VIDEO: “Take Me Home” – Heather Gin (dir. by The Note)

I don’t know whether to clown this or obsessively click repeat and stare at it. Heather Gin is the artist, Vitamin D the producer, and The Note the man behind the lens. A lot of talent there. I guess that’s it.

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DOWNLOAD: “Do My Thing” – Havi Blaze

Click image to D/L.

Havi Blaze has a flow that immediately grabs your attention. He’s a technician with the bars. Lyrically he’s on point. We wonder though what exactly will separate him from the rest of the Town pack. A local rap authority has likened him to Elzhi, an idea we can generally get down with. Still, there’s a promise for something more: that intangible factor that elevates merely good MCs to great status. Maybe that will come with his next album, Self-Portrait.

“Do My Thing” is the third drop from the upcoming record and aims for radio airplay. It bangs in that mode satisfactorily.

“Do My Thing” – Havi Blaze

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VIDEO: “Writer’s Block” – Brother Ali (prod. by JakeOne)

Those drums…Damn. I don’t know if they originally belonged to Jake or not, but Brother Ali lays his words down on ’em and claims them for his own. Check the one minute mark when the sample falls away and all that’s left is the hook and the spare beauty of the rhythm.

(Spotted at Members Only.)

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DOWNLOAD: “Amazing” – Fatal Lucciauno (feat. J. Pinder, prod. by JakeOne)

Click image to D/L the track.

“Amazing” is the first single from Fatal Lucciauno’s next LP, Respect (dropping February 21). J. Pinder performs a guest shot and JakeOne handles the beat. In Seattle rap it doesn’t get much better than this.

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VIDEO: “All For You” – The Good Sin & 10.4 Rog (dir. by Sam Lachow)

The Good Sin has one of the most promising voices in area rap and this track highlights why. That deep baritone hovers over producer 10.4 Rog’s uncluttered atmospherics like a cumulus cloud over shimmering Lake Washington. Check out why this blog called their Late one of the area code’s best albums of 2011.

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NEW MUSIC: Townfolk Instrumental Chronicles – Sabzi

Photo via The Stranger. Click for Sabzi's Bandcamp page.

Well look-y here at what we found hidden behind the tree! It’s a late Christmas gift from DJ/producer Sabzi: All of his instrumentals in six tidy, easy to collect volumes. Below is the first which he titled Ravenna. Click here for the rest.

(Okay, this actually wasn’t late at all. Our favorite dood from Blue Scholars dropped these between Christmas and New Year’s and we’re just getting around to posting them now. Don’t blame us, we were on vacation!)

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DOWNLOAD: Langston Hugh Hefner​.​.​.​Love, Weed & Other Vices – Hi-Life Soundsystem

Click album cover to D/L.

Hi-Life Soundsystem’s Langston Hugh Hefner​.​.​.​Love, Weed & Other Vices was uploaded to the masses yesterday. I haven’t listened yet but wanted to pass along the Bandcamp business. More later.

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DOWNLOAD: “Stage Dive” – Sol (prod. by Nima Skeemz)

Click image to D/L.

While we’re on the subject of upcoming releases, here’s a new one from Sol: “Stage Dive” from his forthcoming LP Yours Truly. The MC’s trio of Dear Friends EPs (which you can grab for free at his website) have kept fans busy for the last two years or so, and now Sol is set to drop the main event on 1.20.12. In the increasing tradition of publicly-subsidized album production, a Kickstarter campaign is ongoing. More from the Press:

Here is “Stage Dive” (prod. Nima Skeemz), the first single off my upcoming album, Yours Truly. Serving as an introduction to those who may not be familiar with me, “Stage Dive” focuses on a return to the fundamental sounds of hip-hop while also showcasing smooth melodies and, of course, me rapping my ass off…. The album comes out on January 20th, 2012 with a release show at Neumos in Seattle, WA. The release of “Stage Dive” marks the halfway point ($3k of the $6k goal) of my current Kickstarter campaign to fund Yours Truly.

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