Steve 'Flash' JuonAs far as I can tell Delicasteez (and his label Deli Records) are from Adelaide, Australia. It’s at times like these I find it a pleasant reminder that hip-hop music and culture stopped being a singularly American product decades ago. We exist in a world that seeks no end of reasons to divide us based on race, religion, nationality, geography and sexuality among other things. The language of hip-hop successfully transcends all of those boundaries. No matter where you are from, who you are or what you are into, hip-hop is there for you. You can touch it from any part of the globe and make it your own.
Delicasteez shows an aptly delicate hand throughout “Deli (Vol. 1)” on tracks like “Higher Than I Actually Am.” Everything about the vibe is as refreshing as a cold drink on a hot day. The sharpness of the snare taps feels real and comforting. The synthesized melody is as spontaneous as free form jazz. The song quietly fades off into the distance and seamlessly into the follow up “Movement.” Deli could say “You Know My Steez” and I’d agree — these jazzy notes and strident percussion are his hallmarks.
It’s perhaps unsurprising that “Deli (Vol. 1)” includes a song called “Trashy (Dilla Tribute)” given that Delicasteez feels inspired by the late James Yancey. He offers you short concise moods that feel like listening to vinyl records over AM radio waves, like the delightful pianos of “Sunrise.” Jay Dee would recognize his signature in such tracks, even though some of my favorite Dilla works have more of a head nodding boom bap feel. “Contribute” closely mimics that steelo.
My only complaint about Delicasteez would be that eventually his insistence on the prominence of his snare drum wears thin, even on a short album like this one. I’m not saying it sounds bad, but I am saying that it’s noticeable to the point that once you hear it, you can’t unhear it ever again. He could diversify the percussion a little more than he does here and it’s likely he did on other works, which I’m sure I’ll be happy to listen to in the future. This seems like a good place to begin my journey in Adelaide, not physically at least (perhaps one day if I’m lucky) but at least mentally.