Here are my top albums of 2012. You may notice that this list is predominantly hip-hop. To me, this has been a year for hip-hop to remember. This year albums have been created by many artists that are working hard to transcend genres and push the envelope. Death Grips has been notable for their record label shenanigans and the mystery behind Captain Murphy was fun to see full circle. These were not gimmicks. They did not solicit controversy to cover up a lukewarm album. These albums are innovative and memorable.
I also had a couple stipulations: EPs, box-sets, and reissues do not count.
Of course there are many albums I enjoyed this year that are not on the list. Some of you may be shocked to see that the new Animal Collective or Dirty Projectors didn't make it on my list. While I adored those albums, these five albums are the best that 2012 has to offer. Albums that you can immerse yourself in and continuously find a new aspect you love about it . This is just my opinion, so feel free to comment on what your favorite album of the year is.
5. Joey Bada$$ - 1999
1999 is a success in every way, shape and form. Not only an incredibly realized debut mixtape, Joey Bada$$ happens to only be 17. But that is all besides the point. It is not a great album due to his age or his lack of prior work. It is great for bringing back the sound of 90s gritty, New York hip-hop. His group PRO ERA is featured on a majority of tracks and fortunately they can keep up with his mic skills. "Survival Tactics" and "Killuminati" feature some of the best wordplay of the year, not to mention some absolutely outstanding beats. With the bar is set incredibly high, Joey Bada$$ has a bright future ahead of him.
4. Captain Murphy - Du∆lity
Steven Ellison (also known as Flying Lotus and now as Captain Murphy) has had a busy year. Not only releasing his lush and dreamy Until the Quiet Comes, he has been creating quite a following as the anonymous villain: Captain Murphy. Punctuated by maniacal laughter, pitched vocals, and an amazing video, Duality has everything that you could want from a hip-hop album. While the lyrics delve into dark subject matter, it is not done in a cheesy way due to the skill with Captain Murphy's lines which can border as dark as they are humorous The beats are where Duality really shines. For the amount of different artists who dipped their pens into the ink, it sounds very cohesive. It may be due to many of the artists being of the Brainfeeder collective.
3. Kendrick Lamar - good kid, m.A.A.d city
Kendrick Lamar's major label debut creates a narrative of his upbringing in Compton. Kendrick, a genuinely good kid, is stretched in every way of his life: his positive and loving upbringing with his parents keep him a hardworking youth who knows that knowledge is the way out of the hood while his friends play the bad influence bringing him to get involved in robbery and gang violence. Probably one of the more diversified albums on this list, there is a little bit of everything here beat-wise. From the spacey "Bitch, Don't Kill My Vibe" to the G.O.O.D-esque "Backseat Freestyle," this album has a bulk of variety, the perfect amount of guest performers that don't overpower the album, and a story that inspires hope that "a flower bloomed in a dark room."
2. Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti - Mature Themes
Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti have outdone themselves with their latest, Mature Themes. Where some may think that Before Today was the better of their post-Paw Track releases, I found this album to be an album that defines their craft as songwriters. Tracks like "Only in My Dreams," a shimmery pop gem, showcase refinement and more mature (as the title would imply) arrangements. Even some of the would-be filler (Schnitzel Boogie) is catchy in just how odd it truly is. The flow works really well, too. Especially the back half of the album. Putting the last track, a cover of Joe and Donnie Emerson, was a smart choice as it didn't take away from the consistent nature of the Ariel songs. An album that wears its nostalgia on its sleeve, it's not afraid to indulge in it's strong suits: making songs that were the norm in the late 70s/early 80s with a modern edge.
1. Death Grips - The Money Store
I don't even know where to begin with an album that is as awarding as it is challenging. Death Grips, after releasing last year's outstanding mixtape, Exmilitary, chose to sign to Epic Records, release the Money Store, cancel their tour, release NO LOVE DEEP WEB without their label's permission, and get dropped from their label. This album started the rise to their turbulent, yet productive year. As where Exmilitary was more cluttered (due to much of Zach Hill's percussion) and NLDW was more central to MC Ride as a lyricist (due to it's sparse instrumentals), The Money Store is the healthy medium with some of the most unique instrumentals ever created in hip-hop. This can be much praise to Flatlander. Genre-bending and proud of it, The Money Store commits to being a no holds barred aural assault while still demanding the listeners attention. I have probably listened to this entire album 40+ times and due to the murk and grime and I am still digging through it to hear things I did not find on prior listens. If you have followed any of my blogs or know my musical tastes, this album being number one should in no way surprise you. I wholeheartedly love this album and will attest that you will be hard pressed to find anything like this again any time soon.
