[louder]

Drake's remix to ILoveMakonnen's "Tuesday" just made my weekend: https://soundcloud.com/octobersveryo...-drake-tuesday

WOW.

as for that ILoveMakonnen guy, he's so weird that he sounds like he's on the verge of troll rap for many people.

obviously his technical ability as a vocalist is far from perfect, but musically his shit is so creative and next level that i can't help but find him dope.

get his EP here: http://www.hotnewhiphop.com/ilovemak...pe.114225.html

[louder]

he kinda reminds me of Serj Tankian on his new song: https://soundcloud.com/ilovemakonnen...-sonny-digital

i'm not even sure if i'd consider him hip-hop.. a new wave of "weirdos" from Atlanta and Chicago who are influenced by the likes of Gucci and "Sizzurp" Wayne has been emerging in the last few years, i'm still waiting for the magazines to realize the movement and coin a name for it.

[louder]

NR, you're gonna love that FKA twigs album. i can hear Portishead, Bjork, Aaliyah influence in her. her album is so good, actually my fav of the year so far (along with Pinata).

[louder]

new Travis Scott tape dropping today (?):

 

[louder]

Pitchfork's "best 200 songs of the decade" list is trash. i'm cool with them leaving their "indie" roots behind, because most of the innovation in the last few years has been coming from other genres, but why they gotta go pop??

[noisereductions]

Originally Posted by louder

NR, you're gonna love that FKA twigs album. i can hear Portishead, Bjork, Aaliyah influence in her. her album is so good, actually my fav of the year so far (along with Pinata).

Cool keep meaning to check it out, will soon

[Severian]

I just bought the new Wiz Khalifa album, Blacc Hollywood.
I've never even really listened to the dude before, but I have heard some startlingly good things about the album.. The word "polarizing" was used... And that title has an elemental quality to it. I'm willing to give the guy a chance.

I have heard him before, just don't really recall anything standing out as ... Well, anything to remember. But the guest spots alone are worth the ten bucks. (Snoop, Ty Dolla $ign, lil' Ricky Ro$$, Project Pat, Curren$y, etc)

[Severian]

New York Times > Pitchfork > DanceDanceDeath!: Sir Possible Paul McCartney & Kanye Muthaf***in' West (what!?) In the Works?!?!? F**k my ***s.

This would be so incredibly awesome, though.

[louder]

Originally Posted by Severian

I just bought the new Wiz Khalifa album, Blacc Hollywood.
I've never even really listened to the dude before, but I have heard some startlingly good things about the album.. The word "polarizing" was used... And that title has an elemental quality to it. I'm willing to give the guy a chance.

I have heard him before, just don't really recall anything standing out as ... Well, anything to remember. But the guest spots alone are worth the ten bucks. (Snoop, Ty Dolla $ign, lil' Ricky Ro$$, Project Pat, Curren$y, etc)

i only liked 4 or 5 songs, heh.

We Dem Boyz is a classic.. the remix with Ross, Schoolboy and Nas is great, and Juicy J and Project Pat trading bars at the end of their song is awesome as well.

[noisereductions]

I listened to G-Unit's BEG FOR MERCY for the first time ever today. SRSLY. It's pretty dumb, and enjoyable. I feel like Young Buck was the star. I like it.

[louder]

Originally Posted by louder

new Travis Scott tape dropping today (?):

 

OUT: http://www.audiomack.com/album/leakr...s-before-rodeo

[louder]

after a couple of listens, this tape is really good. wow.

[Severian]

Shabazz Palaces Lese Majesty is something out of a freaking mescaline trip: possibly the one taken by the Gunslinger in book one of the Dark Tower, only with aliens.

It's already near the top of my albums of the year (so far) list, with Fennesz, KidKanevil, Ben Frost, Perfect Pussy, patten, Dub Thompson, and Underachievers, Swans and Thee Oh-Sees.

I wrote an almost shamefully histrionic review of it for my blog. It's on some sick shit for sure. Hard to imagine that Ishmael Butler is behind such a progressive piece of hip-hop futurism.

[noisereductions]

Wheres yr. Blog?

[noisereductions]

I listened to the new Wiz Khalifa. I've been a casual fan since "Black & Yellow" so 2009? It's pretty good. Kind of unfocused. Kind of lazy. But some seriously good stuff thrown in there.

[louder]

get on that new Travis Scott, friends. the first half is the most powerful hip-hop music i've heard so far this year.

[noisereductions]

thoughts on recent listens...

 

Ghostface Killah - Bulletproof Wallets
What a strange mess of a record. Nevermind that artwork. Nevermind that Epic botched the tracklisting. Nevermind the fact that much of the album's more interesting tracks ("The Sun") were cut due to sample-clearance issues. The real problem here is that Bulletproof Wallets is a good album. Unfortunately it was following two great albums, so by comparison this came off as completely underwhelming. But in fairness, there's actually a lot to like about it. The storytelling on "Maxine" is about as intense as Ghost gets and then a few tracks later he's delivering one of the more fragile lyrics of his career with "Never Be The Same Again." While some of the interludes certainly feel out of place, ultimately this is a decent album that only deserves some of the scorn it receives.

