Far East Movement: Audio Bio
Breaking into a genre that has seldom seen the likes of their skin color, Far East Movement (FM) delivers colorful “LA Rhymes” and collaborates with creativity matching the caliber of platinum holders. Refuting the stereotypes, these artists are able to develop a sound that appeals to more than just their cultural following. Working on the basis of fusion and collaboration for “Audio Bio”, FM hopes to join in the separate sounds of many Asian ethnicities and unite them under one “movement.”
Comprised of J-Splif, Prohgress, and Kev Nish, FM united and began their journey by tapping into the resources of the internet. By posting clips and sound bites, the word of mouth fueled fans to CD singles only available online. Performances at Asian American events throughout the West Coast only solidified their niche following. And while the multifaceted sound aims to embrace their Asian heritage, it cannot be defined by it.
With the release of the promotional collection “Audio Bio” in January of 2005, the group continues a rigorous performance schedule until the fall. They will then return to the studio to place finishing touches on their debut album. Slated to be released in winter 2005/2006, FM’s debut album promises to deliver a creative mix of sounds that include tracks with Ruff Ryder’s Jin, punk rock’s Nemo, and east coast rapper, Snacky Chan.
Dubbed “Audio Bio” for its autobiographical (and comical) interludes that reveal FM’s history, identity and music, the CD follows in the growth of mixtape culture and trend for pre-album releases. Simple backbeats open the collection, leading the way from FM’s old school homage to the collaborations in Funk (Mary Jane) and Acoustic Rock (Ken Oak). Tracks with DJ Honda, Hi-Tek and Jin round out “Audio Bio”, mixing in familiar hip-hop with their own FM flavor. Weathering through rejections that have been fueled by an “un-marketability” of non-Black hip-hop faces, FM has marked a following that is pushing them to shape the role of Asian American artists. As leaders in the Asian American subculture movement, their music both defines and transcends their ethnicity.
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