Queens artist/illustrator/writer KDFoxx had an idea for a manga called Animal Arithmetic, an end-times story. For most people, it would have been enough to simply write and illustrate this story and then put it out into the world. KDFoxx had a more ambitious plan for this particular project, though, one that included a soundtrack to the manga. To complete this task, she reached out to Maryland artist Substantial. He then set about the project that is Animal Arithmetic, Vol. 1.

To make this soundtrack, Substantial chose to work in a mostly instrumental mode, with a few guest emcees and voice-over actors coming in to give a taste of the story as you’re listening. The style of music that Substantial laying down could probably be best described as ‘70s jazz-funk, with a touch of boom bap for good measure. It’s the type of music that makes you feel like you’re floating, grooving along in outer space. The grooves are nice and fat, and the instrumentation and song structure keep thing constantly evolving and holding your interest. Substantial helps achieve this sound by bringing in live instrumentation from Jonathan Smalls, Malcolm Jackson, Marukabis, Marcus D, and Mason Lieberman, who all make it sound like they’ve been playing together as an ensemble for years, everything feels so tight and funky. On the mic, we get a few key verses from EyeQ, MLLN, and of course Substantial, who all pack a lot into a tight space, giving you enough food for thought to let you imagination run wild once you get back to the instrumentals. It all comes together to make an album that stands up on its own, but will also have you running to learn more about the manga that inspired it.

Animal Arithmetic, Vol. 1 is a really interesting project, and KDFoxx put a lot in motion when she decided that it needed more than just some words and pictures on a page. Substantial was a great artist to reach out to, and he delivered a really rich and rewarding soundtrack to her story.