Words by Tasha Brown, Photo by Martei Korley—
Acmatic is not your traditional Caribbean group. The band, which LargeUp has been following for a few years now, has many influences in its music, which spans hip-hop, EDM, dancehall, rock, new wave and more, and they continue to push the envelope with their constant blending and mixing of genres. You can’t define Acmatic (whose name means the peak) or put the Diplo-approved band in any particular box, but I’m sure that’s the point.
The eclectic Jamaican outfit’s latest unpredictable track “Washed Out” is a drinking song, the title of which may or may not be a reference to the “chillwave” act of the same name and “Feel It All Around” fame. Musically, “Washed Out” mixes trap drums (as in trap music, not a drum kit) with rapper King Lopo’s faded emceeing and the sort of atmospheric vibes you might expect to catch in, yes, some chillwave from Washed Out. Sample/download it below, and watch our LargeUp TV episode with Acmatic here.
