DJ Preservation has returned with his new album, Eastern Medicine, Western Illness. A project that was inspired by a self-imposed challenge to only craft beats from Chinese-issued vinyl found in record shops during a three-year stay in Hong Kong.
Throughout his 20+ year career, Preservation has been incorporating samples of Chinese music into his beats–a result of the combined influence of the Shaw Brothers, Wu-Tang Clan and Bruce Lee–but with his new album, the New York native took the merger to another level.
The “Eastern Medicine” is the old Chinese sounds Preservation sourced in solace and turned into the remedy. The “Western Illness” is both the endemic issues in the West and the ill talents of the MCs involved.
“While living in Hong Kong starting in 2014, I witnessed the umbrella protest movement,” Preservation says. “During my three-year stay, the negative news was coming in from the West. This experience fueled me and perhaps subconsciously influenced the sounds of the album. The act of creating was my solace. Once I returned to NY, the news came in from the East as the youth continued to stand up in Hong Kong and Covid-19 first hit mainland China. The goal of the album is to bring together the East and West in sound and culture. I never could have imagined that this music would be released in these times, but I’m grateful to be in a position to provide some form of medicine. Walk with me.”
Equipped with 13 tracks, the album includes features from plenty of DopeHouse residents like Roc Marciano, Your Old Droog, Quelle Chris, GrandeMarshall, Nickelus F, KA, Mach-Hommy, and more.
Press play on the album below and be sure to add Preservation’s Eastern Medicine, Western Illness wherever you consume music.
