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Author Archives: Gabe Meier

New Kendrick Lamar – “Cartoons and Cereal”

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February 14, 2012
New Music
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It looks like Kendrick Lamar might have gotten some inspiration from the spaced-out production fellow Black Hippy Schoolboy Q’s Habits & Contradictions. Or maybe he just really enjoyed working with Nosaj Thing last year. Anyways, Kendrick’s newest track, “Cartoons and Cereal” features the Compton spitter changing up his cadence repeatedly over a futuristic beat alongside another MC and a female vocalist. The beat devolves into pure percussion at times, before ramping up again as Kendrick chants over the top. If this track is any indication of how Kendrick’s first official release, Good Kid in a Mad City, will turn out, we are in for a treat. It will be tough to top Section.80, but so far Kendrick has avoided all of the major label trappings and stayed true to himself and his true. Stream/download “Cartoons and Cereal” below and be on the lookout for album news.

Download: Kendrick Lamar – “Cartoons and Cereal”

Update: The non-Kendrick MC on the track is Gunplay and frequent collaborator THC is on the beat.

More Transcendent Animation From Anthony Schepperd

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February 10, 2012
Videos
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If you haven’t noticed yet, Machinedrum is a favorite over here at The Astral Plane. When I heard that he was remixing Bonobo’s “Eyesdown”, another Astral Plane favorite, I could barely contain my excitement. The final product though left something to be desired. Something about the breakbeat drums and scattered vocals just didn’t match up. Until the video dropped. I have a thing for animated music videos. Something about music put to well done animation just gets to me. The “Eysdown” video, animated by Anthony Schepperd (who also did Blockhead’s “The Music Scene) truly breathes air into an otherwise empty feeling song. Most videos serve as a compliment, or in some cases a detriment, to a song, but Schepperd manages to take Machinedrum’s mediocre original to another level.

Lytesho! Back Again With Two/Six EP

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February 9, 2012
New Music
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Lytesho! aka Charles Amara is back with another tape. The Wilkes-Barre, PA native caught our attention last month with his promising Concept of Space EP. Over the weekend, Amara released his third tape, Two/Six, a collection of beats and instrumentals. Two/Six shows a marked improvement over his past two efforts and is the young artists most cohesive work to date. The tape starts off with haunting vocals and a sample of what sounds like talk radio. Maybe Amara drew inspiration from Exile’s Radio project, or gasp, maybe even LL Cool J’s classic album. “Metal Ox” and “Neon Smoke” are the highlights, but the tape is at its best when listened to from start to finish.

New Remix: Katie Kate – “Houses (Keyboard Kid Remix)”

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February 9, 2012
New Music, Remixes
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Keyboard Kid has been on a tear lately. Last month, he released his BASEDTREASURES tape, one of the best instrumental releases of the year. He has also been aching to release the BASEDINSTRUMENTALEP, a collection of instrumentals Lil B has used recently. Now, the #BASEDGOD’s main producer brings us a remix of Seattle crooner Katie Kate’s “Houses.” Katie Kate’s vocals dip in and out of the meandering synth progressions and 808’s on this remix highlighting both the vocalist and the producer. The vocals are altered, cut out and refigured throughout the track, but the soothing beauty in Katie Kate’s voice remains throughout. Stream and download the track below and be on the look out for BASEDINSTRUMENTALEP.

http://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fapi.soundcloud.com%2Ftracks%2F36025412&show_artwork=true

Battles/Shabazz Palaces: Weirdest Collaboration of 2012?

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February 9, 2012
New Music
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A few days ago, I heard about a release called Gloss Drops 1 made up of two remixes of tracks off of experimental rock group Battles‘ latest album. The two remixes, by Gui Borrato and The Field, were solid, but uninspiring. At the time, I had no idea there would be a Gloss Drops 2. That was why I was so excited to wake up this morning to the news that Gloss Drops 2 will feature remixes from some of my favorite artists around, and that each of those artists come from completely different worlds. The first remix is from avant-rap virtuosos Shabazz Palaces. I’m not too familiar with Battles, beyond witnessing their incredibly strange live show, so I didn’t know the original of “White Electric,” but Shabazz’s remix is outstanding. The track features Ish’s trademark droned out raps over a plodding, guitar driven beat and would be a real treat to see the track performed live. The second and third remixes from Gloss Drops 2 have yet to surfaced, but they should be equally exciting. The first is by The Alchemist. Yes, that Alchemist. East Coast boom bap legend. Last seen collaborating with Oh No on Vodka & Ayuhuasca. The third is by Kode9, Hyperdub representative and London dubstep legend. Not just any dubstep legend, but the type that makes the turtlenecked crowd bitching about Skrillex wet their pants. I never thought the day would come that I would see artists from such distinctly different parts of the popular music world collide like this, but here it is. Gloss Drops 2 will be released on February 21st by Warp Records. Stream Shabazz’s remix below.

