECTIVE