Ceschi’s “The Gospel” Is a Vibrantly Abstract Trip Into His Wide-Ranging Hip-Hop World (premiere)

New Haven, Connecticut rapper and singer Ceschi has spent his career etching out an eminent solo musical personality that combines hip-hop, punk, folk, and indie rock (he’s also been part of bands that range from lo-fi synth pop to Latin progressive and psychedelic/jazz rap). Clearly, he makes it his mission to defy restricted labels and boxes, and with his latest video, “The Gospel”, he continues that distinction. Helmed by longtime producer Factor Chandelier (with whom Ceschi founded the Fake Four Inc. record label) and directed by Riley Deacon, the video is a vibrantly abstract representation of a compellingly wide-ranging track that reinforces his singular style.

“The Gospel” comes from Ceschi’s upcoming LP—Sat, Fat Luck—which tackles a lot of heavy subject matter (break-ups, aging, a “US-born-Latino analysis of Trump’s America”, and a tribute to lost friends). It begins with dissonant screeches before his emotive pop verses give way to changing beats, strings, horns, and other miscellaneous timbres, solidifying a resourceful formula that conjures similar genre-splicing standouts like Childish Gambino and Kid Cudi. It’s a curious and impassioned aural collage that’s aptly embodied in a multitude of abstract visuals (including kaleidoscope drawings, colored filters, intersecting images, and pseudo rotoscoping in the vein of Richard Linklater’s quasi animated filmography). Combined, they express arresting personal and universal experiences that only scratch the surface of what Sat, Fat Luck will convey.

Let us know what you think of “The Gospel” in the comments section below, and be sure to pre-order Sad, Fat Luck before its April 4th release date via Fake Four Inc. Also, you can catch Ceschi on tour at the following dates and locations.