PEPE DELUXE

Freedom Flag

Catskills

DJ Slow, JA-Jazz, and Jame Spectrum may not be household names across the world, but those who follow Pepe Deluxe seem willing to follow them to the ends of multiple sonic spectrums, and then push through into the Other Side together. The trio, better known as Finnish electronic music obscuros Pepe Deluxe, have been making beats and other pieces since around 1996, first garnering a name for themselves with an infectious combination of hip hop, breakbeat, downtempo and big beat.By 2007, when they released their third album, Spare Time Machine, the remit had changed, slightly, and was less interested in sampling, more concerned with revitalising old school music genres like psyche, baroque pop and surf rock. Freedom Flag brings us up to date, circa 2024, and it seems there's enough room for both approaches, with this two-tracker rooted in everything from trip hop to brass-topped indie.