San Antonio-based artist AMEA clearly has a vision, and her execution over the last couple of months has been breathtaking and inspiring. Space(ships) is an animated journey into the mind of AMEA, and a fitting followup to the deeply personal VayCay. Her aesthetic is strong, yet inviting… I am looking forward to whatever she releases in the future, be it visually or musically, and I’m sure I’m not alone in that sentiment.
-chief
Posted in Audio-Visuals, General Information, ShuffleCast, Spotlight, Underground Me Now
Tagged AMEA, chief, san antonio, space(ships), the doomsday device, vaycay
The city of San Marcos, Texas has been through many changes over the past decade or so. There has been nearly enough turnaround in regards to the population of the town that past events such as Electric Mayhem that defined the scene are forgotten, if not completely unknown. Therefore, when a venue steps up to take a chance at locking down an event that will help define the direction of the scene and the culture, it’s on the people to take notice and support. Tantra Coffeehouse, Chief and TheDoomsdayDevice and Bad Ingredients have teamed up to provide their respective talents and help create Escapism Plan… Tantra provides the atmosphere (as well as the infamous Happy Minutes specials that bookend the event and the newly instituted discount on all Hops and Grains beers during the night), Chief Doomsday spins a vast array of hip-hop, and Bad Ingredients sets up their infamous pop-up record shop with their ever-rotating inventory. Friday nights, no cover, and all ages… what’s not to love?
-chief
Discovery is the fuel that keeps my blogger fire going. Even though I have scores of talented friends, their are times where there are lulls in the output, and I am forced to go outside of my circle for content. More often than not, this is where I find hidden (to me) gems, and Acclimated Assassin‘s Together is no exception to that trend. Nearly 20 beats deep, and no filler here. Acclimated Assassin states that this tape is for transitioning from spring/summer to fall/winter while keeping the good vibes going, and I’d say that he nailed that goal. I will certainly be on the lookout for more from this cat.
-chief
From the digital desk of Self Sabotage Records:
‘Prolific performer, composer & producer More Eaze (aka Marcus Maurice aka Marcus Rubio), via Self Sabotage Records, presents his latest collection, bodiezNc0de, a combination of pop-oriented songwriting, process/generative compositional techniques and careful production. Simultaneously guarded & open, More Eaze’s personal lyrics address subjects as varied as the abstraction of the body, the resilience of forms and even the political disagreements between parents & their children. The music mirrors the subject matter, its emotive melodies complemented with warm strings, rhythms both languid & insistent, juxtaposed with & sometimes broken up by a variety of electronic jabs & waves.’
-chief
Another one… my man Delano Taylor is a machine when it comes to the dope tracks. I’m 95% sure that he’s trashed or forgotten about more bangers than the majority of us have made in our entire production lifespan. One of my favorite aspects of his production is the variety… for every upbeat, hyper track, you get a mellow, contemplative, calculated one. It all helps keep his sound extremely balanced and diverse. Late Bloomer may contain a handful of familiar elements, but the juxtaposition of these elements and the way that they dance around one another (on a track that is minimal enough to give them the space to do so) is on point. I am definitely looking forward to the new wave of releases that Delano Taylor has in store for us.
-chief
Posted in General Information, ShuffleCast, Spotlight, Underground Me Now
Tagged chief, delano taylor, late bloomer, the dooomsday device
Local musician and actor Ryan Darbonne, in light of experiences growing up in Austin and experiences within the Austin culture as a young adult, felt inspired to capture that experience into something he could share. After sharing his script with OVRLD creator Morgan Day, the two felt that the idea needed to become a reality. After enlisting the help of cinematographer Mariana Gonzalez, the gears began to turn for I AM TX. Ryan reached out to Audrey Campbell of Pleasure Venom, Jonathan Horstmann of BLXPTN and Greg Williams, better known as Chief and TheDoomsdayDevice, and boom, a cast was born.
I AM TX is now in the crowdfunding stage, and the Indiegogo Campaign is up and running. If you would like to help turn this vision into a reality, there are many things you can do. Share the campaign with your friends, whether they’re in Austin, in Texas, or anywhere else in the world. If you feel inspired, go ahead and donate, as there are many levels with many excellent perks available. This vision will happen, but every bit of support that is garnered will improve the vision. We thank you in advance.
CLICK THE IMAGE BELOW TO GO TO THE I AM TX INDIEGOGO PAGE
-chief
Posted in Audio-Visuals, Chief News, General Information, ShuffleCast, Spotlight, The Good, The Bad, The Ugly, Underground Me Now
Tagged audrey campbell, austin, blxpltn, chief, chief and thedoomsdaydevice, greg williams, i am tx, indiegogo, jonathan horstmann, mariana gonzalez, morgan davis, pleasure venom, ryan darbonne, texas, the doomsday device
Ask, and you shall receive. When Sugar Pill dropped their lead single Monsters, seemingly with little warning, it definitely raised my levels of intrigue. I was immediately curious to see what a project from this outfit would sound like, and they must live in my head, because Out Of The Gate, dropped this past week. A 3-song set, Out Of The Gate continues to establish the four-on-the-floor, no nonsense aesthetic of the group. I am now looking forward to checking out the live show, and curious to see where studio time and the release of an album will take them. There are some good ideas here… I think we are all in store for a payoff down the road. And at the rate that this crew seems to answer wishes, it may not be too far off.
-chief
Posted in Chief News, General Information, ShuffleCast, Spotlight, Underground Me Now
Tagged chief, monsters, out of the gate, sugar pill, the doomsday device
When it comes to Jeffrey Garcia and Dream-Atomic Films, you know that you’re about to be in for one hell of a unique ride. Up next to bat is the short film Whimsy & Hester, the story of conjoined twins attempting to lose their virginity by prom night. With an all-star San Marcos cast in tow, this looks like it will be one for the books. Wake The Dead Coffee House will be hosting a screening on October 11, so be sure to check it out if you’re in the area.
-chief
Not many cats out there put out the quantity (or quality) of work that EVOLVE consistently puts out. Lately, he’s taken to stepping his alter-ego game up, and the latest part of that evolution has been the release of the MORE FRIENDS, MORE FUNERALS project released under the nom de plume Spik Vicious. The theme is simple but strong… loyalty, humility, and skills. The production is dope, the bars are thought provoking and touching, and the project as a whole falls beautifully into the canon that Evolve has created. Cop it, share it, and always support your local artists.
-chief
Crew54 is back at it in a big way. They’ve been teasing the release of Slaprapz 2 for a hot minute now, and recently, M.O.S. mentioned a music video in the works that he believes will blow some minds. Not too long after that, DAE1NZ showed up on Bandcamp, and man, these cats just get rawer and rawer. Crew54 has a way of embracing the classic hip hop sounds and group dynamic without coming off as dated or passe. If DAE1NZ is any indication of the song quality for Slaprapz 2, I’m ready with money in hand when it drops.
-chief
Chief and TheDoomsdayDevice 