Pronounced ‘Wizard’, this is the new Kid Cudi venture with frequent production collaborator D Dot, claimed to be Punk Rock orientated and , erm, profanity-free.
Naturally I hadn’t many hopes for this incursion (rap-rock vanity vehicles) and despite this track being more Protopunk chopped & screwed – it’s sinister, pneumatic feel is pretty damn scuzzy. Plus Cudi sounds lean again; love him or hate him, one thing you’ll always gather from his tireless promo campaigning is that the Kid is a more creative thinker than alot of his former publicized freshman peers.
While Gonjasufi readies the release of his new album with a new single, he continues to support the free EP he put out a few weeks back by releasing a new video for ‘Demonchild’. Once again, his enigmatic character is brought to the forefront – this aphotic ode is shrouded in sonic mysticism. It’s Satan inspired animated video aids the imagery.
Here’s a peculiar little number that dropped in my inbox a couple days ago. Skittery, sleepy and paranoid – why hell it’s Retro-Post-Dub to the point of being right back at Trip-Hop. Whilst reminded of 90s Morcheeba, the swaying, subtly spoken-sung, medicine-woman mantras of South-Shields based 21 year old Lulu James are cast out like spells over chilly coastal town electronica, produced by Dom P.
Remember eagerly running my first post on Kendrick’s Overly Dedicated late last year before his profile really took flight – this year he simply annihilated skies around him. It’s follow-up Section 80 inched closer to breakthrough proof Lemar’s at the top of his class: an undeniable tactician of flow and delivery with cerebral-hood lyricism and an exceptionally shrewd ear for the production he rides. See also his hypnotic ‘Buried Alive’ moment on the recent Drizzy sophmore Take Care, a highlight.
Brass n’ bass blare ‘Rigamortus’ on the other hand, has just been served justice with a pleasing/almost expected Busta toast. It’s like machine gun for machine gun, Civil War music. Oh & that low-end rush at 00:55 kicks severe arse.
Sean Pecknold aka Grand Children ( also the brother of Fleet Foxes frontman Robin) comes more than correct with this stunning stop-motion animation film. With outstanding character design by Stacey Rozich, a stag-like creature journeys through a mythic land with its beasts and wilderness. Accompanied by the dynamic folk sound I have come to love and expect from the Foxes. A really evocative visual interpretation of my favorite song on the new record Helplessness Blues. Great stuff
Emo synth pop – always a good thing for your Tuesday.
South London duo Alpines cover Carly Simon’s ‘Why’ as part of their on-going collaboration series which sees them working with various producers such as Dark Sky, Craze + Hoax (Emeli Sande ‘Heaven’) and now Maya Jane Cole. Catherine’s lead vocals carry a cold, emotionless tone in parts (a good thing, in this instance) giving ‘Why’ that essential contemporary edge. I really like that subtle groove, too.
Since their major psychedelic funk break out hit ‘La La‘ caught my radar, I have taken a liking to The Stepkids distinct groove. A blend made up of 60′s folk, 70′s soul and a fusion of everything else in between.
The three singer/songwriters push forward with Suburban Dream, teaming up with Chris King to produce some tripped out visuals. A young man yearning for the bright lights of the city, only to realise when he is there, that not is all as glamourous as he once thought.
Check out the video up top and their debut self titled album The Stepkids out on Stones Throw
Somewhere in between the gritty Dilla beats and UK dub influences, lies Slugabed. The Ninja Tune 21 year old producer offered up this dated track on his Soundcloud for free download last night and will be releasing a track for free every Monday until Christmas.
I love Gonjasufi’s vision. It’s sometimes hard to follow, difficult to make out and somewhat obscure – but it’s always freakily interesting. ‘Nickels and Dimes’, the first single off his forthcoming album MU.ZZ.LE, focuses on a persistent drum pattern, haunted by Gonjasufi’s distorted vocals. The LP is due out on January 24th via Warp Records.
Listen and download (for the price of an email address) below…
Mad scientist Madlib has joined forces with Freddie Gibbs for a collaborative EP entitled Thuggin‘ – the extended player is a precursor to a full album the pair recorded – due out early next year.
I didn’t even know this project was coming, I’m glad it is though. These two have a dope chemistry, both tracks deliver.
Listen to ‘Thuggin” and ‘Deep’ below. Buy the full EP here today.
Another new track off Lonnie’s forthcoming album The Dreamer, The Believer. Like the rest of the LP ‘Celebrate’ was produced by No I.D, and with the exception of the lackluster hook (it’s a little too radio for me) – I’m diggin’ this. Although, still much prefer ‘Sweet’
As budgets for music videos have become increasingly more constrained at the majors, so too has the creativity afforded to them. Hype William’s output in recent times just hasn’t moved me, this new video for Robin Thicke’s ‘Love After War’ is another example of that. Trying to be art-house, but ending up a bit Mills & Boone this one. The housewives will lap it up though. And Thicke’s wife Paula Patton looks like a lovely lady…
The Piff-set were one of the main draws for a curious intercontinental crowd at a terrific Rotterdam Beats festival year, where we’ve just arrived back from. Smashing look for a UK outfit I feel forming a pre-cursor to the next phase of underground Brit-Hop.
This is one of the my favourites off the very good Piff Breaks & 808s debut tape. Their most straight ig’nant banger, granted, but on here sonically it’s got the industrial vex of early Dark Garage/Grime meeting that 1/32 rapid fire hi-hat Trap sound, which is relatively… wavey… for a bunch of London mans.
With hashtag flows & snap-backed mean muggery, the smarts are in the wikipedian punchline references drawled in roadmannerism. Perhaps in a land that’s come to accept chart fodder #TeamUK representatives spraying cheese over Euro-Pop or second rate Alex Da Kid’esque melodrama, the hype/excitement over Piff Gang is that they’re embodying our own shore’s emergence and foray into ‘Information Age Rap’ (see also the A$APs, the OFWGKTAs, the Taylors, etc.). It’s a little dirtier, more alarming, yet with fresher garments than, say, any JD Sports-associated genres in this country.
Sure, with the next batch of material we’d expect upgrades on their sound and aesthetic – for one – this visual doesn’t unfortunately capture the coldness of it’s track. But through headphones they show promise; I dig their smorgasbord beat selection and in terms of an international stage, what Piff Gang are doing is working right now.
Peter Hadar continues to make that ‘grown folk’ music, peep this video for ‘Your Body’ (a bad ass, sexy track) featuring one of the most beautiful bodies I think I’ve ever seen.
