New Video: Beat Detectives

Man, these Beat Detectives guys are capital-dub Weird. Their musical output stands as pretty strong evidence of this, with groggy-azz tapes for Moon Glyph, 100% Silk and Night-People all capturing my attention last year. Their latest release, the wonderfully titled ASSCOP, captures those “3am basement house party” vibes that followers of the Detectives will already be accustomed to. As if the psychedelic fug of the music wasn't enough, their visual accompaniments also happen to be next-level BAD trip material (as is well-documented on their YouTube channel), and the Nic Wilson-animated vid for "Fresh Out The Pack" could well be the strangest of the lot, featuring a nude CGI Bart Simpson doing all sorts of hoodrat shit; namely, walking through a mountain range, navigating a black void, and setting himself on fire. Yeah. Watch it above, and cop the ass outta ASSCOP from 1080p here.

Mixtape Roundup, Volume 1

After the success of Joe Sherwood's 'Cassette Roundup' series, I figured that I had also better host a set of reviews for my own series that is based on my primarily-rap-orientated personal taste, because let's be honest, who doesn't like a mixtape or two?

The way in which hip-hop has functioned as a genre has transformed dramatically over recent years due to the introduction of the internet and the wider advertisement that artists are able to get as a consequence of this, and although mixtapes have been knockin' about since the 70s, the birth of the internet mixtape was a pivotal point for the music industry due to its easy accessibility. I am here to make this an even easier journey for you by bringing the hottest mixtapes straight to your screens on a regular basis, and I've even thrown in a couple of links and what not because I'm just that nice a guy.

Enjoy.


Big Narstie What's The Story? Brixton Glory (Dice Recordings, 2014)

Whether it's his vibrant vocabulary of London slang or his comically nonchalant approach to slating the week's latest singles for FACT magazine, there has always been something undeniably lovable about MC and founder of the Base Defence League, Big Narstie, and his latest EP, What's The Story? Brixton Glory, is testament to his charming presence in the UK grime scene. Sure the beats aren't exceptional, and there are some more than questionable sample choices such as 'Clocks' by Coldplay and of course '(What's The Story) Morning Glory?' by Oasis, the track by which the entire mixtape is based around, but Uncle Pain continues to have no difficulty in persuading avid grime enthusiasts nationwide that he is in fact one of the founding fathers of this generation of grime; his energetic vibes and tongue-in-cheek bars are qualities to be admired by any emerging young rapper. A word of advice: make sure that you take as much as possible from the experience of listening to Big Narstie, and whatever you do, do not fuck up the base.




CyHi The Prynce Black Hystori Project (G.O.O.D. Music, 2014)

In a recent interview with Complex, Cydel Young revealed that his inspiration for Black Hystori Project was actually his nephew's school teacher who claimed that he wasn't 'monumental' enough to be considered for a report in black history month at the school. So, to retaliate to this claim, CyHi got on the phone to his close friend Kanye West and began to work on his own project that would cover historic milestones that changed the way in which blacks were seen in society with an inevitable G.O.O.D. Music spin on things. Not a bad way to prove a point, huh?

Of course, the influence of West is almost inescapably obvious, especially on tracks such as 'Mandela' whereby CyHi refers to himself as being "Muhammad to the rap game", similar to Kanye's God complex personality that shines through particularly strongly on his controversially titled Yeezus. However, this powerful lyricism is more than fitting considering the strong nature of the thematic imagery as Young schools the listener about the uprising of black community figures such as Desmond Tutu (the first black Archbishop of Cape Town) that contributed to the resolution of apartheid in South Africa, all over TEC BEATZ and Sekou Muhammed's hard-hitting drum loops.

Black Hystori Project is easily CyHi The Prynce's greatest work as of yet, and with Hardway Musical scheduled to be released later this year, I shall be eagerly waiting to see whether it lives up to the high expectations set by his latest tape.

