Albuquerque, NM – Albuquerque, New Mexico-based producer Diles and fellow Burque artist Jungle One have joined forces for a new single called “Not For Kicks.” To coincide with the release, they’ve now dropped a visual for the track.
Over Diles’ encapsulating yet sparse soundscape, Jungle throws a few jabs at sneaker culture and capitalism while looking back on his childhood, one that often involved being ridiculed for not having the top of the line kicks and, instead, embracing thrift store bargains.
The song was initially inspired by an entirely different beat.
“I was sent a beat entitled ‘Dirty Shoes’ by another local producer,’” Jungle One tells hitmusic. “Although the beat wasn’t a fit for me, the title inspired me to write the song ‘Not for Kicks.’ A few weeks later, Diles showed me the beat for ‘Not for Kicks.’ It was a good fit for the flow of the song, so we recorded the track. I feel this song is vital in an era where we’ve distanced ourselves from what is human and authentic, and have come to rely too heavily on appearances and ‘likes’ to obtain self-acceptance.”
Diles, who also shot and edited the video, released his latest Green Chile In The Air compilation — the aptly titled Green Chile In The Air Vol. 9 — in January.
Check out the project here and watch “Not For Kicks” up top.