Premiere • OnGaud: Compliments Of The Chef

Chicago's production trio OnGaud teams up with AEMMP Records to bring you "Compliments of The Chef." A six-track EP, Compliments is laced with OnGaud signature sounds, soul-stirring melodies and energetic drums. Along with two exclusive beats from the Gauds, Compliments boasts features from some of Chicago's finest emcees; Kweku Collins, Supa Bwe, GLC, Defcee, SolarFive. The same team that has cooked up classics with the likes of Mick Jenkins, Vic Mensa, Chance The Rapper, NoName Gypsy and Saba are back at it! May this leave you feeling nourished and satisfied, Bon Appetite!

OnGaud got with These Days last week to premiere "Sounds Like, [BANG]", what was the first look at their new project Compliments of the Chef.   That project has now arrived, fresh, clean and ready to satiate any hunger for those starved of creativity at the moment. Compliments Of The Chef is like fine wine, music to sip and reflect on, and the cup runneth over. Made up of Solarfive (Quentin Cole), Billy Stevenson and Brian Montgomery, OnGaud is a production collective ascending to a higher level of beat-making.

OnGaud's COTC  marks their return project from hiatus and is a double-down on the trio's subtler side of production, successfully testing the hypothesis that volume and sub isn't everything. You won't hear a note out of place, and meticulous craftsmanship permeates each corner of this project. As they mentioned in our Q+A last week, COTC is an ode to producers, the underappreciated and underpaid scientists in the labs that keep today's music scene popping. Listen to COTC and the only position you could take on OnGaud's flavor of production is one of respect, working behind the scenes to painstakingly create dish after dish for one hell of a 6-course meal.

OnGaud excels at creating sonic worlds, and there's no reason not to share the stage. They've assembled a very impressive team of feature artists for the EP; in order of appearance, Kweku Collins, Defcee, Solarfive (picking up the mic), Supa Bwe, GLC, Ace Da Vinci, and Dally Auston. One hell of a lineup, and a reflection of the respect that OnGaud has earned up to this point as some of the brightest producers in Chicago. Despite the huge talent on display here, the power of their production shines through and can be seen as the main course, the extras simply improving upon an already deeply satisfying EP. Dinner is served.

OnGaud was kind enough to answer some questions about the project and their team. Read below!

Looking at your evolution as a group, in what ways does Compliments of the Chef differ from your past work?

It isn't necessarily different, it's more of an evolution of the sound we are creating. 

There are some excellent guests on COTC. What do you look for in a feature artist?

We really just want to work with artist that we like and listen to. Or, for those just starting out, we look for the passion and raw talent of an artist.

What’s the collaborative process as a collective?

Hectic; we all have crazy schedules so we just have to make it work, and it always does. It's just real organic.

How’s the future looking for OnGaud?

Great, our studio is picking up business and our beats are getting doper. What else can you ask for? 

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A big thanks to OnGaud and Columbia College's AEMMP record label!