Review: Eminem

Eminem Marshall Mathers LP 2 (Aftermath Entertainment)

I haven't a fucking clue how to open this review, so I shan't. Here's a (Facebook) dialogue of mine and Joe Sherwood's time with the Marshall Mathers LP 2:

Gilbey: My iTunes play count for MMLP2 currently stands at 18 and I still don't have the foggiest clue whether I love it or not. Thinking about it, its a hell of a lot better than Recovery although that isn't too hard I guess... yeah I love it.
Sherwood: tbf recovery was a pile of crap. this however... its much better than anything I thought a man of ems vintage could produce
Gilbey: I think his vintage has actually worked to his advantage on this is I'm honest. Most of the beats that he and Rubin worked on are testament to many of the tracks on the first LP, that's probably why I like Brainless so much... that beat is raw.
Sherwood: yeah man, having heard the beat for rap god i wasn't exactly expecting much, but on the whole i have to say the production is above average for late-period em.
Sherwood: speaking of rap god... what do you think of it
Gilbey: Well let's just put it this way, when he was on Radio 1 with Zane Lowe on Monday and revealed that he freestyled the whole track, I think I creamed... his flow is just absolutely untouchable. That shit about Ray J and Fabolous? My gosh that had me in bits.
Sherwood: if it was indeed a freestyle, then i guess em truly is the goat. shame he had to do it all over a wack beat
Sherwood: and the homophobia aint gonna win him any points in these hyperaware times

Gilbey: Talking of which, that Craig Jenkins Pitchfork review really pissed me off... I think he slated his controversial lyrics more than they reviewed the actual musical content. I'll admit that his politically incorrect slurs go too far sometimes but come ON man, it doesn't make him a bad rapper...

Sherwood: well em is operating within a genre which is heavily reliant on lyrics
Sherwood: but yeah you still cant knock his technical ability

Gilbey: Despite that, 90% of his lyrics are absolutely stellar, you can appreciate that after just listening to the first 30 seconds or so of Rap God. "...they said I rap like a robot so call be Rapbot. But for me to rap like a computer must be in my genes/jeans, I've got a laptop in my back pocket." JEEEEEEEZ

Sherwood: especially if theyre straight off the top of his dome

Gilbey: I actually read somewhere - I think it was in Complex's interview with Rick Rubin - that he writes lyrics all day every day to keep his mind exercised, and that he discards about 98% of the raps he writes. Surely that's gotta make him one of the most committed in the game?

Sherwood: probably, its just that said commitment is no substitute for quality lyrics, something hes lacked of late

Gilbey: Fair point, I thought his references to I'm Back and The Real Slim Shady in So Far... were pretty damn cool though, ngl. Anyway enough of the lyrics, what about the features?

Sherwood: fuck rihanna, all im saying
Sherwood: kendrick had a good turn on love game tho, some quality punchline rapping

Gilbey: To add to that, fuck Nate Ruess.

Sherwood: tru say

Gilbey: Kendrick's verse is so hard. Its been nice to see him feature on a lot of tracks in 2013 actually, he seems to have a very different street-smart persona when rapping on his own tracks to his comical, almost angry, approach on tracks like Nosetalgia and Control

Sherwood: its great having em and kendrick on the same track. like, one of mainstream hip-hops biggest artists collaborating with one of mainstream hip-hops most promising stars

Gilbey: I posted on Twitter a while ago that Kendrick's got the potential to become the greatest rapper alive and I'd definitely still stand by that. YOU WANNA SEE A DEAD BODY?

Sherwood: on a slightly related note, dig the kendrick sample on 18+ new mixtape
Sherwood: back on topic doe
Sherwood: is mmlp2 something of a swansong? a new beginning? or just another record?

Gilbey: That's an interesting one actually. I certainly wouldn't say its a swansong because he's still easily got another couple of albums in him, from what I've seen in interviews and documentaries he treats rap like a way of life so he'll want to hold onto it for as long as he can. A new beginning however... I'm really not sure, its difficult to say considering its a sequel to a 13 year old album. We'll just have to wait and see I guess

Sherwood: so, another record? id say so, albeit better than all of his recent stuff

Gilbey: Yeah I'd say its his best piece since The Eminem Show 11 years ago, loved that shit. One last thing, Em won a Global Icon Award at the MTV EMAs for MMLP2... deserved?

Sherwood: hmmm, probably. em IS a global icon, and mmlp2 is a pretty decent album of his, so alls good in my book

Review: The Range

The Range Nonfiction (Donky Pitch, 2013)

Nonfiction is the debut full-length from Donky Pitch's very own producing trailblazer, James Hinton, who has been enjoying a considerable buzz over the past year or so over the release of the EPs Disk and Seneca. However, upon hearing the intricate farrago of chillwave, footwork and jungle beats on his latest assemblage, it is evident that this 25 year old arriviste hasn't only appeared on the IDM scene in order to put out generic dance records and make a living off techno hypebeasts; he has come to expand the ever reforming barriers of modern bass music.

