It’s been a while since I’ve posted anything other than a video, so here’s a free download for you. It’s from Lapalux, from Flying Lotus’ Brainfeeder label. I post a hell of a lot of Brainfeeder stuff on here don’t I. There is a reason for that, as you will find out when you listen to the superb ‘The Hours’.
Art is Hard Records makes me sad. I wish I was doing what they’re doing. It makes me sad that I’m not. It’s not just the quality of the music they put out, but also the way they do it. Release after release is more interesting, more innovative, more eye catching than the last.
They’ve outdone themselves this time. I’ve tagged it as a free download for the opening track, but I would encourage every single one of you to head over to their bandcamp and order their first non-UK act EP in full. The act is question is Sun Stains, aka Sam Roberts of Albuquerque, New Mexico. I challenge you to listen to it and not think that you’re right there in the middle of the desert (Albuquerque is in the desert, right?). It’s a relaxing and captivating collection of tracks. You could just get the MP3 album, but for an extra quid you’ll get that, a cassette and some sort of do it yourself artwork. It’s clever paper that reacts to the sun. No idea, but it comes with instructions too. All I do know is that it sounds mighty fucking cool, and worst case scenario is that you end up with a great 6-track EP.
During this #hiphopjuly thing the artist I have listend to more than any other is Flying Lotus. I’ve got my beautiful 1983 green vinyl on constant rotation and am always listening to Los Angeles and Cosmogramma anyway. With excellent timing, the man known to the tax office as Steve Ellison has released ‘Between Friends’ free of charge for Adult Swim. He’s roped in Odd Future genius Earl Sweatshirt and Captain Murphy. The word on the street is that Captain Murphy is Mr Aesop Rock himself. As you would expect from a stellar line up like that, it’s a roaring success. FlyLo’s wonderful beat takes on a couple of guises over the course of the track and Sweatshirt and Murphy’s vocals suit it perfectly. You can download the track right here or stream it here.
Nathan Williams, of Wavves fame, has teamed up with his own brother to record a beat tape. They’re calling the side project thing Sweet Valley following the lead taken by Elizabeth Sankey and Emmy the Great’s Wakefield Twins collaboration. For those that don’t know, the Wakefield twins were the main characters in the Sweet Valley books. A friend told me.
The first track is called ‘Total Carnage’ and is available as a free download below. I think it sounds pretty fucking awesome. It precedes the full release that comes out on 7th August on Fool’s Gold.
The track is also notable for what is probably the best comment I have ever read on SoundCloud. “lol how come people be makin all this sweet ass chill beach music but then you know it mainly gets played in dark sleazy clubs/bars where most the action is in the bathroom? im a make a jam u can wisper in a stall to”. I was going to say the same thing myself and in the exact same way.
I feel like Adam Buxton.
#hiphopjuly is going very well, thanks for asking. I had a bit of a quiet day yesterday as I saw Twin Shadow in the evening (who was fucking unreal by the way), but was back on it today properly. At the end of the week I’ll post something about my week or some shit. I’m sure nobody is interested in even that, let alone a daily digest of what I’ve been listening to.
In the meantime let’s share some music. One of the great things about hip hop is the seemingly endless supply of free mixtapes. There is something new every day to download, and that’s what I’ve been doing. Three of the most recent are available for you right now. Childish Gambino’s is the highlight. The multi-talented Donald Glover’s offering gives us choice tracks featuring RZA, Danny Brown and Tina Fey among others. Yes. Tina Fey. You can grab it here.
Theophilus London is still striving for something to match his early mixtapes after the disappointment of debut long player Timez Are Weird These Days. Rose Island is by no means perfect but is certainly a step in the right direction. Guests include A$AP Rocky, Blood Orange and the awesome Lunice. Get this one it here.
Finally we have Tyler, The Creator. Odd Future have been in the news a lot this week after Frank Ocean’s declaration that he is in love with another man. As brave as I think Ocean has been, and glad I am that he has come out, I think it’s a real shame that it is still such a shock and seen as such big news these days. I would have liked to think we live in a time when a rapper can come out and not lose a ton of fans straight away. Apparently not. Still, it’s those idiots that are losing out. Anyway, back on topic and Tyler has a follow up to last year’s Summer Camp mix. He’s going under the moniker Dj Stank Daddy again (thanks spikeus). Obviously. There’s an awful lot of non-hip hop here and the name of the genre that Tyler has given it is probably the best description – fucking awesome. Download here.
Coming straight out of musical hotbed High Wycombe, Coastal Cities are making some great guitar music that is impossible not to love. As with so many bands these days, they’ve grown up with impeccable taste listening to Joy Division and The Smiths, and more recently Foals. On initial listens it may seem like this is simple everyday indie-pop, but as you explore them further you’ll pick up the on complex math-rock that shows the talent they possess.
You can listen to the excellent ‘Relief’ below, or head here and download it onto your very own listening device for free.
I once went to see The Teenagers live. There were about five of us there. I fucking love The Teenagers, so this upset me. They are so fantastically filthy and yet sweet at the same time. This song is basically about stalking, yet somehow they manage to make it sound like they’re not creepy and just very loving. Genius. I know a few people who could learn a lot from them. And then use their new found knowledge in a court of law when they inevitably end up there.
Just ahead of the release of Vacationer‘s debut album they’re giving away a taster. The taster takes the form of Mmoths’ remix of ‘Trip’. Anything that Mmoths puts his hand to is likely to turn out high quality, but when you’ve got a band as good as Vacationer as a base to start from you can expect brilliance. That’s exactly what you get. As a bonus, you can download Vacationer’s own remix of tour-buddies Tennis below as well. Again, superlatives flow when trying to describe it. Wonderful stuff.
A couple of months ago I got all excited about a band that it turned out had been around for a while but I hadn’t ever heard of before. I know this happens a lot so that won’t really narrow it down, and the fact that I didn’t post about them (I assume I was busy with work or something) makes it that little bit harder. ‘City Kiss’ by Francois & The Atlas Mountains was however my jam for a while, so you may have seen it come up on there. If not, you can see the rather splendid video here. If you’re from London like me, why not play a game of spot the street / bus stop / tube line. The tube line is particularly easy.
Anyway, into my inbox yesterday dropped a cover of one of their tracks. A track I had actually heard before no less. It is recorded by Mina Tindle and Tahiti Boy. Mina Tindle is somebody else that I’d never heard of and this makes me wonder how I ever get away with writing a music blog. She’s French and, as you can see from the picture above, seems lovely so I really should have heard of her. Tahiti Boy on the other hand I do know. He’s also French and is the Tahiti Boy from the quite brilliant Tahiti Boy & The Palmtrees. I think he’s one person anyway. It could be a fake front man like Edward Sharpe and in fact this is Tindle and the entire Palmtrees. Fuck this. Just listen to and download the track.
Last week Chicago four-piece California Wives signed with Vagrant Records, the home to Active Child, Band of Skulls and the brilliant Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros (stay tuned for more on their new album very soon by the way). To celebrate they are giving away the single ‘Marianne’, which pulls on a number eighties influences from John Hughes to Joy Division. Download it below to help them celebrate.
