Sunday, December 24, 2017

Loosies Of The Week, Dec. 11-24



Welcome to yet another Loosies Of The Week, a wrap-up of this weeks singles, throwaways, leaks, and any other loose tracks I find. A wide range of genres this week, with a well-rounded level of quality. There's sure to be something you enjoy. 
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MGMT - When You Die

The hype train has begun its ascent to Little Dark Age. To think we could be receiving a conceptually strong album from MGMT in 2018 is shocking, to say the least. But with the Synth Goth brilliance of 'Little Dark Age,' something continued here on 'When You Die,' the duo has positioned themselves in an incredibly lucrative place. What 'When You Die' loses in a memorable chorus, something the lead single flourished with, it more than makes up for in verbal content. How Andrew VanWyngarden circles death, like a vulture who basks in the mystery of the afterlife, is beyond gratifying. He doesn't shy away from the morbid, even going so far as to say "go fuck yourself" in plain english to those trying to stop him. Beyond his presence, the psychedelics looming in the deep recesses of the track are handled with delicate care, best seen on the extended instrumental outro. MGMT has somehow managed to bring 80's Gothic Rock to the future with well-mastered electrics, all whilst adhering to the group's own style. Impressive, even if it doesn't hit the highs of 'Little Dark Age.'
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Moby's really been testing his limits lately, and while it may be past his waking hour, witnessing an artist find new creative ground to work with is always satisfying. Even if those ideas aren't that great. For a few albums straight, Moby dragged Downtempo through the mud. In 2016 he switched it up though, releasing two anti-Trump songs, 'Little Failure' and 'Trump Is On Your Side,' which were hilariously direct even if the music lacked substantially. And then this year Moby released More Fast Songs About The Apocalypse with the Void Pacific Choir, a Dance-Punk album of sorts. And now we have 'Like A Motherless Child,' the lead single to what will likely be the Trip-Hop oriented Everything Was Beautiful And Nothing Hurt. Unfortunately, Moby's still struggling to make music that's both relatable and enjoyable. I'm reminded of the numerous artists, like David Bowie or David Byrne, who went through a late-career crisis. The production of 'Like A Motherless Child' is sound enough, especially when the crunchy bass emerges. Raquel's Rodriguez's hook is quite intoxicating as well. The worst part of the track though? Moby. And that's reason enough to worry.
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The Streets - Burn Bridges

Consider me a novice when it comes to The Streets, the pseudonym of UK rapping veteran Michael Skinner. Two songs exist in my library, 'Could Well Be In' and 'Everything Is Borrowed,' and even those have been settled there, gathering dust, for quite some time. There's a decade gap between the last of those songs and 'Burn Bridges,' The Streets' new single, and that much shows. I had grown accustomed to envisioning Skinner as a level-headed soothsayer observing the wrought of society. 'Burn Bridges' is not that, as Skinner raps braggadociously with a cool demeanor over a rudimentary Electronic beat. Six years had past since The Streets released music. Coming back with this is a bit of an eyesore. Literally. I say that because 'Burn Bridges' is at its most irritating when Skinner says "literally" at the end of the hook each and every time. His icy rapping deflects some attention, but the production is so horribly bland that bestowing any hype around it is virtually impossible.
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Apparently King Gizzard has released four singles in the past two weeks. Makes sense, considering they've released four albums in the past year. By that logic, a fifth is most certainly looming. And while I haven't listened to their two other singles, 'Beginner's Luck' and 'All Is Known,' rumor has it the fifth LP will be a collection of B-sides of sorts. Frankly, I'm fine with that. They've already succeeded in my book, even with the forgettable Polygondwanaland. More than anything, these two singles show just how boundless their ideas truly are. 'Greenhouse Heat Death,' with its prominent microtonal tuning and Mackenzie's guttural coos, calls upon the era of Flying Microtonal Banana, while 'The Last Oasis,' through shimmering psychedelics and a street-savvy bounce, reverts back to the summery breeze of Sketches Of Brunswick East. To a tee.

Despite both songs sticking to their respective albums, neither succumb to repetition or redundancy. Each feels inviting, and while 'Greenhouse' doesn't have the lawlessness of Flying's most hellish soundscapes ('Open Water,' 'Rattlesnake'), it does have a certain jam band professionalism that combines their Garage influence with something more elegant. Concerning 'The Last Oasis' though, this one-off actually would've been one of the best songs on Sketches, in my opinion. While I thought that album exceeded handedly in its concept, the music was quite lacking. That's not the case on 'The Last Oasis,' a full-fledged song that even includes an elongated hollow bridge midway through that's really, truly refreshing.
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Brockhampton - Saturation 389

Yes, the Saturation III review is coming. Brockhampton's final surge in 2017 happened at a time when listening to music was virtually impossible for me, on account of a vacation. I've settled in with the final piece of their trilogy and decided to check out 'Saturation 389,' a full-fledged loosie that Kevin Abstract dropped on his blog. Judging off sound alone, it's clear 'Saturation 389' is vault material, dating back to before Saturation I took off. At least I hope so, considering their noteworthy production is entirely absent. Overall, the sound is basic and stripped down, a barebones assortment of percussion that starts nowhere and ends nowhere. There's also a notable yelp from Abstract early on, one that bears resemblance to his biggest influencer Tyler, The Creator. And as far as Matt Champion goes, the only other artist here, he's as average as ever. Abstract's lyrics are salvageable, but if you want a better version of this, just listen to 'STAINS' off Saturation III, where similar topics arise.
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D.R.A.M. - I Have A Dream

It never really dawned on me just how many singles D.R.A.M. has released, to lukewarm response mind you, in the past year until I saw Big Baby D.R.A.M.'s deluxe edition. Eight tracks have been added, six, if my calculations are correct, released as singles. 'I Have A Dream' is one of those. The last to be precise. Out of all the disappointments we've received this past year, as D.R.A.M. moves further and further away from the sound that made him original, 'I Have A Dream' is the most bearable. It returns him to a similar foundation, one that features a playful 'Broccoli' or 'Cute'-esque bounce in the notes. There's no hint of Trap, like the basic 'Gilligan' or the pitiful 'Crumbs,' and that's a relief. Unfortunately, 'I Have A Dream' is a sub two-minute track, which is a shame because D.R.A.M. efforts some minor conscious thought here. It's nothing over the top, but it has quite the vivid imagery with a hopeful message in the process.
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