Starting off my top lists of the year are my top five favorite music videos. While it is hard to quantify videos, these have been some of my favorite videos of the year.
5. Joey Bada$$ (Feat. Capital STEEZ) - "Survival Tactics"
A group that captures the Wu Tang spirit more than other in the early part of the decade is PRO ERA. Grainy videos and a list of talented emcees encapsulate all the videos from the outstanding 1999 mix-tape from Joey Bad$$. This collective has a considerably even skill set when compared to groups such as Odd Future or A$AP Mob. Joey Bada$$, the 17 year old Brooklynite, has created quite a following in 2012 and this is a prime reason as to why.
This coming week I will be doing a series of "Top of the Year" lists. Below is the schedule.
Saturday, December 1st Top Five Music Videos of the Year
Sunday, December 2nd Top Five Albums of the Year
Monday, December 3rd Top 50 Songs of the Year (Part One) (50-41)
Tuesday, December 4th Top 50 Songs of the Year (Part Two) (40-31)
Wednesday, December 5th Top 50 Songs of the Year (Part Three) (30-21)
Thursday, December 6th Top 50 Songs of the Year (Part Four) (20-11)
Friday, December 7th Top 50 Songs of the Year (Part Five) (10-1)
Keep in mind, I am only one person so I can only be aware of so many artists and songs. Years from now I will still be uncovering music from the year we knew as 2012. But for now, these will be to commemorate albums, videos, and songs I have enjoyed over this year. So just enjoy reading them and feel free to comment on your favorites of the year. I am sure we can all respectively agree to disagree.
For now, I'll just leave you with a video I have been watching quite a bit.
Captain Murphy's long-awaited mixtape, Duality, is finally here as of noon last Thursday. An album that brings as many questions as it does answers, it is a unique experience that fans of Madvillain Earl Sweatshirt, or Flying Lotus should enjoy.
Not only an incredibly charismatic and realized debut (especially since Captain Murphy has only been in the public eye for less than 6 months), the corresponding video, created by Xavier Magot, is so well done it could make a grind-house feature blush. Even though it has dropped, there are still many questions (other than the identity Captain Murphy), such as the names of the tracks (thus making this review harder than it should have been). On Sunday, on his Twitter, a link to a seamless Mp3 was available for download. Reportedly, the 28th of November will be the date we are given the deluxe edition of Duality and feature "more songs and the instrumentals."
This review may be a little behind, but today I will be focusing on the new Titus Andronicus album, Local Business. Released last month, the album treads usually territory of American anthems, New Jersey, and references to Shakespearean tragedy.
On a side note, I will be reviewing Captain Murphy's highly anticipated album Duality next week! It is scheduled for release this Thursday.
Titus Andronicus - Local Business (XL Recordings)
Local Business, the follow up to their expansive sophomore album The Monitor, can be seen as their most polished yet but that does not take away from the final product. It is undeniably an album by Titus Andronicus. This time around Patrick Stickles vocals are not as guttural, arrangements are simplistic, and his lyrics seem to be some of his most personal yet, especially the eight minute epic "My Eating Disorder," presumptuously dealing with his eating disorder. In the weeks upcoming to the album, Titus Andronicus played several "Local Business" sessions around Brooklyn, I assume as an ode to the the local businesses that fuel our economy and the hard working, individuals that create a back bone of our society.
