Jus Moni "Ready For Life"

With the Seattle hiphop scene steadily growing it’s only natural that voices would emerge more interested in harmonies than flowing. Jus Moni has appeared alongside some of the vibrant faces in our community and is now delivering her debut project Ready For Life.

Like R&B of the 90s, she finds herself with production obviously influenced by the hiphop sound of things. Kuddie Fresh may have left Seattle but Atlanta has only given him some new ideas, new sounds to explore. Tay Sean cooks up a smooth track (“Almost Lover”) that sounds nothing like anything we’ve heard him do yet.

Vocally she is a very interesting talent. The EP doesn’t expose a belting superstar, but she has an awesomely unique voice that you can tell she is still developing and learning to utilize. She doesn’t shy away from sensitive subject matter addressing complicated issues you would envision an aged singer contemplating.

From spitting raps next to The Good Sin on “Almost Lover” discussing what the title says, singing a smooth duet with Lace Cadence about the complexities of emotional openness on “Can We” to penning a very honest song in “Never Too Late”, Moni exposes a lot of herself on this record and only lends credence to the twitter chatter last week of people echoing the sentiment she proves throughout Ready For Life: She is more grown up than most.



While the album is serious and heartfelt, the grooves provided here are very moving in a whole different way and there is no doubt you shouldn't be moving to this. She may make you think, but she is still a young person and there is a calming sense of happiness surrounding both her and her music.

Moni will be celebrating the release of this EP at Chop Suey on Wednesday the 22nd. Be there if you are in town, it's bound to be full of good vibes and great tunes. I hear a Seattle rap super group maybe forming like Voltron too.

2 Rappers. 2 Producers. 2 Albums.

Tick Tock - Co$$ (feat. Sene) from Mupalia Pictures on Vimeo.

The pairing of one emcee with one producer is more commonly used as a marketing ploy these days than it is a demonstration of two artists really collaborating to make some powerful music. There are always the exception’s to the rule and via the internets above ground stature more art is being made than probably ever before in the history of recorded music. Being stuck with one portable music playing device that has no space I chose two albums to join me on my bus ride to work yesterday. I didn’t expect them to be what I was listening to 24 hours later but sure enough I was impressed.

The two albums in question are Revelations, an officially titled “mixtape” from Co$$ and Numonics, and Brown Study, the debut album from female ATL by way of Detroit spitter Boog Brown and fellow 313 representer Apollo Brown on the beats. Both albums represent their towns and demonstrate young voices trying to strike a chord in the ears, hearts and minds of anyone who will give them the time to hear one song.

They are both banging, classic styled boom bap affairs that will have heads rolling shit up and vibing out to the grooves laid down via perspective producers. Apollo Brown wears his city heavy on his sleeve demonstrating the best elements of some grimy Detroit production with lots of samples, hard drums and some smooth melodies which add a certain texture to Boog’s voice.

Numonics on the other hand veers away from much of what you have heard out of the city of angels. Listening to the project (it may be tagged a mixtape but this is all original - it’s an album) you are struck with his keen sense of space within his beats. He utilizes pauses in the action, be it the elimination of a key sample or the cutting of the drums from the track. Sometimes tunes sound like he might have fleshed out what he was listening for with some live players. Or else he is digging and chopping with the best of em.

Like his partner with the beats, Co$$ isn’t coming off like your typical west coast gang baning rapper. He runs with Blu and while I wouldn’t want to compare them in many ways their choice of content is similiar. Co$$ is aiming to show the multifaceted life of people, be them rappers or you or your fam. Everyone lives life and the ability to capture those minute details that make up our experiences on Earth is a skill not all know how to convey.

Boog Brown is a serious chick with no gimmicks but the skill she wields on the mic. I was hipped to her by House Shoes making the comment that woman can’t rap, but Boog has bars. He is right about her skills, but I think there are a few other femcee’s worth something. As straight forward as they can come, you won’t hear her getting flashy or talking nonsense. As she says “every word counts” and she doesn’t seem to forget it throughout the twelve tunes that make up Brown Study. She talks shit and steadily demonstrates why you shouldn’t doubt her claims. But braggadocio alone does not an emcee make. And Boog Brown is an emcee. Listen to her.

