DOWNLOAD: Indigo Children: Tales From The Other Side – Kung Foo Grip
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New shit from Kung Foo Grip. The six-track EP, Indigo Children Tales From The Other Side, was produced entirely by Giorgio Momurda. It’s available now at KFG’s Bandcamp page for whatever you’ve got in your pocket.
UPDATE (3:51 pm): Here’s what I wrote (or will write) in my weekly column over at SSG Music tomorrow:
Kung Foo Grip is comprised of MCs Greg Cypher and F is H (or, FisH — see what he did there?). Hailing from the pristine land of suburbia known as Kirkland (that’s on the east side of Lake Washington, across the pond from Seattle for those that don’t know), this duo is on the come-up quick in the Pacific Northwest rap scene. On their latest release, Indigo Children Tales From The Otha Side (get it here), they invite producer Giorgio Momurda into their circle who quickly uses the EP’s six tracks to push the crew’s sound into the swirl of ambiguity that is hip-hop’s current fashion.
The video for “FVCKV9TA5″ above is a good example. Over Momurda’s controlled chaos of muted harmony, screwed vocals and video game explosions, KFG show off the lyrical dexterity first honed in many a Seattle cypher while bringing a dose of much needed energy and (ahem) color to their town’s otherwise dozy, monochromatic cul-de-sacs. “Esrever Ni” (or, “In Reverse”) meanwhile slides in somewhere between cloud-rap and dubstep. With a glut of rap currently coming out of the Puget Sound, Kung Foo Grip is on the shortlist of groups worth paying close attention to.
DOWNLOAD: “Kareem Campbell” – La (prod. by Olee)
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“Kareem Campbell” is the first drop from La’s new EP, Ocean Howell, which you can find floating around the internets tomorrow (2.21.12). It’s produced entirely by Olee and is based loosely around skateboarding as the MC reveals in this Seattle Weekly article. “KC” finds La talking his glorious trademark shit over an easy saxophone-laced groove.
DOWNLOAD: “Without You” – Akrish (prod. by MTK)
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Bellevue’s Akrish goes from break-ups to, well, break-ups on “Without You,” the first drop from his upcoming Progress Over Perfection. MTK on the beat.
DOWNLOAD: Live From The Sin – Logics
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South Puget Sound by way of Las Vegas, MC Logics just dropped his “homecoming mixtape” over at Northwest State Of Mind. Get with that here. Check out the rapper’s recent interview with Go Juice Radio below.
VIDEO: “Phantom Of The Opera” – Nacho Picasso & Blue Sky Black Death
Deserts, death and drugs. Happy Friday, everyone! Get Nacho and BSBD’s latest here:
DOWNLOAD: The Humble Villain – Avatar Young Blaze
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Fresh from the fire: Avatar Young Blaze’s latest, The Humble Villain. Get murked for free, here. 206UP.COM album review coming soon.
DOWNLOAD: “Imagination” – Parker & Lace Cadence (prod. by 10.4 Rog)
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Parker and Lace Cadence dropped the title track to their upcoming Imagination EP. Watch for that in about a week from Members Only.
DOWNLOAD: The Story of Love x Hate – The Good Sin
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The Good Sin released his follow-up to 2011′s excellent Late today. The Story of Love x Hate is available to download at your own price now. 206UP.COM hasn’t heard it yet but will soon and rest assured a highly controversial opinion will be proffered forth. So all you rappers and producers prepare your Twitter fingers for battle; we love ambiguous Tweets over here. Wink.
REVIEW: Maven – Thaddeus David
Thaddeus David
Maven
Members Only; 2012
Score: RECOMMENDED
Of the three MCs in local crew State Of The Artist, it’s likely Thaddeus David (or Young TH as he’s known in assembly) is the only one capable of holding down an entire album’s worth of solo material. Parker is an adequate rhymer but his true gifts lay behind the boards and Hyphen8d’s butter soft register just isn’t commanding enough to stand alone despite a charming wit that supersedes both of his teammates. One of the best things about the SOTA boys is how well they share the mic, with each MC getting a turn to shine on virtually every track they do together. Thaddeus is clearly their #3 hitter: the most well-rounded, the most consistent and the most interesting. Maven is his recent outing for dolo, a 16-track LP that’s definitely nice on the ears, but suffers from a partial lack of focus that hinders the MC’s hunt for a more distinct individual rep.
