Lana Del Rey"Doin' Time"Sublime OST (out soon on Universal)If you grew up in California in the early 2000's, it was just about impossible to get in someone's car or go to a party that wasn't playing one of those two Sublime albums. Evidently, the same was true in wherever Read more
Stormzy"Vossi Bop"Digital SingleAfter a little while away, the London kingpin looks to be getting back in the game. "Vossi Bop" is a perfect comeback track because it is such a pure distillation of what makes Stormzy a true-one off. Over a tasty, yet simple beat, Big Mike goes in Read more
Even though we're a solid week into the second quarter, better late than never right? Here's a quick round-up of some of my favorite songs of the last three months. To keep numbers manageable, I didn't include anything from any of my favorite albums list and prioritized songs I Read more
Gah, I can't believe we're already 25% through 2019. That said, Spring is in the air, and we've enjoyed an excellent, diverse crop of music during these first three months. Have a look at some of my favorite LPs of the year so far in no particular order.
Dawn Richard
“New Read more
Chief Keef
"Ain't Gonna Happen"
GloToven (Glo Gang / RBC)
The Chicago stalwart's new project with the legendary Zaytoven is unsurprisingly full of weird and wacky sounds, moving in innumerable unexpected and exciting ways. Its most powerful moment is its starkest, as a heartbroken Keef floats freely over Zay's gorgeous piano.
"Face dried Read more
Fresh off releasing one of 2015’s strongest debuts, April’s Dark Energy, the Gary, IN footwork producer (né Jerrilynn Patton) treats us to a victory lap in the form of a new EP. First single, “Nandi,” is sparser than much of her frenetic debut with sensual vocal samples laced through skittering hi-hats and rolling hand drums. The track has an aerobic quality, almost as if it’s trying to catch its breath. And while that could easily be traced to the genre’s hyper-speed dance steps, the songs alluring vibes seem to allude to something else that makes it very tough to catch your breath. Ahem.
Though it’s billed as a b-side to their excellent recent single, “Weak,” this crushing, gorgeous track is far from a throwaway. In fact, it’s atypical of much of the trio’s bulletproof back catalog. For one, vocalist Kelly Zutrau pushes her affecting voice into the highest register we’ve heard so far, straining to deliver devastating lines “Did you ever want something so much that your world came apart?” Another exciting new development is its delightful strummed acoustic guitar, which is very Everything But the Girl/Tony Rich Project. More than anything, it’s another keeper from a band that just never disappoints. If this song wasn’t strong enough to make their forthcoming debut LP, Don’t You, I cannot wait to hear what was.
DJDS
“Stand Up and Speak” Stand Up and Speak (out 01.29 on Body High)
Samo Sound Boy is already responsible for one of the best dance albums of this year, and it looks like he has his eyes set on making one of the best of next year, as well. Along with bandmate, Jerome LOL, DJDS might have a monster on their hands, judging from its three exquisite pre-release singles. The most recent, “Stand Up and Speak,” matches soulful vocals with the group’s signature rolling percussion and spiraling songwriting. Unlike much of their sample-heavy back catalog, TheFader reports that the Angelinos employed a variety of live vocalists this time around. That shift is apparent here, and regardless of whether it is a sample, the vocals have a vitality that is a welcome addition to their always potent sonic stew.
The young New Zealander began his burgeoning career on Soundcloud and Bandcamp by uploading affecting, spare covers of popular rap and R&B songs, armed with only a Casio keyboard and a little bit of autotune. In the last year or so, the 18 year-old (né Eddie Johnston) has focused on original material, and new single, “All I Wanna Say,” is the best of it so far. Like in his covers, Johnston’s solo work is disarmingly direct and poignant, thanks mostly to its simplicity. A mantra like “all I have to offer is my love” would seem trite and cliché coming from most artists, but the innocent timbre of Johnston’s voice makes it feel like he really means it. Like, he believes that literally the only thing he can offer someone is his undying devotion. And that is a feeling that nearly anybody who has ever been a awkward, self-doubting, lovestruck teenager can relate to.
In the last five years, I’ve writtenquiteabit about prolific LA-based crooner Jesse Kivel’s music, but surprisingly, I’ve neglected his lesser-known brother Matt and his reflective solo work. Following last year’s underrated Days of Being Wild, the Santa Monica native recorded his third LP in Glasgow with Drag City head honcho, Alasdair Roberts. Its lead single, “Janus,” is a gorgeous, delicate folk number that sees Kivel’s soft voice paired beautifully with fingerpicked guitar and a touching, step-wise piano melody. It’s a heartening glimpse into what will hopefully be the record that will get him the recognition he deserves.
