LIIM – "R.I.P. Peace"
Photo: Courtesy of Orienteer
LISTEN: https://threetimeslouder.ffm.to/liim-rippeace
WATCH: https://youtu.be/8RCwl5V_IpA
LIIM has been one of those names floating around New York's music scene for a minute, and if you're just now catching on, this is a good time to jump in. He's currently out on tour supporting Freddie Gibbs, just got added to London's All Points East festival on a bill headlined by Tyler, The Creator, and has been recording at Electric Lady Studios. The window on discovering him early is closing fast.
His new single "R.I.P. Peace" is simple in the best way. The beat is rooted in Lite Feet, that clap-heavy sound from mid-2000s Harlem. Rolling Stone put DJ Webstar and Young B's "Chicken Noodle Soup" on their list of essential dance tracks, noting how it started on the streets, spread online and eventually crossed over to the pop world. That same hyper-local Harlem energy is exactly what LIIM is drawing from. The lyrics are grounded and specific in a way that makes them stick without overthinking it.
The video, directed by 900DKID, takes direct inspiration from Blood Orange's "Champagne Coast." LIIM has said it himself: "I've always been a big fan of Dev Hynes' visual language. I feel like both of our sounds encapsulate a feeling of nostalgia and youthfulness." Warm, a little hazy, and very Harlem.
This isn't a guy figuring things out anymore. "R.I.P. Peace" is the start of a larger project, so now's a good time to get familiar. His debut album "Liim Lasalle Loves You" is where to go next.