Lights, gifts, the scent of pine, chestnuts roasting on an open fire (if that’s your thing); Christmas has many staples, but none as unilaterally pervasive as its music. Whether you adore or dread the inevitable sound of “All I Want For Christmas Is You” and the jingle jangle of sleigh bells, you’re going to hear Xmas tunes in December. While there are tried and true standards, it’s a real treat when artists eschew the traditional in an effort to add their own flair to the Yuletide season. 

Cue Dephrase, an esteemed and established producer in the Boston hip-hop and electronic community, known for his production credits with artists like Cliff Notez, Oompa, as well as a member of the duo Optic Bloom, and his solo work. Last week, the producer released his own Christmas themed beat tape – dephrost vol. I – that plays around with some Xmas-themed samples, pulling from classic tunes and beloved holiday movies. Try not to laugh when you start hearing everyone’s favorite kleptomaniacs Harry and Marv scream “I’m gonna kill this kid!” before a beat drop.

What is really impressive about this collection is the strict, self-imposed deadline Dephrase set for himself. The entire project was made in November. He wanted to explore the full range of emotions that we can experience during this season, not just those warm, fuzzy feelings that Hallmark Channel movies tell us we should feel. 

There’s a wonderful tongue-in-cheek quality to some of the song titles; after all, the album opens with a song called “santa’s drunk” and ends with “last eggnog of the night.” The album art is a cute tribute to what must be some of Dephrase’s favorite holiday music, displaying the artist lying next to a collection of LPs arranged in the shape of a Christmas tree. 

This Saturday, Dephrase will release a video project to accompany dephrost; you can view a preview clip below. 

dephrost vol. i is out on all streaming platforms now. Listen and purchase via bandcamp below. Merry Christmas, ya filthy animals.