 

Genius/GZA - Liquid Swords
Even though ODB would title his first solo album Return to the 36 Chambers, there's no denying that Liquid Swords is one "first wave" Wu-Tang solo release that sounds the most like a proper group follow-up to the classic Enter the Wu-Tang. While Ghostface's Ironman would geek out on the comic book mythos and Raekwon's Only Built 4 Cuban Linx would settle into a mafioso theme, Liquid Swords sticks with the same kung-fu dialogue and gritty production that defined the personality of the Wu's debut. And yet it doesn't sound like a "me too" record either. This is clearly GZA's vision, even if he's got the whole Clan on board to support him. "4th Chamber" might just be one of the most defining singles from those early rounds of solo releases - though ironically it's far from a solo affair with Ghostface Killah, Killah Priest and RZA featured just as much as GZA himself. And in a sense it might just be those shrieking, bending synths by RZA that truly steal the spotlight on the track. Of course it should be noted that GZA was a bit of a veteran by this point in time - having seen the release of an earlier solo album on Cold Chillin' records that failed to meet anyone's expectations. Having bounced back from that deal, and then worked to build Wu-Tang's debut into the success that it was, it's easy to hear the surefootedness in Liquid Swords. It's a thrilling victory lap.

 

G-Unit - Beg For Mercy
Beg For Mercy is such a specific moment in time. Released the same day as Jay-Z's so-called retirement album, it was the sound of a possible changing of the guards. It's 50 Cent doing a victory lap after the success of Get Rich Or Die Tryin'. But most of all it's a surprisingly successful group effort by a group that often seemed on the brink of self-destruction. In fairness, they had plenty of practice with a long string of mixtapes leading up to their major label debut. But Tony Yayo is mostly absent here due to a stint in jail, and The Game had just joined the G-Unit ranks so doesn't even make an appearance. Although 50 appears on every track, he really let's Young Buck and Lloyd Banks carry the record's weight. And they do it well. In fact, in many ways Buck feels like a breakout star on this one. Even with such varied production credits (Dre and Eminem produce two songs each), there's a very unified feel to everything - even if much of it apes Dre and Em. Ultimately it feels like the stars aligned. Had "My Buddy" been released at any other moment in time, it perhaps wouldn't even sound right. It's unclear if the Dipset-ish balance of gangsta and pop could be perfected by G-Unit again considering the departures of Game and Buck, the varying success of Banks and Yayo and the frustrating twists and turns that 50's later discography have made. But then again, this album proves that under the right circumstances - even if not ideal circumstances - the stars could possibly align again.

 

Ratatat - Remixes Vol. II
It's really a shame that Remixes II didn't receive a wide release. Even in the hip hop mixtape world it didn't seem to get a lot of attention - perhaps because Ratatat were far more known within the indie-electronic world than the underground mixtape circuit. The sad truth is that this could have really been a hit record with the right promotion - and of course a whole lot of licensing issues to sort through. The variety of mc's presented is fantastic. The album opens with Young Buck's "Stomp" and then moves on to highlight everyone from Jay-Z, Kanye and Memphis Bleek to Devin The Dude, Young Jeezy and T.I. And even though there's a whirlwind of personalities and regions being mashed, it always sounds like Ratatat. It's a warm sound, that somehow feels like introspection at a party. For the most part the remixes are played pretty straight, but there are some flips like when Biggie drops into Jay-Z's "Allure" unexpectedly. This is one of those rare remix mixtapes that continually stays on heavy rotation years later in my household. With any luck there'll be a Vol. 3. (Note: This is I think the most expensive hip hop CD in my collection currently).

[noisereductions]

crickets. Where are you guys?

[Severian]

I've never given G-Unit the time of day, but I've never been opposed to 50, and I genuinely dig The Game (Jesus Piece was so underrated, even by me.. Title track is fuckin crazy) but I've never been able to really get into anything with the Eminem stamp on it... But with your review, I may just have to seek this album out.

Can't say I disagree much about Bulletproof Wallets; I tend to forget the album even exists. It's eclipsed by so many other incredible GFK albums. I don't own a physical copy right now, but I'm going to download that shit and revisit it. I have warmed a whole lot to Ghostface over the years. At this point he's my 2nd favorite Wu solo artist.

And yeah- Liquid Swords is the goddamn shit.

[Severian]

Originally Posted by noisereductions

I listened to the new Wiz Khalifa. I've been a casual fan since "Black & Yellow" so 2009? It's pretty good. Kind of unfocused. Kind of lazy. But some seriously good stuff thrown in there.

Well I think it's bumpin' and I've never bothered with Wiz before. I like how clean the bangers sound, and how wide the range is on the album. Also, I'm liking Ty Dolla $ign more and more, as an artist and a producer. So that was a big part of my decision to buy it. Well, than and the fact that I found it on sale a day early (oops) at my local record store.

I think FKA Twigs will be my next purchase. Hearing nothing but good shit about it.