L.A. Producer Tokimonsta On the Emerging 'Glitch-Hop' Scene

L.A. Producer Tokimonsta On the Emerging 'Glitch-Hop' Scene

26 November, 2009
by: Nuria

Tokimonsta might be one of the sillier artist names of recent times, but it's well-conceived. Toki means 'rabbit' in Korean, a nod both to her heritage and small, unassuming appearance. Yet the twenty-something L.A. producer's sound is definitely monstrous; her songs, built upon hip-hop beats, ravage through all kinds of aural territory. Listening to her live set at Lightbox, where she's headlining a RAMP Recordings label showcase, is proving a real treat – no wonder Mary Ann Hobbs championed her on BBC Radio 1's Experimental Show.

One minute a dozen layers are interweaving to create what can only be described as instrumental hip-hop engineered for a videogame, then the next half of those layers are stripped away to make space for soulful vocals. It's a mere rest-stop, though, and soon a blitzkrieg of beeps, bleeps and heavy bass descends. There are no loops; every sound is perpetually in flux. The tempo has a hip-hop swagger but there are occasional surges. If there was more of an atmosphere (the intimate dance floor is not exactly packed) I'd be tempted to break out some moves.

Later on, after having elicited claps and cheers from a small but decidedly in-the-know audience (mainly white guys in hoodies), I meet with Tokimonsta (or Toki) in a quiet corridor to discuss the West Coast's newest movement. Dressed plainly in a dark blazer, jeans and boots (the only 'bling' being bangles and bracelets), the California girl is talkative, approachable and very humble. Hip-hop is a genre where rappers and producers alike are known for their bravado, yet it's the complete opposite in a niche scene that shuns image for substance and aims to be inclusive so long as there's talent and innovation on display.

So far, the term 'glitch-hop' has emerged as a catch-all description for this producer-driven electronic derivative of hip-hop, but Toki is wary of it – or indeed, labels in general. Although her music could be a subset of either hip-hop or electronica (her two major influences, along with indie rock), she thinks glitch-hop, spurred by Californian outfit The Glitch Mob, is a misleading name for what's essentially a scene rather than a genre. The science of 'glitching', she explains, relies on intentionally disrupting a track by inserting sounds that are out of time or off-pitch, thus creating 'glitches'. While she occasionally does this, her music is not defined by the concept.

Although it's understandable for producers to eschew labels ('once you label something it becomes a trend,' Toki poignantly observes), they still prove useful to audiences and critics. Glitch-hop aptly describes the gap between hip-hop and electronic music that Toki has been bridging alongside artists like Flying Lotus (her friend and label mate), edIT, Mochipet, Nosaj Thing and Lazer Sword, to name a few. Potentially it could establish itself as a solid genre in the same fashion as dubstep has in the UK over the past decade, with producers exporting their sound far beyond the geographical confines of the originating scene. But like dubstep (and even grime), glitch-hop is perhaps too niche to have the crossover appeal of, say, electro-rap (think Kid Sister and her ilk). Still, it is certainly proving popular in clubs.

Toki is clear that her music is meant to be accessible. In her live sets she samples tracks like Luniz's '5 On It' and 'Chase the Devil' by Max Romeo (made famous in The Prodigy's 'Out of Space'), which 'bring in an element of familiarity', although she just as quickly 'flips them' in order to challenge the listener. At its core, she laughs, what she does is 'very nerdy'. Once an uninspired classical piano student, Toki transferred her discipline for scales into a discipline for acquiring and perfecting technical know-how.

However, it's the use of computers, software and technical gear that she feels puts girls off producing; singing or playing an instrument have more immediate rewards. 'With producing, you can't just go on a whim and try to make something... It requires a lot of work,' she asserts, adding that when she explains the music-making process to friends, 'they just look at me with a big question mark.'

Is she often the token girl in what is very much a guy's world?

'Definitely,' Toki responds with a chuckle. 'Hip-hop is very male-oriented, and so is producing in general.' I mention Ikonika, a young London-based dubstep producer who's also female and Asian. Toki is optimistic: 'With people like us starting out, hopefully more girls will be inspired to try it.' She says there's always the risk that a girl with mediocre musical output but above-average looks will rely on her image, but it's refreshingly hard to do that in an independent scene. 'The people running the labels are music lovers themselves, it's not just business,' she explains. 'Your music has to be strong enough to carry you, regardless.'

And Toki's music is carrying her far. The UK is the last stop on a mini-European tour, and she's due back in March as part of a Red Bull-sponsored initiative for up-and-coming talent. Aside from her forthcoming EP on RAMP (due out in early December), she's collaborating with a Philly-based artist named Suzi Analogue and working on multiple future releases. Most notably, though, she's channelling energies towards a 'very personal' album for the label Brainfeeder, which she promises will be 'great on a bigger level'.

Now if only her plans included performing at house parties upon request...

Photo credit: Shaun Bloodworth

Click here to check out Tokimonsta's MySpace page.
Click here for all hip-hop events in London.
Click here for all London clubbing.
Click here for things to do in London.

Nuria