Darshan (band)

Darshan
OriginBrooklyn, New York, USA
GenresJewish hip hop, alternative hip hop, folk rock, conscious hip hop
Years active2008 (2008)–present
LabelsShemspeed, Chant
MembersEprhyme
Shir Yaakov
Basya Schechter
Websitedarshanproject.com

Darshan is an American Jewish alternative hip hop group from Brooklyn, New York. Formed in 2008, the group primarily consists of rapper Eprhyme and singer-songwriters Shir Yaakov and Basya Schechter. Its debut album, Deeper and Higher, was released in 2015, followed by a second album, Raza, in 2017.

History

Prior to meeting for the first time, Eprhyme had been a rapper in the Olympia music scene as part of the duo Saints of Everyday Failures,[1][2][3] while Shir Yaakov Feit had informally freestyle rapped and beatboxed with the band Lev Yerushalayim as a yeshiva student in Israel.[4] The two met in the summer of 2007 at Hazon's Isabella Freedman Jewish Retreat Center in Connecticut, where Epryhme was a fellow in the Adamah program and Feit was a residential employee. They connected musically while Eprhyme was driving Feit to the airport at the end of the session, and Feit subsequently provided vocals for Eprhyme's first solo album. The following summer session, they began writing and performing together.[5]

The band's debut EP, Lishmah was released by Shemspeed Records on December 15, 2009,[6] who subsequently re-released the record on January 5, 2010.[7][8] The EP was produced by Shir Yaakov and engineered by Smoke M2D6 of Oldominion.[9] A second EP, To Zion, was released on January 14, 2011.[10][11] One of the EP's songs, a hip-hop version of "Chad Gadya", was issued as a single via Shemspeed in 2012.[12]

The group's first full-length album, Deeper and Higher, was released on September 29, 2015. It was produced by Jamie Saft and featured accompaniment by him, Ben Perowsky, and Basya Schechter of Pharaoh's Daughter.[13]

Musical style

In addition to hip hop, Darshan's music also contains elements of folk rock and the minor key melodies of traditional Jewish music.[6][7] An early press release by the band described their sound as "harmonizing Hebrew chant with hip hop, folk rock with electro-pop, love poetry with kabbalistic psychology" and cited The Postal Service, Björk, Beastie Boys, and The Beatles as reference points.[14] Ezra Glinter of The Forward wrote, "Eprhyme's hard-driving lyrics are tempered and sweetened by Shir Yaakov’s more melody-driven sensibilities."[7]

Discography

Albums

Title Details
Deeper and Higher
  • Released: September 29, 2015
  • Label: Self-released
Raza
  • Released: November 1, 2017
  • Label: Chant Records

Extended plays

Title Details
Lishmah
  • Released: December 15, 2009
  • Re-released: January 5, 2010
  • Label: Shemspeed
To Zion
  • Released: January 14, 2011
  • Label: Shemspeed

Singles

Year Title Album
2012 "Chad Gadya" To Zion
2015 "Know Return" Deeper and Higher
"Aleph Bass" Non-album single
2017 "Remember the Future" Deeper and Higher
2018 "Hapax Legomenon" Raza

Music videos

Year Song Director
2015 "Know Return" Ken Ross
"Aleph Bass" Brian Savelson, Abbey Luck
2017 "Remember the Future" MorningAltars (Day Schildkret)
2018 "Hapax Legomenon" Timslew, Eden Pearlstein

References

  1. ^ Leonard, Nic (April 30, 2011). "HIP-HOP: Eprhyme's K Records release, "Dopestylvesky"". Weekly Volcano. Retrieved 20 August 2015.
  2. ^ Schrag, Paul (July 20, 2006). "Saints of Everyday Failures new album". Weekly Volcano. Retrieved 20 August 2015.
  3. ^ Sheen, David (May 13, 2011). "Finding His Groove in the Meld of Kabbalah, Klezmer and Indie Hip-hop". Haaretz. Retrieved 20 August 2015.
  4. ^ Bresky, Ben (June 6, 2010). "Audio: Shir Yaakov's Folk Electronic / Strum -n- Bass". Arutz Sheva. Archived from the original (audio interview) on December 8, 2010. Retrieved 16 December 2015. Alt URL
  5. ^ Hebshi, Shoshana (2016-01-22). "VIDEO: Darshan duo mixes mysticism, hip-hop in area concerts". Jweekly. Retrieved 2023-04-08.
  6. ^ a b Savage, Emily (November 30, 2009). "Darshan mixes hip hop with Hebrew". Jweekly. Archived from the original on 4 January 2010. Retrieved 25 August 2015.
  7. ^ a b c Glinter, Ezra (February 5, 2010). "Shemspeed Albums from Bands That Start with 'D'". The Forward. Retrieved 25 August 2015.
  8. ^ "Lishmah - Darshan (Eprhyme & Shir Yaakov)". Amazon. Retrieved 25 August 2015.
  9. ^ Shemspeed. "Lishmah by Darshan". Bandcamp. Retrieved 26 August 2015.
  10. ^ "To Zion | Darshan". Bandcamp. 2011-03-17. Archived from the original on March 17, 2011. Retrieved 2023-04-08.
  11. ^ "Darshan's Ghetto Nightingale". Shemspeed. 2011-03-17. Retrieved 2023-04-08.
  12. ^ "Chad Gadya, by Darshan". Shemspeed. Retrieved 2023-04-08.
  13. ^ "Deeper and Higher by Darshan". Bandcamp. Retrieved 25 August 2015.
  14. ^ "Darshan's "Lishmah" - Out Now!". Shemspeed. 2011-03-17. Retrieved 2023-04-08.