Co$$ and Numonics dropped their project with the dopehouse for free, grab it via their post here.

Apollo Brown & Boog Brown dropped Brown Study with Mello Music Group and can be purchased here.

Griff J - Devil Woman

Here is the new one from my good friend Griff J, it was produced by the Madman Aaron Greene otherwise known as Murder Dice (Slow Dance, Party Time, The Rodeo). This is honestly the first one of his tracks that didn't sound like complete Hobby Rap and a giant step in the right direction. I'm proud of my guy and am excited to see how he follows this song up.

Gil Scott-Heron & Jamie XX "NY is Killing Me"

Dropped a little bit ago, been stuck in my head. Mesmerizing beat from The XX mpc player, I'm real intrigued about him remixing all of Heron's latest opus I'm New Here. Watch for it in February from XL Recordings!

One Time @ Bandcamp With... Leonard Dstroy

On Monday I dropped the review for a project by Leonard Dstroy called Higher Vibrations available for free at his bandcamp. I shot him a few questions and he had alot to say. Get familiar with this KC based beat stomper.

Who is Leonard Destroy? How old are you? Where are you from, is it still your home?
My real name is Kyle Dykes. I am 30 years old and I'm from the middle of the map, Kansas City, MO - born and raised.

When did you start making tunes? Were your first music making endeavors in the same vein as what you're on today?
I started DJing in 1994 when i was 14 years old. I didn't start producing til 1999. I actually started playing with a couple bands (Sevenfold Symphony and the Jesse Jackson 5), later on I formed the group Deep Thinkers with my partner Brother of Moses in 2001. We went on to release 4 full length albums and we are still very much active to this day. Since day one, I've always been interested in progressive hiphop and electronic music.

What were you hearing as a kid? What were you digging into as you grew up? Did your parents influence your music listening?
As a kid, I was exposed to a wide variety of music via my father who is an outstanding guitarist and singer. Growing up my dad had a very extensive vinyl collection and I was fortunate to cut my teeth on lots of Soul, Jazz, Rock, Reggae, Dancehall, Funk, Afrobeat, etc... As it turns out he gave me his entire collection as a wedding gift, so now its mine. When I got a bit older, around the time I started middle school, I started getting into hiphop and other things. The first record I ever bought was Coolio's Fantastic Voyage on vinyl haha. I was really into the early beat stuff , like the earlier Ninja Tune catalog. To this day, artists like Amon Tobin, Clifford Gilberto, and Coldcut are still huge inspirations to the work I do. I was also really into Venetian Snares, Aphex Twin, Squarepusher and stuff like that too!!!

Do you have a day job?
Yes, I still hold down a part-time job, but hopefully not for long.

Outside of music, how do you like to spend your time?
Outside of music I like to hang with my wife, friends and family... eat good food, play basketball, watch movies and enjoy the great outdoors. But honestly, I'm a hermit and I really do spend most of my free time in the lab creating.

What's your goal with your music? Are you looking for vocalists to get on your tracks?
My goal with music is to pay the bills doing something I love and also to use it as a opportunity to travel and meet new people. As far as vocalists are concerned, I am always down to work with people who inspire and push me to be better.

How are you as an artist dealing with the changing face of the music business?
I am just trying to go with the flow of things and adapt to the ever changing landscape of music today. I think it is important to embrace all the technology we have at our fingertips and use it to our advantage.

Favorite record label?
Right now I'm really feeling a few different labels.... proboably on my top ten list would be Alpha Pup, Error Broadcast, Elm and Oak, Warp, Brainfeeder, All City, TokyoDawn, Hyperdub, StonesThrow, AND Planet MU.

Are you a vinyl collector? Do you play out either DJin or doin a live production set?
I am a vinyl collector and when I play out I usually DJ, but I am actually making the transition to doing more live production sets in the future.

Are you happy with music today? What's in your ears?
I am very happy with the state of music today. It seems as if there is a renaissance happening right now with progressive beat/bass music in general. There is so much good music coming out every week that it is hard to keep up with sometimes. All over the world people are pushing the boundaries and it is a beautiful thing indeed!

