Category Archives: The Good, The Bad, The Ugly

Album reviews.

Lucid Dreams :: One Who May Ascend (OMA) Drops Visuals For ‘Comatoast’

One who May Ascend (OMA) has taken up steady residence on a list of artists to keep an eye out for in 2017.  Several of his videos have crept up on my radar this year, and they have all made an impression.  Comatoast is no different, and this one takes a direct look at depression and the onsets of what some would dub mental illness.  As a fellow creative type, I can certainly understand how difficult your daily walk can be when you’re constantly in such heavy and varying emotional mindstates.  This video does a good job of capturing the feelings that are so hard to express in anything other than songform.  Much respect to OMA for having the skills and foresight to use the music video medium to its full potential.

-chief

Leveling Up :: Perseph One’s ‘Machine Mammal EP’ Available For Fake Four’s Freecember

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Anybody who knows anything about Texas underground hip-hop within the past decade or so has more than likely at least heard of Perseph One.  She is one of those rare breeds of female MC where the female classification is an afterthought to the massive amounts of skill and forward thought she brings to the table.  Unbeknownst to myself, Perseph One has found her way to the mutual homies at Fake Four Records, and her Machine Mammal EP is now the week 2 offering for their annual Freecember promotion.  I am proud of her, happy to see my homies pick up such a skilled artist, and excited for the future of their union.

-chief

Sound Expansion :: Evan Moran’s ‘Romantic Feelings’ About Future Funk

It’s been documented several times on this blog that Evan Moran is not afraid to explore the boundaries of his creative energy.  Recently, he has started a journey down the road of future funk (think vaporwave, but at a higher bpm).  He’s knocked out a couple of songs already, but romantic feelings is his first foray into the visual accompaniment realm.  All of the earmarks of the genre are there… synth sounds, obscure samples from decades ago, and glitchy video from a random source, but Evan puts it all together like he’s been doing it for years.  While I hope this is not a departure from the other music he makes, I am excited to see where these journeys take him.

-chief

Dark Matters :: NDeo The Blindsider’s ‘Blasphemy’ Releases The Demons

The evils of this world are all around us, and are often influential to the weak minded, weak willed or weak spirited.  Enter NDeo The Blindsider, who is facing his demons directly on his latest single, Blasphemy.  The lead shot off of the upcoming project Cursed Since Birth, the song reads like a confessional as much as it does a banger of a track.  Hard rhymes, but deeply textured and brutally honest.  The visuals are equally direct, and deal with both sides of the temptation coin.  Worth your time, worth a like and a share, and definitely worth keeping tabs on for the full release.

-chief

Cool Relax :: ‘September LP’ By MikeDbeatsbyD is Minimal, Yet Moving

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It’s amazing how much can be done with so little when the right elements are in the right hands.  Enter Dallas-based beatsmith MikeDbeatsbyD, and his nearly year-long in the making opus, September LP.  One of several released slated for late 2016/early 2017, this project encapsulates pieces made during travels to all sorts of destinations from this year.  The pieces were then pieced together as a whole, and the result is September LP, a journey through compositions that fall under the hip-hop, chill and electronic umbrellas, among others.  A pleasant surprise on my timeline indeed.

-chief

Beat Philosophy :: Flobama’s ‘Strong Style Slaps’ Hits Hard

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This album is good old fashioned boom bap beats, with a little bit of far eastern influence for good measure.  flobama came with it hard on Strong Style Slaps.  These are the kind of albums that make my producer wish list just keep on growing…

-chief

Quiet Storm :: Delano Taylor Releases ‘Cloudy W/ A Chance’

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Delano Taylor continues to make some of the most moving music out there, independent or label artist.  His approach is deceptively simple, but I believe it is the way he uses familiar elements in original ways on top of his at times sparse (but always perfectly balanced) production, so that when it builds or changes, you’re invested in the journey.  cloudy w/ a chance is another sonic suite composed of several movements, with one of the most adorable cover photos ever as a complete compliment to the music.  Very good stuff.

-chief

Powerful Beauty :: Upper Reality’s ‘Silver’ Is Must-Listen Material

First and foremost, I must thank Austin for being a city so rich in culture and talent that I never have to want for quality material to consume and review.  That being said, I have heard some captivating projects over the years from many, many talented musicians, but Upper Reality‘s Silver is quite simply one of the most breathtaking projects I have heard in YEARS.  Based in poetry and sparse production, but far from short on surprises and insight, this project should be mandatory listening for songwriters, emcees and poets in this area, as Silver is nothing short of a masterclass in all of those disciplines.  My ONLY gripe is that this is an EP, and not a full-legnth project, but this EP is incredibly powerful, which I cannot state enough.  Very glad to have stumbled upon this thanks to a recent Austin Chronicle article about Upper RealityAnastasia and Alesia Lanai (which, out of the 3, Upper Reality was the only one I was not familiar with).

-chief

Taking Lead :: Muff Releases Beautiful New Single, ‘Follow’

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I recently have found myself listening to Austin/San Marcos outfit Muff‘s debut album on pretty much constant repeat.  It was already a favorite, and continued listens have only provided more pleasant surprises.  So imagine the most pleasant surprise of all occurring when, lo and behold, Muff announced they had new music in the works.  The latest single, Follow, is giving off some strong My Bloody Valentine vibes in all of the best ways possible.  The musicianship is top notch as usual, Rachel‘s lyrics/voice are as strong as ever, and it sounds like a million bucks.  I cannot wait for the follow-up album to arrive… here’s to hoping it is sooner than later.

-chief

Culture Elevated :: The Mic Fiends Unleash ‘Slang Lords’

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Slang Lords, the debut collaboration from The Mic Fiends, is another perfect example of when two good elements combine to create something great.  StormShadow and Stress are both more than capable wordsmiths in their own right, but combined, these cats toss wordplay back and forth effortlessly over wisely chosen production.  The result is thought-provoking, head nod-inducing hip hop of the highest caliber.  Definitely not to be slept on.

-chief