Hot Jam of the Day: August Alsina, “Sucka” (DJ Sliiink, DJ Hoodboi, Trippy Turtle Remix)

Posted on January 22, 2014 by TP1.COM in Hot Jam of the Day | Comments Off

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 their hands on the NOLA crooner’s Lloyd-assisted banger, and awesomeness ensues. The caffeinated, frenetic Jersey sound looks set to be the next to blow, and a quick perusal of all three artists’ Soundcloud accounts are a great place to get started. It also serves as even more incentive for you to get into one of the most underrated artists in R&B.

Best of 2013: The Best Albums of 2013

Posted on January 22, 2014 by TP1.COM in Best Of '13, Featured | Comments Off

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 the burgeoning American black metal scene.

Hottest Jams: “Dream House, ” “Irresistible”

2. Mark Kozelek & Desertshore: Mark Kozelek & Desertshore
The former Red House Painter is one of the most reliable artists around, consistently trickling out his signature moody slowcore, like only he can. 20 years on from the seminal self-titled Red House Painters, Kozelek hasn’t run out of stories to tell, intricate guitar-parts to pick, and people to piss off. Like much of his recent work, it focuses on finding the extraordinary in the ordinary, and he turns tales of nights spent watching boxing, strolls down the Great Highway, and conversations with his Dad about late night TV into incredibly insightful ruminations on what really matters. It’s an album that nobody really talked much about this year, but it sure has a hell of a lot to say.

Hottest Jams: “Mariette,” “Brothers”

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Best of 2013: The Hottest Jams of 2013

Posted on January 4, 2014 by TP1.COM in Best Of '13, Featured | Comments Off

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 on In” (f/ Ratcatcher)
Walk on In Single (Numbers)
The Berlin producer’s expansive, scorching dance-floor filler is everything a great house cut should be. At first, it bubbles along, sucking you in and setting the mood, and just when you’re ready for a change, it flips it and builds to its crescendo. The runway-ready, diva-licious vocals meld perfectly with the relentless backbeat and undulating synths, resulting in a glorious, throwback club anthem.

58. Mutual Benefit
“Advanced Falconry”
Love’s Crushing Diamond (Other Music)
Nomadic singer-songwriter Jordan Lee has more than a little of the Sufjans about him, and his breakthrough LP is full of the stately, orchestral chamber-folk/pop that made Stevens such a star. “Advanced Falconry” nails the gleeful earnestness-meets-nostalgic melancholy that makes my 21 year-old heart happy and my fingers want to call my friends and tell them how important they are to me. No matter how old I get, I hope I never stop being a sucker for this stuff.

(Read more, after the jump.)
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Best of 2013: The Best Tracks of 2013 (Honorable Mention)

Posted on December 27, 2013 by TP1.COM in Best Of '13, Columns, Featured | Comments Off

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 that the Chicago-native’s sophomore LP felt as authentic as anything out nowadays. Listening to Beal sing is like watching someone lift a car; it’s a physical experience. You can feel him straining every sinew as he pours his heart into every ravenous come-on, perfectly verbalizing human nature’s most visceral, virile instinct.

Darkside: “Golden Arrow” from Psychic (Other People)
Picking one song off Nicolas Jaar & Dave Harrington’s excellent debut LP feels idiotic, as (like their debut EP) Psychic demands to be heard in one immersive sitting. That said, its 11-minute opener sets a spooky, emulsifying tone for the whole record. Harrington’s delicious, palm-muted guitar line wraps itself around a forlorn falsetto, resulting in a track that is both alluring and unsettling.

Stream/Download this Shit: Angel Haze, Dirty Gold

Posted on December 18, 2013 by TP1.COM in Download This Shit | Comments Off

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 with a ravenous flow and a fascinating perspective, but she’s never done something this cohesive and melodic before. The real queen is here.

NOTE: It looks like the record has just been pulled, but here’s the record’s outstanding lead single, “A Tribe Called Red.”

