Now this is what I’m talking about. There isn’t much to say about these that hasn’t already been said. “Nova” is the first track we’ve heard from the duo since 2009’s impeccable “Moth/Wolf Cub” release and it does not disappoint. Their styles just mesh so damn well. Absolutely massive. A+. Daps.
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It has been a while since the last Sounds From The Astral Plane. Don’t have much in the way of words for you today, but I will say that each one of these tracks are well worth your time/hardrive space. God damn Dark Sky always hits the spot. Mid terms are a bitch. Etc. Etc.
Stream/Download: fLako & Brokenchord – “Come Back As A Flower”
Stream: Beat Connection – “Think/Feel” Feat. Chelsey Scheffe
Stream: Eprom – “Regis Chillbin”
Stream: Dark Sky – “Totem”
Stream/Download: Clams Casino – “Swervin”
Last month, we brought you THEESatisfaction‘s new track, “QueenS“, in anticipation of their upcoming album, awE NaturalE. The full album is set to be released on March 27th, and today, we bring you another single off the album. This one is called “Enchantruss,” and it features the duo’s trademark mellow, soul-fused overlapping vocals and slightly dissonant harmonies. The track includes a fantastic appearance by Shabazz Palaces. Both of these incredible groups will be performing at Sasquatch! in May, and you won’t want to miss either one, because they are some of the most unique and downright interesting musical artists out there right now. Listen to “Enchantruss” right here:
An intriguingly creative new take on the concept of a music video… now you can make the characters do whatever you want. Brooklyn synth-pop trio-turned-duo Chairlift has released a new video (directed by Jordan Fish and produced by m ss ng p eces) for their song “Met Before,” where the viewer can use the arrow keys to make decisions about what happens next in the video plot. After a few times through the entire video, it seems like the combinations are endless, and the video hasn’t ended the same way twice, so it’s an excellent tool if you’re trying to procrastinate away your Friday afternoon. Check out the video over at the Guardian.
It’s been a big week for Seattle hip hop. Macklemore was named one of XXL’s Freshman. We received releases from Champagne Champagne, Sol and Grynch (this weeks Sasquatch Artists of the Week). The roll continues today with #based legend Keyboard Kid‘s remix of State of the Artist member Thaddeus David‘s track “Block Business”. We’ve written about the Kid several times before so you can check our archives for some background info, but just know that he is one of instrumental hip hop’s rising stars and most consistent producers. David has taken a different path recently since his SOTA days and has been making some straight up ignant shit of late. It’s a different look, but it suits him well. Stream and download below.
Photo by Lorenna Gomez-Sanchez
Since the release of Schoolboy Q’s Habits and Contradictions , the album has been in steady rotation in my tapedeck, turntable, ipod, computer and more. I cannot say enough about the album. You can read what I managed to spit out in my review of the album. Anyways, with the albums multitude of trip-hop samples and just overall exceptional beats, remixes were bound to start coming out of the woodwork. I’ve heard several so far, but none comparing to Brooklyn-ite Obey City‘s version of “Blessed.” In the case of this remix, less is definitely more. By tweaking the pitch a little here and there, adding a little extra kick in the drums and mixing in a little juke, Obey City manages to not only improve the original, but also to (hopefully) bring it to a whole new audience. This track could easily have a similar impact that Jim-E Stack’s remix of “Purple Swag” did last year. Stack’s remix may have been my favorite track of 2011 and was easily my most played. It’s becoming increasingly fashionable to take the newest independent hip hop jawns and give em a little UK feel and I love it. Like everything else, these remixes are hit and miss, but when they hit, they’re unbeatable. Stream and download the track below.
Download: Schoolboy Q feat. Kendrick Lamar – “Blessed” (Obey City Edit)
Photo by Gabe Meier
At this point, I don’t think anyone or anything can throw Jonwayne off his roll. Signing with Stones Throw, releasing The Death Of Andrew and everything else he accomplished in 2011 was just a table setter for what he has planned in 2012. His first feat will be releasing the instrumental tape Oodles of Doodles, a collection that he has been selling at his live appearances, that has now been expanded upon and will get a proper release. A few weeks ago, we heard “Electricity” off of the tape and today, amid all the post-Leap Day madness, we’ve been graced with another track. This morning, Prefix premiered “Pondwater,” another Oodles track that sounds straight out of Legend of Zelda. Unfortunately, it’s a private Soundcloud link so you’ll have to stream it over at Prefix, but check it out and be on the lookout for Oodles and Wayne’s upcoming hip hop release on Stones Throw.
One month ago, the Sasquatch Music Festival lineup was released to much fanfare. Like all festivals, some hated the lineup while others loved it. For the more levelheaded, it appears to be a very balanced lineup with a deep undercard. From here on out we will be underscoring the lesser-known Sasquatch artists by highlighting a different artist each week. Beyond delving into each artist’s bio, sound, etc., we will attempt to give some insight into what will make their performance at Sasquatch so amazing.
