@@@ Sirvis: Bird and the Worm (Rackwrite, 2015). Some conscious hip hop off the CFUV weekly playlist email. This first tune is notable for the beats not being easily identifiable as Dirty South, NYC etc. The second tune Shades is much more partyisitc and uptempo with a tasty sub baseline and an old school beat. Mr. Sirvis is not working at full speed but he’s breaking a sweat. I like the second and third tunes more than the opener. He’s working medium old school vibe –a little Wu-ey and NYC sounding. He’s got a very clear and engaging voice.
@@@ Ded Sheppard: Ded Sheppard EP (East Van Digital, 2015). Some sci-fi electronica off the CFUV weekly playlist email (same as the Milk Lines record below). A minimalist arrangement in this first tune with an arpeggiated and delayed synth morphing into a dubstep section with some chainsaw bass and sub bass slathered over that. The second tune, Warehoser, gets more tinkly with a female voice intoning ‘carry him into the night, carry him through the night.’ A ziggety chainsaw bass is embedded in this tune as well so I would make that the signature sound of the record. This third tune Wrongmusic breaks down and reassembles itself and uses that crowd pumping synth heard in dozens of club bangers. More dubstep, okay I’m out.
@@@ Milk Lines: Ceramic (In the Red, 2015). Some indie psych the evokes the Doors a little bit without the bullshit of Jim Morrison. Oh wait, that’s just a teaser intro nugget and then the second tune is very ‘Paint it Black’ era Stones but with a couple of female singers. The guitar sounds are very strong, but the songs are bit circular and soggy to my ears. I know that psych is supposed to be like that.
YTD recordings listened to: 82
Good music, not recommended for purchase: 47
Not good music: 31
Honorable Mentions: 2
Buys: 1
Possibles: Chris McGregor, Alvin Youngblood Hart, Dave Arner Trio, MAKU Soundsystem, Zomby, Retox, Jessie Mae Hemphill, Bone Dance, Defeater, Jonwayne, Okkyung Lee, The Ballantynes, Debruit, Slidhr, The Whammies, The Chewers, Alexander Hawkins, Toxic Holocaust, Equal Stones, Comeback Kid, Susie Iberra/Roberto Rodriguez, Lenguas Largas, The Coral, T.O.M.B., Fofoulah, Lozen, Erase Errata, Dawn Richard, Mastery, Leviathan, Xibalba, Hartley C. White, Weed, Cold Water, Akitsa, Janelle Monae, Luther Dickinson, Destruction Unit, Graeme Barrett, Fast Asleep, Goldlink, Cavanaugh, Gentleman Surfer, Satoko Fuji, Mystic Braves, Reverend Peyton, James McMurtry, Living in Hell
Deep In the Music 