On November 1st, Earl Sweatshirt released his new track "Chum" and it is easily one of his best to date. I was a fan of his mix-tape EARL. It introduced a young rapper (very young, in fact) still trying to cultivate a persona and a voice. A little spotty, a lot of indulgent stories dealing with violent fantasies, and an uneven quality of beats, EARL went where very few albums dared to go. It seemed that as soon as he arrived, he vanished. An improved Earl resurfaced earlier this year. Over summer he added his mic skills to two great songs: Frank Ocean's "Super Rich Kids" and the Flying Lotus/Captain Murphy track "Between Friends."
This song is proof to why he is often revered as Odd Future's best lyricist. Long gone is the violent imagery which put him on the map. He predicted he would lose some fans for his change in style (and unabashedly admitted that he would be happy to lose them if all they wanted were songs like "epaR"). "Chum" explores Earl's life with the absence of a father and how he pursued guidance, even it was the wrong kind as he says he goes from "Honor Roll to cracking locks up off the bicycle racks." There is a noticeable improvement production-wise. A fuzzy bass line is set under a piano line with a marching snare.This track is a great sign of things to come. Whenever his album post-Samoa drops, I will have my expectations set on high.
Earl Sweatshirt - Chum - Single
A collaborator of Earl Sweatshirt, Captain Murphy may release his album sooner rather than later. On October 31st, the still anonymous Captain Murphy claimed "November 30th or the day I get 10k followers." That happened Monday morning and we are still waiting for Duality, but we did get a new song called "Immaculation" featuring Azizi Gibson and Jeremiah Jae. The bassline is very reminiscent of the only 50 Cent song of which I am actually fond: "Just A Touch." Captain Murphy fans can be happy that this song contains everything that a typical Captain Murphy song contains: hyperactive pitch-shifting and some references to the end of the world.
In celebration of 20 blogs, I'd like to give a playlist of my top 20 songs of the week. Some are new, some are old favorites, and some old-but-new favorites.
A video to watch: Check out the new, non-NO LOVE DEEP WEB track from Death Grips titled "True Vulture Bare." The video is a collaboration with Director/Animator Galen Pehrson and just as most of Death Grips' material, it is as unsettling as it is beautiful.
Hymie's Basement (2003/Lex Records)
A song to listen to: Keeping in line with being at times unsettling is Hymie's Basement's "Ghost Dream," which is featured in this playlist. I recently came across Hymie's Basement (a side project of WHY?'s Yoni Wolf and Fog's Andrew Broder). Released in 2003, a majority of the album is a take on the American Dream and way of life. "Ghost Dream" tells the tale of a man who takes a detour to find a bass guitar at a city dump before he makes his way to a school dance. As he swerves his van to avoid a couple he plunges into water and slowly drowns. One of his final thoughts is that the water was soaking out the starch of his new dress shirt. Ending on the the chorus "Brand new skinny ghost, meet your brand new angel monster Microwave, meet your maker." Any WHY? fan should love it.
With the exception of few (Wu Tang Clan's "Triumph," for example) am not a big fan of posse tracks. Usually, it becomes fairly obvious that there is not enough talent that can be dispersed through an entire song. You can imagine my dismay when I heard about the release of G.O.O.D Music's Cruel Summer compilation. Other than "To The World," a track featuring R. Kelly and some nice wordplay such "the whole world is a couch...I'm Rick James tonight" and "The Morning," I was left underwhelmed. The multi-layered, grandiose arrangements of My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy were traded for overall generic beats, braggadocio verses, and repetitive hooks. This weekend, "White Dress," which will be featured on The Man With the Iron Fists Soundtrack, graced my speakers with top-notch production from the RZA and Kanye.
The Man With the Iron Fists (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
Soul-inspired backing vocals, chime heavy, and a subtle yet evolving beat set perfectly under dense lyrical content from Kanye West. If it wasn't for Kanye's verses, it could easily pass for an updated version of a track on Only Built 4 Cuban Linx. "White Dress" does not abide by a 16-bar format or a verse, chorus, verse structure. Instead, Kanye packs everything he can into these verses that seem to relate to his past and present relationships. The song is released along side the motion picture The Man With the Iron Fists. It is far from the intended bangers that are overrun by Cruel Summer or Watch the Throne. "White Dress" is Kanye's best in quite some time, in my opinion.
