Ronin is an 80 BPM instrumental built around two alternating melodic elements: a shamisen and a whistle. They trade off every few bars over boom bap drums.
The two share the spotlight. The shamisen comes in sharp and dry with an Eastern tone and then steps back. The whistle follows, bare and a little unsettling, more atmosphere than melody. The constant switch gives the beat a restless, unpredictable feel and keeps it lean.
Ruff, punchy drums hold the arrangement together. The production stays dirty on purpose, in the spirit of RZA and the early Wu-Tang records.
More Wu-Tang inspired beats: Killah Instinct at 96 BPM.
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