As Pitchfork rightly claimed, "Nonfiction isn't an album easily pegged to any scene or narrative currently circulating about electronic music", as it fluctuates between faster paced tracks with warm vintage vibe, (e.g. 'FM Myth'), and low-key R&B influenced numbers that sit comfortably in the stoner psychedelia spectrum. Despite the presence of more club-orientated members like 'The One' and the aforementioned progressively bassy 'FM Myth', the album always feels tightly packed and neatly presented due to Hinton's conscious ear for production and harmonious juxtapositions, similar to some of UK born Squarepusher's earlier releases such 'I Wish You Could Talk' and 'Do You Know Squarepusher'.

Quirky drum patterns and warped synthesisers take centre stage on Nonfiction, but hard-edged vocals and the ebb and flow of almost tranquil piano pieces are also exceedingly prominent throughout the album. This, combined with the contrasting foggy echoes of muffled grime samples, leaves you with a slightly inebriated feel as the intelligently apposing oppositions draw you further and further into the dense layers of IDM fantasia.  

All in all, given Hinton's ability to take sounds from a multitude of complex genres and mish-mash together in such consonance, it is perfectly clear as to why he goes by the name of The Range - the future looks extremely promising for the underestimated 25 year old.

Review: Milo

Milo Cavalcade (Hellfyre Club, 2013)

Milo, member of Scribble Jam champion Nocando's label Hellfyre Club, is the latest breakthrough in abstract hip-hop. You may be questioning yourself, "Abstract hip-hop? What on earth could that possibly imply?", but after listening to any of his 5 acclaimed releases, it will soon become strikingly clear. His music has been dubbed by Rate Your Music as being a part of the rap sub-genre 'nerdcore', and with track names such as 'Sophistry and Illusion' and lyrics based around 'boiling the elements down into the axioms', it is evident that Milo clearly isn't your generic rap artist.

Cavalcade is a mixtape that showcases the self-reflective and mindful lyrics that truly epitomise Milo, and although I have thoroughly enjoyed every piece of work since his debut album I Wish My Brother Rob Was Here, I feel like his lyrical adeptness and general artistic awareness have evolved dramatically over the past two years and have harmoniously mingled together to create one of the most conceptual mixtapes of 2013. This 'awareness' comes through well in the first track, 'Geometry and Theology', which contains a thought-provoking concept from the late Ludwig Wittgenstein in the opening minute about the origins of language, and then transitions to a dreamy spoken-word verse that flits between themes of the generic fangirl on Twitter and the Book of Ezekiel in the Old Testament. It sounds like it should be an awkward mish-mash of trivial nonsense, but in reality, it works so perfectly well.

Although none of the tracks on Cavalcade reduced me to tears like 'The Ballad of Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy' on the EP Milo Takes Baths so very nearly did, producer Riley Lake's airy, dream-like production really creates an overwhelming atmosphere; the samples from America and shadowy drum beats fluctuate between creating a quiet, ambient atmosphere and a strangely pleasant harsh one.

All in all, Cavalcade marks the beginning of a promising career for Milo, and I am thoroughly intrigued as to whether he shall continue in this direction on future releases.
 

Review: Mosh

Mosh Empire (Self-released, 2013)

Since the release of his debut album, Monarchy, in late November 2012, Adam Bignell (A.K.A Mosh) has become a well-established name on many sites such as Soundcloud and Bandcamp. With tens of thousands of hits within a few months and much positive feedback on social networking sites, the release boded well for the future, and for this reason Empire was born.

Empire is an ingenious blend of various genres, predominantly those of electro/punk persuasion, which have been slightly lacking this year due to the primary focus on a more soft-edged finish, and so it has been interesting to hear Mosh's personal take on the evolution of electronica. The foremost track, 'Empress', perfectly exemplifies the tone of the rest of the album due to the tranquil stringed Oriental instrumentals that open and close the track, and also underlie a powerful and imposing electronic bassline throughout; although it isn't a particularly abrasive listen, it isn't an album to be taken lightly.

