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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The success of Chicago's once blossoming Juke scene has been left up to debate in recent years. Of course, Chance The Rapper escaped the confines of the city he touted endlessly. To some extent, Vic Mensa did too. But neither, arguably, did so organically, the former using social media and prime feature spots to ascend, whereas the latter chased every passing trend towards relevance (releasing the Trap-centric 'Dim Sum' just last week). Apart from Noname, Jamila Woods, and The Social Experiment, who've released music at an disappointingly slow pace, the only prominent member left is Saba. And if 'Life's' any indication, there may still be some life in Juke yet. Through two intensely personal verses, Saba reflects on his upbringing and place in society as a black man. This, over crossover production that's at one moment solely Jazz Rap, the next precarious Wonky that resembles Nosaj Thing's work. As the verses build, so does Saba's trepidations, resulting in two scintillating verses that treat Hip-Hop as a passage to convey fleeting emotion, something akin to J.Cole, Killer Mike, or Kendrick Lamar. 'Life's' a filthy track that sets Care For Me's bar high.
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After listening to and reviewing the pleasant, but ultimately prosaic Semicircle, there seemed to be little reason to return to The Go! Team's latest world of color. Besides, their initial creation, Thunder, Lightning, Strike, towers over their discography whilst providing an environment of endless fun. However, The Go! Team saw fit to include an epilogue of sorts to Semicircle, one entitled 'The Only Thing New Is Finding Out About U,' a title nine words longer than anything sung in the song itself. The Go! Team's instrumental pieces, while usually subjected to one or two-minute interludes, are some of their most chipper and creative efforts. That much was prevalent with Semicircle's 'Tangerine / Satsuma / Clementine' and 'Chico's Radical Decade.' It's even more so here, as 'The Only Thing' competes with 'The Answer's No' and 'Getting Back Up' for title of Semicircle's best song. From the get-go, the group's marching band aesthetic takes up residence in the sunny streets and vibrant beaches of Hawaii, with a tropical sound that they've teased but never fully entertained. The percussion pounces addictively, parlayed with bouts of flutes and unified choir singing. When all these pieces come together in the second half, pleasantries and peace, The Go! Team's motto from day one, is at an all-time high.
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Considering the events that unfolded in Texas this past week, Czarface and MF DOOM might not have picked the best week to release 'Bomb Thrown.' Nonetheless, I'm glad they did, considering Czarface Meets Metalface's second single is an across-the-board improvement over their first; 'Nautical Depth.' And yes, that is with or without the music video, which certainly adds to the allure thanks to some magnificent stop-motion filming that pits the two villains against trivial cartoon creatures. As for 'Bomb Thrown' itself, all three verses pull their weight, with Esoteric battling for supremacy against DOOM, dropping memorable lines such as: "Let the mind take you where the cameras can't, it's very necessary like a Q-Tip Grammy rant." Notice Esoteric's multisyllabic rapping, a staple of DOOM, and something the masked villain himself utilizes: "Catch him on stage, mad hype, with a trashed mic / months later, in the gutter, glass pipe and a flashlight." Each emcee's energy is only as good as the production vibrating underneath them, and that's where we find another success. 7L pulls out all the classic East Coast Boom Bap stops, including a looped vocal sample, flat street drums, and a sample-heavy, vocal-less hook. DOOM's mannerisms can be found here as well, in the overall cartoonish vibe, although the song's restrained structure doesn't leave DOOM many avenues to flex his creative muscles.
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Over the past week, Snail Mail's Lindsey Jordan has garnered attention with lofty declarations such as: "Wisest Teenage Indie Rocker We Know." Comparisons had been dealt, some that landed certain publications in hot water for comparing her to females that bore no musical resemblance, others that declared her the female Car Seat Headrest. Suffice to say, the hubbub over 'Pristine' needed to be heard. The result? A fairly rudimentary Indie Rock song that offers little in the way of creativity, even less in terms of lyrical distinction. On the surface, 'Pristine' is undoubtedly a pleasurable Rock song. The backbone is sturdy and unbending, as Jordan's nimble guitars evoke 90's nostalgia and Shawn Durham's drums pound with compounded recklessness. While lacking the (surely Canadian) charm of Alvvays and the unassuming bashfulness of Japanese Breakfast, similarities can be drawn to each outfit's recent releases; Antisocialites and Soft Sounds From Another Planet respectively. However, Snail Mail presents a fair share of mundanity to 'Pristine,' one that relies on the lethargic tropes and rituals of Indie Rock, the same pitfalls Waxahatchee and Angel Olsen submit to. Possibility for improvement is evident. Revolutionizing Indie Rock, this is not.
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I dislike it too. Four Tet's undecipherable pseudonym, a truly random collage of senseless computer characters, is as frustrating as it is baffling. While Kieran Hebden doesn't strike me as an attention-seeker, especially with his modest Microhouse being his gift to the world, there's no denying the opinionated responses his latest single received. To use an example, no one on Reddit's /r/indieheads thread about said single talked about the rather lovely Microhouse movement itself, choosing instead to commentate scornfully or facetiously about the title. And as you can see, half of my review has subjected you to the same fate. Truth be told, ' ̸ ̡ ҉ ҉.·...' presents more worth than the talkative title it assumes. Four Tet's wealth of knowledge in the field of IDM is on full display here, starting with unsettled Ambient synths before easing down a hushed drum beat that builds not just in momentum, but pitch as well. As to be expected, layers are added and manipulated, most providing an energetic pedestal for Four Tet's eventual vocal addition to bounce off of. The sample refrains from taking hold of the track, existing to prove that ' ̸ ̡ ҉ ҉.·...' isn't on a loop. While good, Four Tet's latest endeavor only succeeds in reminding me of Nicolas Jaar's latest project; the fantastic 2012-2017, under his A.A.L. alias. For better versions of this, listen to that.
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Flatbush Zombies' second single to Vacation In Hell, 'U&I,' starts with its worst aspect and ends with its best. When Dia emerged as a bland Contemporary R&B crooner, I feared the worst. Especially considering 'U&I's' length exceeding that of five minutes. However, thanks in large part to Erick Arc Elliott, whose been the saving grace of the group ever since they barely made it out of 3001: A Laced Odyssey alive, 'U&I' turned things around to become a redeemable Conscious Hip-Hop cut. His rapping contributions a mute point - Juice's as well - Elliott's detailed production that relies heavily on crisp drums, chipmunk vocal samples, and an evolving palate entertains on repeated listens. So much so that I'd prefer if U&I' was purely instrumental, a pipe dream but one that wouldn't have masked his talents with rapping cliches, something abundant throughout the track. Yes, that includes Meechy Darko's lengthy closing verse, despite the honesty and revealing posturing, and accompanying beat switch, being 'U&I' best performance. Still, after two singles I'm worried that, apart from Elliott's beats, the Flatbush Zombies have little left in the tank. Here, they're retracing old steps without the energy of first impressions to mask their uniformity.
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