Welcome to Out of the Dungeon, a many part series detailing a decade of NSFTM noise, hip hop, 'n' adventures from top No Sunlite for the Media scholars, historians, fans, 'n' collaborators. Medians share their thoughts on the absolute values of various NSFTM rekkerds, while we provide free audio streaming 'n' hi-quality file purchase of all the albums at our bandcamp page.
Out of the Dungeon XVIII: Sounds Like a Truncheon
Songs From a Dungeon and its Message
Trips Reminisces
[Songs From a Dungeon was originally issued with tracks 6 tracks on cassette,
a listener-interactive blank tape b-side 'n' thee remaining
12 songs on a CD - all housed in a spraypainted cigar box,
stuffed with random rarities. These are long gone -
but you can still download Songs here]
There are two things you have to know about us off the bat: 1. We refuse to cash in for passion. 2. We’re from Annandale. Oh, you didn’t catch that? Listen to this record- SONGS FROM A DUNGEON. This is thee NSFTM album. I'm not sure how many copies were made originally, though I believe it was only 20 (no one will ever know?). Ultra-limited, ultra-valuable, none more cherished than this cigar box, which contains: a CD-R, a cassette, TWO pages of lyrics, and ONE extra page (front ‘n’ back) of liners. So you can see why this one's a contender for Most Precious Item In My Collection.
Still, I have to say that I am extremely excited at the prospect of Songs From a Dungeon going cyber. Yes, Trippy "Lo-Fi" Tim is pumped over some 10101110001110 action because it just doesn't make sense to me that so many Medians have yet to hear this release. On the other hand, if most Medians wear the title with pride having only heard the rest of the catalogue...well, they’re in for a treat.
Let me be unequivocal about this - Songs From A Dungeon is the most educational NSFTM album, PERIOD. Track 2, "Again ‘n’ Again" is like a bell bringing class to a start. “This is a world of words. It takes millions of words every day to keep our civilization going. In this word world you have to know how to write as well as speak. No matter how good yr ideas are they won’t get you far unless you express them clearly” [sampled from How to Study and Why]. NSFTM take these words to heart; you better believe it. I would even go nearly so far as to say that it’s difficult to write about this record simply because it speaks for itself so clearly and directly (not to mention the 2 PAGES front 'n' back of lyrics printed in, what, size 9 font?). Never have I heard the gang in such unified intellectual fury, spitting about a variety of sociopolitical topics and presenting the listener with unadulterated Dungeon Philosophy. “Anti po-po ‘n’ pro papa”. In other words, disapproving of violence perpetuated by illegitimate powers, but all for a moral community beneath a moral authority.
Of course the language isn’t the only thing that sticks. Like Dilla’s Donuts, Songs features hip-hop collage sampling center-stage with so many pieces patched together, yet the seams are invisible. But unlike that classic, this one shifts stylistically all over the place and with ease, without fear - the classic example being the hook of “Triumph of the Prophets” when Jana sings, “I can’t afford to filthy my standards…” and the mood dips down like it has to, like the way any sound or light wave dips, in a manner that resonates with the listener and brings a smile to their lips...“Filthy”, yeah, filthily good moments like that crop up all over this record.
Songs isn’t all megaton rap bombs, though. NSFTM bring it all back home on the 3 folk jammers- “Swimming Hole/Lakewater Tears”, “In the Blood”, and “John Hardy”, as no Dungeon Record would be complete without some true-to-life Americana. For those of you who won’t get to inspect a copy in their own hands- the packaging is spray-paint around the outline of coins. There’s truth in C.R.E.A.M., but there is also truth in our control of everything outside of cash. Paint the world that exists without capital to show everyone that it’s there.
Last but not least, Side B of the cassette is blank just for you. Fill it up, finish the album. You are No Sunlite for the Media.
-Trip Tim
Annandale, VA
Mar. 2k10
Refusing to Filthy Standards:
Songs From a Dungeon and its Message
Trips Reminisces
[Songs From a Dungeon was originally issued with tracks 6 tracks on cassette,a listener-interactive blank tape b-side 'n' thee remaining
12 songs on a CD - all housed in a spraypainted cigar box,
stuffed with random rarities. These are long gone -
but you can still download Songs here]
There are two things you have to know about us off the bat: 1. We refuse to cash in for passion. 2. We’re from Annandale. Oh, you didn’t catch that? Listen to this record- SONGS FROM A DUNGEON. This is thee NSFTM album. I'm not sure how many copies were made originally, though I believe it was only 20 (no one will ever know?). Ultra-limited, ultra-valuable, none more cherished than this cigar box, which contains: a CD-R, a cassette, TWO pages of lyrics, and ONE extra page (front ‘n’ back) of liners. So you can see why this one's a contender for Most Precious Item In My Collection.
Still, I have to say that I am extremely excited at the prospect of Songs From a Dungeon going cyber. Yes, Trippy "Lo-Fi" Tim is pumped over some 10101110001110 action because it just doesn't make sense to me that so many Medians have yet to hear this release. On the other hand, if most Medians wear the title with pride having only heard the rest of the catalogue...well, they’re in for a treat.
Let me be unequivocal about this - Songs From A Dungeon is the most educational NSFTM album, PERIOD. Track 2, "Again ‘n’ Again" is like a bell bringing class to a start. “This is a world of words. It takes millions of words every day to keep our civilization going. In this word world you have to know how to write as well as speak. No matter how good yr ideas are they won’t get you far unless you express them clearly” [sampled from How to Study and Why]. NSFTM take these words to heart; you better believe it. I would even go nearly so far as to say that it’s difficult to write about this record simply because it speaks for itself so clearly and directly (not to mention the 2 PAGES front 'n' back of lyrics printed in, what, size 9 font?). Never have I heard the gang in such unified intellectual fury, spitting about a variety of sociopolitical topics and presenting the listener with unadulterated Dungeon Philosophy. “Anti po-po ‘n’ pro papa”. In other words, disapproving of violence perpetuated by illegitimate powers, but all for a moral community beneath a moral authority.
Of course the language isn’t the only thing that sticks. Like Dilla’s Donuts, Songs features hip-hop collage sampling center-stage with so many pieces patched together, yet the seams are invisible. But unlike that classic, this one shifts stylistically all over the place and with ease, without fear - the classic example being the hook of “Triumph of the Prophets” when Jana sings, “I can’t afford to filthy my standards…” and the mood dips down like it has to, like the way any sound or light wave dips, in a manner that resonates with the listener and brings a smile to their lips...“Filthy”, yeah, filthily good moments like that crop up all over this record.
Songs isn’t all megaton rap bombs, though. NSFTM bring it all back home on the 3 folk jammers- “Swimming Hole/Lakewater Tears”, “In the Blood”, and “John Hardy”, as no Dungeon Record would be complete without some true-to-life Americana. For those of you who won’t get to inspect a copy in their own hands- the packaging is spray-paint around the outline of coins. There’s truth in C.R.E.A.M., but there is also truth in our control of everything outside of cash. Paint the world that exists without capital to show everyone that it’s there.
Last but not least, Side B of the cassette is blank just for you. Fill it up, finish the album. You are No Sunlite for the Media.
-Trip Tim
Annandale, VA
Mar. 2k10
Refusing to Filthy Standards:
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