In a Milwaukee musical landscape currently dotted with singular artists and cross-pollinated projects, it’s still easy to pick out Airo Kwil from the crowd. The outfit is the rapping alter-ego of New Boyz Club drummer Will Rose, who trends toward the dense, knotty, and Rhymesayers-indebted end of the hip-hop spectrum, complete with a healthy dose of live instrumentation and sly pop-culture references. 2015’s sprawling Dark Cinema, A Study In Paradox was the product of a year-and-a-half of work; six months after that debut’s release, it flickers back to life with a remix of its opening track, “Tangerine Tint.”
“Tangerine Tint Reslice” comes courtesy of tireless Milwaukee superstar WebsterX, who gives the original song much more than updated beats and post-production bells and whistles. The emcee himself assumes vocal duties throughout most of the track, tossing off lines both new and old in his distinctive sing-song growl. (Sadly, the original song’s line about “Nickelodeon tunes and fallopian tubes” doesn’t make the cut.) Rose and his bandmate sister, Johanna, also make appearances, as does New Age Narcissism saxophone player Jay Anderson.
Produced by Airo Kwil and mixed by Shae Lappen, “Tangerine Tint Reslice” is less a remix than a reimagining—and a damn fine one at that. Before Airo Kwil plays High Dive Tuesday, October 6, and The Hotel Foster Thursday, October 15, listen to the track now, only on Milwaukee Record.