News

[NEWS] Substantial featured in a new video game!

Awesome news! Substantial has an all new song featured in a new, yet to be released video game called Renaine! The game is about overcoming failure and already has a demo version available online which Sub's oldest daughter is already hooked on. Back the campaign if you can and help get the word out. One of the stretch goals is to make this available on the Nintendo Switch!

Here's a little more about Renaine...
"Guide Aine, the Phoenix Knight, on her impossible quest through Lineria's colorful kingdom as she sets out to avenge her friend, Ren."

As mentioned before, the game features new music from Substantial. Composer and instrumentalist Mason Lieberman reached out to Sub and collaborator DJ AAROCK to contribute to the game's original soundtrack. After hearing samples of Sub's first instrumental album The Garden, they commissioned him to remix a song from the soundtrack called East West Mountain (Act I). Sub remixed and produced a fresh take on the track, dropped new verses, plus a hook with DJ AAROCK adding cuts to give us East West Mountain (Act 2) - One Way or Another. 

Thank you for clicking on the Renaine Kickstarter (OR for finding us live at PAX East!). I am thrilled to share with you today a selection of six tracks from the upcoming Indie Platformer-RPG, Renaine! 1. Aine (The Main Theme of Renaine) Our journey begins with the menu theme, presented here in its original arrangement. To me, this theme best represents our courageous protagonist, Aine. Her hopeful demeanor in the face of darkness is represented here by the violin. 2. Shellwood Forest (Act 2), Tournament Arc - Make Way For Me Our second offering is Tournament Arc's Latin Jazz reinterpretation of the Sherwood Forest theme. Featuring the steady patter groove of David Gibson McLean's drum performance, Tournament Arc presents a thoroughly-chill atmosphere, helping to relax you for the light drizzle present in Shellwood Forest's second act. Solos are credited to Trevor Alan Gomes, Yousef Mousavi, and Jess Destramp, respectively. 3. Trekked Desert (Act 1) This level may not be in your demo today, but that doesn't mean its presence can't be felt in your Kickstarter! Groovy with a very worldly feel, traditional African and Asian percussive instruments help to ground this track with an accessible-yet-unique atmosphere. 4. East West Mountain (Act 1) A mountain equally covered by traditional Japanese imagery (oni, shrines, a very Mount-Fuji aesthetic) and Western fusion (American construction, graffiti, and enemies) deserved a track with callbacks to both styles. Percussively grounded in the mid-90's, this track uses Western orchestration techniques (string writing, band instrumentation, Wah guitar lines) with a distinctly Japanese blend (Rock shakuhachi lead, quartal writing, traditional Eastern ornamentation and instruments). 5. East West Mountain (Act 2), Edo Bushido - One Way or Another Edo Bushido can't be stopped. Remixing the original East West Mountain theme in their exceptional style, One Way or Another provides a lyrical perspective on Aine's thoughts. Our current version features verses from Substantial, with additional scratches from DJ AArock. 6. Trevor Alan Gomes - Aine (Solo Piano Arrangement) No one knows piano arrangements like Trevor Alan Gomes, and it has been one of the great pleasures of my career having him reinterpret one of my themes. His tender performance, vigorous passion, and clarity of harmonic approach result in a track that I'm not the least bit afraid of admitting has become a personal favorite of mine. This performance does not represent the final performance, as this will ultimately be tracked in a to-be-announced recording studio on a rather special piano!

Enjoy, be sure to pass it on and look out for Mason Lieberman on Sub's new album The Garden coming soon. Pre-order your copy today.

[NEW MUSIC] Substantial - Seeds EP (Produced by Substantial)

Confession: I am the most self conscious music producer ever. I produced my first beat when I was 15 years old and never looked back. But even though I have been making instrumentals virtually nonstop for two decades, these days, I have only really shared them with my students and officially released even less. 

Fast forward to 2017. In the past year or so, I have made more beats than I have written songs for the first time since I was a student at Suitland High School. I decided to embark on a mission to produce my first ever official instrumental album, entitled, The Garden due to be released in Spring 2018. But before there can be a garden, we need seeds to plant. Enters the eight track EP, Seeds featuring seven instrumentals and one remix. The project consist of several old beats I produced with a few new tracks and an insane remix I was challenged to do for Tonedeff. 

Photo by Rachelle Etienne-Robinson

Photo by Rachelle Etienne-Robinson

They say the holiday season is the time for giving and I couldn't dream of a better way to close out the year. So, consider this project my gift to you. 

Listen. Enjoy. Share. 

Stay in PEACE.
Sub/Stan

Unreleased Track 'Immortality' + Kickstarter Update

New Unreleased Music
SUBSTANTIAL - IMMORTALITY

With less than a week left for the #SubOnWax Kickstarter Campaign, I've decided to make this once "SUBporter Exclusive" song available to everyone for supporting the campaign. This is one of several unreleased tracks from 2008's Sacrifice and because I am a man of my word, I will still gift everyone who backs the campaign another previously unreleased track from Sacrifice. 

ABOUT IMMORTALITY
I finished this song back in the Spring of 2006 and it was originally suppose to be the last track on my sophomore album, Sacrifice. Unfortunately, I lost contact with the producers (The Deffenders) when it was time to finalize and release the album a year or so later and it's remained in the vault ever since. Back in 2011, I got the song remixed by M-Phazes, but when he sent the beat, I loved it, but felt like it didn't work as well as the original track. So instead, I used the remix beat for Grateful on my third album Home Is Where The Art Is, which is why the song themes are similar. 

