ISSUE #28
It Is What It Is
by Thundercat
Thundercat’s 4th studio LP is a triumph of sonic emotional duality. If you’ve been in the same room at Stephen Bruner or read any of the myriad interviews he’s done over the course of his legendary career, you know the man is at once fiercely honest about his feelings and unapologetically ridiculous, equally likely to crack a dick joke as to bear his broken soul after the death of his best friend Mac Miller. It Is What It Is wraps this yin and yang within pearlescent petals of cosmic jazz, tigersilk soft R&B and the molten debris of lightspeed bassplaying. Convention fails to find purchase on much of Thundercat’s discography and this LP is no different, combining guest features like a stoned man doing refrigerator chemistry late at night. Steve Lacy, Steve Arrington (1970’s funk star of the band Slave) and Childish Gambino join forces on Black Qualls while Ty Dolla $ign and Lil B trade verses on Fair Chance. Jazz virtuoso Louis Cole graces the album on his own tribute track, I Love Louis Cole. Overall, It Is What It Is triumphantly swaggers forth, holding the banner of Bruner’s irresistible funk fusion high.
Favorite tracks: Interstellar Love, Fair Chance, Black Qualls. Buy the album on Bandcamp.
fabric presents Maribou State
by Various Artists
In their second compilation album, London record label fabric has teamed up with Maribou State for a funky, soulful electronic-tinged mix that would be eclectic were it not mixed so perfectly. Following in the footsteps of world-renowned DJ Bonobo is no small task, but fabric Presents Maribou State holds its own as fabric’s second installment, demonstrating admirable sonic diversity and letting the Hertfordshire duo show off their skills as producers and curators. Maribou State’s music already lives on the crossroads between organic and electronic, fluidly weaving instrumentation amongst lush sampling and production, but this album allows them to take things one step further and show off some of their favorite (and lesser known to me) artists at the same time. fabric presents Marbou State is the perfect way to broaden your sonic horizons whilst enjoying a meticulously arranged aural adventure.
Favorite tracks: Cuffed (Nick Hakim), Slow Down (Art Feynman), Reckoner -Maribou State Remix (Radiohead). Buy the album on Bandcamp.
WHAT WE DREW우리가 그려왔던
by Yaeji
Korean-american producer Kathy Lee aka Yaeji dropped her highly anticipated house mixtape this week, following up on the single I just can’t stop repeating (Waking Up Down). I have one single complaint, that being that the 38-minute runtime left me wanting so much more. Yaeji’s subterranean basslines and mesmeric vocals - delivered in Korean and English, either hypnotically monotone or in ethereal falsetto - combine with vintage synths and a focused production sensibility to dominate and demand your filthiest dance moves. Yaeji has easily usurped the crown as my favorite up and coming electronic artist, and I’m fervently praying that her September concert dates remain unaffected by the current state of emergency. Throw this mixtape on to turn your quarantine into an exclusive house show in seconds.
Favorite tracks: MONEY CAN’T BUY, WAKING UP DOWN, IN THE MIRROR. Stay up on Yaeji on her website.
Blizzards
By Nathan Fake
The English electronic producer, Nathan Fake has released his fifth studio album today. We got a bit of a preview of the album when we discussed Tbilisi a few weeks ago. Today, we're beyond elated to be able to experience this new album in its entirety.
Blizzards is one of those albums I where I wanted to wipe my own memory just so I can have an opportunity to listen to it for the first time again before I was finished. Blizzards makes you move. The sounds open you up, voiding your body of every bit of energy like the sweat spilling from your pores. While the album contains a few heavy techno tracks like Tbilisi, Stepping Stones, and Vectra (which is one of my absolute favorites), there are also smooth, contemplative tracks sprinkled throughout. They ease you in and out of chaos. Tracks like Ezekiel, Torch Song, and Pentiamonds give you an opportunity to catch your breath before catapulting you back into the pounding beats of Firmament or Eris & Dysnomia.
Nathan Fake is an electronic artist to absolutely keep your eyes on. We'll be bumping this album for the foreseeable future, and hope it strikes a chord with you, too. You can purchase Blizzards from Nathan Fake's Bandcamp page here. Or stream on Spotify here!
Flores No Mar
By Populous
Italian producer Populous has released a new single with Brazilian vocalist EMMANUELLE. Flores No Mar is a Summer's night of clubbing, communion, and sweat encapsulated in 4 and a half minutes. It's the soundtrack that will play the minute that the current quarantine lifts and I head straight to the dance floor with the rest of the world. It's a refreshing piece of Afro-Brazilian-inspired beats and melodies that make you want to drop everything you're doing and dance.
Populous' next album, W, is coming out on May 22, and you can pre-order it here. Stream the single on Spotify here!
Still Here
By Kllo
Australian Duo, Kllo, has released a new single from their upcoming album, Maybe We Could, set to release this summer. Released via Ghostly International, Still Here is Kllo true-to-form. With lo-fi drum patterns and synth samples programmed by Simon Lam, and dreamy, effervescent vocals by Chloe Kaul, this track is as kinetic as it is bittersweet.
Kllo's new album, Maybe We Could is coming out July 17 and you can pre-order it here. Stream it on Spotify here!
