Labcabincalifornia

Gatefold blue & red smoke vinyl 2xLP

Originally released in November 1995 on Delicious Vinyl, Labcabincalifornia is the brilliant, incredibly sophisticated sophomore album from the legendary Los Angeles alternative hip hop collective, The Pharcyde. Arriving three years after their wildly manic, lighthearted debut Bizarre Ride II The Pharcyde, this monumental record represents a major artistic evolution, trading the hyperactive cartoon energy of their early work for a more mature, beautifully melancholy, and deeply introspective soundscape.

The true sonic genius of the record lies in its exceptional production architecture, most notably serving as the first major industry showcase for a then virtually unknown Detroit producer named Jay Dee, who would later be universally celebrated as J Dilla. Handling six tracks on the album, J Dilla completely reshaped the group’s musical framework, supplying a suite of smooth, dust caked jazz loops, floating bossa nova samples, and incredibly crisp, neck snapping drum programming that perfectly grounded the group's signature vocal interplay.

The tracklist features some of the most iconic anthems of the golden era. From the timeless, Stan Getz sampled groove of 'Runnin'' to the brilliant, Dorothy Ashby harp loops of 'Drop', which was famously paired with a legendary, backwards filmed music video directed by Spike Jonze, the creative momentum is extraordinary. This premium double vinyl reissue, remastered to preserve every bit of the deep, warm analogue warmth of the original sessions, is an absolute mandatory cornerstone for collectors of jazz rap, native tongues hip hop, and essential West Coast history.