The Arch Cupcake

Fans of NY production duo Ming+FS and their chaotic hip-hop-meets-electronic multi-dimensional rhythmic amalgams should be instantly familiar with the sounds of Frederick Sargolini's latest music venture as the Arch Cupcake. Chopped samples, intricate breaks, unexpected sonic shifts and a slew of interesting effects are strewn across the vast expanse of Sargolini's debut solo disc, Box of Bees. Various traditional hip-hop elements receive an interesting twist, as they're spun out of tAC's creative mind and laid to disc, like the ominous church organs, unintelligible vocals and warped synths that help transform the Southern bounce of "No Dice," or the many waves of beat breaks and mood changes that run through cuts like "El Gato Attacks" and "The Drums." The Cupcake's experimental spirit and periodic taste for cheesy sounds do lead to a few moments that detract from the producer's more serious creations ("Wasabi," "Future Kitsch"). Those few missteps are thoroughly made right by the tense film score feel of closer "Rubix Dude," as Sargolini's mental fertility continues on.