It’s hard to criticize Maven when all of the separate elements of a high quality album are present. Start with Thad’s flow which is natural and well-practiced. He sounds great positing on subjects like street politics (“Block Business”), succeeding in the rap game (“By Any Means”), and old fashioned shit talk (“Aww Sheit”). Part of his appeal lies in his raspy vocal aesthetic, a natural gift that allows him to swagger without trying. You can’t teach or learn that quality — it just is. The other remarkable thing about Maven is the beat choice: every single one succeeds. Provided by local suppliers (Jester, Kuddie Fresh, DJ Semaj) and anonymous internet beat mavens, there isn’t a weak gazelle in the bunch and the diverse sonics range from the dreamy wobble of “Never Never” to the jazzy shake of “Crown Royal.”
But while Thad’s beat selection is beyond reproach, his strategy for hopping on them is suspect. At least half of the collection would only qualify as interludes. Many of them are devoid of hooks that just start to build momentum before trailing off, like “Skyscrapers” which generates a nostalgic, grainy lo-def 70’s movie feel but then quickly rides out. As it goes with most hip-hop records these days, somewhere among the overflow of half-thoughts is a superior and more focused EP dying to get out. It’s a lesson Thaddeus should have learned from the title of Maven’s opening cut, “Less is More.”
In 206UP.COM’s recent interview feature, “THE SIX”, Thad informs us that another solo project is likely on the way, this time a for-profit venture with all original production. Here’s hoping “distillation” is on the MC’s to-do list for that go ‘round. Dude’s Town rep is very strong based on past musical collaborations — SOTA and Helluvastate (with Cloud Nice honcho Tay Sean) — and he’s shown it can only get stronger. The approach just needs a little calibration.
DOWNLOAD: “So Far” – Grynch (feat. Brother Ali & Shaprece, prod. by Jake One)
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Grynch is gearing up for the release of his new LP, Perspective, due March 2 of this here year. “So Far” is a monster look with monster features and a monster producer behind the console. Get it here via 2dopeboyz.
“So Far” – Grynch (feat. Brother Ali & Shaprece, prod. by Jake One)
DOWNLOAD: “Swag Treated Treated Swag (VCC Remix)” – Don’t Talk To The Cops!
Photo from The Simpsons
The recent DtttC single, “Swag Treated Treated Swag,” gets (ahem) treated with a remix courtesy of Viper Creek Club. DttC drops their new record, Let’s Quit, February 14 on Out For Stardom. Viper Creek Club has a new guitarist and a new EP called Hot Lights coming February 16. And Moe’s not telling the authorities about either.
VIDEO: “I Think I Love You” – State Of The Artist (feat. Janae Jones)
From SOTA’s Altered State, available here.
DOWNLOAD: The Message EP – Fatal Lucciauno (prod. by JakeOne)
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February 21 will mark the arrival of Respect, Fatal Lucciauno’s long-awaited follow-up to The Only Forgotten Son. Catch him live at Chop Suey on February 17 for the release party.
To tide you over, his label Sportn’ Life just dropped off this freebie: an 11-track EP called The Message, featuring production entirely by JakeOne. How often is it you get something totally free from the most in-demand Seattle producer in hip-hop? The answer is rarely. Get it above and below.
DOWNLOAD: “Live It Right” – SuperFire (feat. Lizzie Huffman)
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Check out this easy groove from SuperFire (Elan Wright and Phil Harmonic) featuring Lizzie Huffman. Sunroof music.
VIDEO & DOWNLOAD: “Blue Paper” – Parker & Lace Cadence
Parker (of State Of The Artist) and Lace Cadence (of, well, some things that I wasn’t a huge fan of) have collaborated on an EP called Imagination (due on February 14 from Members Only). It’s a collection of club-ready beats and rhymes (or sing-rhymes in LC’s case) that I imagine will sound something like “Blue Paper,” the album’s first single. Jon Augustavo kept it simple with the video. The helpful and friendly folks at MO provided the download — shout-out to them, as always.