An album cover (see the uncensored cover here) isn't always indicative of an album, but with NO LOVE DEEP WEB, it is. It became very clear very fast that this is an album that unforgivably indulged in extremes. With a punk edge and futurist mindset, the group released the album before their record label, Epic, had even heard it, released said album for free download on their soundcloud, and chose cover art of an erect penis with NO LOVE DEEP WEB scribbled on it. This was almost too daring, even for Death Grips. I was waiting to be let down. I figured that this amount of publicity was just to overcompensate for an album that was under-cooked. Fortunately, I was wrong. This 13 track blast of aggression delivered on everyone of its promises.
Death Grips - NO LOVE DEEP WEB
I will never forget catching an hour or two of sleep before the midnight (2 AM in the Midwest) release dropped. Barely being awake, I was knocked right into an alert state as distorted, percussive, bassy chaos spilled into my headphones with "Come Up and Get Me." MC Ride's voice is as strained as it has ever been as he shrieks and belts out vivid verses of being surrounded in an abandoned eight story building.
Despite it being released the same year as The Money Store, that is where comparisons can end. It is hard to believe, but the Money Store can be seen as the group's "pop" album. That batch of songs contained some of the most twisted hooks that has ever been committed to tape. See "I've Seen Footage" if you need an example.
Otherwise, we are met with grittier instrumentals, odd soundscapes, and clanking percussion from Zach Hill. This is best exemplified by "Hunger Games," a minimalist venture with some of MC Ride's best lyrics painting pictures of "neck-bones sprayin' guava." While not as catchy as The Money Store, this album does include some delicious onomatopoetic, minimal hooks, such as "W-W-W-W-W-W-Whammy" and "Pop, pop, pop, pop."
"No Love" starts in what sounds like MC Ride pounding on walls, screaming by himself in a cell or a padded room; his voice, hoarse and panicked. This song along with the beautifully arranged chorus of "Pop" remain some of the most memorable moments. "Stockton," makes references to being stuck in Stockton, California, which had the honorable distinction of making it on the Forbes America's Most Miserable Cities list, and contains another onomatopoeia filled chorus of "I'm bouncin'. Whoop Whoop."
The one-two punch of "Bass Rattle Stars Out the Sky" and "Artificial Death in the West" close out the album with a comparatively rap-centric structure. The closing line to the album"she shoot pussy through your chest you die" is surely to leave you scratching your head but if you have followed Death Grips for the past year or so, that should not be shocking.
(Taken from @deathgripz on October 5th)
This album is challenging. With no scheduled release date, who knows what the fate of this album will be. It is clear that Death Grips are bravely pushing boundaries and have the skill to back it up. The album is in every nook and cranny of the web, due to Death Grips themselves. Any fan of experimental music, regardless of genre, should at least attempt a listen. After cancelling their tour to finish NO LOVE DEEP WEB, they will pick up where they left off. On November 20 they will be at the Bottom Lounge. Hopefully I will see you all there.
Note: I was going to write about NO LOVE DEEP WEB's release yesterday, but due to my mind being blown, I will wait until next week. For now, I will talk about The Streets. I miss The Streets. Even though it has only been about two years since his last album, knowing that Mike Skinner (AKA The Streets) will not be releasing another album under his moniker makes me long for something. A something that only The Streets can bring me. This October, it will mark the ten year anniversary (in the US) of the release of his first full length Original Pirate Material. In honor of this, I give to you my top ten favorite tracks from The Streets. Since 2002, Skinner released five full length albums, one EP, and one mix-tape: Original Pirate Material, A Grand Don't Come For Free, The Hardest Way To Make An Easy Living, Everything Is Borrowed, Computers and Blues, All Got Our Runnins and Cyberspace and Reds, respectively.
The Streets - Original Pirate Material (2002)
10. "All Goes Out the Window" - The Hardest Way To Make An Easy Living
09. Lock the Locks - Computers And Blues
08. "Has It Come To This?" - Original Pirate Material
This week I will be highlighting several new (or new to me) songs from artists such as Flying Lotus to Titus Andronicus. Enjoy.
