EP Review: Linkages

Vajra God as far as I can make out is the alter ego and sexual side of David Patterson aka Esoligh.

This EP is about sex and the songs are sexually explicit. Although the intent of the EP is not to be smutty, it seems to be more a result of some intense introspective exploration about his repressed sexuality. Esoligh or Vajra God explains he got in touch with his sexual alter ego through the tantric teachings of a guru lady he studied under.

With beats by the legendary Haz Beats and an intro and outro by producer Akshay Raju, the Linkages EP is 17 minutes long with 3 full-length songs titled Averse, Babes and Dreams as well as a quick joint called Pornhub.

Vajra God, if I understand correctly, is one of a few alter egos Esoligh calls The Super Maorio Bruthas. As Esoligh explains on his Bandcamp blurb, ”He is an expression of kundalini, and is an attempt to dispel personal delusions and illusions surrounding sexuality and relationships and connections with wahine”.

The song concepts are high brow while the song lyrics are low brow. The flows and beats are primarily classic boom bap with the occasional ‘Yah Yah’ in the lyrics. This EP is a nod to modern contemporary rap style.

Esoligh is a solid Hip-Hop artist who works tirelessly at his art despite financial hardships and a zero return on his financial investment in his music. Despite the extremely difficult musical landscape Esoligh traverses he always manages to find a way to get the job done. Running a Boosted campaign through the Arts Foundation of New Zealand to earn the money to pay for the mixing and mastering of the project. The rest of the expenses he paid for out of his own pocket.

Esoligh says “I do this for the love of Salmonella Dub and I will continue because I feel it is what I am called to do”.

Listen to Linkages here.