Machinedrum and Om Unit Team Up To Form Dream Continuum

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February 9, 2012
New Music
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Wow Machinedrum aka Travis Stewart just keeps coming through with the collaborations. Last year it was Sepalcure (with Praveen Sharma) and now he has partnered up with Jim Coles aka Om Unit. Last month, Om Unit wowed everyone with his L.A. Refixes 7″ preview, featuring remixes of Daedelus and Om’Mas Keith. Machinedrum has been anything but quiet as well, releasing the SXLND EP, a remix for Bonobo and a mix for the Fader. Now the two have teamed up to form Dream Continuum and plan to release their first EP, titled Reworkz, on March 26 via Planet Mu. “B Free” is the rapid fire A-side to the EP and really highlights the skills of both producers. Spanning 6:46, “B Free” flips in and out of a breakbeat patter to highlight chopped vocals and an uplifting piano loop. The track is only available to stream at the moment, but be on the lookout for more Reworkz in March.

Visuals For Jarv Dee’s “I Just Wanna” Released

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February 9, 2012
New Music, Videos
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I’m in love with mary jane, call me peter parker

Higher than a damn plane, don’t let me travis barker

Jarv Dee is a Seattle native, Cloud Nice representative, and Nacho Picasso affiliate. He’s not the most talented rapper in the world. In some cases though, outright lyricism doesn’t matter. I’m not saying Jarv is in the Lil B categorie of artists that make a name off of their exquisite weirdness though. Instead, Jarv just makes fun songs. He has a great ear for beats, fits the everyman persona, and more importantly, appears to have fun on the mic. It doesn’t help that he’s honest either. Not honest in a naked, brutal sense like Schoolboy Q, but honest in the sense that he raps about what he knows and he know what he raps about. Anyways, Jarv has a new video for his track “I Just Wanna” focused on everyday struggles and the vices that appease them. There’s a sense of escapism in the track, but not enough to make it uncomfortable. You can stream/download the track from Bandcamp below.

New Teebs Remix Off Of Vacation EP

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February 8, 2012
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Shlohmo’s Vacation EP just keeps giving and giving. The three track is a great EP from start to finish and gives listeners a more-dancable take on Bad Vibes. Along with the originals, a 12″ including a couple incredible contemporary electronic artists will be released on February 14. Last week, we were blessed with a remix of “wen uuu” from Salva, and today, we get a remix of the same track from Brainfeeder representative Teebs. I am aching to whip out my headphones in class and bump this, but I’ll just have to wait. Give some feedback on which remix you like better in the comments. The 12″ will also include remixes from Nicolas Jaar, Airhead and Groundislava. Stream/download below.

THEESatisfaction speak with Gilles Peterson

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February 8, 2012
Interviews, Mixes
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Yesterday, we honored the late, great J Dilla by posting an interview he did on the Gilles Peterson Worldwide Show on BBC Radio One. At the same time as we were posting that legendary interview, one of our favorite contemporary hip hop duos was speaking with Mr. Peterson. Stas and Cat of THEESatisfaction dished with Peterson on their musical backgrounds, the “fusion” of sounds in the  Seattle music scene and their favorite female poets. Both Stas and Cat are quite eloquent and the interview is a great listen. The jazz heavy show also features the new James Blake D’angelo remix and of course a Dilla track. You can find the tracklist for show here and stream/download it below.

Happy Birthday J Dilla: Your Favorite Producer’s Favorite Producer

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February 7, 2012
Interviews
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Six years ago, James Yancey was born in Detroit, Michigan. On February 10, 2006, James Yancey died in Los Angeles, California. In the years in between, the man known as J Dilla became one of the most acclaimed producers in hip hop history. It’s difficult to say much about Dilla that hasn’t been said. His life has been analyzed from every imaginable angle. The dispute over his estate has been discussed to nauseating end. His beat tapes are as popular in smoky freestyle sessions as they were in 2005. Luckily for us, the folks over at 92BPM have given us a part of Dilla that could have easily been lost to history. Earlier today, they uploaded an interview Dilla gave on Gilles Peterson’s World Wide BBC show in 2001. Dilla dishes on Welcome 2 Detroit and several other topics. Beyond the subject matter, it’s incredible just to here Yancey’s voice. Rest In Power.