Originally published on metropolis.co.jp on May 2011

New Tokyo-based intelligent hip-hop and downtempo electronica label Inductive drops its debut release at a party this weekend in Shibuya. Launched by expat French DJ and producer Audace, Inductive hits the ground running with American rapper Chiba the Chemist’s first album, Helmet Jawz. Flaunting dark, atmospheric productions by Audace and fellow trackmakers Crane 11 and Ces2, Chiba uses his considerable vocabulary to weave tales including one based on a real-life suicide that can be sampled in the video for the track “Rune Kawasaki (She Jumped).” “This album is for the kids in terms of being musically and lyrically accessible,” he says. “I smurfed a lot of my R-rated and X-rated lyrics and ideas on this project cuz I wanted this to be a gateway album that all peoples could rock.”

May 28 @Soft. 10pm ¥1,000. Nearest stn: Shibuya.

[youtube]AAbYqF_QDjs&feature=player_embedded[/youtube]