ChessClub is the self-titled debut album by the Toronto-via-St. John’s hip-hop group formerly known as Large LIVE n' Direct. The four-piece—vocalists Matt Murphy, Andrew Lahey, James Piercey, and producer Adrian Gagnon—have been making music together for a decade, sharing the stage with acts like Pharoahe Monch, The Beatnuts, and Shad. But they consider this record a new stage of development in their art. "The album is about the pressure we put on ourselves to succeed when we see ourselves as being exceptional,” Piercey says. “It's about feeling alienated as artists in a society driven more by economy than self-expression.”ChessClub is a pretty chill affair, weaving together impressive, nuanced verses, slow-burn R&B hooks, and dreamy, electronic beats. It also comes with instrumental versions of every song, which work just as well as late night ambient music as it does behind the three rappers. They count J Dilla, Stevie Wonder, Mos Def, and even Woody Allen as influences. ChessClub comes out Dec. 16. Check out their Facebook for more info.Stream ChessClub in its entirety below and catch them at The Rockhouse in St. Johns when they play on December 23rd.
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Matt Williams is a writer living in Toronto - @MattGeeWilliams