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Money $ign $heed – “In Your City”

October 13, 2024

Rapping wasn’t Money Sign Sheed’s first profession. The Virginia rapper tells tales from the trap with a matter of fact delivery on his latest single, “In Your City.” Over a hazy, spacey, twinkly beat $heed reflects on his prior professions – reminding us that he does not need rap to make money. $heed’s shared the stage with Buffalo-bred tastemakers Griselda – and you’ll find common ground in their brutal honesty and authentic depictions of their life outside of the booth. Check out $heed’s Spotify page for more of his recent gangsta rap/boom bap releases.

Izzy Spears – “HEY THERE ft. Jack Powers”

October 11, 2024

Izzy Spears performs live from a BDSM Hell chamber in his latest single “HEY THERE.” The LA-by-way-of-Atlanta alternative artist brings a dark, frenetic, red-blooded energy to this highlight track from his latest EP BLOOD, SWEAT, AND DAMNATION. The genre bender chooses a post-punk guitar groove and a demonic delivery to whisper aggressive nothings in an intense growl – straight into your ear and your loins. It’ll have you feeling nervous and horny and curious what else he’s got in the chamber for the rest of this EP. Check it out on Spotify and for more audio damnation:

Irish hip hop group Game Set.

Game Set – “Party’s Over”

September 25, 2024

Two dudes just got into a fight and everything’s weird now – fun’s done, party’s over. Who’s at fault doesn’t even matter, it’s a tale as old as time. But in the hands of Irish newcomers, GAME SET, it’s a compelling hip hop tale equal parts Beastie Boys and Jamiroquai. “Party’s Over’s” baseline teases some Dexys Midnight Runners but quickly transitions into a bumping backbone while production evolves with funky disco guitar tones, DJ scratches and an aggressive lyrical duel over this dumb fight that killed the vibe. But alas – the party doesn’t stop, it just moves. “One monkey don’t stop the show.” GAME SET comes to us by way of Ireland, with their hip hop scene steadily growing a foothold in mainstream circles. Get in early by giving them a follow on Spotify, where you’ll hear a couple more singles that show off their multitude of influences in[...]

Tonight: Telefon Tel Aviv

February 26, 2020

A powerhouse of the 2000s underground electronic movement makes its way into the Nickel City tonight for the first time. Telefon Tel Aviv helped drive the IDM and glitch scene for the first half of the aughts; experimenting with electronic music customs and influencing bedroom producers for years to come. Following the tragic death of Charles Cooper in 2009, Joshua Eustis abandoned the name while working on projects elsewhere, touring with likes of Nine Inch Nails and Puscifier.  Eustis recently returned to the Telefon Tel Aviv name while working on new material, bringing us 2019’s Dreams Are Not Enough. Hauschildt and Icky Reels join Eustis on the stage. The Rec Room show kicks off at 8pm – $25 cover.

Dogs in Stereo Debuts New Video “Traffic Circles”

November 8, 2019

Imagine you need a playlist for a trip through some quicksand deep into the Earth. Buffalo’s lo-fi slacker rock and rollers Dogs in Stereo are ready to accompany you throughout this plodding, inevitable journey, where you say goodbye to the world around you and simply succumb. If there’s beauty in that, “Traffic Circles” will bring it out. Dreary guitars and vocals capture a fed-up, aimless energy. Joe Cardina’s project nails the depressing, grey feeling of hoping that there’s no hope with this track, reminding you to take your Vitamin D this SAD season. Dogs in Stereo goes bleak here, but it’s just one of many sounds they pull out of their bag of tricks. Varying synths and harder punk sounds highlighting other releases. Dogs in Stereo’s Idle EP hits the streets 11/15, and you can catch the release party at Mohawk on 11/14. Check out the visuals, with Shauna Presto’s direction.

SCIENCE MAN Drops New Video for “Brazilian Napkins”

October 17, 2019

Open up your mind (and ears) and let SCIENCE MAN come in. Buffalo’s premier garage punk monstrosity is back with some bizarre visuals complimenting single “Brazilian Napkins.”  Intense, grotesque and single-shot, the performance gives off shades of the Ludovico Technique, if paired with thrashing guitar riffs. Between spastic actions of dental hygiene, SCIENCE MAN (John Toohill) screams of emotional desperation, drawing on recent experiences in Sao Paulo to round out a track that’s heavy from the ceiling to the floor. SCIENCE MAN dropped the vid to kick off a two-week tour through the Rust Belt and beyond with Nervous Tick and The Zipper. They return to Buff to tear down Pallet Town on 10/25. Have a listen:

Tonight: The Burkharts

October 12, 2019

Welcome The Burkharts back to Buffalo as they cap off their eight city tour with a stop at Milkie’s for a Saturday night showcase. The Buffalo boys bring home some supremely sweet and catchy tunes, recently on display in their May debut Lazy Dazing. Grip tightly onto your last memories of the summer and vibe out to their surfy, lollipop guitar riffs and indie rock earworm choruses. Fans of Mac DeMarco are going to be stoked with the songs and if their videography is any indication, it’s going to be a heckin’ fun performance as well. Ex-Pat and Coral Collapse round out a loaded evening at Milkie’s. $6 to get into the doors, opening at 9pm. Wear your finest mustard attire.

