Ah how we love it when good quality, old-fashioned hip-hop lands on our desks. It’s not often admittedly, but a couple have caught our ears of late. First up is Herma Puma – a UK-US peace treaty between our own Pimpernel Jones and American jock Simple X, whose new debut album Synchromystic is a wonderful journey through clever rhymes, smooth cool beats, stoned meanderings and general dopeness. Like a blend of DJ Shadow, Vadim, Ugly Duckling and somehow a tinge of the otherworldliness that the Gorillaz conjure up (check Beneath The Sea for a good example). It features rap talent from Chicago and the UK of the highest quality, and some delightfully random samples – as any good hip-hop rekkid should.
Information is scarce on these two, but when they sound so good we don’t care so much about their locale, shoe size and sexual inclinations.
How and when were you first infected by dance music?
Pimpernel Jones: I remember getting the music bug at about the age of 6, listening to The Beatles records on headphones, reading every word on the sleeve. But all my family had dope tastes in their own way and by the time I got my first decks I had access to a lot of dope stuff to dig in to.
Simple X: When I was still in elementary school, my cousin came over with a Beastie Boys mix tape that his friend put together. Ever since I have been hooked on various forms of urban music.
When did you start making music / producing, and how long was it before you started making tracks that you were really happy with?
Pimpernel Jones: I first started on Trackers, which is a hexadecimal sample-sequencing software. Back then I didn’t know a beat from a bar, but I had an ear for samples and it gave me a very cheap way of making music.
Simple X: The first time I made a beat was in a college dorm pre Y2K. I came across an old Yamaha SU-10 sampler with some friends (7 seconds of sample time / 14 on mono), and a Karaoke machine with 2 tape decks. I never really was happy with my tracks until I got props from Lenny S. (DEF JAM A/R) at a beat battle in Chicago back in late 2008.
What have been your personal favourite tracks / productions so far?
Pimpernel Jones: Hard to say but the Alice Russell remix has to be up there. That started as a on spec remix and ended up a song competition, so we were up against some very talented and respected names like Mr. Scruff and Shawn Lee.
Simple X: I second PJ on the Alice Russell. My personal favourite track on the Herma Puma record is Circle of Destiny. However, there are so many tracks in the vaults, it's hard to pinpoint a single best track. I would rather let my peers and audience decide.
Where does your name come from?
Pimpernel Jones: It’s a play on Hermes, the Greek Messanger god’s winged sandals… we could have just as easily been named after the flash if it wasn’t for the fact he wears yellow wellington boots. There’s a lot of themes like that in the titles. Hopefully some of the listeners will research some of the meanings if they don’t know.
Who would you most like to work with?
Pimpernel Jones: I’d loved to of worked on a Norman Whitfield Psycke-Soul track with a big orchestra and the Undisputed Truth, ha ha.
Simple X: Haha, give me Rotary Connection and also some Earth, Wind and Fire.
Pimpernel Jones: But as far as recording artists; Shawn Lee, Lewis Parker, The Phantom Scrribbla, Halex the Armageddon, and anyone from Native Tounges.
Simple X: Along with those, Fatima, Thundercat, Sa-Ra, and Phonte (Little Brother/Foreign Exchange) would be ill.
What have you got in store for the coming months?
Pimpernel Jones: The Album is out now, there’s a 7” single and a digital LP. We also have a song featured on a new online game APB by Ex Lemmings and GTA cats, there’s a Homecut / J Live remix, we are working on new stuff with a lot of the cats featured on Synchromystic.
Simple X: Hopefully I can get my arse over to UK in coming months, ha ha.
What can we expect from one of your DJ sets or live sets?
Pimpernel Jones: I play lots of 4+ hour gigs so I have to keep a broad range, but youwon’t hear anything from the radio unless someone has done a dope funk cover. I play lots of classic hip-hop and deep funk, Jazz, reggae, soul + library. I just think it’s important to have fun playing music you love.
Simple X: I agree, you gotta play what you love or else what’s the point? You can also expect to see improvised additives and beat flipping like hot cakes.
If you weren’t a DJ/producer/artists, what would you be?
Pimpernel Jones: A sadhu.
Simple X: A union pipefitter.
Which other producers and DJs and artists do you really rate?
Pimpernel Jones: Exile, Damu the Fudge Monk
Simple X: Whew there are too many to list, but I’ll have a go. Sa-Ra, Madlib, Blu & Exile, Lewis Parker, Foreign Exchange (Nickolay), Flying Lotus, DJ Mitsu, and Serengeti just to name a few.