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Coming on the back of two critically acclaimed EPs with his No Tourists collective, Canadian Jamaican experimental rap artist Lan’do returns for the summer with a captivating and hard-hitting new single titled ‘16 Bit’ that excellent fuses two sounds and cultures that have heavily influenced his music – grime and dancehall, with his Caribbean heritage shining through his flow and cadence throughout the song.
‘16 Bit’ sees Lan’do collaborating with No Tourists‘ in-house producer, universes, who offers Lan’do the perfect soundscape to flex his clever wordplay and immaculate multi-layered flow. It feels like he unloads on the track in swaggering fashion, touching on ideas of loyalty, friendship, and relationships, while staking his claim for being the best in the biz. For the accompanying music video, Lan’do has linked up with long-time collaborator and video maker Kevin Kudu for a dark, gritty visual that was shot in hometown Toronto.
Speaking about how ‘16 Bit’ came about, Lan’do says,
“I’m just excited to finally get this one out. The pandemic had just started, and I was crashing at my homie’s place. With all the free time we suddenly had we just started cooking up tracks and this was the best one to come out of the sessions. It felt like the words just flowed out of my head, and every line was automatic. Despite all that happened during the lockdown, I’m glad for all the time I was given to explore more unconventional approaches. I feel that this song is the culmination of all of that.”
Discussing the inspiration behind ‘16 Bit’, Lan’do adds that,
“This song is like a soundclash from beginning to end. From the constant flow switches to the changes in vocal pitch, its straight attack mode. Nobody really knows who I am, and I have to put my best foot forward. A lot of the inspiration, in terms of the delivery, came from the Jamaican artists I grew up listening to like Capleton, Bounty Killa and Elephant Man, to name a few. As for the music video, the director and I really just wanted to make it as visually stunning as possible, referencing some of my favourite films and visuals”.
Born in Canada and raised in Jamaica, Lan’do’s introduction to music came through his family – from his grandmother singing in the choir, to falling in love with his mother’s R&B collection, to creating his own sounds with his brother in the group Deadverysoon. He has since come together with fellow likeminded Toronto artists to form No Tourists, who have been garnering worldwide acclaim for their experimental rap fusion sounds. His new solo music continues to push that envelope and create buzz around him as one to watch.
