After being buried in a sea of lists, I’m finally ready to kick the new year off (only three weeks late!). Thanks again to all who continue to visit, and I’ll do my best to keep getting better and covering more music, more regularly. 2013 was a massive year in music, and here’s to an even better 2014. August Alsina “Sucka” (DJ Sliiink & DJ Hoodboi & Trippy Turtle Remix) Digital Single The current pied pipers of Jersey Club get … →
1. Deafheaven: Sunbather Though I grew up a huge fan, I rarely write about metal these days, but the San Francisco duo’s masterpiece is simply too good to ignore. Goregeous isn’t a word commonly used to describe black metal, but Sunbather is anything but common. Guitarist Kerry McCoy’s shoegaze-inspired melodic mastery is the perfect companion to George Clarke’s ravenous vocals and the group’s relentless blastbeats. In short, it’s an astonishing, engulfing 7-song set that firmly places the group at the top of … →
60. Slava “Girl Like Me” Raw Solutions (Software) He may have been born in Moscow, but rising producer Slava Balasanov’s sound is pure Chicago. Balasanov moved to Chicago when he was 12, and his impeccably chopped footwork is best highlighted by the frantic-yet-sultry sound of “Girl Like Me.” He laces a barrage of percussion and deep sub-bass swabs over a mantric, Chipmunk-y Ciara sample to absolute perfection, zigging and zagging wildly without ever losing the ever-present syncopated backbeat. 59. Doc Daneeka “Walk … →
It’s the time again — time to pick over the bones of an incredible year of music. Over the next few days, I’ll roll out my favorite tracks of the year. Let’s kick things off with 10 songs that didn’t quite make it out of the incredibly crowded field. That said, they absolutely deserve your attention. Willis Earl Beal: “Too Dry to Cry” from Nobody Knows (XL) While I’ll never claim to be a great blues historian, I do know … →
Angel Haze Dirty Gold (Island/Republic Records?) It’s been raining awesome surprise LPs recently, and this one just might be the pick of the bunch. Being pegged as the next great female MC has been a bit of a poisoned chalice, as demonstrated by the disappointing Nicki Minaj and the now mostly-irrelevant Azealia Banks, but the 22 year-old is made of sterner stuff. To be honest, I’m still working my way through Dirty Gold, but holy hell, it’s impressive. She’s always been a thought-provoking lyricist … →
These days, I’m not even sure what the difference between a mixtape and an album are, but I do know that it was a hell of a year for mixtapes. Here are my picks of a very healthy litter. Be on the look-out for my singles and albums lists. They should be dropping before the end of the year. 10. Caleb James The Jones Chicago, IL Hottest Jams: “Ride With Me,” “24s” While his associate Chance the Rapper rightfully lapped … →
It’s that time of year again, where I round up my favorite tracks of the year. First up, we’ve got my favorite remixes. Stay tuned for an albums, mixtapes, and singles list. 10. Friends “The Way” (Blood Orange Re-Edit/Duet) The Way (Digital Single) Dev Hynes’ dramatic vocals have always worked best when flanked by a powerful female voice, so his re-work of IRL girlfriend Samantha Urbani’s stunning power ballad is unsurprisingly spectacular. Some have written him off as a cheesy pastiche … →
Tev’n Solitude Self-Released I know I said Thunder Penguin was going dark, but this is simply too good not to post. The North London R&B newcomer’s debut mixtape is murky, restrained, darkly seductive, and beautiful in all the right ways. Via, the homies at Dummy.
Programming Note: Thunder Penguin will be mostly dark for the next few weeks, while I work on some year-end lists. They should (key word: should) start popping up by the third week of December. Thanks for your continued readership. Javeon “Give Up” Give Up (out 12.15 on PMR) Dornik “Rebound” From Forthcoming PMR Release PMR caps off a banner year with new tracks from a pair of R&B’s brightest new voices. Javeon (formerly Javeon McCarthy) has been kicking around for a while, and … →
Cashmere Cat “With Me” Wedding Bells EP (out January ’14 on LuckyMe) Producer/DJ/songwriter/all-around chill Norwegian dude, Cashmere Cat is back with a new original to follow his genre-defining debut 2012 EP, Mirror Maru. The 25 year-old (né Magnus August Høiberg) doesn’t disappoint, as “With Me” is another trademark emotive dance-ish cut with a characteristically deft vocal sample. He has always had an incredible knack for creating tracks that just flow effortlessly from movement to movement — leaving the listener with engulfing pocket symphonies that … →