Memoryhouse
“Dream Shake” Soft Hate (release date: TBD)
Many of my favorite tracks from the Toronto-area duo evoke feelings (and music writer tropes) of warm blankets, crackling fires, lazy Sundays, and the like. However, the lead single from their long awaited second LP, “Dream Shake,” bristles with an energy that they rarely exhibited throughout their excellent debut LP and 2012’s The Slideshow Effect, save its lead single “The Kids Were Wrong.” This new cut beautifully balances this newfound urgency with their languid, dreamy roots, pairing Denise Nouvion’s confident vocals with layers of gauzy guitar and a buoyant bassline. It’s an exciting step forward for a group with a rock-solid back catalog, and I’ll look forward to hearing the rest of Soft Hate.
Negative Gemini
“You Never Knew” Body Work (out in 2016 on 100% Electronica)
Fresh off her slept-on Real Virtual Unison EP, Queens-based producer/vocalist Lindsey French is back at it, prepping a new full-length due out in early 2016. Its lead single is one of the most streamlined, direct tracks of her career, pitting her mellifluous vocal against delicious, aqueous keys and an earworm of a pitch-shifted vocal sample. Though French’s voice rarely rises above something just north of a whisper, her words are weighty and powerful, eulogizing a past love affair with gut punches like “now you’re pretending I’m someone you never knew.” Nothing that hurts that bad should feel this good.
Canblaster
“Encore DX” Continue? (out 10.23 on Pelican Fly)
Saying that DJ/producer Cédric “Canblaster” Steffens is on a roll is an understatement. This year alone, he’s already dropped an Internet famous EP with Lido and a pair of real-life, crossover famous singles with his Club Cheval supergroup, along with a string of excellent one-off remixes. And he’s just getting started. The fittingly titled, “Encore DX” is our first taste of his forthcoming solo EP, and it’s an example of his impressive song-craft and composition. He expertly matches undulating keys with light vocals that builds to a tasty climax. Like much of his best work, it i meticulously crafted without being overly brainy, never forgetting that dance music’s core purpose is to, you know….make people dance.
Posted onOctober 7, 2015byTP1.COMinHot Jam of the Day|Comments Off on Hot Jam of the Day: Jesu / Sun Kil Moon, “America’s Most Wanted Mark Kozelek and John Dillinger”
Jesu / Sun Kil Moon “America’s Most Wanted Mark Kozelek and John Dillinger” Jesu/Sun Kil Moon (out 01.21.16)
“That’s an account of my last few days,” sings Mark Kozelek on the first single off his new collaborative LP with Godflesh/Jesu frontman, Justin Broadrick. The refrain (along with the song title) is a cheeky, thinly-veiled allusion to the Internet backlash to the rambling lyrics of his recent work. While Kozelek’s combative nature has been a constant of his long, rich career, it’s hard not to feel like his interminable squabbling with the press, other bands, and even his own fans is starting to overwhelm his work. The incidents have ranged from mostly harmless to downright pathetic, and it really seemed to infect his most recent LP, June’s Universal Themes, one of the weakest of his career.
And though there’s not a ton of buzz surrounding Jesu / Sun Kil Moon, I’m betting that Broadrick’s laidback persona will bring balance to proceedings and inspire more restraint in Kozelek. Hopefully, it will follow the blueprint of his recent collaborative successes with Jimmy LaValle on 2013’s sterling Perils from the Sea and his excellent LP with Desertshore. While this single doesn’t really allay those fears — dude reads a piece of actual fan mail at the end — it’s far from the shambling mess that much of Universal Themes was, and the warm electric guitar-lead and synths encouragingly hint at the scope of Broadrick’s influence.
As you may have realized, posting has been a little sparse around these parts in the last couple weeks. I’ve been moving house from Los Angeles to San Francisco over the last few weeks, so I wanted to get into a quick round-up of some of my favorite recent tracks, now that I’m finally situated.
