Production: J Dilla, Hi-Tek, Madlib, Decompoze, Nitin Sawhney, Trackmasters, Dre, K. West, D. West, Disco D, Just Blaze, ?uestlove.
Rap Style: Talib Kweli, Gentleman Gene, Black Thought, Common Sense, Binary Star, Decompoze, One Be Lo, Dave & Pos, Tribe Called Quest, Nas, Killah Priest.
Sounds Like
Talib Kweli, J Dilla, Pos (De La Soul), Mos Def, Common, Gentleman Gene (Low Budget)
Part producer, part inventor, Castel is the antidote to hip-hop mediocrity.
From humble beginnings in trashy high school rock bands, Castel soon discovered the world of sound design and merged his knowledge of acoustic recording and electronic soundscapes into one eclectic package: a fusion of hip hop styles, sampled sounds and traditional acoustic techniques.
With a Bachelor's Degree in Sound Design, and previous study in audio engineering, Castel's production processes range from triggering snippets of records found in dusty op-shops to designing new sound elements with vintage and modern equipment. The final product is an incomparable blend of organic recordings and dense experimental sonic textures.
Castel's influences range from producers and artists such as J Dilla, Hi-Tek, Madlib, Talib Kweli and Common. The road to musical enlightenment, however, was not an easy one. The traumatic death of a family member sparked Castel's bittersweet resurgence into music and sound, and became a driving force behind his dynamic work-ethic. As a result, Castel has since established himself in his home studio, swapping between the roles of producer and composer.
A dedication to lyricism and rapping is evident in Castel's recordings, and live performances which feature turntable extraordinaire Clay-Tone. Working simultaneously as a producer/rapper has allowed Castel to define his own style of Australian rap, stripping away the harsh Australian accent, and instead placing emphasis on carefully chosen words to create a smoother, more palatable flow. With lyrics bursting with positive energies, smart rhymes and refreshing optimism, Castel works to diminish the focus on materialistic expression in the hip hop music world.
In 2007, Castel's unique blend of electronic sounds and hip-hop styles caught the attention of music industry experts, including Amber Zada (Manager of Sneaky Sound System), Scott Stewart (MCM Entertainment), Susanna Santos (Roadshow Music) and Mike Campbell (Universal Music) who selected him as the winner of the Coca-Cola Live 'N Local Unsigned Queensland competition. 2007 also saw Castel's unique sounds catch the attention of Triple J's morning host Jay, as well as Triple J Music Director, Richard Kingsmill. Castel closed out 2007 featuring as a Triple J Unearthed Spotlight Artist to rave reviews.
Following a debut performance at the Brisbane Roots, Rap and Reggae festival in 2008, alongside local and national artists such as Grassroots Street Orchestra, Kryptamistik, Illzilla, The Tongue and Dubmarine, Castel is only just getting warmed up. He is currently in production to unleash his creations for the early 2009 release of his first EP, Stories from the Bridge, and is set to continue to push the boundaries and structures of hip hop into brand-new realms.
"I like the production ideas he has. And his delivery isn't really along the lines of his influences. It's more Aesop Rock or even MC 900 Ft Jesus going way back. So long as he sheds any US hip hop posings he might have, he might go somewhere" - Richard Kingsmill, (Triple J).
"Castel is making some of the finest hip hop in the country" - Jaymz Clements (Sydney Editorial Review).
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