Before the 2013 release of their debut effort, Midcity, the Los Angeles, CA-based hip-hop trio of clipping, which consists of Daveed Diggs, Jonathan Snipes and William Hutson never expected to find much of an audience for their sound. However, both the mainstream and indie hip hop scenes have increasingly embraced the gloriously weird and experimental – and in ways that would have been impossible just 15-20 years ago. 

“Work Work” feat. Cocc Pistol Cree is the first single off clipping’s Sub Pop Records debut, clppng and from the single, clipping has specialized in a sound that’s minimalist and kind of abrasive – the sparse song consists of off kilter syncopation created through chiming and ringing and swirling electronics. But interestingly, the production also manages seemingly random pauses that allows each emcee to suddenly rhyme acapella, creating a song that feels impossibly unpredictable and free-flowing. Sadly, Cocc Pistol Cree’s verses reveal that she can’t quite keep up with the odd syncopation; however, Diggs flow is crisp, and uses a playfully witty rhyme scheme – “dead pan voice singing tin pan alley” for example.

The track is fucking weird and yet is infectious. I’ve played it and I haven’t been able to get it out of my head. And I suspect that you won’t be able to get it out of your heads either.