What's next for Leonard Destroy?
Hopefully this year you will see quite a few things from me. I am currently in the process of signing with a label and you should see a full length album and a E.P. in 2011... more information to come on that real soon!!! (Ed. Note: Leonard Dstoy and Elm and Oak Records made the official announcement earlier this month, congrats man!)

Also doing a collaboration album with my right hand man HeRobust that is gonna be absolutely insane, that should see the light of day in the near future. It is gonna melt faces for sure!

Also gonna be releasing a few remixes on a few different labels, and a project with Reggie B that has been in the works for awhile now. Also working with a few very talented Kansas City emcees, and I am planning on getting back in the lab with Brother of Moses sometime this year to start working on the next Deep Thinkers album as well.

You hearing anything coming out of the Northwest?
Yeah Ive heard of a few things coming from the Northwest, but I am still kinda in the dark. I am a big fan of the homie Devonwho's stuff and I really think the Frite Nite guys kick major ass. I would love to get up there sometime this year and check it out. I hear nothing but good things.

Last words? Advice? Shout outs? Words of wisdom?
Be excellent to each other and party on dudes!!!

Leonard Dstroy "Higher Vibrations"

While FlyLo and his Brainfeeder collective have firmly established LA as the hub of life around the ever growing “beat” scene their influence has escaped and begun to seep into the ears of creators all over the world. This weeks bandcamp excursion brought me to Leonard Dstroy from Kansas City.

I don’t know much about KC, but I wouldn’t of expected something like this cooked up in the town’s city limits. Dstroy uses a wide array of synths, bleeps, bloops, and crazy mechanical like roars. Often times he is incredibly melodic with his construction of rhythms merged with the synthesizer noises.

Leonard has a knack for delivering really hard drums on his tracks. He doesn’t go for an up tempo mood too often, he likes to keep things more cerebral. On a track like “Mojave” he let’s the beat build, then where a hook would go if it were a typical song sees several elements of sound added, I can’t even begin to explain the levels to which he is layering things, you will hear new aspects to things upon every listen.

The album is full of this. He is not at all shy when it comes to chopping up and tweaking things. He’ll have a vocal sample play, slow it down all the way into a grinding clicking noise, but at the same time be having the volume of it reduced all the while he’s brought in some keys, some atmospheric effects, and flipped the drums up. He doesn’t fail at keeping the listener intrigued.

His track evolution is awesome. Instrumentalists can far to often fall into the trap of just making beats that have no depth to them. Dstroy isn’t making beats in the traditional sense. Many of these tracks wouldn’t suite an emcee, and the emcee that does decide to rock some of these deserves all the attention he can get.

A few vocalists do join the party. Reggie B belts out some excellent lines on “Trying to Find My Way” over an off kilter drum beat. He harmonizes with himself and has a beautiful voice. It sounds like Dstroy added some effects to B’s voice as well, which helps it in the mix feel like part of the beat rather than just someone doing their own thing over it.

“Higher Frequency” sees Brother of Moses make an appearance. The track is toned down on bleeps and blips for Moses to spit bars. He doesn’t stand out how I’d prefer to hear a rapper on a beat but if you take the time to listen to him, you won’t be disappointed. The beat is bubbly, with a happy vibe behind it, you’ll be smiling while you listen no doubt.

Higher Vibrations put me in a mood every time I listened to it. It’s not dark or grimy, it’s something else. While Leonard Dstroy may have been inspired by some peers with longer track records he owns his music here demonstrating that his style is all his own. The record is something to be heard as an album. Individual songs here are cool, but I’m not inclined to go to anyone individually. I just want to put this on at the front and let it ride.

Munk "Violent Love"

I woke craving something different this morning. I found my way to Rinse for the first time. I'll save my praise for another time, but whatever you have heard about the long running online radio station is probably true. Pretty amazing project.

This is about a group called Munk and the tune "Violent Love" that the visuals above accompany. I like the concept of telling the tale in reverse, showing a situation I'm sure anyone involved in this music game has encountered with their partner, sometimes you just need to listen and escape. But sometimes that's the last thing you can do.