Seattle has long been known for its tendency to foster some of the biggest musical talents of the past several decades. Maybe it’s the rain, maybe it’s the attitude, but something about the city seems to create artist after artist brimming with promise. That being said, Seattle has not always been known for its hip-hop, and this may be because Seattle’s rappers tend not to fit the mold of a nationwide hip-hop stereotype. Today, we focus on two such norm-defying hip-hop artists, both of whom will be gracing the Seattle-hip-hop-focused Maine Stage at Sasquatch: Grynch and Sol.
The first, Grynch, is (in all honesty) probably the shortest rapper in the world. Name every physical characteristic you would expect a rapper to possess, and Grynch will defy nearly every one (known as the Ballard King, Grynch can be spotted driving a silver ’86 Volvo station wagon). His stature, however, does not detract from his talent. He has been releasing promising material since the mid-2000’s, and like other young Seattle rappers, he has been fortunate enough to fall under the wing of artists such as Geo of the Blue Scholars. Grynch will be releasing a new album, Perspective, on Friday, and judging from the tracks he has shared thus far, it’s shaping up to be a very respectable endeavor. Read a short review of the album by Larry Mizell Jr. in The Stranger right here. Check out “So Far,” featuring Brother Ali and Shaprece, and produced by Jake One, right here:
Next up on the Sasquatch preview list is Seattle rapper Sol, a gangly UW grad who is relatively new on the Seattle hip-hop scene, but is nevertheless making a splash with his low-key, conversational flow and relatable lyricism. His most recent release, a full-length album titled Yours Truly, is more introspective and sophisticated than his previous efforts, and it is an enjoyably cohesive record. The album was funded entirely through a Kickstarter campaign, and it reached #1 on the iTunes hip-hop charts nationwide. Sol’s live shows are high-energy and undeniably fun, and he will certainly be a valuable addition to the Sasquatch lineup. Check out the music video for “2020” right here:
Grynch and Sol have been collaborating on occasional tracks for the last few years, and tend to make appearances on stage at each others’ shows, which will most likely be the case at Sasquatch. Here, check out a few of their most successful collaborations:
These two artists comprise only a fraction of the Seattle hip-hop talent that will be making an appearance at Sasquatch. The Maine Stage will bring us many great undiscovered hip-hop acts from around the Northwest. As the weeks progress, we will continue to bring you more coverage of the Maine Stage artists, as well as other Sasquatch artists in general, so stay tuned.
Update: Check out Grynch’s brand new album, Perspective, right here.
I have probably talked about this album enough already to show how excited I am for this release. Robert Glasper Experiment releases their first full length album that cannot be described as any one genre. The album draws from jazz, hip hop, R&B and rock (they cover smells like teen spirit by Nirvana). Lets first talk about the amazing lineup of special guests, including Erykah Badu, Bilal, Lupe Fiasco, Lalah Hathaway, Shafiq Husayn, KING, Ledisi, Chrisette Michele, Yasiin Bey (Mos Def), Musiq Soulchild, Meshell Ndegeocello and Stokley Williams. This lineup in itself should get you very stoked to check out the album. These featured artists paired with pianist Robert Glasper, saxist Casey Benjamin, bassist Derrick Hodge, and my personal favorite, drummer Chris Dave is jaw dropping. I can say that Chris Dave is one of the most talented drummers I have heard in a long time. Here’s a taste of Chris Dave.
For the people who see the names Lupe and Mos Def, their features will not disappoint. To be honest, I think Lupe hasnt really put out any noteworthy material since food and liquor. Look at his attempt to rap over lights by bassnectar or M83’s Midnight City. I dont know what he was thinking, but his track Always shine is respectable. Mos Def does what Mos does and absolutely killed it on the track, Black Radio, found below.
The great thing about this album is how accessible it is to all types of listeners. For the devoted jazz fans you will find the find the bands combination of different styles enthralling, for hip-hop heads you get to experience a new side of Lupe and Mos that you may not be used too, the quiet jazz rendition of Nirvana’s Smells Like teen Spirit showcases the bands talent to defy genre boundaries and create an album that every listener will enjoy. To check out some more tracks from the album, click here. All in all, I can already say that this is going to be one of my favorites of 2012. Whats more, if you buy the album on Itunes you get a bonus track covering the A Love Supreme by John Coltrane. The bonus track can be streamed below.
The Red Bull Music Academy was founded in 1998 with the goal of presenting and highlighting up and coming DJ’s from across the globe. 14 years later, the event has grown to encompass not just DJ’s and instrumental/electronic music, but also bands, singers, etc. and music from across the spectrum. Last year, the Academy’s largest showing took place in Madrid, and the results were extraordinary. Lectures from the likes of Erykah Badu and and John Talabot highlighted the educational features of the event, while Om Unit, Brenmar, Jesse Boykins III and more were all featured. RBMA is unique in that any musician can enter to take part in the Academy. Past participants have included Flying Lotus, Jake One and Benga. Lucky for those us of us who couldn’t make it out to Madrid, RBMA has released a massive 35 track compilation made up of music made at the Academy. I haven’t had a chance to delve into the massive tape, but based on the names involved, it should be an expansive look at the artists involved. Download/stream the tape below.
The Astral Plane 