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Demencha Interview/Podcast: Matty G [Dub Police]

Chris Mills — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 23:56:03 +0000

This is an interview we did over the phone with Northern California-based dubstep producer and DJ, Matty G, last month. Be sure to check him out live at the Midland Theater in downtown KCMO with Caspa and more on Friday, February 3rd.

p.s. The first person who listens to this podcast in its entirety and can spot the whining dog in the background will win a drink on me next time we see you in KC. Haha!

Sam Behrens Introduces Himself as Demencha’s Newest Contributor

Sam — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 02:59:57 +0000

I am many things. I used to be a classically trained violinist. I’m still a poorly trained guitarist and an untrained bassist. I’m a soccer geek, I support Tottenham Hotspur. I tweet in uncontrollable tweetsplosions. I speak spanish. I love seafood, lasagna and cold pizza almost as much as I love a great taco stand, but I love finding and writing about great new music more than all three. When I find a new track that has that something special, that intangible quality that forces you to sit down (or get up) and listen, I get more giddy and excited than bros with beards get about ~~overgrown pub music~~ Mumford & Sons. But I try not to limit my love. I give it out whenever and wherever it is due. Though I have a particular affinity for hip-hop, I get down with everything from Friends to Purity Ring by way of chillwave. If you wanna call A$AP trillwave, go for it, generally I just call A$AP amazing, but enough about meaningless labels.

My first recommendation to you is the new video for “Are You… Can You… Were You… (Felt)” by Shabazz Palaces. The one and only Palaceer Lazaro (the artist formerly known as Digable Planet’s Butterfly) and multi-instrumentalist Tendai Maraire’s Black Up was one of the best albums of last year. Don’t be discouraged by the 1:30 seconds of intro, be patient and get a drink or something.

DJ A:42 @ Gusto Lounge [01.31.12]

Chris Mills — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 00:10:28 +0000

Besides being an awesome writer and having one of the sharpest voices here at Demencha Magazine, Nick Ah-Loe aka DJ A:42 keeps it even more real by playing all vinyl still today in 2012. As I understand it, he doesn’t do a lot of DJ gigs, but how are you gonna front on five hours of vinyl when laptop DJs are sooooooooo much cheaper to pay by Westport clubs in these days and times? Expect all killer no filler, including lots of 90s hip hop and r&b. It’s a Tuesday, sure. But Nick encourages you to swing through and “make inadvisable life decisions”. RSVP HERE.

VIDEO: KCPT Spotlights Kansas City’s Hip Hop Academy

Chris Mills — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 03:32:05 +0000

A feature on KCPT’s “The Local Show” spotlighted Scoe, T-Blaze, Bro Mo, Leo Night Us and founder of the Hip Hop Academy, Jeremy McConnell, in an recent airing on your TV. If you missed it, check the video player above at the 8:47 mark. Also check the magazine player below for a cover story wherein we featured Jeremy, Bro Mo and Scoe around the time the Hip Hop Academy started getting down for the cause of curating hip hop expression for KC’s inner-city youth, back in 2008.

I remember when I posted our HHA story here online in ’08. The Tony’s Kansas City blog actually linked to us and kind of fueled his own debate with his own readers shortly after. CLICK HERE to read that. But despite an assortment of nonsense that I imagine Jeremy and other HHA instructors hear all the time, it really brightened my day to see that yet another local news outlet has taken note of the Hip Hop Academy. The Hip Hop Academy is (still) doing it.

Open publication – Free publishing – More rock

COSMO BAKER LIVE @ RIOT ROOM (JAN. 20th) + EXCLUSIVE Q&A

Chris Mills — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 19:20:40 +0000

Philly-based DJ and producer, Cosmo Baker, is a real student of music and a true master when it comes to rocking parties. Having collaborated with the likes of King Britt, ?uestlove of The Roots and tons more, Baker’s buzz stretches beyond his origin of Philadelphia to further reaches of the globe. While rocking as part of The Rub DJ crew alongside DJ Ayers and DJ Eleven, their joint ragers (started in 2003) built a legendary foundation on the East Coast. Cosmo Baker holds rank as one of the top dogs in the DJ business, spinning everything from hip hop to funk, house to disco and electro wrapped up in a true-to-the-artform style of mixing, turntablism and anticipation for what can work. As reported HERE, one nine year-old in Hawaii even included one of Cosmo’s CDs in a time capsule back in 2007, citing that “I think that’s what a lot of kids like now…I want to see what kids will like in the future…” We’re not sure which of Cosmo’s CDs were given up, but we are sure that whoever opens that time capsule years from now will have some serious funk on their hands. On Friday, January 20th Cosmo is set to unleash his aforementioned funk on the Riot Room in Westport KCMO (4048 Broadway), which you should RSVP TO RIGHT HERE (and get your presale tickets for a measly $5 HERE).

Below you’ll find a quick but very interesting Q&A we recently did with Cosmo in anticipation for what is guaranteed to be a wild night at Riot on Friday the 20th. Here, he talks about his recent gig in Dubai, his long-standing friendship with ?uestlove, Philly’s “big brother/little brother dynamic” with NYC, and what is sure be to another busy year for him.

Demencha: I saw on your website, cosmobaker.com, that you traveled to the Middle-East recently. What country were you in and what took you there?

Cosmo Baker: Yes man, I went to Dubai. It was really an amazing experience, and the city – and country – are pretty wild. Dubai is like Las Vegas in the sense that it’s incredibly opulent and there’s nothing that’s too extreme – aside from the over the top drugs and sexuality that’s so prevalent in Vegas. But there’s also the old world which is just as potent, and really amazing. And people over there party like crazy, which is why they brought me over there. I ended up doing one show but that ended up turning into a bigger project altogether that I’m involved with and am very excited about. With that being said, I’ll be spending a lot of time in the region in the near future. I was also supposed to hit Beirut, Istanbul and Tel Aviv on the past trip but things got shifted and I didn’t want to spend the holidays by myself 6000 miles away from my family. But sooner than you think, I’ll be back there doing the damn thing.

