Wellllllll there has been an unbelievable amount of new music this month. To the point that I'm yet to have a chance to properly digest it all, or even locate it all for that matter, so a couple of albums will have to wait till next month.
In the spirit of this blog, I won't be reviewing the new releases I know you've probably already heard/seen elsewhere. Instead, here are a few new albums you might have missed from the last month. Enjoy :)
GoGo Penguin - 'Man Made Object'
Genre: jazz, contemporary classical, experimental
Favourite tracks: 'All Res', 'Unspeakable World', 'Weird Cat', 'Initiate'
This is the first release from Manchester based jazz piano trio GoGo Penguin since they signed with the famed Blue Note Records. Their first two releases garnered much deserved critical praise for their infectiously catchy, jazzy, and modern instrumental compositions. Blending elements of electronica and trip-hop into an all-acoustic, traditional setting, GoGo Penguin's music is mesmerising in its complexity and virtuosity. On top of all that, it's melodically poppy and memorable.
The full range of the band's talents are on display on this new album, from the rhythmically intense drumming to the emotionally charged piano playing. GoGo Penguin's music often sounds like the most perfect jam sesh ever: it feels spontaneous yet still proves itself to be finely polished and playfully clever. That being said, I don't feel the same level of energy in this collection of tracks compared to their previous albums. There are some stellar, solid songs that are impressive in all the same ways, but this album doesn't hit the same level of mind-bending intensity as often as their previous album '2.0'. Regardless, this is a consistent release and more GoGo Penguin is never a bad thing. I've listened to this album many times this month and will no doubt return to it in the future.
This is a group that's definitely worth checking out. Starting with this latest LP or their previous release '2.0' will give you a good idea of what these guys are all about.
New York-based producer Gramatik has really put himself out there these last couple of years. Between a steady stream of his own releases and the establishment of his very own Lowtemp record label last year, he has managed to establish himself as a heavy-hitter in the world of electronic music. Never one to conform to one current trend, Gramatik dabbles in electro-swing, trip-hop, future funk, house and dubstep (and as is the case with this new album, a combination of some or all of the above).
This is a group that's definitely worth checking out. Starting with this latest LP or their previous release '2.0' will give you a good idea of what these guys are all about.
You can listen to 'All Res' here:
Lushlife/CSLSX - 'Ritualize'
Genre:experimental hip-hop
Favourite tracks: 'Hong Kong (Lady of Love)', 'Incantation', 'The Ecstatic Cult', 'Burt Reynolds (Desert Visions)'
Features from the likes of Ariel Pink and Killer Mike were enough to draw me to this new, and very ambitious, project from the mostly unknown rapper/producer Lushlife. Bringing in a wide range of contributing producers and rappers, 'Ritualize' pulls together interesting ideas and some amazing tracks here and there but never feels like a cohesive listening experience.
From the outset I was excited by the angle this album seemed to be taking. The dreamily processed pianos and downtempo beats feel like a homage to the production style of Nujabes, perhaps not as clean or streamlined, but still a riff on the work of a producer I absolutely adore. And moments of this album do in fact pull off the introspective, overly pretty instrumental style to great effect. We also hear some very poppy glistening, glassy synths on a few tracks on this album along with the grimy, wet synthwave-style production on the Ariel Pink feature track 'Hong Kong (Lady of Love)'.
For the most part, the production choices and musical ideas are intriguing despite the lack of consistency across tracks (to be expected on an album so laden with collaborators). Unfortunately, a number of the tracks are let down by Lushlife's lyricism and delivery. His rapping is competent but also pretty mono-tonal. He seems to only have one speed, one flow, one setting on his own verbal amplifier. Each verse feels a lot like the last and more like a way of getting from X musical idea/hook to Y rather than an interesting aspect of the song in its own right (the one exception to this that comes to mind is the track 'Burt Reynolds (Desert Visions)'. His voice often feels like it's just there, which is a real shame for the tracks that string together some excellent production but aren't backed up by solid verses. Of course, there are some pretty incredible verses from the guest rappers on this album, especially Deniro Farrar and Killer Mike.
If you have an interest in the softer side of hip-hop, check this one out. There are some genuinely excellent tracks on offer that I know I'll be coming back to.
