Instrumental trip-hop quartet Dr. Mambo is back for another round of moody and atmospheric tracks. New LP Corridors dropped on Friday, giving the impression that the masked band of musicians has only grown since 2019’s Dubious Food.
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“It’s a blend of eerie soundtrack-style music,” says drummer/co-producer Stephen Massar. “Inspirations come from our favorite soundtrack composers and hip-hop producers.”
The band’s latest features more world-music influences, plus a ghostlier aesthetic than the previous release. Some tracks, like “Free-for-All” and “Scratching in the Dirt,” keep things sparse with the occasional vocal sample that would fit on an indie hip-hop release like MF Doom’s MM.. Food. Other songs, like “Blue Flowers” and “Terraformation,” fall back on Dr. Mambo’s knack for simple but catchy hooks and jams.
[content-1] Abstract that Rapper came through with an assist on Corridors‘ release date with a vocal version of “Terraformation” called “Wu Would Never Die” and an accompanying music video. In typical fashion, Abstract brings nothing but his best rhymes to the song, changing his flow effortlessly, and keeping things as unique as he can. It’s a great tease to what he’s got in store for everyone on his upcoming EP Mosaic.
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The band relies on haunting instrumentation for the entirety of Corridors, despite being a popular backing band for rappers in the Charleston area. According to the band, other vocal versions of some of the songs exist and may be released some time in the future.