XXYYXX's single "About You" contains a hazy, Weeknd-esque beat and a back-masked lyric of "here forever inside." The hypnotic beat grows into a skittering snare and synth saturated blast of energy. It is worth noting that rappers Kami de Chukwu and Brian Fresco used the track for their song "Red Rover."
Flying Lotus - Until the Quiet Comes (10-02/Warp)
The new Flying Lotus album, Until the Quiet Comes, is available to stream now on NPR. It does not disappoint. The immediate standout for me was the gorgeous two suite mix of "me Yesterday//Corded." A bass heavy, jazzy, ascending beat that brings a feeling of euphoria when it hits its climax.
The anonymous Captain Murphy's released his newest track off his upcoming album, Duality, last week."The Killing Joke" features a backing track of something that can be roughly translated to 'bring Lucifer to me, on a tray" and lyrics such as "speculate my identity, good luck, you'll never find me." The track has many references to Batman and the Joker. The Killing Joke is also a title of the titular graphic novel from 1988.
I am back with a couple album review/recommendations! This week I will be reviewing two highly anticipated albums. The first, WHY?'s Mumps, Ect. will be out next month, but has already leaked. The second, The xx's Coexist had big shoes to fit, but filled them nicely.
WHY? - Mumps, Ect (Out 10/09/2012 on Anticon)
With some of the sweetest sounding arrangements this year containing a mass of juxtaposing lyrical content, WHY? returns with their fifth full length album Mumps, Ect. This summer WHY? released their great Sod in the Seed EP. Watch the video for the title track off that EP below.
Here are ten videos that I keep on coming back to. They are a mix of live, official, and unofficial videos. Down below you can watch Ariel Pink jump into his crowd for a make out session, watch Tim Harrington of Les Savy Fav eat a pear while giving a riotous performance, and much more. Hope you enjoy!
Side note: Death Grips fans can check out an unreleased cut from The Money Store on [adult swim]'s Singles Program. The song called "@deathgripz," titled after the groups Twitter page. "@deathgripz" is a spastic cut featuring all of MC Ride's vocal abilities from mellow to abrasive, giving it a jumpy quality that fits well with the instrumental. Their second album titled NO LOVE DEEP WEB is expected for an October release.
Modest Mouse - "Dramamine" (Unofficial Video)
The Streets - Computer & Blues Interactive Film
Les Savy Fav - "Lips 'N Stuff" (Acoustic, Mahogany Sessions)
Monster Machismo - "Me Blindfolded Vs. Mike Tyson"
In the middle of summer I pieced together a playlist of how to stay cool. Sadly the final days of summer are rapidly approaching. The grandiose sounds of summer will be traded for sparse, brittle sounds of fall such as leaves crunching and blowing in the wind. This playlist should complement that well.
From Stereolab and Royksopp's thumping and chiming that beg to be played at a backyard get together to the downright dreary and unsettling "Sad Pony Guerilla Girl" (most notably in the Life and Live version 2:55 and on), this playlist should take you through the end of summer and get you ready for the harsh winter that will be here before we know it.
King Krule - Rock Bottom/Octopus - Single (9/24/2012)
Note that the track, Zoo Kid's "Rock Bottom," is an early version of the song by the young man now known as King Krule. Check out the new version here. A song that builds, finds its clarity in its climax with repeating the final lines from "Empty Cans" by the Streets off of his album A Grand Don't Come For Free.
"It is the end of something I did not want to end. The beginning of hard times to come.
But something that was not meant to be is done. And this is the start of what was."
Additional Details:
1. Stereolab - "Brakhage" - Dots & Loops
2. Royksopp - "Poor Leno" - Melody A.M.
3. Netherfriends - "Don't Invite Me" - Calling You Out
4. WHY? - "The Hoofs" - Elephant Eyelash
5. Atlas Sound - "Autumn Intro Cascading Into University Courtyard" - Bedroom Databank Vol. 2
His persona(s), his attitude, and skills have made DOOM a well respected name in hip-hop. The newest of DOOM's albums, JJ DOOM's Key to the Kuffs was released last week. A great album that brings some new musical palates into the world of DOOM; I will give a quick review of Key to the Kuffs and a short retrospective of Daniel Dumile's multiple projects and personalities.
