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
Julia Holter
“Feel You” Have You in My Wilderness (out 09.25 on Domino)
The announcement of a new Julia Holter album is always cause for a celebration, especially when its coupled with a first single that’s this strong. “Feel You” is a gorgeous chamber pop song that pairs the 30 year-old’s graceful vocal with a sweeping, romantic string arraignment and buoyant drums. Like much of her best work, it pairs traditional instrumentation (peep that harpsichord) with progressive, modern songwriting, resulting in a sound that is both timeless and fresh.
Future
“Blow a Bag” Dirty Sprite 2 (out 07.17 on Freebandz)
The #FutureHive is abuzz since last Friday, when the ATLien announced the long-awaited successor to his classic, 2011 mixtape, Dirty Sprite. DS2 appears to be the most ambitious of the four triumphant projects he’s put out this year, and its dynamic first single does nothing but fuel those lofty expectations. “Blow a Bag” is pure, turnt-up Future, along the lines of summer anthem “Fuck Up Some Commas” and recent burner “Real Sisters.” Any track that boasts production credits from Metro Boomin, Southside, and Sonny Digital is going to be a banger, and the 31 year-old’s hyper-melodic flow is the perfect match for the Dream Team’s rolling hats and interstellar synths. Future has absolutely owned 2015 so far, and it doesn’t look like he’s planning on relinquishing control of the back half of the year either.
Chief Keef
“Ain’t Missing You” (f/ Jenn Em)
Digital Single
It’s remarkable how far Chief Keef has come in the two and a half years since his one and only Interscope LP, Finally Rich. Far away from the beady eye of label suits who never understood him and the ruthless media scrutiny that threatened to consume him, the Chicago native has quietly gotten his mojo back, crafting fascinating, gleefully experimental sounds with a rotating cast of characters in the LA suburbs. While recent releases like Sorry 4 the Weight and Back From the Dead 2 garnered little mainstream coverage, they’ve earned well-deserved love from sharp critics and (more importantly) have been well received by his growing, sonically open-minded fanbase.
That said, I don’t think anyone was expecting a twangy, pop-country ballad, but as he’s proven time and time again, Keef doesn’t give a shit about other people’s expectations. And you know what? It’s brilliant. “Ain’t Missing You” is a disarmingly powerful eulogy to the 19 year-old’s older cousin, Mario “Big Glo” Hess, a fellow rapper and mentor who was slain in Chicago in the aftermath of signing a lucrative record contract. Keef’s verses are gut-wrenching — particularly the second. He speaks candidly about his relationship with Hess, during what must have been an unimaginable transition from a 16 year-old in one of the poorest communities in America to a multi-millionaire celebrity. It’s the most clear-eyed, emotionally direct song of his career, and yet another example of Keef’s unarguable talent and relentlessly creative spirit.
Though he’s been making quality music for nearly ten years, the Mancunian dubstep (né Joe McBride) early adopter is only now getting around to releasing his first proper LP. While everything about the musical landscape has changed — including the meaning of the word ‘dubstep’ (Burial, not Skrillex) — Synkro’s sound really hasn’t. Like much of his excellent past work (see: 2008’s beautiful, Brandy flipping, “Everybody Knows” or 2013’s breakthrough single “Acceptance”) “Changes” layers evocative, faraway vocal samples over meticulously crafted, roomy keyboards and just enough percussion to keep things moving along. It’s remained a winning formula, due to McBride’s deft, restrained touch with vocal samples and his talent for crafting mood and atmosphere. Sometimes the best way to whether the changing times is just to keep on doing what you’re doing.
Thundercat The Beyond / Where The Giants Roam Out Now on Brainfeeder
An EP only in title, Stephen “Thundercat” Bruner’s gorgeous 16-minute reflection on the metaphysical feels like a singular composition. While I was considering writing about one of disc’s two key middle tracks — the soulful bounce of “Them Changes” and the labyrinthine “Lone Wolf and Cub” — much of their power is lost outside the context of the four songs that frame them.
