I’ve got a pretty strict policy to never re-buy LPs that I already own but this official edition of Madvillainy 2: The Madlib Remix is looking a helluva lot nicer than my white-sleeve, no-frills promo. It comes with a comic book, and it’s the closest thing you will get to a new Madvillain album until [...]
Stones Throw pulls an essential reissue out of its massive back catalog. For most people, myself at least, Soundpieces served as the introduction to Madlib, simply one of the most prolific and talented musical minds of our generation. It was also a launching point for Quasimoto, MED, Dudley Perkins, and Oh No. Pretty huge record [...]
Leave it to Type to release one of the best rap mixtapes of 2011 on vinyl, there isn’t a more unpredictably awesome label in existence. Oakland’s Main Attrakionz took the internet by storm last year with their patented “cloud rap” sound. “808s & Dark Grapes II” is their tour-de-force, fueled by the somber production of [...]
Whoa, Mexican Summer is bringing the groundbreaking shit lately. Lilacs & Champagne is the producing duo of Alex Hall and Emil Amos (both also of Grails), and this is their first record. As you’d expect, they’re plowing through the fertile grounds of psychedelia here, but maybe as somewhat of a surprise, they’re doing so with [...]
We could not be more excited about a vinyl release today, we LOVE Monster Rally. If you haven’t caught any of his stuff yet, prepare to be blissfully, calmly amazed. This stuff is a sun-baked Madlib after one too many Mai Tais. So great. Get the new “Crystal Ball” LP, limited to 250 copies on [...]
If you haven’t already been giving this one heavy play, prepare to be introduced to one of your favorite records of 2011. Thundercat (aka Stephen Bruner) is playing an absolutely authentic blend of smoothed-out jazz and funk from a bygone era. This shit just sounds too good, too pure to be from 2011. Bruner is [...]
Non Projects has proven to be one of the most exciting emerging labels in the electronic/beat scene. They just dropped a surprise EP from Ryan York (aka Asura). York delivers a twinkling slice of experimental electronic pop, perfectly illustrating his startling versatility as a part of this whole California beat movement. Clocking in at just [...]
Fuuuuuuuck, the reclusive Balam Acab just released one of the best electronic albums of the year, period. Dark, dreamy and ethereal, these beats move effortlessly, possessing a fluidity rarely matched (if ever). This is an important record (mark my words), especially considering Alec Koone is only 19 years old and only getting better. Seek it [...]
It’s hard to imagine the LA beat scene getting any hotter than it is right now. Flying Lotus is practically ruling the world, Samiyam just released one of the best records of the year, Tokimonsta is killing it, and now Shlohmo just dropped a nearly flawless debut full-length. Henry Laufer has been kicking around the [...]
We should’ve covered this Shabazz Palaces album a long time ago, we just sometimes get behind and figured you’d probably already heard it (just like the new Bon Iver finally covered below). It’s rare that a truly “new” hip-hop record comes along, but “Black Up” really sounds like nothing you’ve heard before. Led by former [...]