My favourite track on Empire was one of the longer pieces, 'Zodiac Overdrive',which brings the album to a mid-point climax through the use of formidable overdriven electric guitars and indignant vocals from Melanie K.A. The controlled distortion of the various musical implements really emphasises the quality of Mosh's level of production which can be seen from start to finish on the album, and for this reason Empire is a definite must-listen.

Review: John Butcher / Thomas Lehn / John Tilbury

John Butcher / Thomas Lehn / John Tilbury Exta (Fataka, 2013)

British upstarts Fataka have already amassed an impressive-looking catalogue of experimental musicians, boasting names such as Okkyung Lee, Matthew Shipp and Eddie Prévost, among others. Despite the prominence of these figures, Exta surely has to stand as the label's biggest release yet, in what is a meeting between three of the most celebrated artists in the world of free improvisation.

According to the label's website, 'exta were the organs of a sacrificed animal offered up to the gods - the lungs, heart, liver and gall bladder', and the five tracks here are named accordingly, albeit in Latin. It's difficult to find the musical connection to sacrificial rite on Exta, but perhaps it lies in the almost surgical precision of every sound that these musicians make. Precise improvisation may sound like an oxymoronic term, but in this case it's fully justified: Butcher, Lehn and Tilbury play off of each other so very well that the end result is frighteningly good.

There's a tension that runs throughout Exta, in a delicate balancing act between Butcher's writhing saxophone, Lehn's dry synthesizers and Tilbury's haunting piano. It's quite a spare assortment, but the recordings are never without occurrence, as the trio jump between eerie ambience, beautiful minimalism and unhinged chaos. As expected, the sonic palette of this album is fairly broad; the raspy slurping of Butcher's sax in "Cor", the trenchant piano in "Pulmo II" and the analogue bubbling of "Iecur" are just a few of the many intriguing sounds that are bought to the fold. The dynamism of Exta results in an ever-shifting, unpredictable experience, and as such it's a powerful, vital display from three of the very best in their field.
 

Review: Vic Mensa

Vic Mensa INNANETAPE (Self-released, 2013)

Following the split of Vic Mensa's rap group, Kids These Days, the future of the 19 year old was uncertain, so it was only natural for there to be much speculation as to whether his proposed debut mixtape would be a success or a complete flop. However, ever since he turned critics' heads after his stellar verse in Chance's "Cocoa Butter Kisses", Mensa has been quietly priming himself to break out of being a member of a not-so-successful rap group in order to shock the world with yet another Chi-town masterpiece, INNANETAPE.

There are various up-and-coming artists that feature on the tape including Chance The Rapper, Lili K and BJ The Chicago Kid, who recently attained new-found-fame through the incredibly successful release of Chance's second mixtape, Acid Rap, despite the fact that it wasn't released through a record label; an impressive achievement by any means. Ab-Soul (of Black Hippy) features on the track "Holy Holy", which shows off the strong flows of both himself and Mensa as they rap over a minimalistic underlying drum beat throughout the song, and with powerful vocals from BJ The Chicago Kid that emulate an early Frank Ocean, it is probably one of my favourite hip-hop tracks of the year. Other featuring artists include British singer-songwriter Eliza Doolittle and the multi-genre bassist Thundercat, who is most famous for his work with none other than Flying Lotus. Not a bad bunch of friends, eh?

I see INNANETAPE as being Vic Mensa's own version of 10 Day by Chance The Rapper. This of course isn't an offensive claim by any stretch of the imagination, but it just lacks a certain something, and although we hear moments of musical genius coming through on the tape, Mensa hasn't quite produced the finished product that we were oh so eagerly waiting to hear. Is it his flow? No. Is it his lyrics? Certainly not. Is it his choice of beat production? He's got Thundercat producing his tracks, are you fucking kidding me?! The only thing that Vic Mensa lacks, in my opinion, is direction; the tracks jump around too much for my liking, but considering that this is his second recognised solo release that definitely isn't something to worry about. This tongue-twisting teenager is definitely one to listen out for, and seems set to follow in Chance's footsteps by highlighting the dexterous and thoughtful side of Chi-Town rap.
 

Review: Drake

Drake Nothing Was The Same (OVO Sound, Young Money Entertainment, Cash Money Records & Republic Records, 2013)

It's here. Well, it technically isn't, it got leaked a few nights ago. But still, for the purposes of the review, it's here.