JJ DOOM - Key to the Kuffs (Lex Records)
Key to the Kuffs, the collaboration of DOOM and Jneiro Jarel, has similar structure to the rest of DOOM's catalogue: familiar interludes, sound collages, and DOOM's clever wordplay. Who else but DOOM could fit Eyjafjallajokull (the name of a volcano in Iceland) into a verse? It is distinctly a DOOM record. The production is considerably more jagged than previous albums which gives proof to the versatility of his flow; but the "buttery flow" he spoke of in "Raid" off of Madvillainy is somewhat missing. Regardless, the album is a must for any DOOM fan.
Some key tracks to check out: "Guv'nor," "Banished," "Retarded Fren," and "G.M.O."
For any newcomers to DOOM, I have put together an essential list of DOOM's extensive library.
London-born man of many aliases, Daniel Dumile (Zev Love X, MF DOOM, Madvillain, the Supervillain, Metal Fist, Metal Fingers, Viktor Vaughn, King Geedorah, DANGERDOOM, DOOM, JJ DOOM) has thrown his hat (or mask, rather) into the ring with many collaboration albums and numerous solo albums after getting his start in the group KMD in the early 1990s.
Anyone curious of Daniel Dumile's mission statement should look no further than MF DOOM's "Doomsday." DOOM "came to destroy rap." In that light, Daniel Dumile has taken on the persona of a villain for the better portion of his career but also can slip into the space-monster-rap of King Geedorah or the smooth thug known as Viktor Vaughn who is featured on "Fancy Clown," off of Madvillainy. The song is a clever diss-track of Viktor Vaughn calling out DOOM (in reality, both personas being in the mind of one man).
Between 2003 and 2004, Daniel Dumile released some of his most well received work such as King Geedorah's Take Me To Your Leader, Viktor Vaughn's Vaudeville Villain, MF DOOM's Mm..Food?, and the most celebrated, Madvillain's Madvillainy.
Madvillain - Madvillainy (2004/Stones Throw)
Since his most prolific period, DOOM has dropped the "MF" from his name, produced two tracks off of the Joey Bada$$ mix-tape, 1999, has allegedly been working with Ghostface Killah for a new collaboration album, and has just released JJ DOOM's album, Key to the Kuffs.
Below is a list of songs that any newcomer or long time fan of DOOM should enjoy.
01. MF DOOM - "Doomsday" - Operation: Doomsday
02. Madvillain - "Fancy Clown" - Madvillainy
03. Madvillain - "Figaro" - Madvillainy
04. King Geedorah - "Fazers" - Take Me To Your Leader
05. Madvillain - "Accordian" - Madvillainy
06. MF DOOM - "Vomitspit" - MM..Food?
07. King Geedorah - "Next Levels" - Take Me To Your Leader
08. MF DOOM - "Rhymes Like Dimes" - Operation: Doomsday
09. Madvillain - "Money Folder" - Madvillainy
10. Madvillain - "Meat Grinder" - Madvillainy
11. Madvillain - "Raid" - Madvillainy
12. JJ DOOM - "Guv'nor" - Key To The Kuffs
13. DOOM - "Ballskin" - Born This Way
14. DOOM - "Gazzillion Ear" - Born This Way
15. DOOM - "Absolutely" - Born This Way
16. DANGERDOOM - "Sofa King" - The Mouse & The Mask
17. Madvillain - "Curls" - Madvillainy
18. Viktor Vaughn - "Raedawn" - Vaudeville Villain
19. MF DOOM - "Beef Rapp" - MM..Food?
20. MF DOOM - "Hoe Cakes" - MM..Food?
21. JJ DOOM - "Banished" - Key To The Kuffs
22. MF DOOM - "Kon Karne" - MM..Food?
23. Viktor Vaughn - "Let Me Watch" - Vaudeville Villain
The summer is about to end and this intern must resume his scholarly duties. But don't worry, if you have at all enjoyed these blogs, there will be much more on the way. I am happy to report have been given the go-ahead to continue writing a weekly entry for Saki.