CM: What was the most fun DJ gig you had last year? No festivals, please.

Cosmo Baker: Hah! But one of my favorite gigs was when I played Flow Festival in Helsinki this summer, over there with so many people I adore… But other than that, I don’t know. There were so many good shows this year. I think maybe the first one that came to mind was The Do-Over in Portland in July. So much fun, such energy, crazy vibes flying all over the place. Do-Over is such an amazing party, so I think I’ll stick with my choice.

CM: Tell us about your friendship with ?questlove from The Roots. How far back do you guys go?

Cosmo Baker: Well he’s a few years older than me but we go back to the early or mid 90s. As a youngster everyone used to hang out on South Street in Philly, and when they were still in high school they used to sit out on the corner of Passyunk and South playing tunes. They were called The Square Roots then, and it was Ahmir, Tariq, the bassist was Josh Abrams and the keyboard player was Scott Storch. Yes – THAT Scott Storch. Anyway, there was this “hip-hop” store around there called The Lay-Up and it was the first place in Philly that brought in a lot of the designers like PNB, 555 Soul, Ecko and lines like that, as well as being the place that imported a lot of the hot mix tapes from New York. This was around 1993 or 1994. Now the thing was that The Lay-Up became the place to hang, the epicenter and gathering place of the hip- hop community of Philly at the time. I actually ended up eventually managing the place, but before that we would hang and watch videos and listen to mix tapes, bomb black books and all that
good shit. They had turntables in the back so I used to come down and DJ and often Ahmir would come in as well after playing on the street corner for hours on end. We just hit it off on a musical level, and were friends ever since. It always marveled me on how innate his talent for DJing was, but eventually I realized that this thing called talent kind of superseded application and genre. If you’ve got it you’ve got it.

CM: How rich is Philly’s music scene? And since you’ve lived in both of the following places, is there a kind of second-city-itis that Philadelphians hold themselves to when looking at New York?

Cosmo Baker: Incredibly rich and incredibly soulful, which is something that kind of comes from the tough living atmosphere of such a working class city. And the sustainability of being able to be an artist is something that Philly definitely offers, although sometimes to detriment because the comfortability the city offers doesn’t always light a fire under the ass of people to strive for bigger and better things. But straight up there was always a big brother / little brother dynamic between Philly and New York, with Philly always trying to play catch-up. That’s one of the reasons why the Philly DJ culture excelled in the way it did. It saw it’s lane and it ran with it.

CM: Give us one youtube link to a good example of Philly soul, and tell us why it rules.

Cosmo Baker: Well first of all, TSOP. Second, the REAL NATIONAL ANTHEM. Third, The
PHILADELPHIA FUCKING PHILLIES.

CM: I’d like to think that most DJs are basically required to do genre-jumping, at least to a degree, in these days and times. Would you agree with that? And what are the most poignant sounds over the years that have landed you where you are today as an internationally-respected DJ?

Cosmo Baker: You have to remember that with the true essence and structure of DJing in the sense of nightclub DJs, – from the hip-hop jocks to the DJs in the nightclubs that spun at the original places like The Loft, The Gallery, Paradise Garage… They all were well versed in crossing genres when they played. It’s a more modern thing to have such specialty niche-locked DJs. Personally I just find it boring and restrictive and unchallenging. And as for what sounds have landed me where I am, that’s a little bit tougher to answer because with me it’s more an amalgamation of everything before. The whole being more than just the sum of its parts. But I’ve always listened to a lot of jazz and the concept of that free flowing improvisation in jazz has definitely effected my DJing both in the sound of things but in the application of the craft.

CM: What specific styles of music are getting your crowds off the wall when you gig, now in 2012?

Cosmo Baker: The majority of stuff that I play these days is dance music and disco classics and a lot of them are my own edits and shit like that. The idea of bridging the gap and going from A to B to me has always been kind of this undercurrent. But I still play rap music when I can cause of course I love it and so do people. But a lot of rap and contemporary R&B is such tepid pop music these days. Don’t get me wrong – I love pop music, but it doesn’t excite me as much as other things.

CM: What do you have on deck for this new year? Releases, shows, other projects, etc.?

Cosmo Baker: Boy, let’s just say that this is going to be a very big year for me. Let’s just hope I can make it to the finish line – which will be December 21st of this year, if those pesky Mayans are correct…

Chris Mills’ KC-Based 2011 Hip Hop/Rap Picks

Chris Mills — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 02:09:13 +0000

10. Young Fate – “All Gass” [prod. Mr. Fresh]

Ladies and gentlemen, hit play and start your engines. This video player popped up in February and sees Fate spitting game over a real heat-rock from Mr. Fresh. While Young Fate verses are on my brain, his 16 on Ron Ron’s “I Go” (Skitzo-Frinik) always sounded to me like it belonged in a Nike commercial. This track goes. Fuck brakes.

9. I-R Neko – The Prognosis [prod. B.B.P.]

KC’s I-R Neko came out with this video in October and I absolutely loved it from the jump. My favorite part is when one of Neko’s friends walks out of a closet clutching a bong. This is probably the most vicious track on Neko’s album, O.verdue G.rams, which you can grab HERE.

8. Ubiquitous – “Roadwork”

Off Ubiquitous of Ces Cru’s forthcoming “Matter Don’t Money” solo project, “Roadwork” ensures old Ces fans that the urgency in Ubi’s voice isn’t simply going to evaporate into thin air while building strong connections and workings with Tech N9ne and Strange Music. This one sees him dropping some rather epic knowledge, as a teacher of sorts practically disgusted with his students and peers. When I interviewed Ces Cru for the fall 2008 print issue of Demencha Magazine, Godemis said that one of his main goals in rap was to be able to quit his job, tour and live comfortably. Looking back on that interview and now listening to “Roadwork”, it’s not much of a secret as to why Ubi didn’t exactly concur with his Cesphilian counterpart at that moment. Now, heading into 2011, it seems as though Ubiquitous specifically has his eyes on a huge prize after listening to this really serious track. Hopefully by this time next year Ubi and Godemis will have stories to tell about rocking shows around the world.

