Earthworms are squirming again onto your playlist.
After parting methods in 2011, the St. Louis hip-hop act has reunited and can launch a brand new album, “Backyard within the Ruins,” with a live performance Nov. 18 at Platypus within the Grove.
The album is co-billed Earthworms x Doug Surreal; Surreal is its producer.
“This feels nice — actually cool,” Mathias James says of his group’s new challenge. Earthworms additionally consists of Black Patrick, DJ Mahf and Surreal.
Kama, who lives in Venice Seaside, California, sat out the reunion however provides his blessing.
“Backyard within the Ruins” by Earthworms
“The distinction now’s our working relationship,” James says. “There’s not the identical expectations from earlier than. We had been pulling in 500 individuals a present. Issues had been going rather well. We had been doing the rattling factor. However pressures and expectations include that.”
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In the present day, the group is feeling extra “grown-up.”
“We’re adults coming again at it, and there’s no strain,” he says. “It’s a method much less pressurized scenario.”
Early albums fell into the “growth bap” type of golden-age hip-hop. However for the reunion, the group didn’t wish to make an album that appeared like 1998.
“I didn’t need a nostalgic report,” James says. “We needed to do one thing present, new and one thing encompassing the brand new vitality we’re coping with — the darkish occasions we’re dwelling in. The album displays that. It’s bass-y. The manufacturing by Doug Surreal is nice, nevertheless it’s imply. And there’s some trappy songs on there.
“What I’m listening to modified over time. I’m sick of growth bap hip-hop. I’ve heard it. That’s me speaking personally.”
“Cool Runnings,” that includes Daemon, was simply launched as a single and video from the challenge.
The album was recorded at Suburban Professional, Phat Buddha and the Mixing Boutique in St. Louis and the STL, and on the Manor in LA.
The Earthworms reunion started taking form in 2018 after the dying of Midwest Avengers’ Mind MC, “one of many higher rappers to ever come out of the town.”
James and Black Patrick had been booked individually for a fundraiser for MC Mind, ended up performing collectively and favored the vibe. They determined to do one thing collectively as Earthworms.
“It felt actually good to be onstage collectively once more,” James says. “The gang ate it up. It was pleasure in a sea of disappointment. We mentioned we should always do it once more and acquired booked for 2 extra exhibits.”
After performing on the St. Louis World’s Fare and the Monocle, they determined the following step was to report a music.
Doug Surreal despatched over a beat, one music grew to become one other, and so forth. By 2019, an album was within the works, with songs together with “Cool Runnings,” “Take a Piece Again” and “Disinfectant.” (The latter, he factors out, was recorded earlier than the pandemic.)
Earthworms
Earthworms had completed about 35% of the album earlier than the pandemic shut issues down; recording resumed in 2021.
The brand new album is launched via the Los Angeles-based Breakfast Music Group; James is director of A&R for the music group.
When Earthworms fashioned in 2004 as an offshoot to the group Core Undertaking, the objective was “to be boundless,” mirrored on its memorably titled 2006 debut album, “No Arms No Legs Only a Head & a Physique.”
James says the second album, “Bottle Stuffed with Bourbon” (2008), was a extra centered effort that elevated the group. “Midnight on the Capricorn,” accomplished after the group’s European tour and impressed by journey and life experiences, got here in 2010.
After going their separate methods in 2011, James put out a solo report, “Devils, Pirates and Rebels” (2011); Kama put out his personal collaborative album with Jonathan Toth, “Kamatoth Cocktails”; Mahf continued touring and DJ’ing; and Black Patrick centered on household.
James additionally began a brand new group, Mathias & the Pirates in 2012, which made three albums. He says the group by no means broke up, although he moved to LA in 2020. He believes new Mathias & the Pirates music is sure to occur.
However now it’s about Earthworms. He says the group will play as many exhibits as it could possibly, and there might be extra Earthworms music.
“I don’t know what type it would take,” he says. “However I can see us placing one other challenge collectively in some unspecified time in the future. However there’s no strain. We’re blissful to be doing this proper now, and it comes when it comes.
“Proper now, it’s full throttle.”
What Earthworms, Daemon, Jonezy • When 7 p.m. Nov. 18 • The place Platypus, 4501 Manchester Avenue • How a lot Free • Extra data drinkplatypus.com
