From an offshoot of Salifornian funk/soul collective Banda Maje, here comes a new 7″ single penned by the rapper, producer, and band’s co-founder Tonico 70. “Vic’l / Fantasie” is a tasty prelude to Tonico 70’s forthcoming album “Antonico”, due out this November on Four Flies Records. Like the rest of the album, the two tracks on the single have been co-written and co-produced by Peppe Maiellano, Banda Maje’s other founder, and offer a more intimate portrait of the artist. Tonico has put his ‘tough-music-smuggler’ persona aside to let his soulful side shine through. “Vic’l”, on side A, is a very autobiographical song. The flow of words you hear, almost a stream of consciousness, took place late one night in the privacy of your home and was recorded on the spot. Tonico 70 evaluates his personal history, speaking about the people who are or were there for him. The sound is smooth and sweet, rife with contrapuntal notes and harmonies (those played on the Fender Rhodes and the flute especially stand out) and clearly reminiscent of 70s soul. In the funky, uptempo “Fantasie”, on the flip side, Tonico 70 lets his Salifornian flow roam free to talk about the strong bonds that bring us together and make us feel good. Both tracks evoke images and stories while enveloping you in a warm embrace. Not unlike Banda Maje’s music, they have a strong cinematic quality that Tonico 70’s rap adds to nicely.

Brand new, never played, unsealed