7. Tech N9ne feat. Krizz Kaliko and Ces Cru – “Unfair”

“Unfair” is probably the most relevant example of the ever-strengthening artistic relationship between Ces and Strange Music to come out this year. This track off the November 2011 Strangeland release essentially details the co-signing of Ubiquitous and Godemis by Tech N9ne and Krizz Kaliko, much to the apparent jealousy of other rappers waiting in line with a demo (or just hating, outright). Krizz Kaliko’s verse probably sums the situation up more clearly than anyone featured on this track.

6. PL – “Symphony” [prod. Deuce Fontane aka Lemroc Evil]
Symphony by PL

Sometimes rappers will get a beat and just spit some random swag shit over it. I’ll assure you that this didn’t happen here. Released in April, this was the choice nugget from PL’s The Session EP. On “Symphony”, PL tells a story about running into a female one afternoon (literally, he bumped into her car) and then the two hit it off in the parking lot. He recounts meeting up with her later that night for drinks and “when she speaks” he can’t help but hear music in place of dialogue. Pretty cool concept, but when coupled with Deuce Fontane aka Lemroc Evil’s beat essentially joining horn sounds with a female voice in the chorus it makes for a track (song) that most single dudes could relate to. “And to this day I haven’t heard a word she said/ Just harmonies and melodies that’s bouncin’ in my head – when she speaks”.

5. Ron Ron – “Left Brain Right Brain”

Regardless of whether or not Ron Ron’s rap career is done, Left Brain Right Brain still has to jut out in the discussion of the better hip hop releases out of KC in 2011. If you got your hands on a copy (a lot of folks had some difficulty with online purchases for whatever reason), you should feel lucky. There are tracks on this mixtape that are very, very similar to a number of tracks on his Ron DMC release this year, some with the same beat and lyrics, just delivered differently. Finding anything online for Left Brain Right Brain proved difficult, so I had to feature a track off of Ron DMC for this pick. Ron Ron’s music speaks to me more than any rap artist I’ve listened to over the past four years. I can’t necessarily relate to songs like “Bank Job” (which should remind you of Biggie’s “Gimme The Loot” or DMX’s “Crime Story”) and “Ghetto”, over the “Keep Ya Head Up” beat. But consider Left Brain Right Brain a case of a guy writing for “all the little Johns, curbside scribbling whatever on his mind,” from an artist that reached well beyond his own block, regardless of range or perspective. Ron Ron spoke about what was going on around him, which he described as “hell”, in an interview we did with him in 2009, but had the power and ability to rise above the drugs/violence subjects that have plagued most local hip hop mixtapes for years.

4. Star Slinger feat. Reggie B – “Dumbin”

You may remember our top pick from Demencha’s 2011 Music Picks. I had yet another jaw-dropping moment when I first heard this Star Slinger beat featuring Reggie B’s uplifting lyrics. Yes, Diplo’s remix bangs out, but I don’t necessarily prefer it over this Star Slinger (UK) and Reggie B (KC) version. The Star Slinger-produced original has stuck with me the most. Reggie’s work with Star Slinger and the subsequent Diplo remix of “Dumbin” easily stand out as two of my favorite tracks of 2011 and I view them as two of the more significant accomplishments from a KC-based artist this year. Here’s to Reggie B continuing to make great music in 2012, regardless as to whether or not we’re the only blog in KC writing about his stuff.

3. Les Izmore & DWill – “The Granny Smith Theorem”
The Granny Smith Theorem by Les Izmore

This release was meant as a teaser before Les and D’s “Heartfelt Anarchy” album, which will hopefully be out sooner rather than later. Les Izmore has transcended scenes and sounds since 2008. What other artist do you know who’s collaborated with Kansas City’s undisputed street rap king, Rich The Factor (2010), and scored a Pitch cover the next year (2011)? That’s what I thought, nobody. Les has been breaking down boundaries within our greater local music scene and this notion has been nailed in even further by his work with BeardKCrazy and Hearts of Darkness, two of the hottest bands in KC right now. “The Granny Smith Theorem” pairs DWill’s soul-sampled beats with Les’ aggressive, gruff delivery. Specifically, I think a lot of young cats should listen to “Swagger Killer” on repeat for about an hour just to get their heads straight. It’s probably the rawest, most relevant hip hop track to some out of KC this year. The sky-high horns provided by DWill and the reminiscing lyrics from Les on “The Line” make for a sure-fire runner up to my favorite on this release, an outstanding project regardless.

2. The Popper – “Me, Myself and I”

Hosted by Soul M.U.T.T., DJ Fresh and DJ Roc, this Me, Myself & I mixtape had people all over the city buzzing over it. And what would you expect from a rap artist who paints a better picture of his city than anyone in KC (and maybe then some)? Popper’s getting up there in years, but I still regard him as one of the nicest MCs in the city. He held down this entire mixtape with no guest rap features, as well.

1. Lindquist and Greer feat. Reggie B – “Track 12″ (from It’s Been a Long Day)
12 by Lindquist & Greer

This is the best example of three KC-based legends (Joc Max, Miles Bonny and Reggie B) just fucking around. In the full bandcamp release, there’s not much direction, except for the mature hip hop vibes that we’ve come to expect from Joc and Miles over the past few years. The tracks on It’s Been a Long Day don’t even have titles, just track numbers. But I had to feature Track 12 for fear that you would’ve skipped over it on accident had I posted the entire bandcamp link. I hate to get all sentimental, but this song kind of gets to me because I fortunately know all of these guys personally and to hear them collaborating on a really deep, world-relevant, 10-minute track, really warms my soul. It’s like time stops when I hit play on this. Even though this song holds freestyled singing from Reggie and freestyled raps from Joc Max, it’s absolutely perfect. Random note: I’ll never forget until the day I die when I heard someone scream out at the Peanut while Joc was spinning there one night a few years ago, “DAMMIT!!!!!! I’LL NEVER BE AS GOOD AS JOC MAX!!!!!!” The bottom line is that Joc, Miles and any of their friends (Taha, etc.) just messing around on a project is most likely going to result in a better final product than the record you’ve been trying to perfect for the last six months.