Ever since the start of 2013, the omnipresent OVO/Young Money rapper has been surrounded by nothing but impossibly high expectations, after he spontaneously drip-fed four brand new stellar tracks to the world over the course of a few months, including "Started From The Bottom", "Girls Love Beyonce, All Me", and "Hold On, We're Going Home". Critics were claiming that it was possible for the album to not only be Drake's best, but also for it to be one of the best hip-hop albums of the year, putting him alongside the likes of Danny Brown, Chance The Rapper, and of course the king of all that's G.O.O.D, Mr Kanye West. Now as I'm a proud skeptic, it was difficult for me to accept that it was possible for every track on an entire album to reach the impressively heightened bar that Aubrey Graham (worst rapper name ever?) had set for himself with his most recent releases/features; the melodic harmonies on "Hold On, We're Going Home" and the seemingly effortless flow on "Started From The Bottom" really made me think about the yet-to-be-released album in a depressingly pessimistic light. However, after listening to Nothing Was The Same from start to finish multiple times, I will accept that I was so very wrong.

"How much time is this nigga spendin' on the intro? Lately I've been feelin' like Guy Pearce in Memento."

Drake has always utilised his intro tracks to the fullest by starting off the album as he means to go on - "Houstatlantavegas" on the So Far Gone EP, "Fireworks" on Thank Me Later and "Over My Dead Body" on his most recent release - and "Tuscan Leather" is no exception. It's a vehement track in which Drake continues to dismiss his opponents and boast about his rags-to-riches life story, but it's done in such an elegant way that makes you almost feel like he isn't bragging; he's simply bemoaning the obnoxiousness of his rap peers. The three verses are complimented by three different chops of the same Whitney Houston track, "I Have Nothing" (1992), and although this may sound like a strange pairing, the two artists blend together to create one of the purest hip-hop tracks of the year (so far). "How much time is this nigga spendin' on the intro?"- as long as he goddamn pleases.

"Next time we fuck, I don't want to fuck, I want to make love."

Although it's fair to say that Drake has found his tougher side on Nothing Was The Same in comparison to his most notable previous release, Take Care, there are still a few tracks on the album that take you back to his 'drunkenly texting ex-girlfriends and crying about it on the phone' days. Now although I always appreciate that he likes to throw in a softer track every so often to show off his multitude of skills, Drake's lyrical depth doesn't really take you much further than it ever has done on tracks such as "Marvin's Room", and this sometimes leaves you feeling like he doesn't particularly like to venture into the deep end when it comes to writing about his personal experiences. For this reason, I was relatively disappointed me after hearing the two most intimate tracks, "Own It" and "From Time", although considering the direction that Drake's been moving in over the past few years I think that these blips in lyrical greatness will definitely smoothen out. In a nutshell, either sort out your love life or man the fuck up, Aubrey.

"Look, just understand that I'm on a roll like Cottonelle."

All in all, Nothing Was The Same is Drake's greatest long player as of yet, and it will certainly be a contender on the renowned //APEX AOTY list.

Review: LAMPGOD & **Ł_RD//$M$

LAMPGOD & **Ł_RD//$M$ **$$EXT8PE?? (Bootleg Tapes, 2013)

It's safe to say that **$$EXT8PE?? is fairly dirrty. Not like you needed me to tell you that - the fact that it's being released alongside a strange promotional porno-video-collage and features song titles such as "**A$$IANMA$$TERBATION??" is telling enough. But **$$EXT8PE?? isn't just conceptually nasty, for it sounds grimy as hell too, encapsulating the grotty mixtape stylings that one may find on a Memphis rap tape.

At its core, **$$EXT8PE?? is a messy sound collage, comprised of stock music, soul and YouTube rips, all presented underneath a veil of hiss and static. It's an interesting approach even without the porn aesthetic, but the successful marriage of thematics and music takes **$$EXT8PE?? above and beyond other internet mixtapes and into its very own tightly-knit world of trash. The overriding motif of this album, just in case you haven't already figured it out, is pornography, and although this is mainly conveyed through the track titles, certain loops strongly allude to illicit love. Tracks like "**P.O.V.(2011)??", "**BLACKONBLACK??" and "**BU$$TEDCHEATING??" feature crushed soul samples with lyrics that definitely imply love-making, and on "**BABY$$ITTERGET$$CaUGHT??" a Bobby Womack snippet is screwed into a sexy, perverted jam. There's nothing particularly unique or new about the methods of sampling here, but these choice cuts are so intriguing and unpredictable that the album feels rather singular in its nature, and quite unlike any other sound collage project that 2013 has brought us (Ahnnu, Andrew Pekler, etc.).

