New Music

Daniel Morones – “He’s In The News Again”

July 21, 2016

Bringing to mind other morose indie icons Elliott Smith and Murder By Death, Daniel Morones‘ “He’s In The News Again” is a smart commentary on the epidemic of senseless shootings in America. Featuring a stand up bass, a string section, and a strummed mandolin, the song has strong folk vibes that sounds huge and layered underneath Morones’ pleasantly hushed vocals. Fun fact – the non-acoustic version of the song features the talents of Dave Keuning (of The Killers fame). Morones is offering his album for a “pay what you want” rate over on Bandcamp. [soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/265292772″ params=”color=ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false” width=”100%” height=”166″ iframe=”true” /]

Tonight: Black Lips

July 16, 2016

Good Bad, Not Evil. It’s the title of one of the Black Lips most popular albums and a pretty good descriptor of the band as a whole. Crass, juvenile, mischievous; they’re the kids in high school that failed every class, weren’t allowed to attend prom, spent the majority of the year planning a senior prank, then got kicked out of school for smoking cigs in the girls bathroom. And along the way decided to become one of the coolest and most interesting bands in rock’n’roll. Their sound; an amalgamation of 60’s garage, punk, classic rock’n’roll and psych-voodoo, has always lent heavily on the retro-vibe, while somehow remaining extremely fresh and current. They are known just as much for their whacked out videos, their blistering live sets and their willingness to play anywhere at anytime (sometimes resulting in 5-7 shows a day, as was the case at SXSW a few years[...]

Nymrod – “Hell Yeah”

July 15, 2016

With his menacing flow and Max B ties, Nymrod takes us back to the sounds of the early 2000s New York rap scene on “Hell Yeah.” Nymrod is a talented rapper born and bred by the grit of New York. Elements of Jay Z, Dipset and G-Unit come through on this track, gleaming with authenticity. A fresh throwback in every sense, “Hell Yeah’s” production even sounds like some Neptunes production from that era. Lyrically Nymrod keeps it contemporary with references to Birdman’s recent escapades, while also keeping that older-school NYC edge. Give it a listen below.

Joni Payne – “All That New Free Time”

July 11, 2016

LA chillwave artist Joni Payne surprised us with her unique, choral take on a DJ Quik song. Why DJ Quik? “All That New Free Time” capitalizes on a particularly nostalgic memory for Payne involving a DJ Quik song and a yellow car. Payne starts the song off like an a capella song before casually and seamlessly morphing it into a smooth r&b jam. Fans of smooth and sensual r&b (or even Straylight Run circa 2005) would appreciate Joni’s ethereal delivery. Stop by Joni’s Soundcloud page and check out what she has to offer. [soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/271685147″ params=”color=ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false” width=”100%” height=”166″ iframe=”true” /]

Vansire – “Postal Codes”

July 8, 2016

Two young college-aged Minnesotans are the masterminds behind lo-fi, dream pop act Vansire. “Postal Codes” is the duo’s fledgling foray into the beach pop genre and we think their change of pace is a good move. “Postal Codes” keeps their surfy riffs tight while letting echo and reverb take care of creating ambiance. Fans of Beach Fossils or DIIV would dig Vansire’s swimmy sounds. The duo is offering “Postal Codes” for free over at their Bandcamp page. [soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/270264204″ params=”color=ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false” width=”100%” height=”166″ iframe=”true” /]

I.O.D. – “Round Here”

July 1, 2016

Brownsville is a tough part of New York, but that doesn’t stop B’ville native I.O.D. from being inspiring when he talks about the truths of his home. On “Round Here” I.O.D. describes in vivid details the scenes his crew has seen, giving insight into their methodologies and exactly why the “fire forming in their bellies” to succeed. In addition to providing commentary, I.O.D. proves his he can rap his ass off. Riding the midnight-saxophone beat with incredible flow and cadence, I.O.D. is everywhere from melodic to bulleted on this track. Press play below.

nIgel, NePh & Xany – “Morphine”

July 1, 2016

Chicago is currently a hotbed for up-and-coming rappers. The drill scene and the Save Money movement are well-covered in the blogosphere, but talent lurks elsewhere too. In a collaboration with producer Xany, we find two such emcees in nIgel and NePh. With natural chemistry, the two rappers utilize clever wordplay to float between talking on “morphine” and “more fiends.” Their raps are drugs, and their listeners are fiends for more. On the production side of things, Zany comes through with a lovely, hazy landscape to flow over. It’s higher energy than the Xanax and morphine tags would suggest, but the general smokiness of it all results in a great substance track from all angles.