Paul White, Skeme, Jarv Dee & Ced Hughes: Catch Up

So many jams, so little time. I’ve got on some one's radar as a person blogging about the hippity hop that’s out here. You may have already seen some of these goodies, maybe you still need some convincing to press play.

Paul White has been making beats and capturing my ear briefly for the last few months. Getting in with Stones Throw is never a bad idea and for the latest volume of their stellar podcast series - number 62 for those counting - he delivers an awesome mix of his own production. It’s quick but you won’t be disappointed in the vibe throughout. Add to this a few verses from the likes of Guilty Simpson, Marv Won & Talib Kweli and you got a dope little modern beat generation mixtape. Download here.

The young emcee out of Inglewood that goes by Skeme apparently has seven mixtapes under his belt (time to do some Internet diggin) and is now delivering his latest project Pistols & Palm Trees which has quite a bit of hype behind it considering his lack of stature online. That being said he has production from current pop hit maker Boi-1da, and features from Dom Kennedy and Kendrick Lamar. I’m excited to give it a spin, if any of yall have let me know your thoughts on it! Downlaod it here.

Ced Hughes keeps dropping gems this time via a stray tune “Shoot Down The Stars” that may or may not be on his upcoming album One Day We’ll Wake Up. Over a bouncy beat produced by a cat out of Dallas who goes by PicnicTyme. Ced also wants people to know that the 10 piece wing dings at Food Lions are the business. Haha. Vibe to this yall!

Finally bringing it back home to wrap this little catch all post up, our Cloud brethren Jarv Dee dropped his first official single with “I Just Wanna” produced by Bladerunner. Also included in the zip is a remix by Mr. 10-4 Rog. If you aren’t hip to these individuals download it.

Teebs "Ardour" + Interview

Ardour is music to fly to. Music to ride the bus home late night with. It's music that has depth and feeling, doesn't overwhelm with power and intensity. Sometimes you need loud and in your face, but sometimes subtle is better. Take a track like "Lakeshore Ave." where all you got is a repeating loop, but it's beautiful and you don't mind listening to it fade in and out for a minute and fourty five seconds.

Teebs lived with Flying Lotus and Samiyam for a period of time. I can't even imagine what kind of devastating sounds you would hear on the daily being around those two. Teebs seems to have taken it his own way crafting distinct pieces of music that scream bright colors, kinda like much of the artwork I've seen by him.

Instrumental music is tricky to capture people with, some people have to have words. Some can hear words in the colors of sound. Teebs paints with a brush and he paints with his music. Ardour is epic and cool. Unlike anything I've heard all year. His crew stays elevating, why should he be any different.

Teebs will be rocking Neumos with GLK and Daedelus Wednesday the 20th. It's bound to be a night to remember. I recently chatted with Teebs via email, trying to get to know the man behind the art. Take what you will.

Who is Teebs? How long have you done what you do? What is that? Do you have a musical history or background?

Teebs would be me. I've been living for roughly 23 years now. Living. Besides listening to it, nope.

How old are you? Where did you grow up?

Few seconds older then before. Grew up in a number of places but I've been in Chino Hills for the longest now.

Do you create tunes expecting them to be used strictly as instrumentals? Do you want to work with vocalists? Emcees?

Yeah for the most part it's instrumental stuff. I'm always open to work with people if I find something I like in a voice or person.

Break down your history with Brainfeeder and Low End Theory?

Used to frequent Low End and then played it a few times. Kev is a great person and the whole Low End Family.

I joined brainfeeder in late 08 I think. Still happy and here today :)

Who were you listening to growing up? First record bought? Latest record bought?

Lots of people... My mother for one. First record wasss.... hmm some crappy indie band. I bought it for the cover and it was terrible. Last record wasss... Shuggie Otis maybe. I'm not too sure.

The first time I listened to Ardour it was on a late night bus ride home, it was pretty haunting and fit my mood perfectly. Do you make your tunes at any particular time of day or for a particular setting?

