(Hip-Hop) Paper Tiger - Made Like Us (with Dessa and Maggie Morrison) - 2010, MP3 (tracks), 320 kbps

Paper Tiger is the producer responsible for some of Doomtree’s most memorable singles. “Game Over,” his cut with emcee Mike Mictlan, helped land Doomtree’s self-titled disc at the 1 spot on CMJ’s hip hop charts. “Low Light Low Life” became a crowd favorite on P.O.S’ critically acclaimed Never Better. “The Chaconne,” released on Dessa’s A Badly Broken Code, featured Grammy-nominated Matthew Santos and installed the record on Billboard’s R&B, rap, and indie charts. He’s also served as Doomtree’s live DJ, in his signature white-rimmed shades. Behind the scenes, he’s the collective’s primary designer, responsible for the bulk of Doomtree’s visual aesthetic.
Now Doomtree Records is proud to present Made Like Us, Paper Tiger’s debut full-length album. With catchy piano refrains, orchestral strings, the occasional gritty bassline, and programmed drum flourishes, Made Like Us pulls from both synthetic and organic pallets. In Doomtree tradition, the record challenges traditional genre distinctions: the infectious melodies give it a popular appeal, the sequencing keeps it firmly rooted as a production record, the accessibility makes it a candidate for airplay on alternative and indie hip hop stations. The record features Maggie Morrison (lead vocalist in Lookbook and ‘Best Female Vocalist’ according to the City Pages) on “The Painter’s Arm”—a cinematic single that could easily score the last dance of an 80’s prom. Crew-member Dessa makes a couple of appearances, most notably on “Palace” with a dark pop song with innovative phrasing and spare, dramatic production.