Artist To Watch in 2012: Riv Locc

Riv Locc strikes me as the type of rapper who writes a lot. But does that equal a rapper who’s verses are actually worth listening to? I don’t know. I don’t rap. In a discussion over lyrics, I could see why a lot of people are propping up Riv Locc for doing his style of street rap better than anyone in KC right now. With similies out the wazoo, Riv Locc is razor sharp. I bought his Exigent Circumstances album from 7th Heaven earlier this year and recently downloaded Clozed Curtainz. His “I Keep It Lit” release is scheduled to drop on January 2nd, so it shouldn’t take long for Riv Locc’s 2012 to jump off. Don’t get me wrong, I think Popper still paints a better picture of KC than anyone out, but Riv Locc will detail your nightmares of what Kansas City can be. Expect a continuous round of darts bleeding through into 2012 from Riv Locc.

Bold New Poets LIVE @ Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art [01.06.12]

Chris Mills — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 23:15:06 +0000

[pictured: Young Fierce]

I’ve bolded the two names on this list of about 20 local names, marked as the spoken word artists I’m most looking forward to seeing at this. Young Fierce is still making music, I’ve come to realize after linking up with him on facebook recently. I still to this day have never heard an MC like him before. Check the magazine embedding featuring Fierce on the cover (2008), below the list of performers who will be spitting knowledge at the Nelson on January 6th (RSVP HERE).

Doug ‘Nightlife’ Rosenbrook
Brandon Jackson
James Nunn
Blaq Paladin
Lady Po’wet
Oprah Brown
Oshone Malik
Janese Williams
Brandon ‘Amazyn’ Nelson
Stevan August
Mike ‘Vice Versa’ Weber
Sheri Hall
Stacey Davis
Young Fierce
Rodney Jarrett
Wendy Hawkins
Poetry Williams
Monica MaeElle
Rajah Williams

Open publication – Free publishing – More ces cru

KC-Based Beats/Electronic [2011 Music Picks]

Chris Mills — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 05:26:59 +0000

With more artists in KC doing experimental, beat music derivatives this year, I thought this separate chart would only be right. I don’t think I had near as many favorite local beats to refer to when the Demencha writers put together their 2010 music picks last year. But in 2011, some said that electronic music exploded with more bang than in any other 365-day span, and somehow I imagine Skrillex being some kind of poster boy for this resurgence. Seems to me like music is easier to create nowadays and all these kids in their 20s who’ve been messing around with earlier versions of Fruity Loops in their bedrooms for the past five years are finally getting the hang of it and cranking out some real jams. I also think that dubstep’s BPM tempo (particularly arriving in Verizon commercials while the Dirty South still reigns in rap) has helped its crossover appeal in the United States much more than any style of electronic music has seen in years.

I did forewarn a lot of people that dubstep was about to see a big backlash in 2011, and it proved to be true. Am I happy to see Matty G at the Midland here in in a few weeks? Yes. Do I like the vast majority of dubstep tracks and mixes I listened to this year? No. I intentionally refrained from downloading or seeking out much dubstep this year, and seemingly every time someone referred me to something “so sick”, I couldn’t help but cringe after the drop.

For this local beats/electronic chart I’ve come up with to round out 2011, I’ve included 10 really slick compositions and official releases. The Excision, Datsik and whatever else that I’m still not sure how to dance to was left at home in my external, though. Beyond that, these were my favorite beats out of our area this year. Thank you for reading and listening on Demencha.com…

10. Leonard DStroy – “Sunnshine”
Sunnshine by Leonard Dstroy

This was my personal favorite from Lenny’s Inner Exit EP, which came out earlier this year. But with a brand new album out on Elm & Oak today, 2012 looks to be shaping up quite nicely for Lenny. “Sunnshine” sees him incorporating some jazzy horns and KRS-One’s “Woop, woop!” vocals which he’s using as a kind of territorial track marker on much of his recent work and live sets since crossing over from the local underground hip hop base, and breaking new ground for himself amongst an audience of glowstickers.

9. FreeKing – “Unreal” (DJ Mix)
FreeKing-Unreal by FreeKing

HAM. This mix plays out like a workout tape that FreeKing (FKA Rob Lee) made for a friend in need of a cardio soundtrack. Not only that, but this guy absolutely reigned at one of the Kansas City Techno parties at The Union in Westport over the summer. This brand of unrelenting techno is exactly what I needed for a lot of my long drives and work day motivation.

8. Archi & B-Stee – “Can’t Stop”
Archi & B-Stee – Can’t Stop by Think 2wice

Locals DJ Archi and DJ B-Stee cooked up a really cool moombahton flip of After 7’s “Can’t Stop”, hanging on to the chorus for the most part. While I decided that I did in fact like moombahton this year, I’m still not sure if this music is going to stick around very long. I still think moombahton is best appreciated when it’s played in a club and girls are getting down to it. In those instances, it can be pretty electric. But aside from David Heartbreak’s “moombahsoul” derivative, you might not be able to get into moombahton by just listening to it in your headphones at home. Archi and B-Stee have great anticipation for what can work on a dance floor. Trust in these two to stay on top of burgeoning club sounds in 2012.

