@@@ Grieves: Let the Devil In (Rhymesayers, 2019) I saw this white MC namechecked in a recording gear seller’s email so I thought I would throw it a peep. Grieves, Grimes, DJ Grizzy, I get them all so confused, all the G people. Electro sounds (except for some electric guitar) after a few vocal samples open up the track. It’s a combination of retro turntable sounds, some non-trap beats, some up to date synth sounds and a menacing white boy flow to the rhyme delivery. I like the beats and the expansive stereo field mix and the plinky synth sound most of all, and I don’t think I love his lyrics and his delivery a ton. I also dig the turntable scratching, it’s not super common these days.
@@@ Patricia: Downlink (Ghostly, 2020) Ghostly is all up in the Twatter and I saw this upcoming Ghostly released featured on a twat. This is a pre-release single off an upcoming full length. It opens a little burbly, a little glitchy with some pretty tasty drum tones. I’m not sure it’s my favorite beat but he/she is coming in layers so I think where we end is not where we begin. There’s a short repeating synth melody to accompany your beats and then another synth. It’s got a bit of a locked in feel to the track as if it’s tightly woven and not able to open up. I’m not super enjoying this track unfortunately as I’ve really grown to love electronic music.
@@@ Renata Flores: Qam hina (Self-released, 2019) I’m violating my own rules by checking out a musician featured by the New York Times, but I saw this artist mentioned in a twat on the Twatter by the Grey Lady. As a rule, New York Times music writing is shit but I do like a lot of world/electronic music that’s coming out. This tune opens up with a children’s chorus, some traditional wood flutes (95% sure on that) and then Flores comes in with some staccato singing/rhythmic singing over very trappy beats. I like the keyboards (hammered keyboards maybe) and the simple use of the wooden flutes. As a person who doesn’t know Spanish my feelings about this song are a response to the sounds that are presented to me, and I like the contrast between the traditional sounds, the Spanish half sung/half rhymed vocalizing, and the new style beats. I’m not jumping up and down but I like it.
@@@ pineappleCITI: Believe (Red Bull, 2020) Off an email from Red Bull Records where this hip hop outfit is performing at a virtual music festival. Black female MC, Red Bull Records, what more could you ask for. It’s in the trippy trap part of town, delays on the vocal, sorta spooky synth sounds, and fat seat rumbling bass. A sung chorus, some smack talking in the verse, pretty standard sounds and themese here. Color me agnostic.
YTD recordings listened to: 330
Good music, not list worthy: 172
Not good music: 146
Best: 0
Honorable Mentions: 0
Possibles: Retox, Defeater, Jonwayne, Okkyung Lee, Slidhr, The Chewers, Susie Iberra/Roberto Rodriguez, The Coral, T.O.M.B., Lozen, Erase Errata, Mastery, Hartley C. White, Weed, Cold Water, Luther Dickinson, Graeme Barrett, Fast Asleep, Goldlink, Cavanaugh, Satoko Fuji, Moken, Juan Atkins, Lantern, Twin Peaks, Djelimady Tounkara, The Oh Sees, Denny Zeitlin, MILF, Unfun, De La Soul, Carl Sagan’s Skate Shoes, Noname, Klara Lewis, Krullur, The Lowest Form, Hard Proof, Yotoco, Jungle Fire, Sandoz, Oddisee, RAM, Fiver, Succumb Succumb, Gloom, Priests, Propaganda, This is the Kit, Roberto Gonzalez, Integrity, Tuba Skinny, The Expanders, Criolo, Billy Strings, Flowers of Sulphur, Portal, Lawaii, Etran De L’Air, Ruby Karinto, Elysia Crampton, Parquet Courts, Moskus, Kendl Winter, Tkay Maidza, Barro, Daniel Khan, Tallawit Timbouctou, Sumac, Tropical Fuck Storm, Harriet Tubman, Ammar 808, Anais Maviel, Chaka Khan, Pom Poko, Fried Egg, Tarek Atoui, Saicobab, General Purv, Shipping News, Big Thief, Mariachi El Bronx, Pour Me a Grog, Sudan Archives, Lakou Mizik, Moodymann, Pharmakon, Alefa Madagascar, Janjao, Luge, Wiki, Mick Jenkins, Jeremiah Jae, Fera, Gambian Griot Kora Duets, Drama, Beatrice Dillon, Mass Worship, mmmonika, Les Deuxluxes, Tony Allen, Fra Fra, Nihiloxica, Hailu Mergia, Pokey LaFarge
Deep In the Music 