This is a trippy mixtape offering from L.A.’s Dream Panther, who’s got a way even though I can’t really find out much about him/her. After opening with a sample-ready hip-hop version of the Godfather theme, the tape is mostly anchored by samples of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. speaking. Subtly, his presence provides some kind of commentary, maybe. There’s a lot else to take in though: chanting, dubby grooves, warbly keyboards, and gradual tempo changes. It’s implied that this is great music when you’re high, or can drift in and out while doing something else. On the latter theory at least, I can report that this is definitely true, but each time I returned to the tape, there was something interesting going on. On the B-side, an Animal Collective-y folk number, grooves with slowed down vocals, slow jams, and other treats roll by, getting increasingly heavy (as in your lids are heavy, not the music). Throughout, MLK continues to lead with his narration, lending a weird element of gravitas to the tape’s irreverence.