7. Moodymatic – “Ampex Frequency” EP
Ampex Frequency EP by MOODYMATIC

The super-weird beat music movement gained even more steam in 2011 and showed everyone that current bass music doesn’t have to clock in at exactly 70 BPM and be completely ridiculous. I munched on these crunchy, glitched-out beats from North KC-based, Bmoody, and Midtown-marinating, Dan Matic, for a good part of 2011 and almost broke a tooth in the process. The whole Footclan are constantly making beats and putting them up for free download.

6. Sinjin Hawke & Morri$ – “One Kiss”

Barcelona-based dream beat weaver, Sinjin Hawke and Lawrencian, Morri$, came together on this “One Kiss” track just a few weeks ago. I’ve really been feeling this rush of melodic bass music that became more blogged about in 2011. A lot of the Team Bear Club sound (Morri$’ crew) comes out in this really shiny, fun take on trap-styled beats. After interviewing Morri$ at his crib in LK just about two weeks ago (check back for our Artist of the Month Feature in mid-January), it sounds like this guy could start making some rather massive moves soon.

5. Topp Boom – “Planet L.O.V.E.”
Topp Boom (aka Luke Rocha) – “Planet L.O.V.E.” by DEMENCHA MAGAZINE

Our Featured Artist of the Month for December, Luke Rocha aka Topp Boom, is still on that analog tip, but that doesn’t mean this track (and a lot of the music on the Symbol Heavy crew site) isn’t fantastic. Depending on how you look at it, the dustiness of the sample-based, “Planet L.O.V.E.”, may even enhance its beauty. With very little use of modern computer programs and technology, Topp Boom really turned out a gem here. But you will need to turn it up.

4. Motorboater – “Lessons”

This joint came out on Motorboater’s 2011 album, Sport, through the local indie champs at The Record Machine. I’m still not exactly sure how this guy performs when he plays out, but “Lessons” really hit the spot.

3. Miles Bonny – “We” [DRplus2 Remix]
We [DRplus2 REMIX] by Miles Bonny

DRplus2 (FKA Dr+) churned out an amazing beat disc over the summer. Oddly enough, I can’t remember if this track is on it or not, but that doesn’t matter because you can grab all of the official “We” remixes on Miles Bonny’s bandcamp page (including flips from Tactic and Chrissy Murderbot). But DR’s beat disc was never released online. If you don’t have one, and can enjoy any kind of hard, glitchy beats, you might want to hit him up. DRplus2 remains one of the most brilliant young producers out, and his remix of Miles’ “We” was one of my favorite local tracks of 2011.

2. Ghost – “Autoscopy” (beat album)
Fallen by Ghost_816

Citing Dr. Dre, 9th Wonder and Oscar Peterson as some of his main influences in an interview with us earlier this year, the classically-trained, 21-year old hip hop producer known simply as Ghost flew under the radar of a lot of local hip hop heads this year. But I fully expect business to start picking up for him a lot more in 2012. There’s not necessarily much pop potential in his beats yet, they’re just really solid hip hop jams intended for really solid rappers. But until Ghost starts serving more beats out to vocalists, I’ll hope and pray that none of them fuck anything up because these tracks stand out on their own already.

1. Nezbeat – “Children of the Ghetto”
Children of the Ghetto by Good Hair (Nezbeat & Joe Good)

One half of Lawrence hip hop duo, Archetype, and wonderful beat-maker, Nezbeat, really outdid himself here. I distinctly remember my jaw dropping at my desk as I got to the 1:45 mark shortly after getting his Good Hair project (a lost album of sorts, featuring former KC rapper, Joe Good) this year. Nez leaves plenty of room for his own singing throughout the melody-drenched airiness and bent-up bass. Deep and inspiring, “Children of the Ghetto” is one of the most rewarding tracks I’ve heard out of KC/Lawrence (and beyond) all year.

The Malone Rainja’s 2011 Music Picks

Sean Malone — Sun, 25 Dec 2011 21:39:20 +0000

10. Bon Iver – Bon Iver

I almost left this one off, but I felt like I would be remiss not to include an indie album that has received praise and attention from so many varying corners of pop culture. Singer/songwriter Justin Vernon’s home state of Wisconsin declared not one but two separate Bon Iver days (in Milwaukee and Eau Claire respectively) in honor of the band and the album’s increasing visibility. Vernon also appeared on several Kanye West tracks, worked with several side projects (Volcano Choir and Gayngs namely) and was interviewed and performed on the Colbert Report. Yes, it’s been a whirlwind couple of years since Vernon went to a cabin in the Wisconsin woods and created his own version of Walden. His sophomore release under the moniker Bon Iver is the antithesis to 2008’s For Emma, Forever Ago in nearly every way imaginable. This self titled album is packed with everything Vernon could dream up putting on a single record: horn sections, a large backing band, two drummers (at times), violin, drum machines, a strange relation to geographic locations (both real and imagined), and an organ sound straight out of a Bruce Hornsby song. It’s not quite the mess it appears to be on paper, but once everything is mixed in with Vernon’s striking and sometimes grating falsetto delivery you might be left at a loss to make sense of it all. Make no doubt about it, this is an important album and its got the mainstream (not to mention the Grammy Awards) sniffing around anyone who appears earnest enough to sport ratty clothes, a beard and an acoustic guitar. The more I listened to this album, the harder I found it to comprehend. This is an album that is both challenging and frustrating, but the two need not be mutually exclusive.

