Label: Totally Gross National Product
Rating: 7.1

Pony Bwoy is the latest project from rapper Jeremy Nutzman aka Spyder Baybie Raw Dog, who has teamed up with producer Hunter Morley. The duo is to release a self-titled LP out on Minneapolis label Totally Gross National Product this month. This will be their first release of 2013 and is curated by Ryan Olson (Gayngs, Marijuana Deathsquads) and Bon Iver’s Justin Vernon. The album is a mix of party appropriate rhythms and more chilled out tracks, it is R&B inspired electronic pop music accompanied by a unique set of vocals.

“Medium Cool” opens Pony Bwoy with a spacey intro track and a congratulation to themselves – “Well done Pony Bwoy”. The first release from the EP, “Hallowed Ground” gives a sense of the direction Nutzman is moving in, he sounds controlled, rhythmic and soulful. Some of the lyrics are almost whispered in an unusual volume twist on the majority of rappers’ loud hard delivery. “Ipanerma_Evol” involves synth, squeaks and a fairly minimal but interesting soundscape.

“Ævum (time crawls)” opens with tribal humming and barely audible paired up lyrics before surges of electronics; “Disrespect, disrespect, don’t go slow, disrespect” and “The body is a clock… don’t smoke in heaven”. “My Mouth Is A Tomb” is a down tempo track with panpipes and keys mixing with a bass line for a beautifully entrancing piece. “Ouroboros” is another song on Pony Bwoy with a casual, confident vibe with the use of autotuned vocals and simple melodies.

“My Body Is A Bruise” brings up the intensity levels; the rhythm and vocal delivery tell you they mean business. “Crystal Ball” brings in the party bass but still at a moderate level, like they don’t have anything to prove, and it’s actually quite refreshing. Like it’s namesake, “Bermuda Triangle” is spooky and mysterious sounding whilst in “Dark Soccer (Night Sounds)” Nutzman spits out lyrics at the fastest pace on the album.

Final song “Fata Morgana” starts off quietly and minimal like a lot of the tracks, before streams of instrumental and rhythmic outbursts; “Pull me out, pull me out yeah, peel back the shame”. It seems the chemistry between Nutzman and Morley just works – its spirited, experimental and overall, a really interesting first release from Pony Bwoy.

https://www.facebook.com/PonyBwoy

Reviewed by Heather Welsh.