Instrumental hip hop album built from vintage Vietnamese pop records picked up in flea markets on a trip to the far east. Onra delivers a tight selection of beats that somehow bring to mind J Dilla, Madlib, Moondog, MF Doom and the Sublime Frequencies label rolled into one beautifully incoherent package. Similar to Dilla's Donuts, Chinoiseries keeps the addictive hooks and dusty beats short and sweet. Onra gives new life to the forgotten lovelorn crooners and the objects of their desire with "Last Tango In Saigon." The crackle and hiss comes through on "Full Backpack" and "Boundless Boundaries." The devastating percussive echo of "Clap Clap," exotic psych hop of "Raw" and mysterious guitar funk of "One Day" further cement Onra's place amongst the new school of beat heads.

• black double vinyl pressing
• original release year: 2007
• music label: All City Records 2023

reviewed by Michu Meszaros