I usually start making my music in the morning when the sun comes up... Usually between 8am-12noon. And its rare that i start out with a mood in mind. Whatever comes out comes out.

I recently interviewed Kendrick Lamar who is a young emcee out of Compton. I asked him if he had heard of FlyLo, Low End Theory, etc, etc and he hadn't . Have you heard of him? I listen to much of the stuff from your camp in the same vein as hip hop, it seems like what emcees should be rapping on, to me. Is their an interest their for more collaboration or is it more self contained by choice?

Never heard of him but I think with every producer its different. If I happen to meet a great rapper to my ears and he likes my stuff I'll instantly work with him. I'm just not looking for it... to me its not a necessity.

What do you try to do with your live set to make it captivating for an audience?

Jump through hoops of fire.

Favorite book?

Don't have a favorite but I do enjoy this short story by Gabriel Garcia Marquez called Light is Like Water.

Can you talk about Dublab? What is your roll within the collective?

Dublab is amazing. A creative hub that streams so much good music its scary. I DJ for them, help with events, make art when they need it. It's a nonprofit so it's a very special thing we have here.

Are you rocking any music coming out of the northwest today?

At this very second no but there's a lot of great producers coming outta there. I've had moments hooked on things.

TEEBS

Teebs, Gaslamp Killer & Daedelus at Neumos October 20th. Ardour is out on the 18th. Cop it at the show!

Meet Oliver Day Soul

One of my favorite voice of 2009 is finally dropping a project! After singing on both Hudson Mohawke and Dam Funk's records I was scratching my head wondering who this guy was and where his album was. Well the EP drops Friday and it's produced by the MO homie Oddisee! You know it's gonna be hot.

Rah Digga "Classic"

At a time when the female emcee presence is at an all time low (on a national level) one of the favored voices from over a decade ago has finally released a proper follow up to her debut disc Dirty Harriet. Rah Digga experienced the worst the music industry had to offer and has been out of the light for a long time. But that doesn’t mean her skills declined.

Last Thursday I heard some commentary from the people on the streets talking about female emcees, one voice went so far as to say women can’t rap. This inspired me to ask about this album, Classic. It seemed to be viewed with some consideration by those there but the conversation quickly turned to Boog Brown.

The last time Rah Digga released an album the internet was just becoming an issue on sales and she had about 4 other key female competitors: Eve, Lil Kim, Foxy Brown and Missy Elliott. I’m not sure if any of the have anything on the horizon, I don’t remember the most recent project from any of them. While they all faded away over worse and worse tunes Digga hit us with one record that was received well - I’ve heard it once or twice back in the day, can’t comment to it’s listenability. Then she all but disappeared.



Now back and sharper than ever over 10 Nottz bangers we have Classic. On the intro cut "The Book Of Rashia" an ominous voice says she has been writing for 10 winters. Lyrically she says it best herself “I’m a rappers rapper.” Few emcees truly capture the art of it. Throughout this album Digga spits so many words, she flips her style up, she tells stories, she delivers a message and more. She isn’t spitting some sex raps, nor does she ever try to capture a “mainstream” audience. She is straight spittin and it sounds great.

Nottz beats are some thumpers. An assortment of sounds are found, but crunchy synths and hard drums are pretty much a constant. Enough grime to let Digga rep for her Brick City heritage. While it may not be enough to make up for a ten year absence she certainly has jump started a career that a month ago anyone could have said was over and I wouldn’t have disagreed. Here’s hoping we get another disc in ten months or less.

Bilal "Airtight's Revenge"

So much can be said about Bilal, but all that really needs to be said is that the man sings. Blessed with quite possibly the best voice of modern times, I’ve always said the only person making soul music today is him. While he hasn’t had the best luck in this industry, he has managed to stay relevant through a decade of music biz politics to see his sophomore album finally be released.

Airtight’s Revenge was the perfect soundtrack to my Saturday morning and with the sun shining bright a track like “All Matter” with its faced pace and soaring feel thanks to an assortment of sound effects playing in the back ground bring a smile to my face and warmth to my heart. Music that evokes feeling isn’t forgotten. Bilal sings in his own method, jumping around, harmonizing at times and other times letting his voice crack a bit. Towards the end of the song they fade his vocals, drop much of the beat and give you a cold drum break. Great.

