Lana Del Rey, "Doin' Time"


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

Images & Words: Stormzy, "Vossi Bop"


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

The Round-Up: The Best Songs of 2019 (1st Quarter)


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

The Round-Up: The Best Albums of 2019 (First Quarter)


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"


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

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Hot Jam of the Day

Hot Jam of the Day: Iamsu, “Nothing Less”

Posted on February 13, 2015 by TP1.COM in Hot Jam of the Day | Comments Off on Hot Jam of the Day: Iamsu, “Nothing Less”

Iamsu
“Nothing Less”
Eyes on Me (self-released, out 02.24)

While the Bay Area scene is traditionally a tight knit one, it is far from insular. Home to a litany of sonically liberated, iconoclastic artists (dude, Lil B’s from here), the Bay’s always played well with others, and Richmond’s Iamsu is no exception. The 25 year-old and the members of his exciting HBK Gang have risen to be one of the most progressive collectives in modern music, and his twinkling collab with LA super-producer DJ Mustard is yet another example of that. “Nothing Less” is a laid-back look for two artists who have crafted their fair share of bangers, with Su’s easy flow gliding over Mustard’s surprisingly mellow keys. If you think the Bay’s only about hyphy, this is the kind of track to remind you what’s going on.

Hot Jam of the Day: Mr. Mitch, “Dru” (Peace Edit)

Posted on February 8, 2015 by TP1.COM in Hot Jam of the Day | Comments Off on Hot Jam of the Day: Mr. Mitch, “Dru” (Peace Edit)

Mr. Mitch
“Dru” (Peace Edit)
Peace Edits (out in February on Gobstopper)

The Londoner’s incredible flip of Dru Hill’s classic “How Deep is Your Love?” is so much more than your standard remix. A master of vocal samples, Mitch manages to outdo himself here, twisting Sisqo and co’s vocals into a tightly coiled rope that unravels over five delightful minutes. Sparse, subtle melodic elements are then sprinkled in, perfectly framing the undulating vocals. With every new Peace Edit, the sound is moving further into a free-standing genre that is one of the most exciting in modern music.

Hot Jam of the Day: Migos, “One Time”

Posted on February 6, 2015 by TP1.COM in Hot Jam of the Day | Comments Off on Hot Jam of the Day: Migos, “One Time”

Migos
“One Time”
YRN The Album (out in 2015, self-released)

The Migos boys are back with another irresistible banger. Y.R.N. The Album may be billed as their proper debut, but the ATL crew is one of the most consistent outfits in recent hip-hop, consistently delivering varied, impressive mixtapes. The trio goes in over a skeletal, bass-driven beat with each of their hyperactive verses complimenting the adhesive hook. Offset’s middle verse hits especially hard, as his melodic, dynamic flow effortlessly tiptoes between the producer Deko’s percussive slaps. Most artists would have folded under the hype that the Internet-breaking “Versace” created 18 months ago, but it looks like the Migos are just getting warmed up.

Hot Jam of the Day: Slim Thug, “All I Know” (f/ Propain)

Posted on January 30, 2015 by TP1.COM in Hot Jam of the Day | Comments Off on Hot Jam of the Day: Slim Thug, “All I Know” (f/ Propain)

Slim Thug
“All I Know” (f/ Propain)
Hogg Life: The Beginning (out 02.03 on Hogg Life)

Slim Thug’s laidback baritone always takes me straight back to college, riding slowly through the potholes of Uptown New Orleans with the windows down and cigarette smoke lingering on my fingers. And though we’re nearly a decade removed from Houston’s short reign as hip-hop’s epicenter, those voices made an indelible, positive imprint on my brain that hasn’t dulled over time. Though his national star has faded, the rapper born Stayve Jerome Thomas has been dutifully cranking out LPs of varying quality since his still excellent, breakthrough debut, Already Platinum (2005).  Thugga has always excelled over lush, full instrumentation, and the slinky acoustic guitars, lazy brass, and nasty percussion of “All I Know” form just the kind of canvas he tends to knock out of the park. If the rest of his fifth album bangs this hard, my drives through LA are about to feel a lot more like the Crescent City.

Hot Jam of the Day: Dan Bodan, “A Soft Opening” (E+E Remix)

Posted on January 30, 2015 by TP1.COM in Hot Jam of the Day | Comments Off on Hot Jam of the Day: Dan Bodan, “A Soft Opening” (E+E Remix)

Dan Bodan
“A Soft Opening” (E+E Remix)
SOFTY SOFT Vol. 2 (out now on DFA)

The minds behind two of my favorite albums of 2014 team up on this unraveling, shimmering reimagination of Bodan’s original slow jam. E+E is one of modern music’s most mercurial, talented young producers, and Crampton’s playful insolence is on full display here. The producer tears the original into a wordless, undulating musical tributary that only reveals Bodan’s heavily pitched vocals right at the end in a surprising, yet welcome new environment. Neither eclectic artist is content to settle on cliché or the expected, making them a perfect match. Hopefully, this collab is the first of many.

