H31R – “Backwards”

The experimental hip-hop duo H31R — New Jersey producer/composer JWords and Brooklyn rapper/vocalist maassai — have a new LP on the way. HeadSpace drops this fall on Ninja Tune’s Big Dada imprint, with features from Quelle Chris and Semiratruth. They’ve launched the rollout today with a highly intriguing new single and music video.

“Backwards” rides glitchy production that reminds me of Radiohead’s electronic material in the early 2000s crossed with the dial-up modem sounds that might have preceded me downloading that stuff. On the mic, massai moves with understated confidence, building again and again to the refrain “Why you moving backwards?” For the video, directed by Mike Weir, H31R pay homage to the Pharcyde’s “Drop” video, moving through the streets of New York in business attire while the rest of the world walks in reverse.

Watch below.

TRACKLIST:
01 “Glitch In Time”
02 “Backwards”
03 “Reflection”
04 “Big Bang”
05 “Glass Ceiling” (Feat. Semiratruth)
06 “At Ease (Interlude)”
07 “Train Of Thought”
08 “Shadow Self”
09 “Rotation”
10 “All Over The Place”
11 “Right Here”
12 “Down Down Bb” (Feat. Quelle Chris)
13 “Static”
14 “Air It Out”

HeadSpace is out 11/17 on Big Dada.