Real Lies
“Blackmarket Blues” Real Life (out in October on Marathon Artists) If you read this site regularly, you know how I feel about Real Lies. We’re now just weeks away from the release of their debut LP — an album I’ve been waiting for since I fell in love with their first single, “Deeper,” back in the summer of 2013. “Blackmarket Blues” captures an intoxicating balance between urban ennui and the eternal hopefulness of youth in a way that just cuts through me. I don’t know how many other ways I can keep saying it, but I fucking love this band so much. And so should you.
DJDS
“You Don’t Have to Be Alone” / “In The Flames”
Digital Single Samo Sound Boy has already made a great solo album this year, but his personal success hasn’t pushed his project with Jerome LOL onto the back-burner. The LA-based (Westlake, stand up!) duo formerly known as DJ Dodger Stadium, dropped a pair of sweltering, mantric singles this summer that will hopefully lead to a follow-up to 2014’s excellent, Friend of Mine.
Miles From Kinshasa
“IVRY”
Digital Single This one’s an absolute stunner. The London-based newcomer’s debut single pairs a foreboding bassline with lithe, infectious vocals, resulting in a track that feels both menacing and breezy. Unlike many of today’s pop songs, it’s tough to track the sounds that influenced “IVRY.” Miles cooks up a beautifully divergent sonic stew here, using stabbed electric guitars, syncopated hand-drums, and Pet Shop Boys synths to create a perfect soundtrack to life in a multi-cultural community.
Tim Vocals
“Where is the Loud” (Goon Mix)
Digital Single While Craig David rightfully lapped up the plaudits for his flip of Jack Ü’s ubiquitous “Where Are Ü Now,” under-appreciated crooner Tim Vocals quietly dropped an excellent version of his own. The Harlem native waxes poetic about his love for weed in his gentle, yet powerful falsetto, gliding over the verses’ buoyant piano chords and Skrillex and Diplo’s infectious chorus drop.
Wet
“Weak” Don’t You (out 01.29.16 on Columbia) After what has felt like an eternity, the emotional trio’s debut LP finally got a release date. Lead single “Deadwater” is one of my favorite tracks of the year, and the skeletal “Weak” is a worthy follow-up, pairing Kelly Zutrau’s piercing, plaintive vocals with delicate guitar chords and a bouncy drumpad pattern. 2016 just got its first must-hear album.
Deafheaven
“Come Back” / “Brought to the Water” New Bermuda (out now on -ANTI) The Bay Area sickos responsible for my fave album of 2013 are back with a vengeance. If these singles are anything to go by, New Bermuda will pick up where the masterful Sunbather left off. If anything, these cuts tend to skew even heavier and darker than their past work, hinting that success has done nothing but make them even more relentless.
D∆WN
“Dance” RedemptionHeart (TBD) For obvious reasons, not many artists who make music as nuanced and challenging as Dawn Richard are prolific, but the New Orleans powerhouse has been on an absolute tear of late. She only dropped her beguiling, brilliant third solo LP, Blackheart, back in January, just four months removed from a solid effort from her original group, Danity Kane. Now, she’s preparing the final chapter of “ The Red Era” series, which includes Blackheart and 2013’s Goldenheart. Its delightful lead single, “Dance”, shows that the 32 year-old is committed to bringing both quantity and quality to her ever-growing fanbase.
eu-IV
“Nothing’s Changed”
Digital Single Baltimore producer eu-IV’s matches an interview with civil rights activist, Angela Davis, with a smooth, jazzy arrangement. It’s a powerful, affecting statement that reminds us that though over 40 years have passed since Davis first spoke those disarming words, they are still more pertinent than ever.
Murlo
“Moodswung” Odyssey (out 11.06 on Mixpack) The grime-leaning producer recently announced his most ambitious project to date, a new 8-song EP that will likely highlight the Londoner’s diverse palette of influences. “Moodswung” is a shapeshifting, otherworldly soundscape that is offbeat and unpredictable without losing its coherence and form. Built around delicious MIDI harps and skittering percussion, it feels like the perfect soundtrack to deep space travel…or just the run of the mill chaos of your morning commute.
Postiljonen
“Go!”
Digital Single Summer might be over, but I guess nobody told this virile, Swedish dream pop trio. When you consider the length and bleakness of the Stockholm winter, it’s easy to understand why the group is struggling to suck a few more drops out of summer. It’s almost as if they believe that Mia Bøe’s defiant cries and powerful m83 synths will be warm enough to keep winter away for a few extra, precious weeks.
Jlin