In a year rife with small-time internet producers re-appropriating the past, LAMPGOD and **Ł_RD//$M$ have worked wonders with **$$EXT8PE??. It's an exciting, invigorating album, and it serves as even more proof that sample-based music can create enticing experiences with their palette of plundered sounds.

Review: Forest Swords

Forest Swords Engravings (Tri Angle Records, 2013)

Following the release of the critically acclaimed Dagger Paths EP in 2010, Matthew Barnes, A.K.A Forest Swords, seemingly ceased to continue producing new material; the reason for the hiatus being that he had been trying to overcome some serious hearing difficulties. However, 3 years later, he has returned with an absolute gem. Overdue admittedly, but after hearing the official album leak, it is simple to conclude that the wait was an undoubtedly worthwhile one.

It's difficult to explain the path that Forest Swords has gone down with his latest LP, but to put it simply, it's an electronic album of pastoral persuasion that gives off a veritable naturalistic vibe. It takes you through a musical spectrum of everything from the neo-psychedelic achy groans of the lead guitar, right through to the chillwave-influenced field recordings on tracks such as "Thor's Stone". Now that wasn't too hard was it...

Engravings is an album that welcomes you to sink deeper into its shadowy realms, and will almost certainly be on my Best Albums of 2013 list.

Forest Swords - Engravings stream (Pitchfork Media)

Review: JGivens

JGivens El v. Envy (Self-released, 2013)

The fourth release from the extremely talented JGivens comes in the form of El v. Envy. In comparison to previous albums (such as Run) he has clearly realised his own solo talent as he's cut down on the amount of featuring artists, and has seemingly taken on the project with very little outside help. The first track from the album, (a)bridge(d) thoughts, uses a sample of soft woodwind which goes strangely well with a boom bap beat. The lyrics and flow over the track are strong too; it really feels like he knows the world which he's rapping about, unlike the eminent Viper. The beat production on the release is well-executed with quite simple hip-hop beats overlaying funk melodies reminiscent of early Snoop Dogg and Dre collaborations such as Nuthin' but a 'G' Thang.

However, despite the success of El v. Envy, I feel like JGivens has a lot more to offer. Whilst El v. Envy is a good album, it does fall short with 3 or 4 tracks which is a shame, it's possible that in a year or two, JGivens could be a name contending against current experimental hip-hop groups such as Death Grips. Although the 3 or 4 tracks that lower the general standard of the album, it doesn't take away from the raw potential left in the album.

New Track: Big Sean

First things first, there is some bad news. Although Big Sean's second studio album, Hall of Fame, will be dropping in stores on 27th August, this killer track hasn't made the final cut due to 'sample clearance issues'. However, the good news is that Sean revealed to Hot 97 yesterday that the song will be released for free on uknowbigsean.com at some point in the very near future.

GOOD Music (founded by Kanye West in 2004) has always been renown for having a fruitful abundance of  talented producers and up-and-coming Chi-town MCs, and Big Sean has utilised this to his fullest when piecing together his latest eagerly awaited LP - with lead producers such as No ID, Key Wane and Kanye West, it's difficult to see how this project could possibly go wrong. A glimpse of this anticipated production is showcased to us in single releases such as Switch Up (ft. Common) and Beware (ft. Lil Wayne & Jhene Aiko), and thus far has been well critically accepted by publications such as XXL Magazine and Complex Magazine, with the album being on their "Most Anticipated Albums of 2013" lists.

However, despite the fact that "Control (HOF)" is Big Sean's track, I think that I, and the world of Twitter, can safely agree on the highlight being Kendrick Lamar's two minute long verse, where the Compton rapper puts himself on a level next to Jay-Z and Nas, and seemingly calls out Big Sean in his own song by claiming that "I've got love for you all but I'm tryna murder you ni**as. Now if that isn't going hard then French Montana is a child prodigy.