9. The War on Drugs – Slave Ambient
The War On Drugs – Brothers by user3659716

The War on Drugs’ sound is traditional only in that it simultaneously hints at a number of seminal artists. Within the folds of a Slave Ambient track you might hear traces of Dylan or Springsteen even as the dense and droning song melodies most often owe more to post-punk than they do to any sense of Americana. Singer/songwriter Adam Granduciel finds himself without former partner Kurt Vile (who left the group amicably to pursue his solo career, see #5) on this release and it brings a focus and continuity to the album that the band’s two previous releases lacked at times. Granduciel’s vocals most often recall Bob Dylan or Lou Reed (and are sometimes strikingly similar to Vile’s), but are much more restrained and melancholic than either artist ever has been. I’ll confess, I’ve told several people that this is what I always hoped and imagined Arcade Fire would sound like. Both groups exist by way of a marriage of the classical pretensions of folk and popular rock and the more challenging aesthetics of post-punk, but the difference lies in how they create catharsis. Slave Ambient seems to draw its name primarily from its song structures which eschew popular notions of tension and release while somehow still sounding alarmingly vintage. The songs (like the War on Drugs waged by the U.S. government) unfurl without any notion of time, as if they will whirl on forever even as the final and unceremonious ending is in sight.

8. Lykke Li – Wounded Rhymes
Lykke Li – Get Some by LykkeLi

The Swedish pop/indie singer takes a step towards a retro 60s feel with this, her second full length album. While the approach is a refreshing costume change from some of the material on her first album that treaded dangerously close to vapid mainstream pop, pairing the neo-Phil Spector girl-group sound with lyrics and stories about depression and lost youth seems the real genius stroke here. Each song hums with reverb, vintage vibraphone and harpsichord, filled in by the songstress’s thick and nearly baritone vocals. As Lykke Li’s music has matured and become more varied, so have her lyrical takes on love and relationships; songs about relationships without passion or predatorial sex (“I’m your prostitute/You gon get some”) are both tragic and somehow beautiful coming from a young woman in her early twenties. It may or may not be third wave feminism finally asserting its grasp on the gender stereotypes of pop music, but it certainly offers a different perspective from the hegemony espoused by the naïve waif or outright whore of the current American pop paradigm. No, Lykke Li will probably never get played on American Top 40 but that may be a triumph rather than a loss. She has more to say than Lady Gaga ever will and she does so without becoming a postmodern cartoon or a pop caricature that can be packaged and worshiped by gay men. Real female artists take heed.

7. The Weeknd – House of Balloons
The Weeknd – High For This by The_Weeknd

With three mixtapes in 2011, Toronto’s The Weeknd (Abel Tesfaye) burst onto both the indie rock and hip-hop blogosphere. House of Balloons was by far the most accomplished of the releases and was available as a free download through the band’s website. The album/mixtape pays homage to mainstream r&b at the turn of the century (with some overtones of Drake), but turns the corner in its eccentric approach, presentation and song variety. While other artists in the genre are content with covering love, sex and drugs in a matter of fact manner, the Weeknd does so in a much more visceral and occasionally disturbing way backed by tracks that hint at techno and electronica. Tesfaye’s tales of drug abuse are intertwined with sex so much so that it seems necessary to be high to even exist in this world; drugs are not fun, they are necessary to escape and experience something real. Running through each track is a dark undercurrent that is emphasized by the drony and nearly ambient production . House of Balloons is full of r&b balladry ripe for Radiohead fans; if you can imagine Aphex Twin working with R. Kelly and the Neptunes, then you have a point of reference for the Weeknd.

6. Destroyer – Kaputt

Dan Bejar (also of the New Pornographers) is known simply as Destroyer in his solo incarnation. Kaputt (his tenth full length release under the moniker) is his most accomplished and focused album yet. Although you’re not likely to hear it while you’re out anywhere in this universe, this is most certainly lounge music for people on ecstasy. Imagine if the cantina scene from Star Wars was set in the 80s and included music written by David Bowie and New Order (in its more subdued moments). Behar’s somewhat comical and sleazy Destroyer persona takes us in and out of a world where you can still have a slight lisp that adds more to your perspective than it detracts (“I’ve sthumbed sthrough the books on your shelves”). At times Destoyer sounds like a creepy and perverted lounge act with a penchant for Beck-style whole album takes on different genres. The difference here is that as much as we all loved Midnite Vultures, we knew Beck was smirking throughout the entire thing. Bejar, however, believes wholeheartedly in what he does; the only irony to find here is in the eye of the beholder (or the ear, as it were). Gone is much of the more traditional guitar-based work from earlier Destroyer releases, instead replaced with an airy, reverb-heavy electronic smooth jazz that is fitting with the lyrical tales Bejar spins about chasing girls and cocaine, going to the opera and writing poetry. There’s something tragic and yet enchanting about this sound and the entire song cycle; Bejar reimagines common themes of desire and loss inside a world where everything is over-sensualized and elevated. As listeners we can’t help but follow along mystified. Is it all tongue in cheek? That’s a secret Bejar will never tell.

5. Kurt Vile – Smoke Ring For My Halo
Kurt Vile & The Violators – On Tour (Live) by The 405

Singer-songwriter (and sometimes member of The War on Drugs, see #9) Kurt Vile has an affected and monotone drawl that is reminiscent of Dylan, Lou Reed and Springsteen all at once (appropriately, he is from the valley of “The Boss” outside of Philadelphia). His fourth full length release and second for Matador Records shows him fine-tuning his lyrics and his mostly downbeat but ethereal folk-inspired numbers. Tracks like “Baby’s Arms” and “Puppet to the Man” are classic rock reinvisioned by a literate burnout and nihilistic hippie. Vile’s mish-mash of influences is equally as entertaining as his mostly half-hearted and ironic self-derision (“I bet by now/ You probably think I’m a puppet/To the man/Well, I’ll tell you right now/You best believe that I am”). Throughout Smoke Rings For My Halo, he takes aim at religion (“Jesus Fever”), society (“Society is My Friend”) and the music business itself (“On Tour”), but Vile typically ends up back where he started, staring at his disheveled face in the mirror. It’s only appropriate for someone who appears to feel as trapped by the ennui of his own mind as much as he is by the contradictions of the outside world.

