Advancing the unfolding legacy of instrumental hip-hop at Stones Throw is Samiyam’s Pizza Party: 24 minutes of off-kilter mobster music mixed with a warm soul sound that is unmistakably L.A. producer and beatmaker Samiyam. Praised by his collaborators Action Bronson, Earl Sweatshirt, The Alchemist, and Flying Lotus, Sam’s independent beat tape ventures and instrumental albums are revered by rappers, respected by producers.
Pizza Party is free of samples from the characteristically dusty vinyl grooves and warped tapes of past recordings. Instead, we have originally-played synthesizer and FX in unison with the off-the-grid drum patterns and aesthetic sonic swagger that Samiyam owns. The last track, “What Can I Do,” features co-production with Jonwayne.