Bilal co-produces and wrote pretty much the entire record and that continuity is evident as the record plays through its eleven tracks as if they were part of one big suite. Songs musically connect to each other and you will never not be moved by the grooves laid down here. All the drums here sound live, and that would explain the heaviness with which they hit. Sometimes subdued, sometimes not - the drums are always big and powerful, child of hip hop he still is.

For me, 1st Born Second stood out towards the end as he got heavy on the psychedelic soul side and really worked out some demons through his art. While Bilal never gets as heavy musically here we can hear the same ideas flushed out by someone who has spent the last ten years perfecting their craft. Gone are the flourishes of youthful bliss, and in their place concentrated sound designs.

Bilal conveys many moods as this record plays out. It jumps from dark and eerie to fun and danceable without a moments notice. And it never feels awkward. He orchestrates this tunes to fit his desires and as you ride with him you are taken in by the power of it all. A message is being delivered here, Bilal wants you to listen, think and consider life - it’s a blessing for you to enjoy and learn from.

Airtight’s Revenge can’t be spoken of more highly by me. You won’t be disappointed nor unconnected to the content of his words, he may sing with the best of em but he comes across through his tunes as “just a man working every day to be a better man.” We all go through struggles, the best musicians have always turned that into music for the generations. Bilal is no different.

Get to your favorite local record store and cop this!

Young Montana? x BTS Radio

Highed up at 3 AM... what to do? Give y'all some mind crushing beat shit to bang your heads to and wake up your room mates with! If you don't travel to the BTS hangout regularly to be treated to the latest mix from Mr. Meza's archives you are missing out on the glorious renaissance that has overtaken hip hop production in the last decade.

I was intrigued by what I read about Young Montana?, and after giving his mix a listen I'm certain his Alpha Pup signing was a wise move and I'm certainly gonna be keeping an ear to the web for more info on it's release. He drops quite an array of tunes from "Crooklyn Dodgers" to Jimmy Edgar's latest scorcher "Hot Raw Sex" along with some SV and Dilla, Hud Mo and some names I've never seen before... perhaps unsigned, unknown friends?

Download the mix and peep the tracklist here! And if you would like to get a little more familiar with the kid going by Young Montana? from England roll over to The Tape is Not Sticky for an interview and unreleased MP3 - the track "Hot Heathrr" from the BTS set.

Terrace Martin "Love Prelude/Thing For You" (Video)

I've been looking forward to this project since before I knew what it was! All the leaks have been fire and now that I know it's inspired by the CLASSIC Marvin Gaye album all makes sense.

I'm not incredibly familiar with Terrace Martin but we have all been listening to his music for a minute. As he begins to step in front of the mic I'm sure we are only gonna be blessed by more creative and entertaining ideas. For the above video he takes a page from the king and turns the music video back into a short film. Lots of emotions are explored here but the songs and sentiment are what bring it all home.

Watch for that Here My Dear EP coming out the 28th!

The Paxtons "The Manhattan Project"

If you are unfamiliar with Bandcamp I suggest you investigate. Having spent the better part of this year finding album after album for free on the site, it’s been a beneficial find to say the least. Most of the artists you discover there are unsigned, young and experimenting with new marketing ideas for an industry in disarray. Today a new feature is being launched here at the MO HQ - One Time At Bandcamp... will see an album found on the site reviewed on Monday and an interview with the artist will run on Friday.

Allow me to introduce the Paxtons, the duo of Chris & Dave. They rap and produce, hail from the city of wind and call NY home today. After delivering an entirely self produced album inspired by the film Clerks titled Work they took some time off, moved and are now back with The Manhattan Project - I never heard the first tape but from the description on their site I think it might be more up my alley.

TMP is lively. Almost all the beats will get you moving. Half of it’s self produced and the other half comes from an array of sources. They select the stellar Dam Funk beat “Hood Pass” to rock over trading bars for the duration of the song demonstrating their excellent chemistry, both possessing glorious flows that they utilize to talk about traveling the country, smoking good trees, and having a good time with life.