4. Girls – Father, Son, Holy Ghost
Girls – Vomit by artsandcraftsmx

The second full length release from Chris Owens and his band Girls is a genre bending work that expands the group’s sonic output without sacrificing Owens’ impish persona in the process. Father, Son, Holy Ghost sounds like most of what was good about alternative rock in the 90s (a simultaneous attention to melody and attitude) and some of what was good about classic rock in the 70s (a commonality and appeal to the average person) put together in a Magic Bullet™ and poured out to the delight of young and old alike. To call the album nostalgic really misses the point of what Girls do so well; they make music that is immediately accessible and largely familiar without being obviously derivative. This starts out as more of an electric album than either their debut (simply titled Album) or last year’s EP Broken Dreams Club which left some (myself included) wondering whether Owens had maxed out his navel-gazing abilities. His lyrics are specific and somehow vague at the same time, which alludes to the larger referential qualities of the music itself. On “Alex,” Owens mumbles about a girl with some plain qualities over a Dinosaur Jr./Lemonheads style mid-tempo romp (“Alex has blue eyes…a boyfriend…a band…black hair”) that lead the singer to feel both ambivalent and somehow compelled. In this and most of his songs, Owens is the epitome of a laconic storyteller; he tells you just enough to keep you interested but leaves you questioning both your conception of him and the focus of his gaze.

3. Laura Marling – A Creature I Don’t Know

This young woman’s output over the past three years is really unprecedented. The title “precocious” no longer applies to someone in their early 20s, but Laura Marling still manages to astound regardless of her age (she was only 16 when a member of the British folk group Noah and the Whale and had just turned 18 when her first album, Alas I Cannot Swim, was released in Britain). Her second album in as many years, A Creature I Don’t Know represents less of a watershed moment than 2010’s maturity-affirming I Speak Because I Can, but succeeds on its own laurels for particularly that reason. Where I Speak… felt like someone discovering their gifts in-full, A Creature I Don’t Know sounds like the singer-songwriter coming into full possession of them. “Sophia” is arguably the most moving and dynamic song she’s ever written; and the rest of the album hints at a variety and confidence that Marling previously struggled with. Fresh out of her work with the members of Mumford and Sons (not to mention out of her relationship with Billy Mumford himself), Laura sounds like a woman finally comfortable with her abilities even as she struggles to make sense of her relationships and day-to-day life.

2. Jay-Z and Kanye West – Watch The Throne
Who Gon Stop Me by fifthorder

Calling this album a monstrosity of zealous hedonism is really an understatement. When you have two of the biggest names in hip-hop double-billed on one release, you should expect nothing less. What’s a surprise, however, is how well putting Jigga and Yeezy together for an entire album works. Let’s not fool ourselves into thinking this was an equal effort from both stars; at the outset it’s clear this is a Kanye created album that employs Jay Z in somewhat of a starring role. At one point, Kanye confesses during “Made in America” that, “Niggas hustle every day for a beat from Ye/What I do? Turn around gave them beats to Jay/And I’m rapping on the beat they was supposed to buy/I guess I’m getting high off my own supply.” After the critical triumph that My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy was, Kanye found himself with the need to do something more commercial without sacrificing the positive reviews and reputation he’d gained from the more serious end of the music world. Watch the Throne fits that bill perfectly and allows Kanye’s occasionally distracting and annoying self-obsession and paranoia to take a back seat to Hova’s swagger. A couple tracks pass before Jay really lets loose, but by the close of “Niggas in Paris” he has redeemed himself for each insipid sequel to The Blueprint we’ve had to wade through over the past ten years. In every sense of the word this is a triumph and a return to form for Jay-Z. Where most of his work since The Black Album has leaned towards being overly commercial, repetitive (how many times can we hear about a middle-aged media mogul selling crack in his street days?) and even boring, Watch the Throne sounds as if it has instantly reinvigorated the over-the-hill rapper. West’s brilliant and on-point production take center-stage here more than anything, but Shawn Carter is no fool. He knows that great beats will win over more people and give him more street-cred than riffing back and forth about dealing crack for the umpteenth time ever could.

1. St. Vincent – Strange Mercy

To fully appreciate how great this album is, you might need a refresher on Annie Clark’s (AKA St. Vincent’s) career up to this point in 2011, which marks her third full length album release. Her debut, Marry Me, was a tuneful but somewhat stereotypical female-indie synth-pop album in which Clark sounded slightly naïve and doe-eyed; 2009’s Actor was a bit more atonal and expansive but sacrificed some of the melodic qualities of her earlier work in favor of more progressive structures. That brings us to this year’s Strange Mercy which is nearly a perfect marriage of both. Gone are the stylistic experiments and pretension of her earlier releases, replaced instead by an overwhelming cohesiveness that compliments her advanced songwriting skills and highlights her classically trained talents (she attended Berklee School of Music in Boston), including her guitar shredding abilities. The listener might be tricked into believing a majority of the sounds on the album are synth based, while in reality much of it is Clark’s guitar run through any number of effects pedals/processors. The first single, “Surgeon” (lyrically, at least in part an homage to Marilyn Monroe) is groovy, downcast and progressive all in the span of less than five minutes. If that sounds chaotic, it’s because it is and it serves as a microcosm for the album. Clark crams in more depth and tension into these songs than she ever has before but it works because so much of it is focused around melody (“Cruel” alone has nearly five differing counter melodies that weave in and out of each other). And there you find the beauty of this music, on first listen it sounds chaotic and exhilarating but after awhile you realize it’s all very tightly structured and meticulous in production and songwriting; that’s one of the definitions of great music in any genre. And that makes for an amazing album any year.

Kalie’s 2011 Music Picks

Kalie Mashaney — Sat, 24 Dec 2011 23:43:36 +0000

Being asked to write this article just further proves that I’m like a movie critic when it comes to judging music. I can tell you what I hate, and exactly why I think it sucks, but when asked to come up with a top-ten list this year, I was just kind of like “uhhh..i dunno..?” That’s probably because I am still listening to shit Cat Power did in 2006.

