By LiAnn Ishizuka

LiAnn Ishizuka shares her favorite underground Asian/Asian American musicians of 2008.

2008's best unknown Asian and/or Asian American artists aren't on the SPIN cover or Billboard Top 100 list at year's end, but that doesn't mean they shouldn't be recognized. Beneath the mainstream hits that inevitable fall prey to annoying repeats on almost every radio station, underground and emerging artists were making good music in 2008, even if not everybody was listening. They played at small gigs and rocked at local events in your neighborhood. These musicians are the people who stay true to music/hip hop/themselves and are respected because of that. Artists like LA Dj Jekai.Soulspeak, whose turntable improvisation command applause or Koreatown native Dumbfoundead who proved he can eloquently freestyle rap faster, sharper, and fiercer than any amateur (and here's video to prove it.)  Internationally, bands like Indonesian rock favorites SLANK hoped to make it big in the West with a debut English album, while Shugo Tokumaru's release of his whimsical Exit album was a non-stop ride in a sensational instrumental pop merry-go-round. Now I'm no worldly expert on musical aptitude. I merely suggest you lend an open ear to listen, for at least 25 seconds.

Read below and sample APA's version of the Top Ten Best Underground Artists (that you don't know, but should) of 2008. Check it.
 

10. SLANK

Album: Anthem For The Broken Hearted
Release Date: September 30th 2008
Listen to "Drug Me Up"

15 million of their records have been sold internationally, and they are treated like royalty in their home country of Indonesia. So why is SLANK even on this list? Because they've decided to tap the American music market for the first time -– which means first entering the underground scene. Anthem For the Broken Hearted is their debut album in English, a language not too difficult for these rockers considering it's the second national language of Indonesia. Perhaps SLANK can't quite compare to the caliber of Guns N Roses or Rolling Stones yet, but their effort is genuine. A lot of hope and optimism is kept strongly youth-centric. Though "Drug Me Up" is also about catchy tunes and fast riffs. Contrary to the song's title, SLANK is reported to be working with the Indonesian government in anti-drug initiatives. For more information, click here for their MySpace page.

9. Jinah Kim

EP: Red Eye
Release Date: May 16, 2008
Listen to "Confessions"
 

The strumming acoustic guitar with limited-to-no background percussion sounds has a fresh name entering the folk/indie sphere. Her name is Jinah Kim, an earnest 20-something college grad who released her Red Eye EP this summer. Jinah was hitting up the Boston scene back in her college days, and since relocating to Los Angeles, she's been playing at local music gigs where her voice is a gem, especially heard live. The album as whole was definitely a typical start with musings about relationships lost and searching for love. But it's the clarity in her voice that isn't as mundane as other trying indie artists. "Confessions" is a bit on the depressing side, but the lyrics are solid, and Jinah makes the song more contemplative and artsy -- with a gentle bass touch. For more information, click here for her MySpace page.
 

8. Freddie Joachim

CD: In With Time
Release Date: 2008 
Listen to "24 Hours 7 Days" feat. Aloe Blacc

The marriage of jazz and hip hop is an organic one. It's rooted deep where hip hop first originated. This harmony of genres is the essence of DJ/producer Freddie Joachim's trade. His debut album In With Time featured some tight collabs with underground rappers Aloe Blacc, Blu, and Son of Ran, all complementing his smooth beats. In a time warp back to a Sergio Mendes "Samba Da Bencao" feel, "24 Hours 7 Days" featuring Aloe Blacc, is the perfect concoction of jazz, samba, and cool hip hop. And it's no surprise to learn that Freddie does sound engineering as a day job. Major labels aren't a necessity in his life; after all he's released free instrumental remixes for his blog fans on the regular. What's more important is that at the end of the day, Freddie has creative control. That's probably why he took the international route to sign with Japanese label, Subcontact. No, the music is not in Japanese, though frankly, it really doesn't matter what language it is because Freddie's cozy jazz samplings are simply beyond words. For more information, click here for his MySpace page.     
 

