Zeta Barber a.k.a. Zachariah Tucker is a man of many talents; ranging from music production to clothing and digital design – and he can give you one of the cleanest fades around. However, Zeta stands out from the throngs of self-styled muli-entrepenuers of modern hip hop culture in some very important ways. For starters, Zach’s heart matches his artistic skill and hustle. Over the last 6+ years, he has initiated countless collaborations with artists stretching the Puget Sound - scouting diverse acts from the hood to the hills to feature on his “All-City Chop” mixtapes, all while promoting and supporting the hell out of damn near everybody in the 206 hip hop scene.

His newest project finds dj Zeta Barber & The Forces of Nature at new creative-collaborative high.  SoundBody represents a evolution grounded in the chop style - with a smooth osmosis of bounce, 90′s R&B nostalgia, and just the right amount of mystic blip-hop to keep it fresh. Tender Bounce is my jam! Laced with the airy vocals of True Brilliance (see indeed)- the result is another good musical look for Seattle, from a good dude.

Here is the full length official video/short film for the Weeknd’s “The Knowing”, directed by Mikael Colombu, the mind behind dark and twisty videos like Cee-Lo’s “Bodies” and Bilal’s “Robots“. The journey to and cataclysm of planet “Ethio X” in the year 16311 is a cascade of imagery evoking Stargate, Ethiopian Poli sci/Cultural studies and the grotesquely beautiful art of H.R. Geiger, all in all giving me a rare case of the slightly aroused willies.  With so much provocative content to analyze – I leave further interpretation to the viewer.

As a bonus, here is a track Mr. Abel Tesfaye released last month called “Initiation”, featuring his signature R&B-for-vampires vocal stylings screwed, auto-tuned and everything in between. Peacepeace.

Spending the last couple days volunteering at the rapidly growing, 2nd annual Seattle City Arts Fest, I’ve witnessed some real gems. One of the standouts was this Seattle-based soul man Allen Stone, backed up by an airtight band. Yes, there are many would-be bohemian soulsters in the wake of the success of folks like Aloe Blacc, Jamie Lidell, and the laptop bluesman James Blake. Stone, first developing his vocal chops in the church community of Chelewah, Washington, stands out with a full soaring voice and a smooth earnestness to his spin on modern soul. Don’t sleep on the brother Stone now, get his recently released self titled album here, and don’t miss your boy as he graces Conan O’Brien’s stage on Oct. 26th!

Hip Hop has no shortage of references of an intimacy with street life, but rarely do artists bring the musicality of the streets into the beat as Mr. Green, a.k.a. Aaron Green of Highland Park, NJ does in his Live from the Streets series. Based around showcasing street musicians and turning their performances into hip hop beats, new episodes will be released every two weeks. Mr. Green’s cinematic headnodic sounds have notched collabos with C Rayz Walz, Matisyahu, Slaine of Coka Nostra fame, and pre-eminent Irish emcee Rob Kelly.

In the first episode of Live From The Streets, you find yourself in Rittenhouse Square with Brenda, a super cool lady who was singing along to her radio in the park. “Man with a Broken Heart” is available on itunes and at greenhiphop.com. A full Live from the Streets hip hop album is in the works.

Mr. Green is also accepting artistic input, so if you know of a street musician or sound that you would like to see in a future episode, contact: livefromstreet@gmail.com.

Conversely Serengeti’s Family and Friends is his first release on Anticon. Dude a.k.a. David Cohn has been getting some love in various blogalaxies – I think deservedly so. The space and raw tenderness of the beats supplied by WHY? frontman Yoni Wolf and ex-Casiotone for the Painfully Alone mastermind Owen Ashworth leave an inviting canvass for Serengeti to paint introspective and inventive cuts like “The Whip.” Not sure who gets credit for the animated sketches in the video, but they definitely give the song an emotive heft. Props to both of these artists for having the personal inspiration and audience push to do what they are doing.

Enjoy!
Theophilus London – Why Even Try (RAC Remix) by TheophilusLondon

Uh son. Shabazz Palaces doing what they do, live in the studio of Seattle’s beloved independent radio station KEXP. Coming through with style, substance, and unfuckwittable creative veracity – these 206 luminaries demonstrate they have been around the block and see into its future. In this intimate, in-studio session, they perform a few cuts from Black Up, the first album since their recent signing to the world-renowned, Seattle-based independent label Sub Pop. Do yourself a favor and cop Black Up here.

Here is a spooky banger from Copenhagen based one man show, CHLLNGR, a.k.a. Steve Borth. Some experimental dub leaves me feeling like I’m lost in an underground reggae cavern. CHLLNGR beats are driven smartly by crispy claps and pulsing bass, the synths on “Ask For” funk hard – reminiscent of MC breed’s ’91′G anthem “No Future in Yo’ Frontin.“ Look out for the CHLLNGR full length HAVEN set to drop on Green Owl this July.  Also see the ear-gems below. Good lookin out to the homies @Dutty Artz.

The XX “Islands” (CHLLNGR remiXX) by CHLLNGR
CHLLNGR VS DE TROPIX “People Dem Shouting” by CHLLNGR

A 2nd generation member of the avant-garde LA collective Project Blowed, Open Mike Eagle reps 1/3 of Thirsty Fish alongside fellow emcees Psychosiz and the notorious GrindTime tested battler Dumbfounded.

Working up a much deserved buzz lately, OME glides with concise wit and a bassy-smooth voice over this dope headnodic beat – production courtesy of Willie Green. Download “Nightmares” here, the first single from OME’s forthcoming Rappers Will Die of Natural Causes.

It’s definitely exciting to hear Hip Hop like this getting recognized in the midst of the swag crusades. OME pays homage well to the unapologetic creative lineage of left coast Hip Hop communities like the Good Life Cafe and Project Blowed.

When I saw this new video on UGSMAG, purveyors of new hiphop media for those seeking refuge from the swag and trap stylings of the day, I rushed to the record shop and copped the album Dialogue. After listening through and blabbing to the homies about how dope the whole album is, I was surprised to find out that the album actually came out in 2009. I’m more than a little embarrassed for managing to sleep on Thavius Beck, cause the album is more creative and cutting edge than most of the hip hop I’ve heard for a minute.

“Go” and the rest of Dialogue speak to my love for lyricism. Beck’s rapid fire delivery kinda reminds of me of Living Legends Eligh, however unlike many dense rhymers he shares space with his epic, degenerate beats in a sonic dialogue that shatters the standard verse/bar formula. If I had to go into battle against an army of soulless terminators – this is what I would bump before facing my fate. A Mush records signee and certified Ableton guru, Beck boasts collaborations ranging from Cedric Bixler-Zavala of The Mars Volta, Saul Williams’, and 2MEX.  I will be  watching/hoping for some new face-mashing music from dude soon.

Enter the Dropping Gems crew “a collective of musicians based in the Pacific Northwest. Our goal is to share a particular vision of the future of humanity as it’s expressed in the form of electronic music. So we produce and release albums, and create events for people to come hear us and those that we love and respect”. This combination of ambitious vision and love shines through the amphibious, conscious-percolating sound layers of Gem Drops.  Representing the crews first digital compilation, and featuring a mindful selection of other U.S. based electronic innovators – all of the proceeds of Gem Drops are entirely committed to raising funds for the American Cancer Society. Listening through, I haven’t been this pumped about an electronic compilation since the first Beat Dimensions in ’07.

Don’t be a cheapskate when you name your price for this album. Whet your appetite for future-hop and support a good cause. For $15 you can get the handmade CD with artwork.  Don’t sleep on these big beats made by big hearts.