11 years later, this is hands down one of my favorite songs I've ever recorded. Now it's yours! By the way, it should be available on Spotify, iTunes, Amazon, Tidal and everywhere else by the weekend but you can download it right now exclusively on Bandcamp.

KICKSTARTER UPDATE: As of 12AM (EST) last night, we are 86% backed with 6 days left! We're almost there!

Click the image above to pledge today.

Click the image above to pledge today.

Lastly, I recently had the pleasure of sitting down with Crowdfunding Cast to talk about my new Kickstarter Campaign. Listen by clicking below.

That's all for now. I'll see you soon but talk to you sooner. - Substantial

[KICKSTARTER CAMPAIGN] Substantial's 1st & 2nd Album Limited Edition Vinyl →

KICKSTARTER CAMPAIGN TO PRESS SUBSTANTIAL'S 1ST & 2ND ALBUM
LIMITED EDITION VINYL

My debut and sophomore LPs are requested on vinyl more than any of my other solo releases. To This Union A Sun Was Born is overdue for a repressing and Sacrifice, which celebrates it's 10 year anniversary in January 2018, has never been pressed on vinyl. This thirty day campaign, which began yesterday during #SubstantialSundays, is my effort to raise $10,000 to make both records available and easily accessible to diehard SUBporters and vinyl lovers around the world.

I've created some really awesome rewards for you all. Check them out and help me spread the word! Please use the hashtag #SubOnWax when sharing the link! Thanks!

Substantial's The Past Is Always Present In The Future Now Available on Cassette

SUBSTANTIAL
THE PAST IS ALWAYS PRESENT IN THE FUTURE
CASSETTES NOW SHIPPING!

ALSO AVAILABLE ON
MP3 AND COMPACT DISC
VINYL COMING SOON

It's only been a week since Substantial released his fourth solo album, The Past Is Always Present In The Future, yet the album has received so much praise from fans and media outlets alike. It's currently the #1 best selling Rap album on Bandcamp.

"Substantial strings a conceptual string through the past, present and future on his new effort titled “The Past Is Always Present In The Future”. As per usual, substantial delivers yet another emotionally powerful body of work, mixing his life experiences, current events and much more with that oomph that makes his style unique." - TheWordIsBond.com

"Substantial has gifted listeners many insights into his artistry and personal experiences for over a decade, and with this release it's breathtaking to hear just how far he has come. Substantial seems to effortlessly supply introspective and powerful lyrics over smooth, soulful, and mesmerizing production." - knowar, fan

"A beautiful, thoughtful, and powerful work of art crafted to impact you with skillful lyrics, amazing features, exceptional beats and stunning production. Substantial marvelously connects the message that your past, present and future are all closely tied and is always with you." - Calvin Williams, fan

Bandcamp also featured the album on their front page along with an indepth interview with Substantial. You can read that here.

Today we announce the release of Substantial's new album on cassette tape. It's the very first album Substantial has released on cassette... and it's limited to only 100 copies. So get your copy of #TheGoldenTape before they run out!  The Past Is Always Present In The Future is also available on Compact Disc and as a mp3 download. The album is currently being pressed on vinyl; release date to be announced soon!

CASSETTE | COMPACT DISC

iTUNES | BANDCAMP | SPOTIFY | GOOGLE | AMAZON

READ BANDCAMP ARTICLE / INTERVIEW 

Catch Substantial LIVE with Precious Joubert & DJ Jav,  January 28th in North Brentwood, Maryland at The Prince George's African American Museum & Cultural Center. This event is an album release party in P.G. County where Substantial was raised and is also a fundraiser for the museum. The $20 admission covers a $10 donation to the museum and a copy of the new album, The Past Is Always Present In The Future. | Tickets Available Now 

If you're in Baltimore, MD, you can catch Substantial at The Wind Up Space on January 31st for the Baltimore Album Release Party featuring HiPNOTT Records labelmates, Greenspan & Jsoul. | Tickets Available Now 

ABOUT THE ALBUM:

Intimate and laid back, this newly released contemporary hip-hop gem features visceral beats and cunning lyrics that enlighten and inspire. New songs and new arrangements of earlier songs from his recent EPs, taking listeners on a journey through the past, present and future. The Past Is Always Present In The Future cements Substantial's musical legacy as one of Maryland's proudest and most prolific sons. 

TPIAPITF includes production from DC producer, Oddisee, Seattle producer and 1/2 of Bop Alloy, Marcus D, Mello Music Group producer, Gensu Dean, label mates The Other Guys & JSOUL, Algorythm of The Stuyvesants and Good Compny Drummer, Jon Laine. Substantial's fourth solo album also features guest appearances by QN5 Music's Tonedeff, fellow Nujabes collaborators Cise Starr of CYNE and Uyama Hiroto, GRAMMY nominated singer/songwriter Wayna and more. 

[MUSIC] Reginald William 'Be My Love' ft. Substantial

Reginald William and fellow DMV Native, Substantial, collaborate on this hit single.

Newness from my old friend Reginald William (formally known as rnb) featuring yours truly. Be My Love is the new single from RW's sophomore album Being In Like. For those of you who are long time Subporters you may recognize Reg's voices from our past collaborations such as Hood Hope and BBQ.

LISTEN. ENJOY. SHARE.

FRIENDLY REMINDER:
Catch me, Asheru, w/ DJ Jav, DJ AAROCK + Ducky Dynamo in Baltimore on Thurs. 8/11