On this record, Bruner shows off his strongest, most streamlined songwriting ever, keeping the noodling to a minimum and restricting his technical virtuosity to lines that serve only to improve the songs. Don’t get me wrong, there’s plenty of bass wizardry here — notably on the backside of “Lone Wolf and Cub” — but it’s not the album’s enduring takeaway. Rather, it’s the realization that Bruner’s songwriting and underrated singing is finally catching up to his prodigious playing, which is a truly mouthwatering proposition.
There’s making the song cry, then there’s what production vets Nard & B did to Future’s newest single. When faced with one of the weepiest tracks you’ll ever hear, the 30 year-old summarily beats the breaks off the track in signature style. The ATLien is in the heart of one of the great mixtape runs of the last decade (see: Wayne ’06-’07 and Gucci’09-’11), and “News or Somethn” is one of the high points of this hot streak. While the popular Future narrative has always been melodicism over lyricism, he’s recently been painting incredibly somber portraits with vivid, expressive lyrics. Lines like “know a few real ones ain’t gon’ see they next birthday” and “it’s a full moon in the middle of the day” connect with breathtaking thuds. And by the time the emotive outro guitar solo hits, you’re left staring into the heart of American desolation, and the only thing you can do is run it back again.
Carly Rae Jepsen
“Emotion” Emotion (out 09.21 on Interscope)
I have wanted to write about the third single from Canadian popstar’s third LP since wonky versions of it started appearing online a couple of weeks ago, and today we finally get a proper studio quality version. A nice bridge between the anthemic, punchy “I Really Like You” and the moody ballad, “All That,” “Emotion” is a mid-tempo masterclass — the special kind of song that bottles up post-first kiss butterflies and serves them up to you again and again. Over 3 glorious minutes, the 29 year-old pours her heart out, beautifully framed by taut guitars and delicious swaths of synth. While the 80s, John Hughes influences are obvious here, this is a rare timeless pop song that can appeal to any person in any era. All you need is a beating heart.
The Radio Dept.
“Occupied” Occupied (out 06.16 on Labrador)
After yesterday’s post about a pair of mercurial Swedes, it’s only right to shout out the new single from one of the OG mercurial Swedish groups, The Radio Dept. Unlike Karl X Johan’s tossed-off Whitesnake cover, “Occupied” is very much the finished article — a dark, droning seven-minute epic that pairs Johan Duncanson’s brooding vocals with icy synths and busy, rising percussion. While it’s unclear if this 3-song EP will be a harbinger for a proper follow-up to 2010’s well-loved, Clinging to a Scheme, it’s good to know that the group is still cooking with gasoline, even as they enter their third decade of existence. Long may it continue.
This one really takes me back. One of my favorite ever reclusive Swedish duos (there’s plenty of others, look ’em up) takes on one of my favorite ever power ballads. While John Sykes’ signature guitarwork is replaced by moody synths, the Stockholm duo stays pretty faithful to Whitesnake’s original arrangement, and vocalist Johan Tuvesson brings plenty of David Coverdale-esque brooding to the table too. There’s still no word of a long-promised proper debut, but if they keep covering classic power ballads, I won’t be complaining.
Wen
“She Giv” Senary Cycles (out 07.17 on Soundman)
While the British producer has been mostly painted with the ‘instrumental grime’ brush, the shoe has never really quite fit, and with each passing release, Wen has developed a sound that is increasingly difficult pigeonhole in a genre, no matter how diverse said genre is. “She Giv” is the lead single off his forthcoming “double EP” (whatever the hell that means), which looks set to be the boldest release of his career. The cut pairs interstellar keys with a mantric vocal sample and extra helpings of skittering percussion and delicious sub-bass. This is late night music, worthy of soundtracking a last drink or a bus ride home, and it will likely only make up a small part of a fascinating bigger statement.
Julia Holter
