COMA-CHI - Shades of Yellow

Positive, vibrant and visionary, Shades of Yellow is an inspiring collaborative EP recorded by singer/rapper COMA-CHI for Australian hip-hop label Hydrofunk Records featuring local production talent and guest artists like Benjamin Robinson and Indigenoise that further demonstrates her amazing ability to skillfully blend diverse cultures and styles.

Perhaps we take it for granted now, but back in late 2018, Hydrofunk invited COMA-CHI to visit Australia and record this EP in their Byron Bay studio. While in the new pandemic normal, artists have been working together online, where possible it would surely be preferable from a creative perspective to be in the same space, collaborating face to face. In that sense, this project itself is close to a miracle, transcending borders and involving different cultures and languages. It may have taken almost two and a half years to come to fruition (probably even longer given the planning involved) but it definitely deserves to be heard and not left as merely an intellectual curiosity.

Take lead track “New Day” for example - the customary groove and cool synth stabs provided by Adit of Horrorshow combined with COMA-CHI’s singing and flow changes creates a unique, dynamic tune that bounces in the car, the commute and the club. Yet its conscious lyrics talk about starting a journey, escaping from darkness and moving forward, which is much more substantial than typical things you hear in the bar about hooking up or getting paid.

Produced by industry pioneer Chris Hamer-Smith (AKA Chasm) “Reality and Truth” is a little more contemplative and more of a sonic journey with cascading xylophones and surging bass as COMA-CHI reflects on the difficult balance between what you want and what you have to deal with in life, trying to figure out what is right as sometimes even dreams that come true have a dark side. Meanwhile “In the Sun” is a more laidback tune befitting hip-hop sample artist Resin Dogs’ drummer Dave Atkins on the production and could easily soundtrack a hip cafe in Melbourne or Tokyo. It’s a beautiful quasi-duet, COMA-CHI exchanging verses with Benjamin Robinson as they open up and explore the nature of the universe together, and this is on point for her more recent work in Jomon Green and Japanoia.

On top of all of these cool collaborations, “Hark,” featuring Indigenoise’s Coedie MacCarthy, is the most epic and the most faithful to their artistic visions, incorporating multiple languages, highlighting modern struggles, drawing on the power of ancient cultures and trying to think and act beyond human constructs of borders, politics and even time. The shared feelings and remarkable similarities between vastly different cultures help reinforce Indigenoise’s message that “we may be separated by race, religion and sexuality but we are united as human beings.” We come from the same snake, after all.

Finally just to prove COMA-CHI’s versatility, “Another Way AI Vocal Remix” is a deep house banger courtesy of Alan Mawdsley (Sunshine Lover). This EP seriously has something for everyone.

People these days can work with anyone around the world any time, but there are very few who can draw on the strengths of different cultures to make something this ambitious and ground-breaking. It would be nice to have a full length concept album, but the logistics are hard enough as is. It may have been years in the making, but Shades of Yellow was worth the wait, and shines as a beautiful product of Japanese and Australian cultures.

Check out our exclusive interview with COMA-CHI