SLMTHCKNS is the second of a trilogy of lead bass nu jazz songs which were made over the course of 2020 on an iPad mini and feature a cast of some serious Ohio players.

SLMTHCKNS started out in the winter of 2020 as a chord progression in iReal Pro, from there a Garageband beat was made, sampling keys from iReal pro. Unc D then added the groove of bass and electronic drums. In the summer, due to shutdown delays, this minimal beat was brought to Mofidelity co-founder Thin Thicket's studio in Youngstown, Ohio to record a trio to the beat (Thin Thicket on rhodes, Gino West on acoustic drums, Unc on bass). Thin Thicket and Unc D then added synths and keyboards to the track both via video chat and on the studio's back porch on a warm afternoon. Here, Thin Thicket created 808 drum tracks synchronous with Gino's take.

Unc D sent this half baked jam to a series of talented musicians from different parts of the Ohio scene to remote record their individual parts. John Polace (Cleveland/People in the Daytime) was the first to hop on the minimal beat, adding rhodes and synth tracks which body many aspects of the track (ex: left panned run in the shout section/rhodes). Kevin Maxwell Smith recorded his keys in this early stage at Unc D's iPad, laying down some money licks (ex: rhodes hit which dominates the compression during the guitar solo). Spiro Schialdone's drum set sample (rimshots and snare during second praisebreak) was added to the track next, before being sent over the Atlantic for Francesco Corrado ( Italy/ string sounds, piano) to throw over it. At this point, the jam was hot and ready for Brandon Coleman's (Cincinnati) ripping guitar solo, as well as Justin Tibbs' (Akron) tasty ass sax.

Unc D edited each remote recorded track into the beat and then added the final lead bass melodies. While the main melody was stuck in his head for some time, the other melody heard first in the song was improvised. During the lead bass melody you may notice a bass track hard panned in your left speaker, this was one of those "I know that's not the best of audiophiles but fuck it lets see what happens" moments.

Following SLMTHCKNS in this trilogy of nu jazz lead bass songs is Firstness of Thirdness, out March 1st. Firstness of Thirdness features a similarly urgent groove, wild solos and intense drum sequencing, as well as the largest collaboration on a single track for Unc D yet at 13.

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