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Sounds From The Astral Plane (Week Seven)

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April 1, 2012
New Music, Remixes, Uncategorizable
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I would tell an April Fools joke here, but I’m just not that funny. Instead, we got a nice six pack of tunes  for what might amount to be the most versatile Sounds From The Astral Plane yet. Don’t have much time for words today, but all these are well worth a listen. That Supreme Cuts joint has been on repeat all week.

Stream/Download: Spank Rock feat. Santigold – “Car Song” (Shabazz Palaces Remix)

Stream: Insightful – “Bagel Mold”

Stream: Thundercat – “Daylight” (Ras G ASP Edit)

Stream/Download: Sigur Ros – “Ekki Mukk” (D33J Remix)

Download: Supreme Cuts – “Lessons In Darkness (Apology)” (Via XLR8R)

Stream/Download: Cities Aviv – “Normal Immortal”

New Jai Paul – “Jasmine”

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March 30, 2012
2012, New Music
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Back in 2010, Gilles Peterson debuted a little track titled “BTSU” by an artist named Jai Paul. In the month since, the track has become an anthem in the bass music community (i’ve personally heard the song played at Low End Theory repeatedly) and anticipation for more Jai Paul is nearly overwhelming. Pretty incredible off of one song. Well today, we’ve granted our wish. “Jasmine” is Paul’s next single, released on XL Recordings, and it is pretty excellent. There’s some disco. A little funk thrown in. Highly distorted vocals. I hate to say it, but it’s also distinctly Jai Paul. Again, amazing to say after only releasing two tracks. Stream the track below.

One Be Lo Releases Album Stream

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March 29, 2012
2012, New Music
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One Be Lo, one half of the now broken up Binary Star (check Evolution of Man with Senim Silla below), released his new album K.I.C.K. P.U.S.H. to stream on Bandcamp.

One Be Lo and Senim Silla were former cell mates at Hiawatha Correctional Facility and formed as Binary Star once they were released. They released their debut album, Waterworld on a minuscule  $500 budget. There is word of these two are collaborating on a new album called Light Years Apart after a ten year hiatus. We’ll have to wait it out until we get more concrete information on that release, but hope is in the air. Binary Star showcases the talent of these two MC’s and their production style and flow meld perfectly together. It’s a shame they have only released one album (Waterworld which was re-released as Masters of the Universe). But with that said, this album is still highly regarded by hip-hop heads the world over.

For a brief glimpse into One Be Lo’s previous efforts, check out “Rivers Run Wild” off of his first debut solo album, Waterworld Too. I would highly recommend copping this album and my favorite release of his, S.O.N.O.G.R.A.M. (Sounds of Nahshid Originate Good Rhymes And Music)

S.O.N.O.G.R.A.M is an album that I have always been drawn back too. One Be Lo’s impressive lyrical wit and ability to touch on a broad spectrum of topics captures your attention from start to finish. Check out One Be Lo’s powerful lyrics in “Oggie” below. Moving on to K.I.C.K. P.U.S.H. (Keep It Cool Kid, People Usually Show Hate), the album consists of 12 solid head nodding tracks that show One Be Lo still has raw talent. He had to say this about the album. Stream the album in its entirety below.

    K.I.C.K. (Keep It Cool Kid) P.U.S.H. (People Usually Show Hate) represents the raw energy that inspired me to make music over 20 years ago. We were always self motivated because most people around us didn’t understand what we were doing, or had the crab in the bucket mentality. In some instances we had to KICK down doors and PUSH our way in. For everybody that understands, sounds of Nahshid originate good rhymes and music. Something to interest Lo listeners beyond original recorded networkings. Real emcee’s bring intelligent rhymes to HipHop. Language arts based on Reality. Keep it cool kid. People usually show hate. That’s the motto.

John Talabot Remixes TEED’s “Tapes & Money”

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March 29, 2012
2012, New Music, Remixes
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Back in Week 3 of Sounds From The Astral Plane, we brought you a three-minute preview of Oxford electro DJ Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs‘ feel-good single, “Tapes & Money.” The original track is not set to be released until Monday, but mysterious Spanish house producer John Talabot seems to have gotten his hands on it. The result is a trance-like, dreamy, and perfectly repetitive track that trades the original song’s heavier bass for more complex rhythms. Check it out here:

 

Via.

Rustie Remixes Surkin’s “Lose Yourself”

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March 29, 2012
New Music, Remixes
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There is something about Rustie’s music that is so easily digestible. Amid all of the clatter of Glass Swords was a warm pop-sensibility and a downright addictive quality. “Surph” or “All Nite” will never show up on Top 40 radio of course, but they have turned into the pop music of the bass music world. To do that without compromising any of his artistic value is quite a feat. “Lose Yourself” is another poppy jam, taking Surkin’s electro-house original and turning it into a hip hop banger. The vocals are a little irritating and I wish he did a little more with them, but with those hi-hats who can really complain. The remix is off of Surkin’s USA remix album that will also feature L-Vis 1990 and Bok Bok.

New Daedelus – “Shooting Off The Sun”

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March 28, 2012
New Music
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Daedelus has been making some real classy shit recently. The man who always dons a tuxedo for live shows just released a new track, “Shooting Off The Sun,” on his Soundcloud. I’ll let him set the stage:

A sober and reflective song made with overcoming in mind. A short sketch of recent events. Made for an imaginary emcee.

