ALBUM REVIEW: SV – My Corrhiza

My introduction to the sounds of Boston producer and co-founder of St. Louis-based music label Jim’s Pool Room Sean ‘SV’ Veligor came in the form of his re-released 2015 beat tape “The Reminisce Beat Tape”. From there, I was exposed to his fellow musical collaborators: St. Louis rapper Gage who teamed up with SV on the superb, ambitious, sci-fi based “Moonbase: SVG” concept album trilogy, producer/rapper Capo who ‘co-starred’ in that trilogy, and singer-songwriter Antonia Marquee who blessed each of these albums with some truly gorgeous vocals and memorable hooks.  

Months after the conclusion of that trilogy with its third release “Escape from Moonbase” (my top favorite of the three and one of my favorite albums of 2021), SV dropped the delightfully laid-back single “Focus” which introduced me to St. Louis rapper Jia Davis.  And thanks to his newest record “My Corrhiza”, I was able to re-acquaint myself with SV and his abovementioned creative peers and acquaint myself with a few new shining stars in the music world.

The concept of this record is quite intriguing. According to the liner notes presented on its official Bandcamp page, “mycorrhiza are fungi that have a symbiotic relationship with the roots of plants. They are the intertwining veins that help plants and trees communicate with each other”. SV compares this symbiosis to the connection amongst humans via communication. “As a producer”, SV says, “you can only take your music so far without the energy, talent, skills and determination of other like-minded souls”. And simply put, that’s what “My Corrhiza” is about: a group of talented, like-minded singer-songwriters showcasing their craft over a series of musical backdrops, with SV playing the role of both creator and curator.  

With every listen I give this album, my mind kept returning to its cover: an original painting from SV’s late great uncle inherited by him from his late grandmother. Going back to SV’s role of creator, I can imagine him consciously inspired by it to do this album. The beats themselves – moody, breezy and oftentimes spacey – sound like sonic interpretations of the possible emotions drawn from that painting.  But I can also imagine his guest performers sub-consciously adapting those emotions, from pleasant and relaxed to melancholy and reflective, into their songs.

On the album opener and single “How Did It Feel”, European singer Ariana Celaeno delivers these haunting yet heavenly vocals as she queries from an old flame the reasoning behind his bitter departure from her life. The pain and regret she feels on this track are on full display and amplified by SV’s mix of tense, dramatic piano keys, airy synth passages and rudimentary, mid-tempo drum patterns. We then get the abovementioned “Focus” which I already covered. I will say it fits PERFECTLY in “My Corrhiza”, working as both a display of the harmonious collaborations between artists (in this case, Jia Davis and Antonia Marquee) and the ebb and flow of genres and moods throughout this album.

Up next is the single “Touch Ground”, the first of two solo tracks and six songs overall to feature singer/rapper Alyssa Jane, who is arguably THE standout performer on this record. On this track alone, she showcases her highly impressive singing and rapping skills, each in roughly half of the track’s admittedly short runtime (in retrospect, it would’ve benefited from another verse) whilst highlighting a sense of vulnerability and relatability that permeate throughout her output on “My Corrhiza”.

Speaking of vulnerability, we then get the collaborative single “Without You” which pairs Alyssa with Jim’s Pool Room’s resident wordsmith Capo. SV treats us to a spacey, nocturnal beat which both artists put to good use as they discuss their involvement, or lack thereof, in this fractured, complicated relationship. Alyssa finds Capo dishonest and emotionally cold towards her, which she expresses beautifully on the hook. And as expected, Capo is fed up of her emotional distance towards him, accusing her of acting out when it’s clear he’s the root of their misfortune. He also comes through with some of the album’s most memorable bars (“I don’t think you get it…. yes it’s quite unlikely / You’ve been tripping real bad, A-C-I-D / You don’t think I know you don’t fucking like me / Front row talking shit at Nick like Spike Lee”).

The following track, and one of the album’s best songs, “Looking Behind Me” pairs Alyssa with rapper Motionplus. And as a first-time listener to Motionplus, I was THOROUGHLY impressed by his songwriting and wordplay! Over SV’s downtempo, piano-driven instrumental, he touches on all-too-relatable themes of unfulfillment and regret in pursuing one’s passion, with Alyssa sharing her perspective on moving forward toward her dreams, even with the occasional urge to look back at her past failures and losses. And yes, he also drops some of the album’s most memorable bars (“Sometimes, I’m just speechless, I feel alone / Trying to touch these hearts through these words but I’m feeling stoned / Taking for granted, but it’s granite and it’s hard and cold / Almost 50 on this planet and I’m scarred and old”).