Their ability to rock beats is the most captivating aspect to their music. Coming in on the opening cut “Ceasar” rocking loud and raw, you feel an energy and passion behind what they are doing. “Ballin” is a bouncing beat with off kilter drums and siren like sounds keeping your mind moving. But instead of wasting their breath talking like every other emcee on a track with the name such as this they kick some thought provoking content that might make you question where and why you are spending your cash.

The Paxtons try alot here. Their aim was large and in some ways they really did create an album that suits the name. The one sheet for this record claims they were aiming for the duel meaning connecting to both their move and the WWII experiments of the same name attempting to build the first atomic bomb, implying they are here to blow up the game I suppose. This record is certainly bombastic.

Content and their interplay puts them above a lot of those competing for the same things in this new music biz. When I started listening to this record I kept feeling as though it lacked something, as I played it through time and time again I picked up new tidbits on every track. A bar here, an sample flip there, the dynamic of them coming in off each other and carrying the baton like champions do. The music here isn’t your cookie cutter, mass manufactured tunes - this is music made with a mission to elevate.

Luck-One - More

My dude Luck-One is set to drop his "True Theory Outtakes" for FREE on October 4th and this is the lead single off the project. For real tho...this is an OUTTAKE? Beat is fire. Rhymes are fire. Chorus is fire. Can't wait to hear the full length, and of course...True Theory itself.

More by Luck-One

Electronic Visuals

As I delve deeper and deeper into the abyss that is a vast assortment of electronic sub-genres I find stuff I like and stuff I dislike. Old ideas recycled and new ideas explored. One thing I love finding are visuals to these styles of music.

DAEDELUS - TIDAL WAVES UPRISING from StrangeLoop on Vimeo.

Music videos have always been an interesting medium. There have always been the artists who push the bounds with the visuals to their songs - but rarely was it an inspired separate piece of art. As the director's checks went up so to did their involvement in the artistic creation of a set of visuals ready to match a supremely dope tune.



None of these songs are my favorites of the moment but they certainly get me in the groove (this Mosca one has been, and will remain on repeat!) but what gets me is the images. With instrumental music the door is open to experiment and try things visually. The shit is fun to watch, isn't that what music videos were all about?

Andy Allo ft. Blu "Dreamland" (Video)

The stuff you can find on the internet. It's almost like, if you upload it but no one sees it is it even out there? I guess "no one" has new meaning.

"I woke up in a rolled blunt of amazement"

Blu joining the very sexy Ms. Andy Allo for her cut "Dreamland." Great beat, great vocals, great rhymes, great tune.

Teebs & Jackhigh "Rains"

Pretty fucking weird. Thoughts, comments on these visuals? Teebs & Jackhigh Tropics EP out now on Svetlana Industries.

Mount Kimbie "Crooks & Lovers"

Getting away from Hip Hop and the town for a moment, I’ve been playing this debut full length from Mount Kimbie heavily as of late. Crooks & Lovers is a dope record that I hear influences from 2 of my favorite records of the last half decade, Bibio’s Ambivilance Avenue and Burial’s Untrue.

The duo constructs a wide range of soundscapes for you to wrap your mind around. They chop things to bits and make you nod your head to the tiniest of snippets of funky swing. “Before I Move Off” starts with a dope chopped guitar sample and sparse drums before bringing an A Capella vocal chop that adds a whole new dimension to the depth of the song. Before it is all over the guitar disappears and the vocals play with the drums brilliantly.



Elsewhere they play with a more techno feel, but what I truly dig about them is their constant ability to keep the tracks moving forward, progressing to something new. Nothing ever stays the same. Elements come into play, and fade out. Perhaps they remain in the background at a lower decibel level. New samples are triggered and new heights are reached.

The album is short, but it keeps you coming back. It can play beautifully in order, the closing track is amazing. Featuring just a repeating drum hit and some guitar plucks along with random mumbled vocals - it’s totally haunting. Overall these guys deliver a record that doesn’t get old and is much more versatile than most full lengths that are released in the genre tag of “electronic.”