As a Detroit native relocated in Los Angeles, Quelle Chris conjured early knee jerk comparisons of the late Dilla. That was 2011. In those days associations ran deep from rolling in Detroit crews with Elzhi, Ta’Raach, and House Shoes like Breakfast Club and Wasted Youth. Unheralded is his tenures in a rock band, electronic band, and collaboration Awesome In Outer Space. By 2013’s release of Niggas Is Men, Quelle was on some other shit that juked preconceptions without alienating his lineage. The aim of these biographical bullet points is illustrate Quelle’s history of living outside conventions and pigeonholes. Quelle Chris quite simply makes Quelle Chris music. In February, Quelle Chris will push further outside the boundaries with an instrumental LP entitled Lullabies For The Broken Brain.
Singer Bilal Salaam remains grounded in the embers on the vocal version of “I’m The Bridge You Must Burn.” An exclusive bonus for the CD and vinyl, the Salaam version is a murky groove that suggests Quelle’s idea of a lullabies dwell on the darkness of the REM state ahead. Past works have been self-produced making an instrumental record not that large of a departure for him, but “I’m The Bridge You Must Burn” is a shift nonetheless, particularly when he spins the entire record backwards at the midway point.
Preorder Lullabies For The Broken Brain on Mello Music Group’s Bandcamp. The album is out February 26.
