Listen and play through the history of hip hop with a unique concept album and 16-bit-style RPG by Last BeNeVoLeNcE with contributions from Mega Ran
Random Beats Music is excited to announce Tales of the Elements, the ambitious tenth album by hip hop/trip hop artist Last BeNeVoLeNcE telling a tale full of fantasy, adventure, love, and heroism while presenting the history of hip hop in the likeness of a classic Japanese role-playing game. Entirely produced and written by Last BeNeVoLeNcE, Tales of the Elements features cleverly crafted story-driven lyricism on top of heavy ’90s-inspired drum patterns with exotic jazz samples alongside original compositions of his own. Tales of the Elements FC (First Chapter) is available today, with the second chapter to follow before the end of 2016:
Tales of Elements FC on Bandcamp
What makes Tales of the Elements special is that in addition to being a hip hop album, it’s also an action RPG for PC developed solely by Last BeNeVoLeNcE and based entirely on the album’s story. Purchasing the album will allow listeners to experience the narrative as players as well.
“I really love hip hop, but I also love gaming, especially when it comes to JRPGs,” notes Last BeNeVoLeNcE. “Some may know how the artist Common told the story of hip hop from his perspective in the classic ‘I Used To Love H.E.R’ track, so I consider Tales of the Elements my own way of presenting hip hop culture from my perspective.”
Last BeNeVoLeNcE takes his inspiration from hip hops acts such as Fat Jon the Ample Soul Physician, A Tribe Called Quest, Nujabes, Common, and Simple Citizens as well as classic JRPGs including Chrono Trigger, Seiken Densetsu 3, Tales of Phantasia, and Final Fantasy VII. Tales of the Elements‘ title an obvious nod to the Tales videogame series, but the elements portion also refers to the four elements of hip hop: B-Boys, DJs, MCs, and graffiti art.
Every classic RPG needs its cast of heroes, and Tales of the Elements is no exception. Expect guest appearances from Mega Ran and Kharisma with mastering and narration by K-Murdock.
Artist: Last BeNeVoLeNcE
Album: Tales of the Elements FC
Label: RandomBeats Music
Release Date: October 7, 2016
Release Details:
Digital: 15 tracks in MP3, wav, or FLAC format plus an action RPG for Windows PC
Physical: Audio CD + game DVD in 2-disc case, art by Daniel Hill (includes digital version)
Price: $10 (digital) / $20 (physical)
Available at: http://www.randombeats.io/
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