PARADIGM SHIFT OUT SEPTEMBER 8 VIA NEXT DOOR RECORDS
WATCH / SHARE “NEW SIGHT” HERE
BUY / STREAM “NEW SIGHT” HERE
PRE-ORDER PARADIGM SHIFT HERE
Photo Credit : Skye Spence // DOWNLOAD HIGH-RES
September 8, 2023 marks the release of Polaris Music Prize nominated group, Super Duty Tough Work’s new album, Paradigm Shift. A mission statement of sorts, Paradigm Shift is a marker in time, a testament to Super Duty Tough Work’s constantly evolving worldview and assertion of commitment to their art and the traditions from which they’re born.
Today, they share a new video for album single “New Sight”. Over a Drum n Bass inspired drum break and synths that seem more at home in Chicago House than boom bap, “New Sight” is the summer anthem for all live shows, club gigs, illegal raves and rooftop parties alike. The track sees pianist and songwriter Marisolle Negash step to the forefront and she narrates the atmosphere of a night out on the scene; stepping in the jam freshly kitted, moving relaxed and with purpose, smoking spliffs with the team and just getting loose to the sounds and vibes. Midway through, frontman Brendan Grey jumps in for a quick appearance, ruminating on the complexities of being a working musician / creative, tearing down stages across the globe while still living gig to gig, and trying to pay rent while opposing neoliberal imperialist agendas (just in case it wasn’t clear, lol). The song leans into the group’s percussive strengths, emphasizing the skills of both Grey and SDTW-drummer Kevin Waters, as they interplay throughout, only to culminate with a double drum feature that sees them both playing in tandem for extra-heavy drum break satisfaction.
Directed and edited by Carla Hernandez, the video for “New Sight” is just “a tale of youth, comradery and gratuitous vandalism,” says Grey. “We really wanted to make a graffiti-heavy visual that focused not only on the actual action of painting, and the many different places and positions that puts you in, but we also wanted to highlight the aspect of the crew. The friendship, the teamwork, the trust you have to have in others, going into dangerous or compromising situations. And beyond that, we wanted to show the fun of it all. Traditionally, graffiti is a very male-dominated world, but in the last 10+ years or so, many women have been going hard and coming up in different scenes around the world. We wanted to portray this newer, fresher face of graff, as opposed to just the same old bunch of dudes.”
WATCH / SHARE “NEW SIGHT” HERE
BUY / STREAM “NEW SIGHT” HERE
MORE ABOUT PARADIGM SHIFT
Despite being only ten tracks, this record can be boiled down to having two distinct sides: party and revolution. On one hand, Paradigm Shift has a heavy dose of the usual witty, provocative, carefree lyricism we’ve come to expect from frontman Brendan Grey, mixed with some catchy hooks and melodic choruses sure to become ear-worms. On the other hand, the underlying themes of anti-imperialism, anti-capitalism, celebrity/idol worship and climate catastrophe can only be made to be so fun, making for an interesting dichotomy as the listener is pushed and pulled in a few very different directions throughout. The content can get pretty heavy, but in the same breath, it’s composed and presented in such a stylish and effortless manner, proving that a spoonful of honey (and a couple zoots) really does help the medicine go down. Cloaked at times in the dusty sample sound of golden era hip hop (p.s., it’s all live), while in other places utilizing a more contemporary approach such as trap hi-hats, House synths and 808 bass pads, this record clearly exemplifies the group’s growth, as we see them cover new ground both thematically and sonically. The heavy content and ear-pleasing soundscapes are so well put together that you don’t always realize that you’re listening to songs often exploring the symptoms and results of what can only be described as settler-colonialism and predatory/late stage capitalism/neoliberal economics, while also calling for the hanging of Elon Musk and redistribution of all stolen wealth hoarded by the billionaire class.
WATCH / SHARE “QUIET STRENGTH” HERE
BUY / STREAM “QUIET STRENGTH” HERE
“I mean, it’s hard to summarize what this album is about, because it touches on so many different things,” says Grey. “Thematically, you could pick any one to explore, depending on what speaks to you. On one track I’m talking about how I’m the best rapper (typical), while in the next I’m calling for a complete systems overhaul. Then we’re talking about navigating depression, then Marisolle is talking about stepping in the party, looking fresh and ready to get busy. Then it’s back to straight rapping. It’s all related. I’d say though, generally, it all falls in line with our themes of ‘resistance-based debauchery’ and internationalism. Opposing the homicidal ruling class the planet is forced to endure, while at the same time having fun, celebrating the wins and each other, and indulging in joy when possible. This record really is meant to be a comfort measure for all victims of capitalism. Which is everyone (laughs).”
WATCH / SHARE “GUILLOTINE DREAMS” HERE
BUY / STREAM “GUILLOTINE DREAMS” HERE
MORE ABOUT SUPER DUTY TOUGH WORK
Inspired by the dirty jazz loop sound of 90s east coast hip hop, Super Duty Tough Work are the live incarnation of hip hop culture's quintessential era, appearing as a band (we know, stay with us) but manifesting a sound that’s more akin to something straight out of an MPC or SP-404 sampler. Revered for their methodically curated sets, SDTW mixes laidback rap action and razor-sharp delivery with effortless loops sewn together with surprising transitions, keeping audiences on their feet and salivating in anticipation as to what’s coming next. Simply put: internationalism is the theme, liberation through hedonism is the dream, and satisfaction is guaranteed from the team whose specialty is taking audiences on a journey through a culture where loops are slayed and jewels are the tools of the trade.
After being a live show only act for years, the group released their debut EP Studies in Grey, in September 2019, followed by a cross country tour. Eight months later Studies in Grey received a Polaris Prize nod in the form of a Long List nomination, followed shortly thereafter with a nomination for a Western Canadian Music Award in the category of Best Rap & Hip Hop Artist. The Polaris nod makes SDTW the first Manitoba based hip hop act to be nominated for the prize.
PRE-ORDER PARADIGM SHIFT HERE
PARADIGM SHIFT TRACKLIST
01 Mission Statement
02 First Strike
03 Guillotine Dreams
04 Grey’s Lament (Grandmotherland)
05 New Sight
06 Quiet Strength
07 Molotov Cocktails At Brunch (A Love Song)
08 Dirty Hands
09 Mood Swings
10 Far Away (Champagne Steam Rooms)