Singer, songwriter and guitarist Jasper T mashes genres with “Broken Singer’s Blues 2.0”, the first single in a lead-up to the remixed version of his debut album, The Sweet Dark Pt. 1. Here he enlists hip hop producer Trox and reunites with Tacoma’s John Crown for a new take on his original track. Jasper and Crown previously collaborated on the acoustic “Julie” which you can find back here.
R&B/electro outfit Hightek Lowlives dropped this gem this morning. “Humanoid Void” seeks to bridge the gap between the organic and the digital. If it sings in ones and zeroes, does it make a sound? Gabriel Teodros lends the cellular weight via deft guest bars.
RA Scion’s new album, Lumberjack Beard, is set to drop October 31. Jokes. The record is actually called The Sickle and The Sword and it’s produced entirely by New Yorker Rodney Hazard. Different sounds, different motions, TS&TS promises a more ethereal, ambient vibe. Check the video for the first single, “Constant”, filmed on beautiful Orcas Island and directed by Casey Sjogren.
Xperience drops a new clip from his upcoming The Revelations EP. “New Religion” was produced by MTK and the video was shot in Brooklyn and Seattle.
Town producer, engineer and label honcho D-Sane turned Mack and RL’s “Can’t Hold Us” into an industrial strength sharknado. Buy it on iTunes here.
Chimurenga Renaissance is Tendai Maraire’s “other” project. This is the one you already know him for. “It’s Time 4u2go” was filmed in the rapper/musician’s native Zimbabwe. Mother Earth politics and the bitter imperialist’s sword are on his mind. (H/T to PIMB.)
Nissim released his new self-titled album last week. Click here to purchase it on iTunes. “Revered” is the latest drop, a forward-moving and thinking spiritual track with live instrumentation by Adam Savel (bass) and Ori Hynan (djembe).
Former TRACKMEET competitor Mike Champoux dropped a new single, “The Outside,” from his forthcoming The Come Up Vol. 1. Promising young Seattle rapper or Macklemore wave-rider? You decide. Grab Mike’s previous album, LIFE, here.
Nissim bridges the delicate gap between the Jewish and African American experiences. When the common ground is a history of enslavement and genocide, words generally aren’t enough to impart the inherited burden carried by generations. “Sores” comes about as close as you can. The vital chorus is provided by Rabbi Simon Benzaquen.
There’s a full album review coming soon, written by yours truly, and hopefully to appear on some national music outlet foolish enough to give me space for a few hundred ill-conceived words. It will probably say something about how Grayskul makes better hip hop music than Macklemore and is an overall more accurate representation of the “Seattle rap ethos.” Or some similar malarkey.
Yeah, it’ll definitely have the word “malarkey.”
In the meantime, the fuck are you waiting for? Act like you’ve been here before and go get Zenith via Fake Four Inc. (Oh, and I meant it: Grayskul is better than Macklemore.)
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