Geese Da Goon is an artist based in Washington, D.C., whose artistic heart beats to the rhythms of the roller-skating culture and the unique art of communal storytelling. Inspired by the colorful Snap City phenomenon, he creates soundtracks made especially for the skating floor, successfully mixing the unique rhythm, style, and history of the skating scene of D.C. with his own energetic production. On June 5th, Geese Da Goon offered us a trip to this dynamic city through his four-track EP entitled *Let Me Take You To Snap City*. Let’s take a look at the details of this project.
This EP starts with “Let Me Take Y’all To Snap City – DJ Prodigy Exclusive”. This song starts with an audible crackling of the scratch of the needle from the turntable on the record and the distant muffled crowd noise that seems to be coming through the velvet curtain until the beat explodes with the distorted bass kick. This introduces a theme about the raw strength of the invitation to join in the place where one’s status can be determined solely on their skill and rhythm. The delivery of the vocals by Geese is filled with street vibe, swinging from raspy confidence to natural rhythm. The musicality is packed with the sound of percussion snapping, a straightforward tribute to the roots of the genre, with modern production that adds an element of polish to the track. This song might be in Spanish, but at caramba!, it was spicy and had a very hot kick. The effect on the listener is instantaneous; there’s a powerful draw that compels you to move and experience the thrill of being ready to hit the dance floor.
With the transition of energy, “Let Me Take Y’all To Snap City – Rolla Mexico City Version” kicks in with an ethereal blend of atmospheric chords played on the synthesizer that evoke images of hot waves emanating from the streets, followed by a syncopated and lo-fi loop on the drums that provides the foundation of the arrangement. The most interesting part about this arrangement is that thematically, it provides a whole new twist to the central idea of the song. Geese maneuvers through this journey with a more relaxed, almost conversational rhythm, his vocals situated deep within the groove. The instruments feature a shimmering texture of polyrhythms that come across as vivid and lively and succeed in combining the local feel of D.C. with an international feel. This track is a lesson on creating an environment where the listener is transported from the enclosed area of the rink to the unlimited environment of the world.
The third track, titled “Let Me Take Y’all To Snap City – Rearranged”, opens with the high-pitched whir of skate bearings in an empty room, followed by a menacing bassline on synthesizers, which makes you feel like you’re being warned. This song is in English, and it’s about a character who is inviting us to snap city. He tells us that this city is a wild ride that we won’t survive on our own, if we have him as a guide, we will be good. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not dangerous, it’s just much better with a guide who is familiar with the place. In terms of musicality, there’s a lot more sharpness about this track due to its minimalistic arrangement and focus on vocals. The musical quality of this song is far more pronounced, with a minimalist approach that allows for all of the focus to be put on the way that he uses his voice. He changes back and forth between fast-paced and almost percussive delivery and melody, with a great deal of exactitude that seems intentional. It is very cerebral in its effect but also very physical, compelling the audience to listen to the complexities of the beat and understand what they mean. It is an intelligent interpretation of something more complex than it appears.
The album ends with the track “Snap City Let’s Ride”, which begins with the sounds of a metallic chain clinking and then progresses to the roar of a car engine before concluding with a beautiful, uplifting melody on the synthesizer. The motif of “ride” in this song reflects the camaraderie that you will feel when you get to Snap City. Listen, I don’t know about you, hearing about this Snap City across three songs makes me very desperate to be a skater and to go there, not to worry, this song gives you a front row seat and a ticket to this place. This is when Geese delivers his best vocal performance as he seems to be proud of guiding his audience to their destination. The instrumentation is impressive, as the music is presented using wide stereo sound and a constant head-nodding tempo that makes this song sound like a natural ending. Its effect is great because after listening to the track, a feeling of nostalgia remains, thus ensuring that the EP is a whole separate universe. By the end of the track, there is no way to resist the temptation to listen to the album, “Let Me Take You To Snap City”, once again from scratch.
The creation of Geese Da Goon’s EP is not only a series of tracks but an exquisitely designed pipeline constructed especially for the vibration of the skating floor. Geese recognizes the intimate chemistry of skateboarding, DJ, and energy that makes this culture thrive and expresses the relationship through every single beat. Despite some resemblance to the sharpest elements of hip hop music, the rhythmic vibe of the dance and the hardcore sound of the local club music, “Let Me Take You To Snap City” occupies its unique place. The EP becomes the iconic soundtrack for the movement, becoming a beating heart for the community supporting this phenomenon. It should be mentioned that this project had me utterly fascinated, even though I’m too clumsy to handle myself on the ice rink, I could easily feel myself living through the music’s confident tone and lyrics’ dynamic narrative. Geese not only make great music but create whole worlds, and the way he manages to catch this particular lightning in a bottle is sheer brilliance. I’ve been waiting impatiently for his next project, and I’m curious how he will continue evolving as an artist.
Stream the “Let Me Take You To Snap City” EP on Spotify
Follow Geese Da Goon here and his socials: Facebook, YouTube, Bandcamp
