ATL producer heRobust flips the script on KP & Envyi’s one-hit wonder 90’s jam. Ever the conservationist, heRo dutifully preserves the refs to “Tenderoni”, “Swerving”, and “Physical Action”. Word.
heRobust – Shawty Swing My Way (Busted)Rating: 8.0
ATL producer heRobust flips the script on KP & Envyi’s one-hit wonder 90’s jam. Ever the conservationist, heRo dutifully preserves the refs to “Tenderoni”, “Swerving”, and “Physical Action”. Word.
heRobust – Shawty Swing My Way (Busted)Rating: 8.0
New killer shit lifted off Gilles Peterson Worldwide. Ninjasonik rep BK, they link up here with the Spank Rock dudes for an A+ collab. The beat bangs.
Ninjasonik – Global (Feat. Spank Rock)Rating: 7.9
Anything Esthero (also co-producer on the track) touches is premium shit. “Don’t Pass Me By” by Atlanta singer-rapper-songwriter Spree Wilson is no exception. Esthero’s production/influence fit the broadly influenced Spree superbly. The warm tones of guitar feel something like Curtis Mayfield-era Impressions or “Just My Imagination”, the ambient bits of electronic percussion in the rhythm track sound as if they could be on an Esthero record, the melodies reveal themselves birthed from the best of pop & r&b.
Spree Wilson – Don’t Pass Me By (Feat. Esthero)Rating: 8.1
Contributed by Erin Routson
Even though their homebase is covered in snow and ice, midwest loyalists Flosstradamus take U.S. Royalty’s “Equestrian”, run it through an 8-bit bubble noise machine, add Paul Simon vibes, and end up with something that leaves everyone mentally tan. Keep it on repeat til you can stop taking vitamin D supplements.
U.S. Royalty – Equestrian (Flosstradamus Remix) via RCRD LBLU.S. Royalty purchase / Flosstradamus Facebook
Rating: 8.2
Boddika guested on Benji B’s Radio 1 show last week and let loose this Joy Orbison untitled track in the mix. Rumored to be named “Ellipsis”, the tune is a bit of departure for Joy O with cascading pianos and smooth house-esque breakdowns.
Joy Orbison – EllipsisRating: 8.3
Barcelona group Debilos, formerly Debilorithmicos, released “Turn My Clock” as a single and multiple remixes, with Anqui contributing sweet vocal lines. Watch the video and listen to the Check One Remix.
Debilos – Turn My Clock (Check One Remix) via YYYDebilos “Turn My Clock” (Original Version) feat. Anqui from El Chavo on Vimeo.
Rating: 8.3
Let us recite from broken bibles on streetcorners
Follow dogs on docks
Speak wild songs
Throw stones
Say anything
Blink at the sun and scratch and stumble into silence
Ages is 20 year old Southern California based producer Michael Lundy.
Ages – A Coney Island of the MindPurchase Failures via Bandcamp
Rating: 8.7
“Knees”, by UK act Peter and Kerry, plays like moving images on a screen, pages of photos slipped through thumbs, memories unwound. The quiet rhythm and piano driven track features some simply gorgeous harmonies exchanged between the song’s two leads, Tape Club labelmates Peter Lyons and Kerry Leatham. The melodies just seem to suspend at times, those spaces in time between moments. Those times that are observational, still, one still point in a life-filled whirlwind. The duo’s “Friends, Clothes, Photos” EP is due in March.
Peter and Kerry – KneesRating: 8.5
To quote Youtube user TheFreshKevin, “Fuck LeBron, We got Chip.”
Chip Tha Ripper – Cool PointsRating: 8.0
Wow. This Take remix of “Look At All the Smiling Faces” is pulled from Ghostly’s new remix E.P. of Shigeto’s great “Full Circle” release from last year. Love it.
Shigeto – Look At All the Smiling Faces (Take Remix) via XLR8RRating: 8.7
We’re huge huge fans of Liam Bailey. And to hear him on this his first legit single sound like this, holy shit. Great voice. Great song. Great arrangements. His debut “Out of the Shadows” is due in May. We couldn’t be more psyched.
Liam Bailey – You Better Leave MeRating: 8.7
Lupe’s latest is a heater, yes. It’s a good song. But at what price? “Words I Never Said” sounds like the radio. It’s produced by Alex Da Kid (“Love the Way You Lie” “Coming Home” “Castle Walls”, etc). It’s got Skylar Grey on the hook (what a run of features for her btw). I think we sort of expect a fresher sound from Lupe. The beat choice is interesting. If for the lyrical content alone, this track WON’T get on radio. If chosen for the anthemic quality, ok. But the sound is still a bit tired and maybe even a slightly lazy choice. The song is, in a way, emblematic of Lupe’s career caught somewhere between credible lyrical greatness and the mainstream of pop rap. P.S. Alex Da Kid up the tempo on your beats! The songs are wayyyyyy too slow and drag.
Lupe Fiasco – Words I Never Said (Feat. Skylar Grey) (Prod. Alex Da Kid)Rating: 8.4
