- The premise behind Sydney label Templar Sound's white label series is simple: pair an instrumental by a relatively new producer with a vocal by a notable grime MC, throw in a remix from a pivotal producer, then press it in a run so limited it's gone before all but the most on-it DJs have noticed.
The press notes describe the release as an "ode" to grime and pirate radio, but there's little that's nostalgic about Mokona's debut release. Instead, the elements are individually delineated in space and rough around the edges. Without the driving force of percussion, "Untitled" has a haunting quality that makes it feel more like the impression of a grime tune than a grime tune proper. Mokona's aggressively minimalist way with grime motifs and the feel of having accidentally tuned into a pirate radio station will invite comparisons to Wen and Logos. A more upfront remix by Youngstar, producer of the bona fide classic "Pulse X," fleshes out the original with a barrage of hi-hats. Prince Rapid's vocal version underlines its barrenness, his adlib about the distance between London and Sydney telling of the gulf between localised early grime and the breadth of the international community making it today.
TracklistA1 Untitled (Rapid Vocal)
A2 Untitled
B1 Untitled (Youngstar Remix)