Click image for D/L link
Hot sh-t. Logics drops his best track yet with (more than) a little help from Prometheus Brown and Adrian Sims. Marcus D hooks the beat up — some of that NY grimy soul sh-t. Remarkable considering dude does his dirt in Auburn. (And I don’t mean the University.) This is essential cold air, hunched-down-in-your-bubblegoose music.
Hit Play to hear “Focused.” Hit the image for the free D/L.
The most recent drop in Dyme Def’s Pay Day series. Brainstorm, SEV and Fearce Villain show their versatility, steeping an understated melody and beat in a concoction of deft lyricism. It’s become clear this crew can basically do anything they want, from straight-up party music to hood-conscious philosophy. Dyme Def is making it impossible for bloggers to put them in a box. And that’s a damn good thing.
Portland’s DJ Jacks Green with a brief four-track salute to Northwest hip-hop. Sol, Scribes and Geo provide bars on three of the tracks (previous post: “Kickitwitchu” featuring Sol). It’s FREE, so why wouldn’t you click?
You know what it is. Click. Listen. Vote. Easy.
Congratulations to last week’s TrackMeet winner, A Day And A Wakeup, with their track “Lock It Down, Sew it Up.” The voting process was a tad dubious to say the least. If this were 2000, cats might be suing for fraud. (“Hanging Cookies,” anyone?) Oh well, all’s fair in love and hip-hop, right?
This week’s distinguished candidates:
LANE 1: “Last MC” – Swift Tongues f/Mind Block
Press Play to listen to “Last MC” by Swift Tongues feat. Mind Block. Here’s the D/L.
LANE 2: “What Do You Do?” – Spekulation f/Michele Khazak
Press Play to listen to “What Do You Do?” by Spekulation f/Michele Khazak. Click here to get Spekulation’s free EP, The Depression Era.
LANE 3: “Got It Like That” – 88.206 f/JDiGs
Press Play to hear “Got It Like That” by 88.206 f/JDiGs. Click here to download 88’s Young Hearts: The Lifestyle mixtape.
Click image for D/L link
Party purveyors Hi-Life Soundsystem and State Of The Artist (SOTA) knock you over the head with “Bounce,” a certified club track that requires you to fete. Ladies shake your stuff. Gentlemen return the favor in kind. Simple.
(Hi-Life album coming in February.)
This is a fun one: Viper Creek Club with an off-beat take on “What Happened To That Boy” by Birdman featuring Clipse. The Neptunes’ original production sounded like hip-hop made in a futuristic ice age. VCC’s version is distinctly warmer — like the version played at Earth’s party before hell froze over.
Click Play to listen to “What Happened To That Boy (VCC RMX)” by Clipse f/Birdman. Click here for the D/L link, dummy.
Both the original and the remixed versions of “I Need You” are masterful. JusMoni‘s spoken-word is heartfelt, soulful and intimate on the original recording. VCC’s version takes the vocals and gives them flight, turning Moni’s declarations into something beyond delicate words jotted in a diary; here, it sounds as if she’s pronouncing her unconditional love from an electronic mountaintop. It’s just as moving and essential, but in a completely different way.
Press Play to listen to “I Need You (VCC RMX)” by JusMoni. Put your mouse here for the D/L.
Click image to get this track
I missed this track the first time around. Originally from the 4 The Love of Music compilation album (get that), “We Don’t Sound Like Ya’ll” is a declaration of Seattle’s (and more specifically, Cloud Nice’s) hip-hop independence. It’s easily one of the freshest tracks of last year. Cloud Nice is the clique.
Click image for D/L link
The title of this week’s post is erroneous by way of a not-so slight technicality. The download included here is not really hip-hop. It’s more along the lines of electro-pop with an underlying hip-hop spirit. Sabzi, the producer responsible for the music on Made In Heights’ free EP, Winter Pigeons (get it, here), is better known for his rap successes with Blue Scholars and Common Market, which adds a little more validity to this post. But enough with defending the liberties taken, let’s just move on.
Nice to hear Yirim Seck’s voice again. The emcee’s 2010 LP, Hear Me Out, was one of the most under-appreciated releases of the year. Word on the street is Yirim will be dropping a new mixtape next month titled One Hot Seck.
For now check out the track “Earthlink” where dude goes in over Jake One’s “Sho ‘Nuff” about being the “realest extraterrestrial up in this town.” As recent trends would have it, claiming alien status is one way of ensuring superiority over other rappers. Whatever. Being nice on the mic is pre-requisite enough for me.
Click Play to hear “Earthlink” by Yirim Seck (prod. Jake One). Click here to get it.
A SEATTLE HIP-HOP BLOG 