I’m not really sure if it’s for an imaginary MC in the sense that the MC exists in Daedelus’s mind, or if it’s just an MC to be named, but the track would certainly set a somber tone for a talented rapper (Open Mike Eagle would be great) to lace. This is just conjecture, but maybe the song title harkens to the Greek myth? Maybe? Anyone? Nevermind. Stream below.

Ryan Hemsworth Takes On Three Six Mafia Classic “Late Night Tip”

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March 28, 2012
New Music, Remixes
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Photo by Sasha Ioncarevic

Southern rap drums are not to be messed with. That’s why Halifax, Nova Scotia native Ryan Hemsworth didn’t fuck with DJ Paul and Juicy J’s snares and kicks on his remix of “Late Night Tip.” Three 6 Mafia’s original, off of Chapter 2: World Domination from ’97, is a masterpiece in its own right, but Hemsworth gives it a nice 2012 facelift. With the original percussion intact, Hemsworth speeds up the beat slightly, relieving it of some of its southern twang. Replacing the syruppy vibe of the original, Hemsworth infuses a ton of weird synths that feel like they’re from some altered zone. Feels a little bit like the atmospherics established on Lapalux’s When You’re Gone EP. Hemsworth is a genius for this one. Despite common perception, not all amazing Canadian artists come out of Toronto.

Miguel Lets Loose Art Dealer Chic Vol. 2

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March 27, 2012
New Music
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Earlier this month, we featured a review of Miguel’s Art Dealer Chic Vol. 1, going as far as to say it’s the best R&B release since 2011’s House of Balloons. Miguel has been on the scene for quite some time, working extensively with Blu and releasing a solo album in 2010, but has recently taken his music in a different direction. Earlier tonight, Miguel set free Art Dealer Chic Vol. 2 and while we haven’t had a chance to take in the release (more to come later), it is another notch in Miguel’s belt as he moves forward with his career. Download Art Dealer Chic Vol. 2 below.

Download: Miguel – Art Dealer Chic Vol. 2

Stream New Bear In Heaven Album

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March 27, 2012
2012, New Music
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Back in January, we talked about Brooklyn psych-rock group Bear In Heaven‘s new album I Love You, It’s Cool, due out April 3rd via Hometapes; we also brought you a stream of the album’s second track, “The Reflection Of You.” The album has been streaming on the band’s website since December 2011, but at a tiny fraction of their normal speed; when we reported in January, the stream had reached the album’s third song, and it is now playing the ninth and penultimate track, presumably intending to wrap up the stream by the April 3rd release date. Unfortunately, it still sounds like ambient buzzing on the website, and if you’d like to try it out at full speed, you can head over to NPR, where you can listen to the entire album without any gimmicks. Most of it is decidedly catchy, feel-good, synth-backed with mellow vocals, not unlike the band’s earlier releases. Click here to listen to the album via NPR.

Here’s the music video for “The Reflection Of You”:

Bear In Heaven have planned an extensive US and UK tour for this spring; find the upcoming dates and locations after the jump.

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TALWST Is The Next R&B Artist From Canada To Get Wrapped Up In

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March 27, 2012
New Music
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Photo from facebook

Last night, I was listening to some of Anthony Hamilton’s earlier work and contemplating the state of contemporary R&B. It feels like R&B is back, but when can you really tell? It’s been slowly resuscitated over the past couple of years and it finally feels fresh and new again. I mean, D’Angelo’s back and R. Kelly’s “Trapped In The Closet” is returning as well. The Weeknd and Frank Ocean have managed to attract the Pitchforkians, hip hop heads and traditional R&B fans in surprising fashion. Jacques Greene, Shlohmo and more have taken to sampling and remixing R&B tracks to make seductive, syruppy dance music for the masses. Is this new though? The truth is that D’Angelo and R. Kelly probably won’t be able to recreate their former extraterrestrial sex god personas. The Weeknd and Frank Ocean, despite their cultish fan bases, will probably never sell all that many records. As much as I adore Jacques Greene and Shlohmo, Burial’s been sampling R&B joints with aplomb for years, so they’re not exactly setting any trends. So where does this leave us?

While I failed to come to any definite conclusions, I realized that the signifiers that R&B is “back” probably won’t come from revitalized, or (overly) hyped acts, and certainly not from the dance music scene. Instead, they will shine through in young artists struggling to be the next D’Angelo. When skinny white kids from the UK are making some of the best R&B around, that means something. When Canada of all places becomes an R&B hotbed, that means something.

This brings us to why I wrote this post: TALWST. You might be thinking: “god dammit Gabe, not another mediocre artist who spells their name in all caps and few vowels.” Well, I’m sorry, this is too good to pass up. Not much is known about TALWST. He’s from Canada. He used to go by the name Curtis Santiago. He’s worked with Illangelo, producer of much of The Weeknd’s more recent work. His upcoming album is titled Alien Sex Tentacles. Last night, RCRD LBL threw up “Peace Tonight,” a track that has been floating around Soundcloud for about a month now. He’s dark, weird and likes to growl sometimes. He used to, and maybe still does, make strange art projects that he likes to post to his blog. His name and the shroud of mystery (not exactly a fresh gimmick) he’s engulfed himself in are not what make him an interesting artist. It’s purely the music and while he’s only officially released on song, “Peace Tonight” is quite the doozy. There’s plenty more TALWST floating around the web. Live videos, features and the like. I highly recommend checking them out, or at least downloading “Peace Tonight (Via RCRD LBL). Is R&B back? Who really cares when we’re consistently getting tracks likes this.