Hot Jam of the Day: Jefre Cantu-Ledesma, “Love After Love”

Posted on January 30, 2015 by TP1.COM in Hot Jam of the Day | Comments Off on Hot Jam of the Day: Jefre Cantu-Ledesma, “Love After Love”

Jefre Cantu-Ledesma
“Love After Love”
A Year with 13 Moons (out 02.10 on Mexican Summer)

A standout track on one of the finest albums of the young year, “Love After Love” is an overwhelming rumination on how the heart heals in the wake of loss. We open encircled in dense, unrelenting, sometimes brutal noise, but the haze slowly drifts and gives way to gauzy, beautiful synths. As in real life, the static doesn’t stay silent forever, battling with the melody until the bitter end. However, the longer the track moves, the further the ratio shifts, and by the end, we are left reveling in a gorgeous, clearer picture. It’s a powerful metaphor that speaks very clearly to me, regardless of whether it’s what Ledesma had in mind while making it. That interpretive quality is one of the components of his music that has made him such a beloved artist to me (and so many others). Magic.

Hot Jam of the Day: Helena Hauff, “c45p”

Posted on January 22, 2015 by TP1.COM in Hot Jam of the Day | Comments Off on Hot Jam of the Day: Helena Hauff, “c45p”

Helena Hauff
“c45p”
A Tape (out 02.24 on Handmade Birds)

The lead single off the Hamburg-based producer’s debut is a taut, monolithic affair with colorful keys swirling around an icy rhythmic backbone. A perfectly balanced track, the busy keyboards add the right amount of warmth and variation to the relentless, chilling backbeat, injecting a dose of humanity into the track’s mechanical heart.

Hot Jam of the Day: Liturgy, “Quetzalcoatl”

Posted on January 21, 2015 by TP1.COM in Hot Jam of the Day | Comments Off on Hot Jam of the Day: Liturgy, “Quetzalcoatl”

Liturgy
“Quetzalcoatl”
The Ark Work (out 3/24 on Thrill Jockey)

No strangers to describing their music in embarrassing fashion, the Brooklyn kinda sorta black metallers detail their new album as a combination of “cross-fertilizing hardstyle beats, occult-oriented rap, and the glitched re-sampling of IDM.” Luckily, their third album’s lead single sounds nothing like any of those cringeworthy, imagined genres and really nothing like anything else coming out today. Hypnotic and swirling, “Quetzalcoatl” opens with vocalist/leader Hunter Hunt-Hendrix abandoning his wild shrieks for a monotonic drone, which is draped over tremolo picked guitar, Salem-esque drum pads, and MIDI strings. The tune really picks up at the 1:45 mark, when the drum machine is replaced by the razor technicality of expert skinsman Greg Fox. The song builds to an overwhelming crescendo that will either leave you reaching for the playback button or never listening to it again. They’ve always been a Marmite band, but it feels like The Ark Work is set to be their most divisive record yet.

Hot Jam of the Day: Ciara, “I Bet”

Posted on January 16, 2015 by TP1.COM in Hot Jam of the Day | Comments Off on Hot Jam of the Day: Ciara, “I Bet”

Ciara
“I Bet”
Digital Single

Probably my favorite new song of this very young year, Ciara eviscerates her unfaithful ex, Future, with grace, poise, and just the right amount of vitriol. It’s the rare kiss off song that is empowering and vulnerable, making you cheer for her and feel for her at the the same time. The “Sittin’ Up in My Room,” 90’s R&B vibe is strong here, framing the Atlantan’s heartfelt vocals with a wash of acoustic guitars and busy hi-hats. It’s a powerful, audacious statement that reminds us what a force of nature the 29 year old is.

Hot Jam of the Day: How to Dress Well, “Precious Love” (Recycle Culture Remix)

Posted on December 5, 2014 by TP1.COM in Hot Jam of the Day | Comments Off on Hot Jam of the Day: How to Dress Well, “Precious Love” (Recycle Culture Remix)

How to Dress Well
“Precious Love” (Recycle Culture Remix)
Digital Single

The always reliable, hugely underrated Minneapolis producer weaves his magic wand over How to Dress Well’s lovelorn original to devastating effect. It’s very difficult to make a song like “Precious Love” warmer, but he pulls it off here, building a glorious new sonic bed for Tom Krell’s falsetto to curl up in. Make sure to also check out his slept-on, ambient stunner, In Transit II, which dropped earlier this year.

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