Skrr and Sixtythree666 dream of better days on the grainy cybertrap tune “yokohama pill”
“yokohama pill” is the best song Skrr has ever made. The New York rapper, with a list of F.K.A’s too long to mention, drops into a typically brutal beat from Sixtythree666 and nails a superhero landing, lamenting the “too real” state of the world through a distorted and noisy microphone. He switches between a truly pained voicing on the chorus and a more focused and self-confident flow for the tune’s brief verse. Sixtythree, ever the master of obscure melodies and bricked waveforms, brings the chaos in spades. Every aspect of “yokohama”, from a production perspective, feels carefully chosen to enhance the atmosphere of Skrr’s lyrics. The filters, though digital, feel decayed and rusted, bass blasts through a cramped mix as a series of vibrating synths and clanging samples duck out of the way – it’s a lot to take in. Sounds of an engine at the conclusion give the image of Skrr and Sixty, side by side, drifting through a rain-soaked and endless cityscape. That’s a colourful way to say the pair have tangible and effective chemistry, hints of which bled through Skrr’s appearance on the recent Cybernetic Snake song “True Ogre”.
Producer and artist find another bond in the hazy deep-web aesthetics they bring to the table. Skrr is a bit of an enigma, appearing in often crowded and rarely clear mixes. He exists as more of a signal than a presence; “yokohama pill” really succeeds in bringing his humanity forward. He sings with dead seriousness about getting “off the pavement” and into “a mansion”, but autotune ladders digitise him once more. Enigmatic for sure. Sixtythree666 is similarly ghostly (by self admission – see “ghost in white car”). His beats come from outside convention but embrace trap standards, making use of varied and unknowable source materials. All this is true for “yokohama”, with rattling high hats that ground a summery sample to grittier origins. One thing is easily seen in the duo’s alliance though – they won’t be ignored. “yokohama pill” is loud, emotionally charged, and a serious evolution for Skrr. Though he’ll probably have changed his name five or six more times before his next breakthrough moment, Skrr’s level-up is speeding towards the present.
Note: Sixtythree666 has since come to us to let us know that there are actually no samples in this song at all, which is nothing short of mind blowing.
Listen to “yokohama pill” here.
Follow Skrr on Twitter and Soundcloud.
Follow Sixtythree666 on Twitter, Instagram and Soundcloud.
– Jamie (@youngjade1216)
108MICS 