Best of 2013: The Best Mixtapes of 2013

Posted on December 16, 2013 by TP1.COM in Best Of '13, Featured | Comments Off

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 up the plaudits this year, to my ears, Caleb James’ outstanding The Jones was the real showstopper. Taking cues from the golden sound of the 90’s, the rapper/producer/singer weaves a rare sound that feels simultaneously current and classic. Effortlessly transitioning from a slick tenor to a bouncy flow, his sound is pure 2013 G-Funk, with one man playing both the Warren G and Nate Dogg roles with consummate ease. This is window-down, drive slow music at its finest.

Stream/Download, via Live Mixtapes.

9. Rich Homie Quan
Still Goin In (Reloaded)
Atlanta, GA
Hottest Jams: “Type of Way,” “Differences”

At this point, no one needs to hear 21 tracks of anybody, even an artist as magnetic as the 24 year-old ATLien. Though it could probably be about 10 songs shorter, the high points of Dequantes Lamar’s breakthrough mixtape goes toe-to-toe with nearly anything released this year. While understandable, the Future comparisons are mostly lazy, as the disc establishes RHQ as very much his own man — armed with a ravenous flow, a dogged work ethic, and an fresh perspective. More than anything, Still Goin In (Reloaded) is just so much fun to listen to — as much as any other album released this year — and that has to count for something.

Stream/Download, via DatPiff.

8. 18+
MIXTAPE3
Los Angeles, CA
Hottest Jams: “Crow,” “Trunks”

Doubtlessly one of the strangest releases of the year, the anonymous LA duo’s seductively spectacular LP feels unlike anything else released this year. The subtle, nebulous collection of sparse, bizzaro boner jams were released almost context-free. Coming off a bit like the weirder, nastier cousins of The XX, their work is simultaneously alluring and unsettling. Whoever these sickos are, they absolutely deserve to be heard.

Stream/Download, via Soundcloud.
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Best of 2013: The Best Remixes of 2013

Posted on December 11, 2013 by TP1.COM in Best Of '13, Featured | Comments Off

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 merchant, but as long as he keeps releasing tracks with this much sincerity, emotion, and ability, I’m willing to look the overlook his imitational tendencies and get swept away by the groove. An duet album beckons….

9. Disclosure
“Voices” (f/ Sasha Keable) (Wookie Remix)
Settle (PMR)

Though the American press has predictably misclassified the Lawrence brothers’ spectacular debut LP as synth-pop or (even more nauseatingly) as EDM, the Surrey natives have deep roots in UK garage and deep house, which they embrace on this inch-perfect remix from garage legend, Wookie. The vet lends his signature keys and graceful swing to the original, resulting in a track that feels fresh, yet classic. It’s a bit like watching Michael Jordan give Jabari Parker pointers on his jumper, and it’s great to see a young, hot group pay tribute to one of the people who helped shape their sound.

8. Drake
“From Time” (Ruddyp Refix)
Nothing Was the Same (YMCMB)

Though Young Angel’s third LP was a bit of a disappointment, it certainly has its moments, and its probably on par with Yezzus for the most remixed LP of the year. None shone brighter than the Virginia native’s sumptuous take on one of NWTS’ best, overshare-iest cuts. In just five short minutes, Ruddyp takes the reflective original through a startling number of movements, resulting in a track that manages to feel simultaneously erratic and cohesive.

Hear the rest after the jump…..

Read more

Stream / Download This Shit: Tev’n, Solitude

Posted on December 3, 2013 by TP1.COM in Download This Shit | Comments Off

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.

Hot Jams of the Day: Two New PMR Gems from Javeon and Dornik

Posted on December 2, 2013 by TP1.COM in Featured, Hot Jam of the Day | Comments Off

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 his most recent material shows an impressive maturation from his excellent early work. On the other hand, Dornik — who is also Jessie Ware’s drummer — has only released two tracks thus far, and “Rebound” is a worthy, similarly soulful successor to his stunning debut single, “Something About You.” PMR continues to be a leader in the forward-thinking R&B/dance/pop/garage scene that has been the sound of the last couple of years, and long may it continue.

Hot Jam of the Day: Cashmere Cat, “With Me”

Posted on November 25, 2013 by TP1.COM in Hot Jam of the Day | Comments Off

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 open themselves up more with each successive listen.

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