Soia – “H.I.O.P.”(Release) & “Intangible / Tiger” (Video)

Get introduced to Soia‘s newly released H.I.O.P. (Hidden In Obvious Places) album that dropped back in late October. The album was produced by Mez.

The lovely video for “Intangible / Tiger” is also above too, and is track nine off of the album. The video was directed and edited by Simp & Nita. Listen and read more below, and cop from Bandcamp.

Singer and lyricist Soia loves her producer Mez’ beats. The two Viennese musicians first collaborated for their 2011 single ‘Obtaining’, which received love from blogs such as Moovmnt and BamaLoveSoul, and was featured on radio shows and mixes all over the world. Soia and Mez released their first album ‘Mood Swings’ on Philadelphia-based label ‘Record Breakin’’ in 2013.

Melancholic and gentle, then demanding and powerful, Soia’s vocals oscillate between Soul and Electronic Hip Hop, dancing effortlessly over the Dilla-esque beats and beautiful harmonization of Mez. The biotechnologist’s lyrics are engagingly weird – All sorts of creatures, real and imagined, land on her operating table and under her microscope: bipolar porcupines, intangible tigers, fractal spirits, roaming deer…

The half Israeli Mez has been producing for over ten years and is possessed by the search for the perfect sound. The Jazz pianist has produced for US rapper Raashan Ahmad, and even Redman has visited the Viennese studio to pick beats.

With the last ‘Soia’ album carrying a more Neo Soul sound and feel, the new material is oriented more towards world music samples, and contains Ethiopian, Kurdish and Jazz sample flakes. The sophomore LP will definitely be more upbeat, with deeper bass and stronger vocals.