I want to extend a big thank you to everyone who has read these blogs and to Carrot Top who took me in for yet another summer! This was a busy summer of press releases, inventory, and preparing shipments. It is something I surely will miss but I know the good folks at Carrot Top and Saki have not seen the last of me. With four months left in the year, there is still so much talk about. I will be writing about the newest albums and judging by this fall's large amount of highly anticipated releases, I should not be short on music to talk about.
Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti - Mature Themes
Bonus blog within a blog: The new Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti album, Mature Themes, is now streaming on NPR. The album opens with the zany "Kinski Assassin." This Doors-"Light My Fire"-esque track contains the usual Ariel charm: lyrics first seeming out-there and laughable which become infectious upon multiple listens. Try to not repeat the hook "Who sunk my battleship? I sunk my battle ship!" to yourself during your listening pleasure. "Only In My Dreams" is a love song in the way that only Ariel Pink can do love songs and is an immediate standout. Most comparable to their 2010 breakout, Before Today, more-so any other in their catalogue proves to be a good thing. The basslines are just as solid and even possibly improved is Ariel Pink's voice. Anyone looking for the weirdness that is present on their earliest releases can rest easy knowing that it is still very present. "Schnitzel Boogie" is among the more odd tracks including lyrics about eating schnitzel set to a catchy bassline and a gang of lively backing vocalists. "Pink Slime" features some glowing synths and hyper-active vocals which is followed by the dreamier, Beach Boy styled croon of "Farewell American Primitive." The flow of the album is vital to the album's success. Acting as a true closer, the seven-minute murky, hypnotic "Nostradamus & Me" has Ariel announcing "goodbye" through a progressive drone (a contradiction, I know.). "Baby," the actual closer is another stand out. While it is undeniably Ariel, I felt it was best that it put the Donny and Joe Emerson cover at the end of the record as to not disrupt the album's flow as a whole. The album is out August 20th. Make sure you check this one out! Highly recommend!
JJ DOOM - Key To the Cuffs
Animal Collective - Centipede HZ (Set to premier next week!)
Death Grips - NO LOVE DEEP WEB
WHY? - Mumps, Ect.
I will also be preparing a top 50 songs of 2012 in early December. For now I will leave you with "Twenty Seven;" the bizarre, tempo shifting gem from the new WHY? EP, Sod In The Seed, which can be downloaded in its entirety off of their label, Anticon's Soundcloud. Enjoy!
Last week it pretty much hotter than it has ever been here in Chicago and while this week is still going to be warm, it will be a nice breather from the 100+ degree weather we have been subjected to. Here is a short and sweet 12 track mix to help you stay cool on those sweltering summer days.
Additional Details:
Wavves - "King of the Beach" - King of the Beach (2010)
So Many Dynamos - "Heat/Humidity" - When I Explode (2004)
SBTRKT - "Heatwave" - SBTRKT (2011)
Minus the Bear - "Ice Monster" - Planet of Ice (2007)
Atlas Sound - "Cold As Ice" - Let The Blind Lead Those Who Can See But Cannot Feel (2008)
Mount Eerie - "Cold Mountain" - Eleven Old Songs Of Mount Eerie (2005)
Animal Collective - "Bluish" - Merriweather Post Pavilion (2009)
Helios - "A Mountain of Ice" - Caesura (2008)
The Microphones - "Ice" - It Was Hot, We Stayed In The Water (2000)
Women - "Heat Distraction" - Public Strain (2010)
Panda Bear - "Fire!" - Panda Bear (1998)
The Avalanches - "Summer Crane" - Since I Left You (2001)
It's that time of the week for Vinnie the Intern's blog post. This week I will be talking about my choices for what songs to include in a mix tape.
I am passionate about making mix tapes. It may be due to the fact that my commute to work often hangs around the hour mark. Mix tapes have unquestionably made these mind numbing drives tolerable. There is nothing better than being taken over by music and shamelessly dancing, rapping, or singing in your car with the windows down, much to the dismay of the surrounding drivers. I am a frequent offender of all of the above. Below is my list for my ideal mix tape. It blends countless genres making for an engrossing (and hopefully enjoyable) listen. I hope that you check out these songs and that they encourage you to add them to a mix tape you make in the future.
