TEMPS | “Party Gator Purgatory” LP
The story of how Temps came to be is too long for this feature, but the group’s bio is definitely worth a read. Spearheaded by English comedian James Acaster, the project came together as another project fizzled out, and a once in progress mockumentary became a record, a multi-genre hybrid that’s nothing less than stunning. Produced by Acaster (who handled the album’s drums together with Seb Rochford), he poured through his rolodex to bring together some of modern music’s best minds and habitual genre-adverse artists including Quelle Chris, NNAMDÏ, Mal Devisa, Denmark Vessey, Deerhoof’s Satomi Matsuzaki and John Dieterich, Xenia Rubinos, Open Mike Eagle, Shamir, and that’s only scratching the surface. Rather than a one and done verse approach, the artists revolve throughout the record, making multiple appearances as the expansive songs call for it, leaving a blueprint that defies any logic in favor of artistic freedom. This is alternative hip-hop, jazz, and experimental indie design without a map, and the entire thing is legitimately intriguing.