“No Future”: start of a bright one

Nadine MelamedStaff WriterEveryone does it. We spend countless hours trying to plan out our futures, all the while forgetting about the now and disregarding the "carpe diem" adage.“‘No Future’ is a reminder to value the present more than anything, because one thing that is not promised in this life is the future,” Samo alum Avila Santo said, regarding his first EP. “‘No Future’ is playing off of the fact that it is so easy in this time and day to spend all of your life planning out your future, when in actuality, it is most likely that your future will not pan out to be the way you visualize it in your head.”Ironically, with an album titled “No Future,” the album’s songs can best be described as a sort of “electro-futurist fusion,” incorporating old-school beats with modern sounds and effects. Some effects include spoken word samples, like parts of a debate between Jazz critic Stanley Crouch and percussionist James Mtume, who used to play with Miles Davis.“I feel genres are restricting. If there was a genre for the sounds that are in my head, I would call it that,” Santo said about his album. Take for example, “Canyonsolstice.” Featuring good friend and college roommate Gary Zanello on guitar, “Canyonsolstice” has an '80s hip hop beat with a jazzy swing and laser beam sounds.Not a single song featured on Santo’s “No Future” is hyped up with confusing and unnecessary sounds and effects in attempts of adding an individualist edge. They’re all chill.“I could find influences from any music and any situation, to be honest. The last song I made I thought up while waiting for my laundry to finish drying,” Santo said.The time and passion put into the songs are apparent. It’s obvious this album was made solely out of desire, not with the motivation of profit. “No Future” is a rare, versatile collection of genuinely pure, free-flowing and laid-back beats that can best be played when kicking it with friends; the occasional “yeeea” is inevitable. Everyone, regardless of age or musical knowledge, can appreciate Santo’s productions.And regarding fellow musician and Samo alum Tate Tucker, Santo says: “Me and Tate... [made] a song a while back. He actually rapped over the second beat I ever made. [We] might have some stuff coming out, [but] that hasn’t been finalized yet.”Producing new beats either alone or with Tucker, Santo looks forward to his musical future and is waiting to see where his Berklee School of Music education will take him.nmelamed@thesamohi.com