Though he’s now most associated with lush R&B project The Vapor Caves, BoomBaptist remains one of Austin’s most chill beatmakers, blending together a style that’s as delicately composed as DJ Shadow and as melodic as RJD2. Boom makes his return after a nearly ten year long solo hiatus with the passion project Boom Shakalaka, which expands on the sultry vibes he’s been putting together in Vapor Caves and pays tribute to one of his other loves– NBA Jam.
Both sides of Boom Shakalaka are constructed to last an entire NBA Jam game so you can put it on while you play and the art and assets all nod to the game too, down to a custom player select screen featuring Boom as a secret player. It’s a clear labor of love all the way through, which should come as no surprise to anyone who ever spent time at Empire Control Room and played on Boom’s NBA Jam cabinet or took part in any of the tournaments he hosted. And that love was enough to get the project some support from filmmakers who were set to premiere a documentary on NBA Jam developer Midway at SXSW, as well as the team behind a new book on the franchise. Give Boom Shakalaka a listen below and be sure to snag a physical copy of the picture disc before they’re all sold out!