Thaddeus David renews his commitment to the classic form of hip-hop with this new four piece EP, Parallels, featuring producer SSA. Check the structured boom-bap on this brief but focused gem and the fly b-boy pose on the cover.
Category: Audio
NEW MUSIC: “Christmas at Westlake” – Spekulation
That damn rabble-rouser Spekulation (in conjunction with producer collective Filthy Fingers United) celebrates “Christmas at Westlake.” It ain’t all good, people, remember that. Grab the new FFU compilation tape Language of Peace below.
NEW MUSIC: Tie Dye Brain Cells – All Star Opera
All Star Opera is a quartet of MCs and producers whose hazy focus is trained on the state of their youth and the undetermined path wrought by living through that experience. Their new EP, Tie Dye Brain Cells, is a freewheeling motion of live instrumentation and loose rap chatter which generally pleases the ear. Check out the album below and peep ASO’s video for “Flight School” below that.
NEW MUSIC: Swings – Ryan Caraveo
Ryan Caraveo represents a burgeoning youth movement in Seattle hip-hop that nods to a more pop-oriented sound. The rapper’s new album, Swings, doesn’t set our hair on fire, but then 206UP’s sensibly aged staff are probably not the target demographic here.
Still, points for trying as Ryan is definitely a talented songwriter and the production on Swings aims for arena-sized sound and succeeds on that front in many places. Lyrically, however, the LP just skims the surface; there’s an undercurrent of an interesting narrative alluded to on tracks “Forever Be Alive” and “Legend” but otherwise it’s mostly Drake-lite, self-confessionals and color-by-numbers inspiration rap. Ryan Caraveo swings and hits a ground rule double.
Grab the album on iTunes here, and check out videos for “Godmode” and “Betty,” below.
NEW MUSIC: “Out Here Gettin’ Money” – Raz Simone
Episode 5 of Raz Simone’s slooooow build-up to the January release of his Cognitive Dissonance: Part 2 is called “Out Here Gettin’ Money,” and it’s about much more than just, well, being out there gettin’ money. Stay for the spoken word part at the end for the between-the-lines.
NEW MUSIC: “Annex” – Thaddeus David (prod. by SSA)
Thaddeus David stays crazy prolific, prepping the December 22 release of his EP Parallels with producer SSA. “Annex” is the first leak from that record and it diverges from his trap modus operandi of late with an understated beat and dusty sample.
NEW MUSIC: Winter Breaks – Bop Alloy
Seattle producer Marcus D and Maryland rapper Substantial are Bop Alloy. Winter Breaks is the EP follow-up to their Kickstarter funded Another Day in the Life of… which dropped back in February. Marcus keeps a relatively low profile around the Town but his beats are accomplished pieces of boom-bap often with live instrumentation and a clear sense of composition. Winter Breaks is an inclusive celebration of (all) the Holidays.
NEW MUSIC: “What It Is” – Kublakai (feat. Symmetry & Marcus Wheat)
Working creative and grad student Kublakai dropped the latest single from his Wheels Up EP (the deluxe package edition of which is available now with the digital version due February 2, 2014). “What It Is” is an artist’s statement of sorts featuring the vocals of Symmetry and the trumpet of Marcus Wheat. It all comes together like alchemy.
NEW MUSIC: “U Crazy” – The Flavr Blue (feat. Marc E. Bassy)
Lose yourself to dance over this celebration of the more unhinged among us. “U Crazy” is a new one-off from Seattle electro-pop trio The Flavr Blue. Vocalist Marc E. Bassy hops on the ride, too.
NEW MUSIC: “Try You” – Malice Sweet (prod. by Jake One)
Malice Sweet — normally heard singing alongside real-life partner Mario Sweet as contributing vocalists to The Physics — goes for dolo here for the first time over a smooth Jake One track.
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