Click here to download “Blue Paper” by Parker & Lace Cadence.
VIDEO & DOWNLOAD: “Make A Way” -Th3rdz
This just in from Th3rdz:
Th3rdz back with a bangin homage to mashin. Mashin is perseverance and diligence. Th3rdz sound and style over this stompin Kuddie Fresh beat is outlined with flow, lyrics, hook and soul. Candidt, Xperience and JFK spit it and pulled off a unique heater over a double break groove.
DOWNLOAD: “QueenS” – THEESatisfaction
Photo via Sub Pop artist page.
There is all sorts of AWEsome (sorry, had to) surrounding “QueenS,” the recent drop from Sub Pop artists THEESatisfaction. First of all, there’s the free download of the mp3 which I just caught at this location. Second, there’s the upcoming “short film” which will be directed by Dream Hampton (!!!). And thirdly, there’s the related open casting call for “Black women, aged 21-30″ in the New York City area, details of which lie here. awE naturalE is due March 27.
DOWNLOAD: Video Games and Blunts Vol. 1 – Keyboard Kid
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Local producer Keyboard Kid is making a name for himself in the based/cloud-rap underground, contributing key tracks to artists like Lil B and Mondre MAN (of Main Attrakionz). This in addition to recent compositions for local collective Lake House Ent (see: Young Dollas’ “Navy Based” video, below.)
The Kid’s Video Games and Blunts Vol. 1 is old by rap standards (it came out in May of last year), but this overworked blogger is just getting to it now. True to its name, the album is flush with 8-bit synth and hypnotic glitch hop. At a walloping 34-tracks long (most of which extend for an entire song’s length), enduring this thing is a bit of a listening marathon, but if you’re late to the producer’s game like I am it’s a good way to get filled in.
The LP is available for free download, here. And his subsequent drop, The Mind Is So Complex When Your #Based, is available for purchase, here.
VIDEO: “Neon Nights” – Brothers From Another (dir. by Zac McConnell)
BFA is kind enough to keep 206UP.COM in the loop with their drops (video and otherwise) — so mad thanks to them! But the crew invariably forgets to include email attachments or links to the subject matter at hand which is always funny (not to mention endearing) to me.
The track “Neon Nights” and its accompanying video accurately finds the homies just trying to find their way home after a (presumably) raucous night out. Anyone who went to college can relate. Hell, I can relate every time I mistakenly get on the subway at 3:00 am heading in the wrong direction. Carefree intoxicated blundering is not strictly reserved for the very young.
Check out Brothers From Another’s excellent 2011 LP, Quality of Living, below:
DOWNLOAD: Maven – Thaddeus David
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Thaddeus David (of State Of The Artist and Helluvastate) released his free Maven mixtape today via his label, Members Only. This marks the solo debut of the area rapper, a compilation of songs and verses from the last two years. I’ve spun through it twice now and it’s an entertaining listen, not as fully realized as I was hoping, but still a nice collection from one of the best young voices in Town. More to come on Maven including a full review.
DOWNLOAD: “Thruourmusic” – Scribes (prod. by BeanOne)
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Scribes and BeanOne on a new one, “Thruourmusic.” Toast to the MC’s birthday live at Neumos on February 3.
Click here to download “Thruourmusic” by Scribes (produced by BeanOne).
DOWNLOAD & VIDEO: “Swag Treated Treated Swag” – DON’T TALK TO THE COPS!
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Freshly signed to local label Out For Stardom, DON’T TALK TO THE COPS! are marking the occasion with this drop and video, “Swag Treated Treated Swag,” off their upcoming Let’s Quit (2.14.12).
DOWNLOAD: Dollas & Some Change – Lake House Entertainment
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Northwest good life is lounging at a house on Lake Washington, skating and making hip-hop music. The Lake House Entertainment team knows what it is. Their Dollas & Some Change compilation album dropped yesterday. Get it, here.
