Ahnnu

Operating from Los Angeles, Leland Jackson shapes atmospheric creations as Ahnnu, where abstract hip-hop meets experimental ambient forms through the integration of field recordings and discovered audio elements within indistinct sonic environments. On occasion these pieces feature beats distorted by tape manipulation, while in other instances they only hint at rhythmic structures, transforming components of hip-hop and dance music into vague, misty musical compositions. Jackson, responsible for juke and footwork productions via the Cakedog alias and operator of the Dogtropic imprint, launched the Ahnnu endeavor through a collection of beat tapes beginning in 2011. Initial outputs including Couch and Prohabitat achieved recognition and a dedicated following, with Ahnnu gaining greater exposure during 2013 via Battered Sphinx on NNA Tapes alongside World Music from Leaving Records. A collaborative effort with D/P/I produced the mixtape She Was No Tame Thing, assembled solely using excerpts from Drake's Nothing Was the Same. The year 2015 saw the emergence of Perception, Ahnnu's follow-up release on Leaving Records, with both label albums later combined into a double LP format. Rap Vacation put out Family Jams, Vol. 3 in 2017, a split cassette shared with Ohbliv. Concluding the year came Special Forces, marking Ahnnu's sophomore effort for NNA Tapes and its debut appearance on vinyl.