Dezert Eez – “Rolex Dreamin ft. Talib Kweli”

December 13, 2016

Michigan staple Dezert Eez link up with hip hop legend Talib Kweli on their single “Rolex Dreamin’.” An awesome posse cut, “Rolex Dreamin'” features four furious verses from Kweli and the Dezert Eez trio of 5-Star, Nivek and O’Nill. Talib kicks things off, likening himself to a bird of prey as he vocalizes his viciousness. From there, Eez takes their turns dancing around a great chorus shouting out good drinks, weed, and a great home in the Great Lakes. These dudes are pure spitters, with verses heavy on wordplay and internal rhyme schemes. Even a smoke session has imagery to it in the hands of Eez, highlighted with the line from the closing verse, “smoking algae in the squad in my unc’s garage, collared greens now it’s Nike’s out the box, breaking bread with the guys at the liquor spot.” It’s a dope posse cut from a dope posse, give it[...]

Nick Weaver – “What You Doin’ These Days?”

December 2, 2016

Seattle’s very own Nick Weaver reminds you to look at yourself on his single “What You Doin’ These Days?” The track is a mirror that anyone can explore, and reaffirm who they are and where they’re at in their life goals. Weaver reflects on his own sacrifices, financial and personal ones he made in order to chase success in the industry. He raps about an empty bank account and his whip status, saying “250,000 on my Civic and I might go and get it new rims.” Wholesome horns lay the framework for Weaver’s lyricism, accompanied by rattling snares and soft woodwind. Weaver goes acapella for a powerful outro, referencing quasi-racism, Colin Kaepernick, the president-elect and more. Give it a listen below.

Manu Crook$ feat. Miracle – “Blowin’ Up”

December 2, 2016

Manu Crook$ and Miracle double-team a silky guitar instrumental, and the result is the subdued hype that is “Blowin’ Up.” Manu’s ruggedness trades with the smooth voice of Miracle, and it’s as natural of a collaboration as there can be. Manu and DOPAMINE collabed on the instrumental, which shines just as bright as the vocal contributions. It’s sparse when needed, but full enough to make the track bang. Sunset and sunrise are encapsulated in the track’s vibes, with a sense of mysticism. Crook$ and Miracle know what their night will feel like, even if they couldn’t tell you what it’ll look like. Press play below.

Sammus – “Song About Sex”

November 30, 2016

Ithaca’s Sammus hits a nerve with her single “Songs About Sex.” The fiery track speaks to sexual experiences (both good and bad) from a women’s perspective. The femcee talks about great sex with shitty people, poignantly expressed in the line “I can’t judge girl, I’ve been there I’ve done that, I’ve cum dumb hard so I run back.” She also details the all-too-real threat of assault, rounding the bases of a track ripe with emotion. The song’s beat flips an elevator music sample and brings it into the 2010s. I could explain this track front and back but Sammus’ words do it more justice on the chorus; “This is a song about sex in which I do not condemn women for the realities in which they are living. We should not be forgetting, we should be forward living, you should be for what we can’t afford to keep on forgetting.”[...]

XL – “Bloom”

November 8, 2016

XL’s work on his latest rap single “Bloom” is a unique mix of poetic lyricism and quintessential rap. He balances the recreational weed lines (“As soon as I went green made sure to cut pollution, now the only smog I see is coming from a Swisher Sweet”) with more substantial stuff (“I ain’t trying see ya doomed I’m just trying to keep ya bloomed from the womb to the tomb.”) “Bloom’s” boom bap production provide a dope landscape for XL to do as he pleases over the beat. XL’s got a well-rounded flow and has the ability to jump on whatever subject he pleases. Give it a listen below.

Sentry Sinvil – “Keep Goin”

November 8, 2016

Sharp with braggadocio, NY’s Sentry Sinvil’s got a sharp tongue and perseverance flowing through his veins. He croons here and there, but Sentry’s rapid rapping is “Keep Goin’s” big draw. With myriad rhyme schemes, he drops punch after punch. Highlights include “Your favorite rapper wearing Sentry Sinvil pajamas,” which closes out a particularly tough verse. “Keep Goin’s” disjointed beat immediately calls to one of Sinvil’s key influencers in DOOM. It’s easy to vibe to, and impressive to actually tune in for. Check it out below, and listen to his latest release Rare Gems here. 

The Siege – “Duplicate”

November 8, 2016

Drumline percussion, lion roars, and junkyard flows make The Siege’s “Duplicate” a perfect hype-up track. The Siege is a SoCal hip hop duo consisting of Taz Conley on the mic and Riley Taylor making things happen behind the scenes. Riley’s production has the aforementioned excitedness, but is also built around a dope country-western guitar plucks. On the mic, Taz is dynamic in what he can touch on. The front half of the track is heavy on punchlines, but the tone changes with a beat flip to close out the song, and Taz gets introspective regarding his relationships (“they say that forgiveness is freedom”). It’s a dope track in all aspects, check it out below.

Manzo – “Venice”

November 5, 2016

Milwaukee’s Manzo has his eyes set west on his second release “Venice.” The track details his emotions during transitional periods and jobs while pursuing his music career. It’s not all glamorous, but there’s a give and take, Manzo describes with “spent my last paycheck on groceries, Dulce, and a muhfuckin’ gold chain.” “Venice” has an excited drum pattern with some strong, sustained horns. It’s a great landscape for Manzo to lay out his path, and he takes off with it. Give it a listen below.