7. Jekai.Soulspeak (Jeff Kai Luen Liang)

Album: Bai Hua Zoo
Release Date: 2008
Listen to "World Citizens"
 

I'll be honest, I discovered Jekai.Soulspeak (Jeff Kai Luen Liang) late in mid-October at a community event, so I still have fresh ears. But once I heard his finger work on the ones and twos, it all made sense. Revealing his DJ artistry in his solo effort Bai Hua Zoo, Jekai is also one fourth of the underground hip hop group, The Oddibles. He's also rocked with favorites like KRS One, Living Legends, and Pharoahe Monch. What really surprises me is that his DJing is more subtle than what you'd expect. Take "World Citizens" as an example. To break it down, the first lines are a sped-up sampling of the Ryuichi Sakamoto & David Sylvian "World Citizen (I Won't Be Disappointed)" chorus which quickly dissipates to a light melody of its own. Jekai makes use of the sampling a little more, careful to rely mostly on a steady and fluid snare drum. It's tracks like this where Jekai is brilliant –- yielding beats at a pace that is perfect for some calm head nodding. For more information, click here for his MySpace page.
 

6. Giant Panda

Album: Electric Laser
Release Date: May 20, 2008
Listen to "AIM"

As a group, the name Giant Panda a play-on-words of its black, white, and Asian members: Newman (Alex Newman), Maanumental (Jamaan Mclaren), and Chikaramanga (Chikara Kurahashi). Since their 2005 Fly School Reunion debut album, this rap trio has had more reasons to reunite. Their sophomore release, Electric Laser, took a lot of getting used to for audiences who were hooked to Giant Panda's regular homage to 90s rap and nostalgic hip hop. But Electric Laser is more electro-fused and more lyrically mature. In "AIM," Giant Panda puts the English term "alliteration" to utter shame. I don't think I've heard more "t" consonants in one song. Ever. It's also interesting that Tokyo-born Chikaramanga often raps in his native Japanese tongue on various tracks throughout the album -- like on "Precise Calculator" where Chikaramanga is given the spotlight. For more information, click here for their MySpace page.
 

5. Shugo Tokumaru

Album: Exit
International Release Date: September 2, 2008
Listen to "Button" 

Ok, so Shugo Tokumaru's Exit album was technically first released in Japan in 2007, but it didn't hit U.S. shores until September of this year so consider it still a part of the 2008 music year. Shugo is no American pop/experimental elitist, but his third album release brings him close to it. It's a mash between a childlike reverie and some out-of-wack LSD trip. Even his music videos with pastel hues and minimalist patterns are evidence of this. Exit reminds me of a mellow "I Am the Walrus" complete with instruments thrown at random. Shugo has been recognized widely by indie/pop music blogs applauding his unique whimsical ventures and his cinematic soundtrack nature. Even when Japanese lyrics are sung, he maintains a soft, high pitched voice that sweetly complements all of the musical eccentricities. For more information, click here for his MySpace page.
 

4. Nosaj Thing (Jason Chung)

Expected Album: Untitled
Expected Release Date: Early /Mid 2009
Listen to: "Camel"  

Nosaj Thing (Jason Chung) is a producer slash remixer. He does his explorations with hip hop and electronica that can only be described as a creative other-worldly soundscape. When you listen to his remixes, it's obvious that Nosaj Thing keeps himself deep in thought with complex and smooth-as-butter weaves. 2008 wasn't really his year for album releases, but we're still including him because he's made appearances with a remix of Flying Lotus' "Camel" available free (thanks to his willingness to digitally share), a Radiohead remix of "Reckoner", and a HEALTH remix of "Tabloid" which fired up posts on music blogs this past summer. Recently signed by Alpha Pup Records in September, he's notified fans that a debut full length is in the works next year. And at the tender age of 22, Nosaj Thing's career is nowhere near a climax. Whether he's reppin' LA Wednesday nights at Low End Theory or touring Europe, here's a heads up to introduce yourself to Nosaj Thing. For more information, click here for his MySpace page.
 

