Digpan by Diger Rokwell

What does travel, sampling and beat making sound like? Beat Tourism

The adventurous and prolific sound explorer, Diger Rokwell is back with his latest Beat Tourism adventure; Digpan: 50-100¥ Japanese Sample Excursions.

Digpan is a hip hop beat tape constructed from exclusively Japanese records found in the 50-100¥ bins across various record and thrift stores in Tokyo, Osaka and Kyoto from when Rokwell was on vacation there in 2015. After purchasing around 80 records, endless snippets where meticulously sampled, edited and arranged back in OZ; ending up with a killer 9 track deep and heavy hip hop beat tape. The records ranged from the wonderful, to the once popular, to down-right unsellable. Digpan follows on from previous Beat Tourism projects: Digerbodia (Cambodia) and Sri Diger (Sri Lanka).

The aim of the Beat Tourism project is to break away from the traditional origins of sampling in hip hop. Approaching new refreshing territory in formulating instrumental hip hop, which is not only aurally different, but also incredibly accidental. A game of chance, in the pursuit of beat making, a sonic jigsaw puzzle. Most of the records were selected and purchased upon the cover art alone, which later became the building blocks for the front cover artwork for the release.

Digpan is a change from Rokwell’s most recent instrumental focused albums Seeds, Sprouts and Rows. Mixed by Nathan J of Assembly Line, and mastered by Jack Prest.

Digpan is a little kooky but large as hell, and is a must listen for any instrumental hip hop fan.

Digpan is available via Bandcamp on the 18th of January 2019 via The Community Records, and available through all other digital & online platforms on the 1st of February. A limited edition run of 100 vinyl will be pressed for the discerning listener mid-2019.

Diger Rokwell is an electronic producer and live electronic performer with a love of psych, soul and rhythm. On stage he delivers a diverse selection of live and original electronica as a futuristic one man band.

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