Just the other night I was at a loss as to what to do with my evening, it was mid-week and I needed a drink, so my wife suggested that we check out this show at a little bar we hadn't been to before here in Dallas. By the end of the night, we were more than entirely satisfied, and more than pleasantly surprised with the evenings offerings: great DJ sets by, friend of Party Ends, Stephen R. of Hotflash and one Mr. Killertronix, some remarkably well priced mixed drinks, and the high energy, intellectual hip-hop of NYC's Northern State.
(photo from Q Magazine, 2003)
Just days before their date in Denton at the Fry Street Festival, where they played before headliners the Polyphonic Spree, Dallas was treated to a glimpse of the future in the form of twenty or so kids going crazy in front of a six inch high stage in an SMU frat-boy bar flanked by a mostly confused group of white-caps as the three ladies of NS (MC's Hesta Prynn, Spero and Sprout) dealt out their own brand of mishmashed genres and dope beats. Accompanied by a DJ, live drummer (gilded in an Austin worthy beard), and a bass player, the sound was full (despite some technical difficulties) and infectiously foot-movin'. Northern State sounds like a melting pot of the 90's radio-rap Renaissance, modern middle class youth culture, and the political and moral awareness of new-school feminism. Basically if Bikini Kill and the Beastie Boys had a kid and it grew up listening to indie-rock, it would probably be named Northern State. In the past they have toured with the likes of Tegan and Sara, De La Soul, and Talib Kweli. Their new album, with tracks from prodigious producer Chuck Brody (Shitake Monkey) and Adrock (Beastie Boys), is due out in stores early August on Ipecac Records and they'll be hitting the road to promote it this summer and fall, so be on the lookout here at PE for their tour dates and when they'll be rolling though your town.
I recently had the opportunity to ask a few questions of one of the lovely ladies of NS, Sprout, and here are her very respectable answers to my kind of stupid questions:
PE: Fresh off of the definitive annual music event, SXSW, how did old Austin treat you this year? We had a fabulous time at SXSW. Austin is a great city and the shows we got to play were each different and unique and put us in front of great audiences. The weather was great, the free drinks were bountiful, and we loved it. Hope we get to go back next year...
PE: Your music seems very progressive, thematically and sonicly, and in no way tied to specifically hip-hop or rock, expanding your potential fan base. Do you feel like this makes writing songs easier for you, with all the freedom it brings, or more difficult in that there are fewer formulas to fall back on?
This new record felt great because it was wide open. We could do anything- rap, sing, add big loud rock guitars, or rock some gully beats- we were all over the map in a good way, and it worked. It was really fun to work with Chuck Brody on the whole album as more of a concept. He is a brilliant producer and he helped to see the project through from beginning to end- tying things together and making it work as a cohesive album.
PE: So far as the rap 'game' goes, y'all have been around quite a while compared to flash in the pan one single rappers, a la Sisqo "Thong Song" types; how has the climate in your niche genre changed over that time?
We recently started talking about how it seems like the rap climate / the music community in general is maybe more ready for Northern State than ever before. There are certainly more women out there rapping- in more unconventional ways- I think we were a little ahead of our time and when our first record came out back in 2001 people were like- "What the 'F' is this?", but now it's more like- "three white girls rapping from Long Island? Of course..."
PE: Sorry, but I have to ask: What's it like working with an icon, neigh a legend like Adrock on a music project? And, did you totally geek out when you first met him (I mean, I would)?
A little, but we had to hold it together. He is the nicest guy ever, so supportive of our project from day one and so real. He's hilarious and tells very funny stories in the studio. We had a lot of fun working with him and really felt like he gave us permission to get really silly up on the tracks we did with him. We started with [the track] Oooh Girl, and then really took it there with Sucka Mofo. He is clearly an inspiration to us- and a mentor. It's my childhood fantasy come true. There, I said it.
PE: Being from the forward thinking Mecca of NYC, how do you feel that the rest of America responds to your music so far as live shows go? Really, what I'm getting at is: does anybody dance as hard as Texas? Cause' we can bring it. Seriously. Come on!
Texas is like a whole other country. We came for 2 weeks and we had a great time: great food, great beer, great people. It was a fabulous experience all around. You find pockets of fools wherever you go- people who are not afraid to hit the dance floor and go for it... It's amazing really- the people we meet along the way.... It makes the whole thing worth it.
Well, there you have it, go check them out, buy their 2003 and 2004 albums Dying in Stereo and All City, respectively, and keep an eye out for a new single and the as yet unnamed new album. A big thanks to Stephen R. for helping set this up and to Sprout and NC for being awesome, and listen to this new track:
MP3: Northern State - Away Away 