3. Free the Robots (Chris Alfaro)

EP: The Killer Robots
Release Date: March 18, 2008
Listen to: "Jazzhole" (from the 2005 EP)

When your name is on the cover of a coveted Giant Robot issue, you know it's for real. Real dope that is. The moniker Free the Robots is the mastermind of Santa Ana producer, Chris Alfaro, whose name and picture has already glazed the cover of OC Weekly in 2007 and now GR's recent issue 57. His music is often labeled as "futuristic" and "forward-thinking." His secret? Meticulously picking apart vinyl jazz records, which are later cut and pasted onto his analog creations. But music is not his only gig. Chris Alfaro and friends, after a tenuous battle with Santa Ana city officials, finally got approval of the now-up-and-running restaurant/bookstore called The Crosby, a hang out place for hipster crowds in downtown OC (also voted Best New Bar in the OC this year). Back to the music, Chris makes DJ appearances as Urthworm at LA's underground venue Low End Theory, just like fellow DJ, Nosaj Thing. Since his 2007 EP, he's been mixing under Shepard Fairey's Obey Records dropping a Gaslamp Killer and Free the Robots collaborative EP, The Killer Robots. While the EP was a brief four tracks, only two of which were tracks by Free the Robots; it's a nice psychedelic eclipse to the multitude of genres that Chris manages to mix fluidly. Look forward to a full album come 2009 with the Alpha Pup label. For more information, click here for his MySpace page.
 

2. Cool Calm Pete (Peter Chong)

Single: Gitty Up Baby
Release Date: August 2008
Listen to: "Gitty Up Baby"
Free download

Known for creating music that is "lazy-sounding rap", Cool Calm Pete isn't your average rapper. Most rappers like to flaunt their speed and agility on rhyme schemes, but not this Queens kid. Born in Seoul, Cool Calm Pete grew up in Queens, NY where he's an obsessively loyal Mets fan. Pete got his MC start as part of the Brooklyn-based three man group, Babbletron, whose existence today is still ambiguous. And since 2005, Pete seems to have steered himself in more independent waters with his Lost debut solo album by Definitive Jux. This year was supposed to be the release of his much anticipated LP, Leonard Z, but while we waited, Cool Calm Pete could be found collaborating and releasing his own tracks in an Adult Swim x Definitive Jux production's Definite Swim album, on Morcheeba's Dive Deep, and a track with Time Machine. We finally heard some new material of his own production, "Gitty Up Baby", laden with lady shout outs and a cover that screams adult magazine. I guess it goes without saying it's the nature of Pete's laid back character that we'll have to wait for his take on the human condition in his (2009 hopefully) Leonard Z LP. For more information, click here for his MySpace page.

1. Dumbfoundead (Jonathan Park)

EP: Dumburger with No Cheese
Release Date: July 30th, 2008
FREE ALBUM DOWNLOAD
DOPE Battle video
DOPE Battle video (pt. 2)
Listen to: "First, Second, Third"

It's kind of impossible not to mention Dumbfoundead this year. Not only has he been a well-respected hip hop artist within the underground Project Blowed community (co-founded by underground giant Aceyalone), but he's also kept strong ties with the Asian American community. At the sixth annual Asian Hip Hop Summit, Dumbfoundead and the rest of his Swim Team squad traveled on a cross country tour hitting up underground scenes across America. But it's his own freestyle rapping that make crowds holler back. On the streets of Oakland this past November, LA's Dumbfoundead battled Union City's Tantrum in what soon became a hands down victory in one of the illest battles I've seen. Both happen to be Asian American, and it was Dumbfoundead's collected, fast-witted rap ciphers that blew the live crowd and moved all the judges to unanimous agreement. This summer, Dumbfoundead released his Dumburger with No Cheese EP, a collection that's been on rotation in my iPod since I downloaded it in July. You can't get any fresher than lyrics like "Step it up before the seconds run on the second hand / sometimes in life we get a second chance / 'cause its too early for us to think about the exit plan" off a track favorite, "First, Second, Third," that follows Dumbfoundead on his perpetual rise in first, second, and third time experiences. It's a lyrical mindblow to dissect his rhymes meter by meter, but it shows his ingenuity for some smart alphabetic architecture. For more information, click here for his MySpace page.

Back to APA's Best of 2008 issue

Published: Friday, January 2, 2009