H31R

Building on a mutual desire to bridge the gap between hip hop and electronic music, H31R (pronounced heir/air) creates an enigmatic but complementary sonic experience that pushes the fickle boundaries of genre. The duo, consisting of producer and composer JWords and Brooklyn rapper/vocalist maassai, both grew up listening to a variety of genres and are using the sounds of their youth to expand on the potential and style of their own music. Their debut ve·loc·i·ty (2020) showcased a speed and grit not heard before in underground music. Its singular amalgamation of hip hop and electronic music, further characterized by flecks of jazz, juke, Jersey club and boom bap, noted a direction in music unbound by the confines of genre. The album’s enigmatic sound paired with a collage of self-affirmations caught wind from the likes of Pitchfork, The Wire, Brooklyn Vegan, Okayplayer, Cabbages and Bandcamp, who called ‘ve·loc·i·ty’ “a marvel of momentum”. Their latest album, HeadSpace (2023), confidently expands their electronic rap vision, featuring wonky, out-of-this-world tracks with a wildly futuristic vibe.