Image by Jordan Johnson & Louisa Nicolaou
DJ, rapper and acclaimed party starter Chippy Nonstop has released her self-titled debut album with collaborator dj genderfluid, and it’s an astoundingly nuanced experiment in storytelling. Spanning 11 tracks with two bonus remixes, the album spins together a rave utopia that lives up to the nonstop namesake. The album documents a night out at a party, with each track taking you through the phases of this journey. Opener Straight to Hell is an aptly titled foreshadowing that brilliantly captures the excitement of the pregame. It wastes no time launching into a stomping call-to-arms to “fuck it up”, while later tracks Why Did You Block Me? and Deeper begin the descent of the comedown. Throughout the BPM remains breakneck, with the shifts in energy being more tonal in nature. It is these subtle juxtapositions across the breadth of the album which provide it with a complex sense of narrative and brilliantly crafted flow.
The sound takes its cue from 90s dance music; hi-NRG and early rave influences are abundant and coalesced with the current sounds of techno and acid-house. Against Nonstop’s spunky lyrics, the result is something akin to the ecstatic exaggerations of hyperpop. The album also draws heavily from European scenes. Alongside touches of electroclash, there are elements of oldschool gabber in the jackhammer beat of tracks such as No Sleep, Let’s Get Messy for The Drama and the dub mix of Straight to Hell.
As Nonstop’s first offering of original material in seven years, the LP displays a refined sense of growth for the artist. Her delivery across the LP is most telling of this. Delivered with charisma and tenacity, she is outspoken in her confidence and self-awareness. The lyrics are at times incredibly personal and confrontational, perhaps none more so than on Why Did You Block Me? which recounts the experience of getting blocked on Twitter by Diplo.
Penultimate track Til the End of Time is a dazzling trip through revving synths which build and release, recreating the strange introspective elation that signals the end of the rave. With vocals and a piano riff that could be snatched from an Aqua deep cut, the track is absolute euphoria and a satisfying denouement to Nonstop’s riotous party. Other standouts include Accelerate and the drum & bass inflected To Myself.
Refusing for a moment to sit down, Chippynonstop & dj genderfluid is a dizzying ride and occasionally, a challenging one. But the way Nonstop positions her point of view through dj genderfluid’s high octane production elevates the whole thing beyond an ostensible collection of party tracks.
Nonstop has released a 17 minute music “movie” to accompany the album. Taken alongside the music, it brings the entire experience to life in a way that will make you yearn for the ecstasy of a night spent getting lost on the dance floor. See it below.
Chippynonstop & dj genderfluid is released via WET TRAX and is available for download here.
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