In the wake of last year’s Of Illusion, an album that’s gotten ten million streams to date on Spotify, local reggae/rock act Tropidelic has just released “Neighborhood,” which was produced locally at Signal Flow Studios.
The tune features Krayzie Bone of Bone Thugs-n-Harmony and Prof.
"The track was crafted by our producer, Chris DiCola, and we were digging it immediately,” says singer-guitarist Matthew Roads in a press release. “We took our downtime caused by the pandemic to write the melody and layer on horns and guitars at our studio in the steelyard, Signal Flow Studios.”
Producer Chris DiCola describes the tune as a “standout track.”
“It started as a really typical beat,” DiCola says. “One that felt good on a loop without sounding too repetitive, and one that had attitude while still having a laid-back feel. After we sat with it for a bit, all the guys developed some great ideas. I ended up with some new sounds once we reached a certain point. These things take time.”
Tropidelic had hoped to work with Krayzie Bone for some time before “Neighborhood” came to be. The band crossed paths with rapper, singer and songwriter Prof while performing on the 311 Caribbean Cruise in 2019, turning them into lifelong fans. In discussions around features for the track, Tropidelic thought an upbeat flow would be a great juxtaposition against the laid-back production.
“It was also special getting Krayzie and Prof on it, too,” says DiCola. “It felt like we were hosting a totally stacked cypher. I think we came correct with 'Neighborhood.'”
Rounding out the neighborhood vibe, the single artwork was designed by Glen Infante, the notable Cleveland artist, founder of iLTHY (clothing), and Cleveland Walls Project muralist.
For its annual New Year’s Eve bash, Tropidelic will perform on Dec. 30 at the Grog Shop and on Dec. 31 at House of Blues.
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