Hot Jam of the Day: Autre Ne Veut, “World War Pt. 2” (Jazz Version)

Posted on August 26, 2015 by TP1.COM in Hot Jam of the Day | Comments Off

Autre Ne Veut “World War Pt. 2” (Jazz Version) Age of Transparency (out 10.02 on Downtown) After a few weeks of downtime thanks to the good folks of GoDaddy.com, the lights are back on at Thunder Penguin. Our first post back comes from longtime fave Arthur Ashin. I’m not crazy about the album version of the discs first single, “World War Pt. 2,” due to its overzealous “ay, ay, ay, ay” vocal sample constantly clashing with what is, at its heart, … →

Hot Jam of the Day: Majical Cloudz, “Silver Car Crash”

Posted on August 14, 2015 by TP1.COM in Hot Jam of the Day | Comments Off

Majical Cloudz “Silver Car Crash” Are You Alone? (out 10.16 on Matador) There’s nothing romantic about car crashes in real life, but Majical Cloudz’s beautiful love song “Silver Car Crash” isn’t so sure. Joining Morrissey’s seminal “There is a Light That Never Goes Out,” the first single from the duo’s second LP uses a car crash as a breathtaking metaphor for true love. Vocalist Devon Welsh is not a man known for his jocular demeanor, but there’s always been a … →

Hot Jam of the Day: Martin Courtney, “Vestiges”

Posted on August 7, 2015 by TP1.COM in Hot Jam of the Day | Comments Off

Martin Courtney “Vestiges” Digital Single I remember a scene in Journey’s Behind the Music where guitarist Neal Schon claimed that vocalist Steve Perry’s solo side project led to their decision to fire him. Schon’s issue wasn’t with Perry making music outside the band — Schon and key songwriter Jonathan Cain were both in other bands. Rather, his solo work sounded too much like Journey, which for some reason, infuriated the frizzy haired axeman. Now, something tells me that the internal politics of … →

Hot Jam of the Day: Stormzy, “10 Minutes”

Posted on August 3, 2015 by TP1.COM in Hot Jam of the Day | Comments Off

Stormzy “10 Minutes” Digital Single One of the grime’s brightest young talents goes in over the Game’s recent single “100.” As he’s done consistently over the last year or so, the 22 year-old delivers muscular bars with a sharp wit that will make you want to run it back and listen again. Though this single is very much a digital loosey, its outro is noteworthy, as it’s one of the first times we’ve heard Stormzy’s use his pristine baritone to … →

Hot Jam of the Day: Imaabs, “Overdose / Bootleg”

Posted on July 30, 2015 by TP1.COM in Hot Jam of the Day | Comments Off

Imaabs “Overdose / Bootleg” Digital Single Another day, another dirty Ciara remix. This one comes from Chilean producer, Imaabs. Picking up where, Disntacia, his underrated EP for rising Mexican imprint NAAFI leaves off, this sweltering remix flips a standout from Cici’s 2013 self-titled album into an spacious, instrumental grime-leaning masterclass. His acuity of percussion is on full display, as he deftly pairs rolling double-time timbales with the hot and bothered vocal, resulting in a piece that feels as well suited for … →

Images & Words: Mas Ysa, “Margarita”

Posted on July 28, 2015 by TP1.COM in Images & Words | Comments Off

Mas Ysa “Margarita” Seraph (out now on Downtown) In an indie music landscape increasingly focused on restraint, Thomas Arsenault has no chill. His booming voice and powerful presence stand in stark contrast to much of the ‘less is more’ aesthetic that currently populates the buzz blogosphere. His affecting debut LP, Seraph, will likely appeal to fans of fellow chill-free emotionalists Majical Cloudz, Sean Nicholas Savage, and Autre Ne Veut. My favorite moment on it, “Margarita,” gets stunning visuals, courtesy of director Kris … →

Hot Jam of the Day: Roy Wood$, “Get You Good”

Posted on July 28, 2015 by TP1.COM in Hot Jam of the Day | Comments Off

Roy Wood$ “Get You Good” Digital Single The second installment of Drake’s OVO Sound Apple Radio show will mostly be remembered for its host’s characteristically polite Meek Mill diss, but the real keeper came in the form of the crushed-velvet vocal stylings of Toronto’s next R&B wunderkind. “Get You Good” is sporting some serious House of Balloons vibes, and Roy Wood$ is one of the few vocalists who can match the Weeknd’s vocal virility and raw power. Like Abel at his … →

Hot Jam of the Day: Dej Loaf, “Hey There” (f/ Future)

Posted on July 25, 2015 by TP1.COM in Featured, Hot Jam of the Day | Comments Off

Dej Loaf “Hey There” (f/ Future) #AndSeeThatsTheThing (out now on Columbia) From the moment the Detroit native’s unavoidable first single, “Try Me,” blew up, the common narrative was that the 24 year-old was just another in the line of one-hit, viral rap sensations (see: Bobby Shmurda, OT Genasis, OG Maco, etc) that popped off in 2014. However, the reality stands in stark contrast to that notion, as she she has released a consistent stream of excellent material since, capped off by her … →

Images & Words: Carly Rae Jepsen, “Run Away With Me”

Posted on July 20, 2015 by TP1.COM in Images & Words | Comments Off

Carly Rae Jepsen “Run Away with Me” E•MO•TION (out in the USA 09.21 on Interscope) I’ll keep writing about Carly Rae’s triumphant third LP until it gets every ounce of credit its pop perfection deserves. Following in the footsteps of the inch-perfect title track and the ubiquitous “I Really Like You,” the disc’s fourth single is an undeniable, life-affirming number that sees a rising pop star at the peak of her power. The Canadian’s vocal is confident and effortless. The arrangement … →

Images & Words: Oscar Key Sung, “Brush”

Posted on July 15, 2015 by TP1.COM in Images & Words | Comments Off

Oscar Key Sung “Brush” Altruism (out now on Warner) The standout from the low-key Melbourne native’s recent EP gets striking visuals. The spot-on styling and choreography helps tell Key Sung’s relatable, affecting tale of wanting to approach someone in a club but getting cold feet. It’s a feeling that anyone who’s ever gone dancing has experienced, and it’s expressed impossibly gracefully in this clip.

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