Skip Street by Chad Crouch

Portland, Oregon composer and producer Chad Crouch has created a unique instrumental debut EP in the hip hop genre that is both melodic and out-of-time. At the core, electric bass and live drums give the tracks a groovy throwback feel, while electric piano, acoustic piano and analog synth all coalesce with strong melodies that recall the genre's more melodic purveyors: Outkast, Tribe Called Quest, early Kanye West, and Snoop Dogg. Pizzicato strings, horn arrangements, synth leads and old school drum machine breaks all add detail to these summery tracks.