STM 117 - Racehorses Are Resources

Racehorses Are Resources (RRR) is a debut alternative electronic music quartet formed in Detroit, whose innovative sound interweaves motifs from blues, acoustic, rock, traditional, hip-hop, and noise music. The band comprises Chris Peters (the founder), Quelle Chris, Nick Speed, and Nick Cicchetti. The genesis of RRR traces back to when Peters met Nick Speed—a producer known for his work with Danny Brown, Talib Kweli, and Underground Resistance—at the Submerge club. They began collaborating, and during that time, Speed released a 12-inch on Underground Resistance featuring a track called “Time Capsule,” which included samples from John Lee Hooker recordings. Peters was captivated by the idea of exploring the convergence point where the foundational elements of American groove meet.

Peters aspired to follow in the footsteps of artists like Son House and Charley Patton, pioneers making records in the early days of the medium, and to merge their legacy with the rhythmic approaches of Pete Rock, Aux 88, and EPMD. Given that John Lee Hooker was heavily influenced by Son House and Patton, Peters felt that Speed's track embodied the direction he wanted to pursue further. This foundational concept remains a touchstone for RRR, although their sound and approach are not confined to it.

The name RRR emerged serendipitously after Peters listened to a Wild Flag interview where they discussed a misunderstood lyric. Peters states that "good things often come from misunderstandings and mistakes," a philosophy that encapsulates the essence of the RRR project. The core idea is to allow the creative process to unfold organically, free from the fear of disturbance. Collaborations with other musicians, creativity, spontaneity, and improvisation are essential to RRR's ethos. Having begun over a year ago with collaborations involving ex-MC5 manager John Sinclair, the band has continued working with Wendell Harrison (associated with Sun Ra, Grant Green, Tribe), Yunggiema [央吉玛] from Tibet's Menba minority, the Beijing noise duo Soviet Pop, and others, thereby making their music more kaleidoscopic and accessible to diverse audiences.

Moreover, Nick Cicchetti plays a crucial role by processing all sounds through his effects board, enriching every guitar chord, sample, percussion, or vocal with greater depth, density, and dynamism. In addition to creating sonic textures with RRR, Cicchetti works on the assembly line for Ford. Another member, the remarkable songwriter, MC, and producer Quelle Chris, releases his solo material on Mello Music Group, a prominent indie hip-hop label that is also home to Apollo Brown and Oddisee. Nick Speed, who produced the entirety of Danny Brown's classic Hot Soup mixtape along with Quelle Chris, has also worked with Talib Kweli, 50 Cent, and Phat Kat.

“Secret Thirteen Mix 117” is a phenomenal compilation consisting mostly of exclusive material that has never been published before. Listeners will notice that RRR incorporates an American primitive/early blues element that permeates much of their work. This mix includes collaborations with the Beijing noise duo Soviet Pop, Detroit-based jazz saxophonist and clarinetist Wendell Harrison, political activist and former MC5 manager John Sinclair, Yunggiema—a singer from Tibet's Menba minority—and Gedvilė Bunikytė, who recites a melancholic poem written in an abstract yet impressionistic manner. The mix also features solo tracks from Nick Speed and Quelle Chris.

Secret Thirteen proudly presents this extraordinary debut mix by Racehorses Are Resources, which speaks for itself and undoubtedly reveals new sonic horizons through its unusual musical correlations. RRR's mix is akin to Eduardo Nery’s vivid and playful yet cosmic abstract painting “Solids In Space.” Enjoy this summer of wonders.