Author Archive
Categorize this one under ‘caught sleeping’. Last November, Gift uh Gab – the self-proclaimed First Lady of fast-rising Seattle clique Moor Gang – dropped an album with the perfectly throwback name of Queen La’Chiefah.
Gift uh Gab (yeah, sounds a lot like that one guy) brings serious heat, both as an emcee and holding down the vocals on the hooks. Throw in guest appearance by fellow Moor Ganger Jarv Dee, Coolio Da’Unda’Dog, and Sam Lachow, and you’ve got a deep team on the album.
This is my first introduction to Gift, and it’s a banger. Definitely looking forward to hearing more.
One of the most satisfying of human emotions is seeing an individual grow into their full potential. Even if we didn’t have anything to do with it, the simple act of growth and change is powerful.
Which is why I’m doubly excited by Growing Up In The Future, the new release from Seattle-area crew Kung Foo Grip (with assist from the FRSH selector himself, Kenny Fresh). It was only a couple years ago that I would see the two emcees in KFG (Eff is H and Greg Cypher) at Seattle’s now gone/much lamented/never forgotten Hidmo – two high schoolers who always seemed to be looking for the next cypher.
Their music then showed real promise, and Growing Up In The Future is their first release that fully realizes that potential. At forty minutes, it’s a legit album in a world of disposable singles. And the quality is through the roof – the songs lope through a post cloud rap landscape dotted with unexpected melodies and mature-beyond-their-years content.
It’s a great album on its own merits, and if it’s any indication of where Kung Foo Grip is headed, we’ve got lots to look forward to.
Stream the whole thing below, and click this bad boy to download.
First things first: if you weren’t at Soundsystem last night, I feel really, really bad for you. The vibes were unreal, and DJ Panamami was in official house wrecking mode. Three things that prove last night was amazing:
1) The live percussion section grew from one person to three to five over the course of the night.
2) First they pushed last call back ten minutes. Then they pushed it back ten minutes more. And then again.
3) When the lights eventually went on, the crowd kept right on dancing.
Big shout out to the one and only Panamami for bringing quality all night long, to Gnotes for holding it down on percussion, and to the many heroes on the dance floor – you know who you are. Extra special love to the one and only Carolina, who’s making the move back to Mexico City this weekend – we’ll miss you, lady. Check a few pics below, and we’ll see you next month. CHAMPION SOUND.
Brand spanking new track from the ever-present NYC/SEA continuum. This time it’s the homie Himanshu of Das Racist, and #based beatsman Keyboard Kid. It’s off Heems’ upcoming Wild Water Kingdom project, and it comes highly recommended.
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Just ill. H/t Grandy.
Firstly: the awesomely named (and graphicized) Marco Yolo from LA’s own Righteous Trash. It’s as good a core sample of the sounds that are motivating good peoples all across this world of ours as any I’ve seen in a minute, from the Peligrosa crew out of Austin to Etc!Etc! remixes of Popcaan and more. Get it!
Secondly: the second annual installment of Swedish bruisers Safari Soundsystem’s Summer Nuh Dun Yet series, which speaks to all of our souls when it keeps the warm weather rolling a little longer. Always quality from Safari.
By now you know how Last Night’s Mixtape feels about WD4D aka Waylon aka The Nicest DJ In The World. We’re fans. Which is why I can’t believe it’s taken this long to say some good words about his most recent project – a collaboration with Seattle/Oakland vocalist Jus Moni, titled Queen Feel.
WD’s been producing bassy snap/crackle/pop beats for a hot minute, but this is his first in-depth collaboration with a vocalist, and the combination is potent. Moni’s voice adds a melodic dimension to the bass and synths, pulling the sounds into a human arena.
Queen Feel has been out for a few weeks, but WD4D just dropped a free download of the album’s instrumentals, via his new Care Package collective. Listen to/purchase the original album below, then pick up the instrumentals.
As Wordlush said, as much as we here at LxNxM wish we could be in London (or Cape Town, or Tokyo, or Lima), our home and heart is in the Great Northwest. Sometimes you’ve gotta rep your own, so here are a couple local projects you should keep on your radar.
OCnotes – What’s Your Sign?
Firstly, there’s a new drop from everyone’s favorite beatmaker/visionary/soothsayer, OCnotes. Of late, OC has been ridiculously prolific, with a number of releases out free to the world, plus an ongoing gusher of creative output, from live performance to visual art.
OC/Otis has been a longtime favorite in these parts, and we’ll keep pushing him until the rest of the world catches up. Yes, we do feel that way.
Download his latest, What’s Your Sign, and spend some time browsing through the rest of the world of OCnotes.
Darwin – The Very Best mixtape
Another Seattle staple is Darwin – DJ, cumbia king, and all around mover and shaker. This is actually a slightly-too-late posting, as the mix is one part promotion for a show that recently occurred (oops – sorry!). That said, it’s still a high quality mix, and worth getting into your life.
The mix takes a stroll through some of quality selections bubbling up out of the many musical hotbeds across Africa. Despite being the inspiration, no tracks appear from London/Malawi crew The Very Best.
It’s always interesting to hear how different DJs approach constructing mixes that have such specific focuses. Darwin brings a good spread of taste and selection, and The Very Best packs a healthy amount of bounce into its twenty-ish minutes.
Download The Very Best mixtape right herrrrre.
Def Dee – Take That (Mase remixes)
This one is just plain fun. Boom bappish producer Def Dee goes into the crucial Bad Boy vaults and reimagines Mase through an entirely different sonic fabric.
I never though Welcome Back could become a wistful rumination, but that’s where Def Dee takes it, and it’s that sort of script flipping that makes these remixes so highly enjoyable.
Plus, any excuse to listen to some Mase should be taken, especially midsummer.