You can listen to 'The Ecstatic Cult (feat. Killer Mike)' here:
Gramatik - 'Epigram'
Genre: electronic, dubstep, future funk, hip-hop
Favourite tracks: 'Satoshi Nakamoto', 'Native Son Prequel', 'Eat Liver!', 'Back to the Future',
New York-based producer Gramatik has really put himself out there these last couple of years. Between a steady stream of his own releases and the establishment of his very own Lowtemp record label last year, he has managed to establish himself as a heavy-hitter in the world of electronic music. Never one to conform to one current trend, Gramatik dabbles in electro-swing, trip-hop, future funk, house and dubstep (and as is the case with this new album, a combination of some or all of the above).
This album leans harder on higher impact, dirtier, dubstep-influenced passages than a lot of Gramatik's other work. While the high-energy bass-fests that sprinkle this whole album grab your attention, they occasionally feel like the remnants of a trend in electronic music that has come and gone. When they work, Gramatik's dubstep passages feel like a perfect synthesis of a once-beloved genre and his own, more nuanced production style, combining lots of bassy wubs with some smooth guitars, brass and strings. As is to be expected, Gramatik's style shines through truest when he is building jazzy, downtempo beats that let the mix breathe organically, rather than the somewhat chaotic dubstep style which can contend too much with the vocals and other instruments. The dubstep influence isn't wholly distracting, it just feels like it works better when it is pared back a bit, such as the track 'Eat Liver!', compared to when Gramatik lets himself run wild into ideas that are too hectic and loose to be interesting beyond serving as a drop.
I'm a little mixed on how I feel about this album as a whole. Some of the tracks are really well balanced and interesting, others don't let the originality of Gramatik's production style really shine through. Perhaps my lukewarm response to a lot of the heavier moments on this album are more of a personal preference thing, or maybe these crazy wubs and drops are supposed to be banged out over club speakers and not carefully listened to. As with all of Gramatik's music, you can download this album for free of his website and have a listen for yourself.
You can listen to 'Back to the Future (feat. ProbCause)' here:
Denzel Curry - 'Imperial'
Genre: hip-hop, trap, cloud rap
Favourite tracks: 'ULT', 'Sick and Tired', 'Knotty Head', 'Narcotics', 'Pure Enough', 'This Life'
This is the full length follow up to Denzel Curry's very well received debut 'Nostalgic 64'. Known for his ferocious, aggressive vocal delivery, Denzel spits out edgy, angry raps over trap beats and dreamy samples. The full extent of his technical prowess makes its way onto 'Imperial' as he proves himself a worth contender in the crowded world of hip-hop.
Denzel doesn't just rap fast, he raps smart. His flows alternate and evolve thoughtfully, with care and attention to how the rhythm of his lyrics mesh with the instrumentals on these tracks. Never without a fire in his throat, Denzel Curry drives 'Imperial' along with relentless passion making this album a dense, hard-hitting listening experience. Among the ten tracks on this album are some brilliantly written verses and some of Denzel's catchiest vocal refrains and hooks. Occasionally the lyrics fall into some cliches of the hardcore hip-hop world, with some tracks dealing with robbery, drug dealing, drug taking etc. But for the most part this album feels raw, authentic and focussed on delivering a musical vision from a unique artist.
This is a solid album from front to back. It's savage, sometimes dark, and full of gritty, ferocious verses. Fans of hip-hop would be doing themselves a disservice by passing this one up. This is an artist who's just getting started, I expect we'll see a lot more of Denzel Curry over the next few years.
You can listen to 'ULT' here:
This month was crazy busy with new releases. I hope you enjoyed this selection of albums. I try to feature albums that are little more obscure but still deserve attention in the hopes of introducing people to something new, so I've chosen not to include the big mainstream releases from March. That doesn't mean I didn't like them or ignore them like some kind of hipster music snob, I just think this blog is better suited to showcasing the stuff that's a bit off the beaten track. You can find that other stuff anywhere.
There have already been some pretty great albums this year, but nothing so far has blown me away. Maybe that will change next month with new albums from Tim Hecker and Mogwai, two albums I've been anticipating for a while.
Thanks heaps for reading. Everyone who shares this blog or comments an album they enjoyed from the last month will receive actual superpowers. No joke. 100% legit offer ***
Have nice day :)
*** of course it's a joke why are you even reading this tiny text?
