Welcome to Deepblak’s podcast series “Off The Grid”. OTG was created to feature the LIVE side of performance via sets from the Deepblak cast, and extended fam. No rules just the artist, their gear, and whatever trajectory they decide to explore. The expectation is to have no expectation simply ride.

Our first installment comes from one of our favorite Beatsmith/MC/Video Artist’s Vanese Smith aka Pursuit Grooves/91 Fellows. When speaking of electronic or hip hop producers who have made innovative contributions to their genre, females are rarely mentioned. Whether hard to find or never exposed, Pursuit Grooves is making it her business to deliver an important message to the world…WE DO EXIST! Refusing to be defined or labeled she graciously accepts all of her influences to create something that is distinctly her own while owing much to the past.

Smith started experimenting with production at the age of 14 and started DJing in college. Pursuit Grooves released her debut instrumental CD Fun Like Passion on her own label What Rules Records in July of 2006. Pursuit Grooves was selected as one of 60 participants out of 2300 applicants to take part in the Redbull Music Academy in Barcelona, Spain in October 2008. Her subsequent releases have gone on to be championed by the like of Gilles Peterson along with labels Tectonic, and Tokyo Dawn.

In preparation for her upcoming Deepblak release as 91 Fellows Smith is the first up to bat in our Off The Grid series. 91 Fellows marks a different direction for Smith, being more focused on mood and less groove oriented. Smith creates a hypnotic world that wraps you in its unique structure capturing a mystical depth, space and time.