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Rajiv Münch, a Dutch producer of Dominican heritage better known as Munchi, has crafted something really special here along with his friend Jon Kwest. Said to have done the first original moombahton track, Münch has worked on mixtapes for M.I.A. and Azealia Banks. He’s an all round happy noise maker (I recommend going on the “about” section of his Facebook fan page to grasp some of his influences). As for Kwest, he’s an artist who makes thick-beat music where dancing is a must. Basically, this is a heavenly match for dance floor connoisseurs.
Boom Bap Back is a split EP, with three tracks from each artist alternating throughout. With other people this might have led to a very off-balanced set, but it’s not the case here. Everything sounds natural and makes sense. Airhorns are found everywhere, especially on the opener by Jon Kwest, “Dirtbag Riddim,” complemented by booming beats. Munchi’s “Denk Je Is Fissa Ofzo?” also features a pitch-shifted airhorn line but its rhythm is less urgent than the opener.
In a way, this EP is a sort of tribute to Miami bass, and I’m not just talking about the airhorns. The beats, while in a different rhythm than those of the Florida style, are sonically reminiscent of the sub-genre, not to mention the call-and-response samples that pop up everywhere. That being said, the set has tons of variety, like Munchi’s “Reality Check,” which features gunshot samples and synths that recall Kraftwerk without completely abandoning the base sound.
Things become less safe at the end. Kwest’s “What’s Life?” features airy guitar samples, a trumpet riff, and some Hammond organ chords to give it a complete ’70s feel. The beat, though, remains deep and b-boy ready. Like taking a ton of elements, tossing them into a blender, and not turning it off until the track is over, Munchi’s “Shout Out To MP (That ‘09 Grind)” is an orgy of sounds. Skronk blares beneath the profanity-laced voices in the middle of the chaotic arrangement. Both closers have an undeniable hip-hop flavor without following much of the genre’s guidelines, like dropping some 20 b-boy-approved 12”s on the flavor and then glueing back the pieces to play in four different turntables at the same time. And these are the shortest tracks in here.
There’s tons going on in these 15 minutes of music, but rest assured, both producers know exactly what they are doing.