LIF – “You Don’t Know Love”

June 30, 2016

We first wrote about LIF, AKA Felipe Cea, a few months ago when we first heard his distinct brand of indie-pop and funk. If “It Ain’t Over” was his pre-summer jam, “You Don’t Know Love” is truly his mid-summer banger. Robotic techno swirls and a deep groove bolster LIF’s poppy delivery – fans of CHVRCHES or hits like “Pumped Up Kicks” would dig the catchy electronica-funk of “You Don’t Know Love.” LIF’s music is out now via Lyfeik Records. “You Don’t Know Love” is below for your listening pleasure. [soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/269880186″ params=”auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&visual=true” width=”100%” height=”450″ iframe=”true” /]

200 Kids Outside Drop Off Neetchy’s The Old Me

June 30, 2016

200 Kids Outside is one of the most interesting rap acts in Buffalo. The duo usually features Neetchy on the mic with Minel covering production, though on this tape much of the production is handled by Neetchy. Neetch is a melodic rapper, at times straight singing, with lyrics that ride from tongue-in-cheek to romantic, stopping in many places in between. The group last hit us in the winter with Y’all Need a Drink, and kicked off the summer with Neetchy’s mixtape The Old Me. The Old Me is in primarily Neetchy’s work, though Minel does production and mixing on a handful of tracks. It kicks off with “Did You Wrong,” a pretty awesome Minel production. The wonky accordion beat is perfectly offset by the smoothness of Neetchy’s vocals. His subject matter on a lot of tracks is heavily influenced by love, as is the case here. The iconic “It’s Neetchy” ad-lib is nice to[...]

John War – “The Difference”

June 29, 2016

“The Difference” sounds glitched out and blissful, kind of like a new relationship. Unsurprisingly, that’s exactly what John War wrote this particular song about – the disconnect between expectation and reality when meeting a new person, especially in the case of a budding romance. A summer song at heart, “The Difference” is also icy and hypnotic, bringing to mind the stuttering electronica of The Postal Service mixed with the spaced out indie rock of Tame Impala. It’s cool to take things nonchalantly, but that comes at a price. John War is pointing out how difficult it can be to get close to someone in 2016. Give “The Difference” a listen via the Soundcloud widget below. [soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/269178660″ params=”color=ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false” width=”100%” height=”166″ iframe=”true” /]

Bill $aber’s Creative Trap Sound Shines on Newest Project

June 22, 2016

Erie County rapper Bill $aber kicks off his latest project with a chorus of “If I fuck your bitch, my n***a do not get to stressing.” Its bold, nonchalant nature relays the confidence of the man behind the mic. On I.P.I.C $aber is a junkyard dog, dropping intense, aggressive floetry in a calculated manner. Opening track “Kum and Go” sets the standard, but the blueprint for $aber’s sound seems to happen on “You Talk it I Live it.” Atdenn’s sparse production leaves clean space for head nods and for $aber to preach his gospel of weird raunchiness, evidenced on lines like”If I don’t fuck she gonna pout.” Atdenn and Boyfriend make appearances on several cuts on here too and work right in with the aesthetic. The $aber crew are a raunchy, odd outfit perfectly comfortable saying exactly what they want. Playful keys are building blocks for a ton of these beats (“Homicide $aber[...]

Bad Wave – “Extraordinary”

June 20, 2016

Miami/LA hybrid duo Bad Wave recently dropped “Extraordinary,” an exhilarating Phoenix-esque banger. Despite living in the same building, the dudes in Bad Wave create music via email, just like synth legends The Postal Service. The duo claims the song is about empathizing with the darkest parts of humanity. We can’t help but wonder exactly what they mean by that, but our guess is it’ll probably be impossible to think bad thoughts while you listen to this upbeat, borderline frenetic track. Give “Extraordinary” a listen below or via Spotify. [soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/264970746″ params=”color=ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false” width=”100%” height=”166″ iframe=”true” /]

The Well Rested – “Neeas”

June 7, 2016

The Well Rested are a group of British rockers whose music is in the vein of The Growlers, Connan Mockasin, or Allah-las. Their campy new video for “Neeas” had us chuckling and grooving at the same time, mixing randomized imagery with floating, dismembered body parts… Let’s just say it’s something you should see for yourself. Check out the video for “Neeas” below, and don’t forget to swing by The Well Rested’s Bandcamp page to pick up their EP.

Kato Dox – “Gone”

May 27, 2016

Austin, Texas’ Kato Dox’ ambitious mindset is the thesis for his new single “Gone.”Dox analyzes his come-up’s causation and effects over some hard-hitting production.  He likens his sacrifices and desperation to his conviction in lines like “When God is asleep then the Devil listen, might sell my soul before i turn up missing.”  Kato is relentless behind the mic. His chanting chorus serves as a break from the rapid flows he serves up with each verse. The song takes the fun, care-free elements we often see in rap and couples them with some speculative and reflective commentary. These themes are mirrored in the production, which fuses the trap sound popular in today’s music with some jazzy trumpets. It’s like a conversation at a party that ends up getting deeper than you planned, but it’s great and you roll with it. Give it a listen below.

Tonight: Reverend Horton Heat

April 29, 2016

In the year 2016, no band quite embodies the spirits of the ’50’s like Reverend Horton Heat.  With an obsession for Buddy Holly meets Chuck Berry style rock’n’roll, stand up bass slides, flame colored everything, and rollicking rockabilly licks the Rev have steadily built up a loyal fanbase, as crazy about hot rods, bikes and those “good ol'” years, as you’re gonna find. Tonight, along with Nashville Pussy, another  hard-edged, slighty more worshipping of AC/DC hard rock band, Unknown Hinson and Lucky Tubb the band will play the Tralf, in what has seemingly become a tradition.  There are still tickets left at $28 but get there early (7pm). Chances are this one’ll sell out.