i really don’t know anything about mykki blanco besides the fact that the internet uses slashes to describe him (i.e. rapper/performance artist/drag superstar/etc.). whatever though, this track kills and was produced by brenmar, who i just found out is playing seattle’s lo-fi on july 13, which seems like as good a reason as any to post “wavvy.”

Download audio file (Wavvy.mp3)

mykki blanco – “wavvy” (download)

Even though I’ve temporarily retired the Detroit Heat series I can’t help but spread the word about this mini documentary on a solid group out of the 313 called Clear Soul Forces. If you haven’t heard of them (yet) it’s not surprising but they’re making good music, aligning themselves with Royce Da 5’9″ and clearly making enough headway that the music/video savants at Red Bull SoundStage are paying attention.

Check out this easily watchable 12 minute documentary as the foursome talks about the trials, joys and tribulations of being young artists based in Detroit. City and craft aside, this is the struggle of most creative young people of color in general.

well hot damn: LxNxM’s very own monthly gig is turning one year old. it feels like just yesterday we were rocking MOE BAR for the first time. to celebrate, we’ll have our favorite djs tang and toast playing some big jams and good times will be flowing like you’ve come to expect. we’re also ringing in year two with a brand new super fresh flyer, courtesy of emeka of gold coast trading company. so come through this THURSDAY (5/17) to MOE BAR between 10:00PM and 2:00AM for SOUNDSYSTEM. and, as always, FREE.

alunageorge is aluna francis and george reid, two london-ers making some kind of future r&b that will almost certainly get stuck in your head. they’ve got an ep out on TriAngleRecords (home to artists like clams casino, oOoOO, and evian christ) as well as a mess of remixes (both of their and other artists’ tracks) over on their soundcloud page. stream ep standout “just a touch” below, and head over to soundcloud to sample their other sounds.

alunageorge – “just a touch”

Yowza. I wasn’t in attendance for Lil B’s show at Neumos in Seattle last night, but maaaaaan do I wish I’d made it for Seattle #based rep Keyboard Kid’s opening set. We’ve given Keyboard Kid a fair amount of pixels over the last few months, but it’s hard to keep up when he’s moving so fast, and he is most definitely in the process of blowing up.

The video above – taken by Radjaw of Mad Rad/Out for Stardom, and featuring fellow OFS’er and LxNxM homie Darwin – captures what seems to be as bassy good a set as anyone could hope for. Trunk rattling, heavy, big drops, all the good stuff. Looks like a hell of a lot of fun.

Oh, and that whole thing about Keyboard Kid moving quickly? Yeah – dude’s got a new ep out for your enjoyment. The Transition is a heavier stomper of a record, with nice saw synths and tempo switch-ups galore. Support and #thankyoubasedgod.

Wherever you are, I hope it’s sunny. That’s the way it should be this time of year. And nothing goes better than a sunny afternoon or early evening than some quality instrumentals to set the mood.

This here is a brand new one from CHI/Philly/Nigeria productionist KechPhrase, who I’ve had my eye on for a minute, and who popped up most recently on Kool A.D.’s recent (and quality) 51 mixtape. The tape trends towards a digitized and updated take on classic 90′s boom bap, a trend that picks up where “Arrested Development” off 51 leaves off.

Some quality head nodding shit for your sunny afternoon!

Soundcloud’s a beautiful thing. I say this in all seriousness. It’s what Myspace wishes it could be, but can’t, because, well, it’s Myspace. Here’s a little taste of the virtual firehose that we here at LxNxM sip from.

And if you’re on the Cloud of Sound, follow us right about hurrrrr.

Fast on the heels of Heems’ Nehru Jackets mixtape comes the next solo venture from the Das Racist camp. This time around, it’s the bearded homie Vic aka KOOL A.D. dropping 51, a 22-track-deep tape. On it, Vic stays true to his bi-coastal nature; like a musical colossus of Rhodes, he’s got one foot firmly rooted in the Bay, and the other planted somewhere in central Brooklyn.

And it works well – if anything, 51 is a testament to the fact that it’s possible to find common threads in the #based movement and the Nu York underground sounds, two technically distinct approaches to hip hop that haven’t seen a ton of crossover. Not an easy thing to do, and it requires the right person with the right vision. Vic’s done it once here, and the question now is who can take it the next step of the way.

And for the record: the Bay represents with verses from Main Attrakionz, Green Ova and Boots Riley from the Coup, and production from Amaze 88 and one of my personal favorites, Trackademicks. NYC is repped by Heems, Meyhem Lauren and Kassa Overall, and backed by beats from Mike Finito, Ketchphrase and more. It’s a packed house.

we’ve got another edition of SOUNDSYSTEM happening tomorrow evening (that’s THURSDAY, APRIL 19), this time with extra special guest chocolate chuck, last seen (by me, anyway) helping to wreck an LxNxM-affiliated house party. things will get going around 10:00pm at MOE BAR, and, as always, shit is FREE. also come through to wish our big homie Praxis well as he starts a bit of blog/seattle sabbatical. we’ll miss you guy!

one of my favorite songs of the year just got a video. enjoy.

This one goes out to some special folks in Miami this weekend. A couple of mixes from MIA/JA’s infamous Black Chiney Sound. They’re not piping hot new, but damn if the selections don’t still kill. The Notting Hill Carnival live mix alone slays most mixes out. Turn ‘em up, open the windows and enjoy the weather.