Prolific horn and production collective Soul Food Horns released the single “Hot Air” last Tuesday on Brooklynn based label Sundae Sauuce. Calculatedly relaxed, buoyant trumpet lines and synths float the groove above succinct drums and bass that have no business being as fat as they are. The perfectly titled track smoothly sweeps into your ears and nestles itself somewhere between J Dilla and Chet Baker. Allowing the listener to actively digest the textures or take a reflective backseat, the tune acts as if part of a prestige “Lo-Fi Beats to Study to” playlist
Although meeting in Austin, co-founders Louk Cox and Ari Burns have respectively reestablished themselves in Amsterdam and Chicago. Current Austin-based members include Sam Howden, Dan Fears, and Noé Mina. They don’t let space decrease productivity however as each member has a home workstation that they use to record and exchange ideas to facilitate long distance collaboration. Having all received an academic background, an eclectic body of work has emerged, including but not limited to hip-hop, house, and neo-soul. This open-minded approach has left them in a position to follow their multi-genre interests wherever they may lead.
The collective began simply as a horn section playing diverse gigs, establishing musical intimacy, and recording for artists such as Netherfriends, Magna Carda, and Mathien. Falling deeper into the world of recording, SFH became enamored by the craft of production. This interest led them to begin to produce independently for themselves and others, notably on Austin-local rapper and poet Chucky Blk’s debut “A Prequel To” and the collaborative LP “Koi Pond” with Cloudchord.
“Hot Air” came about naturally as Mina was visiting Cox in Amsterdam. Setting up shop in a makeshift studio “in the attic of an old building in the center of the city,” Cox recalls “making the beat with the idea of capturing the sound of the summer breeze coming through the window.” As that goal has been elegantly captured, make sure to check out their other Cloudchord collaboration Moon Fortune, the fresh Chucky Blk single “Get That”, and another Sundae Sauuce single in October.