One of the finest Record Store Day releases right here, in our humble opinion. FlyLo’s Alt Takes reads through like a rudimentary sketchbook of the excellent Cosmogramma album. Considering that album is bursting out the seams with ideas, then this stripped down affair is also quite a delight – perfect, zoned-in vibes. A fantastic release for [...]
Lost in the shuffle between eight and ten, the ninth entry in the Madlib Medicine Show series has finally shown its face. “Channel 85 Presents Nittyville” is a straightforward collaborative rap album from Madlib and Frank Nitty. There are some guests here and there, but those two pretty much run the show on this one. [...]
Love them or hate them, you’ve gotta admit that the world of Odd Future is fascinating. Their visual aesthetics, stage antics, tireless self-marketing, and feverish cult following all feel incredibly refreshing, injecting energy into the sometimes-tired hip-hop community. And, unlike a lot of other hyped rap acts, they’re actually skilled songwriters (even if the content [...]
It’s about time for a new Atmosphere album, wouldn’t you say? Slug and Ant have been at it for so long it’s hard to imagine a world in which these two weren’t the reigning kings of hip-hop. Well, at least for this midwest white kid it is. The Family Sign features, of course, the aforementioned [...]
Stones Throw is the best hip-hop label in the world, fact. They’re selling a stunning debut record from J.Rocc, “Some Cold Rock Stuf”, and they went all-out on the packaging. As the label puts it, “This is not a “DJ album”. Not a “beat album”. Not a mix tape. This is an original work of [...]
Here’s a serious treat for the rabid beat-heads out there: MF DOOM’s complete Special Herbs series collected onto one comprehensive vinyl box-set edition. This is looking like 5 LPs plus one seven-inch of the finest, fresh-cut rhythms available. $85 might seem a little steep, but keep in mind what you are getting here – primo [...]
It’s been a long time since I was completely blown away by a rap album, but Big K.R.I.T. delivered the goods. Known for feverishly detonating the blog scene over the past year, this Mississippian, often compared to Pimp C, is easily the most exciting southern rapper to emerge in years. When cooking up their new [...]
Mexican Summer recently dropped four amazing new vinyl releases, a feat most labels would be lucky to achieve in a full year. The first, and the one that’s getting the most buzz around the internet, is “Ghost Blonde” from No Joy. These two ladies hide melody behind a giant wall of fuzz, creating music that [...]
This has been pressed a few times, so I’m not sure how long the current edition has been around, but it’s still a very sought-after record. Kutmah definitely represents the outer fringes of the LA/Poo-Bah/Brainfeeder crew, infusing his beats with tribal percussion, slowed-down vocals, and general weirdness. This was originally recorded in 2006, came out [...]
It seems like it’s been awhile since we covered any Stones Throw releases, but let’s be clear, they’ve still been cranking out the goods. First up in the new batch is the “Psych Funk Sa-Re-Ga!” compilation from the always-impressive World Psychedelic Classics crew (they’re also behind the Psych Funk 101 and Brazilian Guitar Fuzz Bananas [...]
