Not Lookin' is the result of endless fluctuations between Shunaji's newly found hip hop paradigm and her longtime affection for everything rock, grunge and noise. With an ethereal use of sampling and reverb techniques, Not Lookin' achieves a soundscape that opens the door to cross-genre experimentation. Taking cues from the sonic spaces of Tangerine Dream and the distant bass lines of Sonic Youth, the track is a true reflection of Shunaji's eclecticism.
The rap vocals in Not Lookin' are reminiscent of Anthony Kiedis' delivery in Red Hot Chili Peppers' Blood Sugar Sex Magik (1991) as well as a homage to meta-genre collaborations such as Anthrax's with Public Enemy. Simultaneously, the hook evokes the bittersweet alternative rock lullabies of 90s vocalists Courtney Love, Shirley Manson and Skye Edwards.
lyrics
N to the O to the T to the LOOK,
Being with me is something you can't learn from any books.
Please excuse my promises, refusing boys like novices,
Impossible to stay on top of all these words I’m vomiting on you,
It’s my goo, watch it trickle on your crew,
I’m not lookin’, I’m just stuntin’ got my trunk like Betty Boop!
Beelzebub, demons chasing me, salute – but I’m faking it:
I’m sure we’ve never met before so you must be mistaken...
I’m a psychic, that’s so Raven, that coochie stays unshaven
Cooking Mama when I’m baking all the beats I've been creating
Casserole, undertaking many roles, I’m not interested at all,
No - I’m not interested at all...
You're not what I'm lookin' for,
You're not what I'm lookin' for,
You're not what I'm lookin' for,
Lookin' for, lookin' for, lookin' for...
You're not!
You're not what I'm lookin' for,
You're not what I'm lookin' for,
Lookin' for, lookin' for, lookin' for...oooh!
credits
released May 9, 2019
Written and produced by Shunaji
We turned on to Emma Jean at Monterey Jazz Fest, and she's the reason I went from 'ehhh I'm not sure I like Acid Jazz and I sure as hell don't like fusion" to "what the hell is *this awesome galactic brilliance?!* A rare talent and a damn fine slab of wax that I have on heavy rotation. I love many tracks including 'Spectre', and i wonder to myself how much it owes to Kate Bush's spectral "Watching You Without Me." jaxers
Zambian rapper and producer Abstract Sekai fuses golden era hip-hop with ambient sound design and a heady cosmic philosophy. Bandcamp New & Notable Jan 17, 2023