Reviews: SAINT PEPSI, Diamond Terrifier and Inga Copeland

SAINT PEPSI HIT VIBES (KEATS//COLLECTIVE, 2013)

Fuck what ya heard, because vaporwave never actually died. No, it didn't die, but instead spawned a whole new wave of practitioners to pick up the baton left by the likes of New Dreams Ltd. and Mediafired. SAINT PEPSI is among the new generation of vaporwavers, and having released 6 full-lengths prior to HIT VIBES, it goes without saying that he's quite a prolific artist. His earlier work, while vaguely interesting, was never fully realised conceptually or musically, but his latest release sees him righting these wrongs and delivering a very good album in the process.

Part of the issue with releases like EMPIRE BUILDING and STUDIO 54 is that they didn't bang enough. They felt as if SAINT PEPSI was going through the motions. His brand of vaporwave (or broperwave as it has been coined) relies on the manipulation of groovy dancehall cuts, and this is where HIT VIBES delivers; many of these tracks are funky and danceable, with motifs nabbed from the likes of Rose Royce and The Live Band. The synth and bass lines that run throughout HIT VIBES are downright infectious, and the soulful vocal snippets are sure to stick with you long after the album is over. Elsewhere there are slower-moving, chilled-out tracks in perhaps a more familiar fashion to the vaporwave that dominated 2012, and these make for an interesting diversion from the dancehall bangers rather than merely padding out the album. SAINT PEPSI is onto a winning formula here for sure, and if he further hones his sound, a new vapor classic may be released in the not-too-distant future.




Diamond Terrifier The Subtle Body Wears a Shadow (Terrible, 2013)

Sam Hillmer is the saxophonist of the Brooklyn avant-rock outfit Zs, and The Subtle Body Wears a Shadow is his second full-length under the Diamond Terrifier pseudonym, released by Chris Taylor's ever impressive-looking Terrible Records. Last year's Kill the Self That Wants to Kill Yourself is a scattershot, almost piecemeal record, but still a somewhat absorbing experience with a couple of killer tracks thrown in for good measure. This effort, on the other hand, is definitely more cohesive, yet fails to deliver as many memorable moments as its predecessor.

The Subtle Body is meant to be experienced as a whole, a 33-minute composition comprised of four movements. Whereas tracks like "Adamantine" broke the sometimes-unidimensional sound on Kill the Self by experimenting with a variety of genres and loops, this album is mainly comprised of warped saxophone squeals and effects, which leaves a little to be desired. Another distinctive feature of The Subtle Body is the English snippets of the Bodhicaryāvatāra that are recited by a computerised voice at various junctures in the proceedings; the irony of the clear influence of religion on this record is that it fails to move me or provoke thought. Although it does have the occasional moment (see the metallic chugging in "Triple Gem"), The Subtle Body is quite an uninspired listen, especially when stacked up against Hillmer's previous achievements as a member of Zs and on Kill the Self.




Inga Copeland Higher Powers (Self-released, 2013)

Although I would hardly accuse the Hype Williams duo of Dean Blunt and Inga Copeland of going pop, 2013 has seen both of them move away from their tape hiss-infected sound and towards clarity; Dean released his crystal clear The Redeemer to a smattering of acclaim, while Inga showcased some fantastic synth-pop with her Don't Look Back, That's Not Where You're Going EP, released on the duo's World Music imprint. While I am a fan of these excursions, they've kind of left me longing for a return to their well-trodden lo-fi sound - fortunately, Inga Copeland is glad to fulfil my desires, in the form of her new mixtape Higher Powers.

Although it is tantalisingly brief at just 20 minutes in length, these 6 tracks share qualities of Hype Williams' previous work while still sounding fresh, new and exciting. "faith" is an intriguing opener that features piercing tones and barely audible singing amidst the dub-y undergrowth, while tracks such as "light up", "b.m.w." and "obsession 2" wouldn't be out of place on releases like Find Out What Happens When People Stop Being Polite, And Start Gettin' Reel or One Nation. A new version of the previously released "A&E" is also featured here, but the standout cut has to be "a world in danger iii", a minimal but addictive exercise in effective drum programming, organ-like synths and tasteful sampling. Overall, Higher Powers will satisfy anybody who has missed the Hype Williams aesthetic of old, and then some, with a fresh spin on a tried-and-tested modus operandi.

(FREE DOWNLOAD)