Strange Famous Records DJ and beat chopper Aupheus is the anointed king of “doom-bap.” The term, coined by SFR affiliate Buddy Peace, describes his style of combining other-wordly synth-scapes with heavy break beat snares. On his latest mix, titled Strictly Scientific, Aupheus layers sparse late ‘80s hip-hop gems with lush ambient instrumentals. “It’s all hip-hop from between ’85 and ’88. Sparse, stripped-back stuff that’s basically just drums and rap, layered up with electronica and movie soundtracks,” the producer tells Hive. “For example the Kool G. Rap song is layered with something from The Running Man.” Other hip-hop picks include Run-D.M.C.’s “Perfection” and LL Cool J’s “The Breakthrough,” plus lesser-known gems like “I Got an Attitude” by Herby’s Machine. As a whole, the combination of nostalgia-inducing hip-hop and mysterious soundscapes is greater than the sum of its parts. “It’s somewhat of an experiment,” he adds, “strictly scientific of course.”

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