2023 repress - Same Same but Different', the familiar phrase heard throughout south east Asia, a perfect description to characterize Onra's latest project, a follow up to his 2007 LP - Chinoiseries. So almost five years later, here we go back on the trail of another Asian beat journey with 32 Hip-Hop instrumentals inspired by Chinese and Vietnamese music. A lot has happened in between: The Big Payback with Byron the Aquarius, a beats LP "1.0.8" plus 2010's acclaimed boogie tinged hip hop LP "Long Distance" while along the way he's revisited South East Asia on a few occasions adding to his Asian record stack on each occasion. The exotic, mysterious pop and folk Chinese records of the 60s and 70s with their epic operatic and orchestral feel and sealed from the Western counter culture rumblings of the time, not to mention alive with vintage vinyl hiss and crackle, may not seem the easiest source material to work with but after hermetically sealing himself in his Parisian beat cave Onra has come with a more than worthy return for all the time and money spent in the vinyl basements and backrooms of the Far East. There's ample variation but a coherent whole, from the more electronic feel of "A New Dynasty" and "All Night", to the soundtrack vibe of "Mai's Theme" and "Fight Or Die" and the straight beat sound of "No Matter What" and "Remember The Name" and he's even found some breaks! Inspired by the idea of the LP as a sequence of film scenes this intense burst of beats and distinct vibes form an accomplished rounded full length.
A1 The Arrival
A2 A New Destiny
A3 It's All Memories
A4 Remember The Name
A5 Open The Door
A6 Gotta Go
A7 Mai's Theme
A8 Words Of Encouragement
B1 Trapped
B2 One For The Wu
B3 No Matter What
B4 Meet The Queen
B5 Stay With Me
B6 Opium Delirium
B7 Cold Blooded
B8 Where I'm From
C1 Still Broke
C2 Snakes & Smoke
C3 Mai's Theme 2
C4 Raw Shit
C5 Ms. Ho
C6 All Night
C7 In My Mind
C8 Hide And Seek
D1 Play The Game
D2 Warriors Pride
D3 Like Father, Like Son
D4 Fight Or Die
D5 Through The Flesh
D6 Tears Of Joy
