We recently heard Pony Bwoy for the first time when the track “Ævum (time crawls)” premiered on SPIN, and that led to the discovery, and subsequent love of “Dark Soccer.” The Minneapolis experimental hip-hop/electronic duo are releasing their debut self-titled album through Totally Gross National Product tomorrow, but have made the entire record available for streaming one day early. Frontman Jeremy Nutzman and production wizard Hunter Morley have managed to combine slow, honeycombing harmony samples with stinging raps and buzz-saw beats that cut to the bone.
Premiering on Pop Matters, it’s a record of revolving doors and moving parts, but nothing about it feels mechanical. Instead, it’s more like a beating heart, pumping through the sticky “My Body is a Bruise” right into the bloody “Bermuda Triangles.” With predecessors like Shabazz Palaces and even co-label head Bon Iver as their touchstones, Pony Bwoy have created a palpable, translucent sound that is mesmerizing.