We then get some much-needed respite from the wears and tears of the last three tracks with two songs featuring Antonia Marquee. The first is “The Outsiders” which, on paper, is essentially a reunion of the primary cast of the “Moonbase” album trilogy. SV’s instrumental is an absolute earworm, with its sparkly keys and upbeat vibe throughout. And though the song’s prominent theme of reflection on one’s life path is a fairly serious one, Gage and Capo bring tons of wit and wisdom to their respective verses (Capo’s brutally honest word of wisdom in the middle of his verse is a true highlight) and Antonia’s hook is one of the album’s most catchy and memorable. And on the hazy, piano-led soundscape of “What Can I Do”, the first of her two solo tracks on the record, Antonia delivers an affectionate, well-composed and well-performed song centered on her failed attempts at getting a potential, emotionally reserved love interest to open up to her.

Part of me wonders if the title of the following track (“The Tree”) relates to the album cover. Probably not, but still, I wonder. Anyway, Gage gets his opportunity to rap alongside Alyssa Jane, and like “Without You”, we get another complex, relationship-on-the-rocks scenario. Here, Gage wants another shot at this broken relationship, but Alyssa makes it clear he has to work on himself first. Both artists get their moments to shine over SV’s downbeat, hi-hat driven production, from Gage’s impeccable flows to Alyssa’s startling high notes during the chorus.

Antonia Marquee gets another shot at love on the following track “Long Enough” which features this irresistibly smooth and sensual instrumental that you may easily find yourself getting lost into. The dramatic pianos on the beat were a nice touch, as it adds a sense of urgency towards the old friend / years-long love interest Antonia wants to get serious with in this song. And on the subject of urgency, the excellent “Dopeness Right There” finds Alyssa Jane, who absolutely SNAPS on SV’s moody banger of a beat (I love the melodramatic bit of soul music that opens the song and rhythmic vocalizing peppered throughout it), spitting bars like her life depended on it! And judging by the numerous shots fired at her haters and detractors, she approaches this song with the intent of proving them wrong and showing her worthiness of blessing the mic.

I find myself conflicted on the penultimate track “Slippin on Selzah”. While it’s easily the most upbeat song on the record with its feel-good bars from Capo and Gage centered on their favorite cocktails and drinks, the undeniably bouncy, G-funk-inspired beat designed for cruising down the street in your ’64 and the simplistic, catchy AF hook, it does feel thematically out of place compared to the emotional rollercoaster of tracks preceding it. But it does make for an odd yet surprisingly satisfactory pairing with the album closer “Chill n Vibe”, headlined by Alyssa Jane and featuring a fantastic solo from guest saxophonist Kevon Scott. If “Slippin on Selzah” is the fun, sunny song to listen to as you go about your day, “Chill n Vibe” is the laid-back, dusk-set song to listen to on your way home, thanks to SV’s hypnotic production and Alyssa’s stunning vocals.

Bookending the album are two bonus tracks: a mid-tempo, smooth jazz-based remix of electropop singer MNDR’s “Feed Me Diamonds” and a slow-paced, alternative R&B remix of indie pop duo Tegan and Sara’s “I Was a Fool”. Prior to hearing these remixes, I wasn’t familiar with the original versions or the artists who composed them. And while the songs themselves are great (especially the former, which I can see why it’s recognized as a LGBTQ anthem), I really appreciate how SV added his own sonic flavor to these songs. I could be wrong, but I suspect these remixes are older tracks from SV’s catalogue, given the near-decade span of time between the release of “My Corrhiza” and the releases of MNDR and Tegan and Sara’s hit singles. But it’s clear that they served as inspiration for this record, as they emphasize SV’s ear for beautiful female voices and his adulation for them through his instrumentation.

As a whole, “My Corrhiza” is a solid project from SV. The symbiosis between producer and artist is certainly felt here, thanks to SV’s versatile selection of beats and a mostly consistent series of lyrical mood setters. But ultimately, this album succeeds at shedding light on a number of talented singers and rappers (and producer, of course), all of whom are well-deserving of great attention. I do hope we get another compilation album from SV and the fine folks at Jim’s Pool Room in the near-future, but for now, if you’re looking for a nice blend of moody, chilled-out hip hop, R&B and pop, by all means, give this project a listen!

OVERALL RATING: 8 out of 10

FAV TRACKS: How Did It Feel, Focus, Without You, Looking Behind Me, The Outsiders, What Can I Do, The Tree, Dopeness Right There, Chill n Vibe

LEAST FAV TRACK: Slippin on Selzah

Now available on Bandcamp