ALBUM

SWEETHEARTGRIPS (2019)

Juxtaposition is a running theme in Vagrant Real Estate’s work: aside from the oxymoron implied in his production alias, the new album title refers to the clear handles WWII soldiers attached to their firearms with photographs of loved ones inside, alluding to the stark contrast of the often sentimental and originally romantic subject matter Vagrant pulls from in order to craft hard hitting and dark beats.

The album itself draws from many moods and feelings, from quiet, reflective jazz and blues reminiscent of Dilla, Madlib and DJ Shadow to the loud, maximalist soul chops of Just Blaze, 9th Wonder and early Kanye, peppered with soundbites spanning obscure interview clips, vinyl snippets and general Internet-age ephemera. If Vagrant’s first album of bright, orchestral soul flips, titled As Much As I Used To, was day, then SWEETHEARTGRIPS is the night, with a somber and reflective tone that carries throughout most of the project.

The entirety of the production, arrangement and artwork has been handled by Vagrant Real Estate himself, with three guest appearances dropping in as interludes. Skirmish of acclaimed UK rap group Rhyme Asylum makes an appearance, as well as the Birmingham Grime artist Mayday and Reno KOQ of Queens, New York. These three disparate artists are linked through their production from Vagrant and highlight the crux of his work as being made possible by the Internet, and the geographical barriers it breaks down. Much like these three MCs, the source material utilized in Vagrant’s sampler comes from all over the globe, centralized by the World Wide Web. The tracks themselves blend together as one, with emphasis on shifts in dynamics, interspersed with offcuts and sudden new directions, mirroring the scatter-brained short attention span of the modern internet.

Out now on iTunes, Apple Music, Spotify, Amazon, Google Play, and more.