10. Foster the People – “Torches”

I think I’ll get a lot of shit for this, but at least I’m honest. After Phoenix turned into a big piece of shit (yeah assholes, I remember your secret show at Record Bar for like $9 in 2009. No, I won’t pay fifty bucks to see you at Uptown singing the same 20 songs that sound the exact same) and with MGMT’s sophomore album being a total flop, I’m not ashamed to admit I dig a new band that sounds more than a smidge similar to the aforementioned. Torches makes me want to shake my hips with a cocktail (not a beer) in my hand, not caring if I spill it all over the place. There’s a few songs on this album that aren’t really worth much, but I missed the pop hooks MGMT and Phoenix once gave me, Foster the People gave a little of it back. Plus… I love the first time you hear a song by a new band and you’re like “IS THAT A CHICK OR A DUDE SINGING!?” It’s like listening to the Blood Brothers for the first time, nostalgia..str8 up.

9. Boy – “Mutual Friends”

I’ve been waiting for a new all-girl band to come around for what seems like an eternity. Finally my prayers were answered when Boy’s debut album “Mutual Friends” was released in the fall of 2011. The female duo is made up of Valeska Steiner from Switzerland, who sings lead vocals, and Sonja Glass from Germany. These gals are some of the most talented female musicians I’ve heard in a long time. Boy being compared to Feist has already been beaten to death, but really, I’m struggling to find anyone else they remind me of. Their poppy top-tapping melodies remind me of when Feist used to make me spend entire afternoons swinging on my parents’ hammock while listening to tracks like “Mushaboom”. These girls are young, fresh, and their debut album came out at the perfect time, autumn. (Let us just hope they don’t end up in an iPod commercial anytime soon.)

8. Blood Orange – “Coastal Grooves”

Could Dev Hynes (Blood Orange) be any more of a fucking badass? This dude is only 25 years old and he’s already more successful than most artists in their 30s. The best part is, 85% of the time he acts like he’s just bullshitting around. I’m proud of this dude. This album is like funk and soul meets 80s surf pop, and it’s pure gold.

7. Various Artists – “The Rave on Buddy Holly”

Yeah, I know. A compilation album on a top ten list is pretty weak, but A:42 put it best when he said there wasn’t a whole lot to be excited about music wise this year (even though I’m pretty sure I’d fit in the category of people who were overly hyped over boring music this year). So no, writing this year’s list wasn’t exactly a walk in the park. Regardless, Buddy Holly is one of my favorite musicians of all time. To see some of my favorite artists of this generation (She & Him, The Black Keys, Florence + The Machine) cover my favorite songs by the late Buddy Holly was awesome. Definitely could have gone without Kid Rock’s contribution, but we all know how he likes to ruin classic songs. (I’m not defending “Sweet Home Alabama”, by the way. In fact, I fucking hate that song).

6. Okkervil River – “I Am Very Far”

I’ve been an Okkervil River fan from the first time I heard the lyrics “And if I could believe what I want to believe, I’d hold you all close and take you with me, All of you to Kansas City, You to Kansas City and me, yeah where the sky is so blue.” It was so beautiful and well written, and because I was currently in my whole I LOVE POST-ROCK phase, where really all I did was listen to Godspeed You! Black Emperor and Explosions in the Sky, I decided to move on and get my hands on everything Okkervil River had ever done. Something I’ve always loved about this band is that they’ve stayed consistent with lyrics that hit home, make you think, and are delivered with incredible vocal sadness from Will Sheff. Their sixth album, I Am Very Far, is no exception to what I love and will always love about Okkervil River.

5. Foo Fighters -“Wasted Light”

Do I think this is the Foo Fighters’ best work ever? No. However, it’s the Foo Fighters. They can do no wrong. This year I got to see them live for the first time, so of course this album means more to me since they performed a good chunk of it during the show. Not to mention the whole Westboro Baptist Church incident that happened hours before the concert makes me love it even more.

4. The Black Keys – “El Camino”

This album is G-R-O-O-V-I-N’. The Black Keys seem to be becoming more influenced by punk nowadays, and I hope it stays that way. Now, I understand that some people don’t give two shits about downer blue tracks like I do, but if the funky songs on this album don’t make you want to get up and dance, there’s no help for you.

3. Wilco – “The Whole Love”

SURPRISE! I’m sure everyone who read my Wilco preview saw this one coming. This was probably the only album I was excited about this year. There’s always hype over who’s putting out a new album, but like most people, I could really care less unless it’s one of my favorite bands. The Whole Love opens with “Art of Almost”. It’s a seven minute long track, so for seven minutes straight my eyebrows where crinkled. Not because I didn’t like it, but almost as if I was confused. After Wilco’s last two albums Sky Blue Sky and Wilco (The Album), which are both full of tracks that almost make me feel like I’ll soon be on the verge of fighting back tears, The Whole Love was really different. I was borderline pissed and almost turned this record off after track 2 and thought “FINE, I guess Wilco sucks now, whatever.” Luckily track 3, “Sunloathe”, was the Wilco I fell in love with again. From there on, it’s ups and downs between the Wilco I know and this…other Wilco. Since I got some new sad Wilco songs to listen to when I am already depressed, I gave The Whole Love another chance and the album another listen. I would have anyway, but I’m glad I didn’t waste any time. Wilco has always had songs that make me happy, but this is definitely a change, and I APPROVE!

2. Florence + The Machine “Ceremonials”

This is one of the most inspirational, chilling, goosebump-giving album I have ever heard. Florence has one of the most powerful and distinctive female voices to date. While I’ve heard people on the complete opposite side of the spectrum, and believing Florence is way too loud and essentially obnoxious, I strongly disagree. I thought “Ceremonials” was brilliant and I’m sure my neighbors are pretty sick of hearing it every morning. I just sound so good singing it in shower, though.

1. Bon Iver – “Bon Iver”

This album literally brings me to tears. I love Bon Iver and I love this album. This is my number one of 2011, no question about it.