Sometimes, when you have no power, but you have a need to create, you’ve gotta run an extension cord a few windows down to a neighbor and make something happen. That’s what Soda Lillies decided to do for Sleep Reel, a collection of lo fi goodness in the vein of Jesus & Mary Chain or My Bloody Valentine. The sound washes over you, creating a feeling of waves when it comes to the instruments and lyrics. This one is definitely primed for the headphones, so throw a pair on a dive in.
-chief
Posted in General Information, ShuffleCast, Spotlight, Underground Me Now
Tagged austin, chief, lo fi, sleep reel, soda lillies, the doomsday device
Austin has a vast and diverse cross section of MCs. Some spit bars about money, some drop knowledge, and some are abstract. Some, such as George VonDoom, find ways to touch upon several areas, each with equal passion. Power finds VonDoom in video form talking about the main aspect that keeps him a head above his competition. The beat is a nice, dense, driving production that works perfectly for the forceful lyrics, and the blend of lights throughout the video give it an MK Ultra mind control vibe. Very cool work from an artist holding it down for the Austin underground.
-chief
There’s a beat renaissance going on, and Austin seems to be hip to it. I could go on for days talking about quality beatsmiths in my hometown. My latest discovery is Tory.D Productions, creator of soundscapes that seem to tell stories within each song’s run time. FLY BEAT TAPE is a 7-song collection of textured and moving instrumentals that offer more than your standard boom bap elements. Essentially, Tory.D Productions is making collections of songs, minus the lyrics. His work is definitely worth checking out, and I recommend doing so sooner than later.
-chief
Syllable has been on the Austin hip-hop scene for a number of years, and throughout that time, he has continued to create and support. Rep My City, his first mixtape in quite a while, shows Syllable reflecting on that time and those experiences, and the result is both a display of gratitude and a blueprint for possible success. The vibes are positive and honest throughout, the production provides a number of different looks, and overall, the project upholds its name. This is definitely a solid way to set off 2018 for Syllable, and here’s to hoping that things continue to move in positive directions.
-chief
After putting in many years of work with The Lower Class, MC and soundsmith imaGenius has ventured into the solo realm with the release of Someone You Discover. The project was 3 years in the making, and the vast range of sounds and ideas found within it is a testimony to that time and dedication. From song to song, thoughts grow, are handed off from track to track, are left for the listener to resonate, and amidst all of that, the ever changing range of sounds and instruments keeps us guessing and anticipating the next song. The beautiful album artwork is the cherry on top of a true sonic treat. Definitely listen to this one, share it around, and give image (imaGenius) some support if you can afford to. You know… for the culture.
-chief
Austin-based beatsmith hudwnk doesn’t have much information out there about him (that I could find, anyways). All I know is that voidz gives me Knwxledge vibes, and that’s one of the biggest compliments that I can pay. I look forward to digging into the rest of hudwnk‘s Bandcamp page, but for now this will hold me over. I’d suggest you make plans to do the same thing.
-chief
Posted in General Information, ShuffleCast, Spotlight, Underground Me Now
Tagged austin, chief, hudwnk, the doomsday device, voidz
Since the days of their inception, Austin-based hip hop crew Magna Carda has done nothing but continue to grow, collect props, and garner respect from peers, fans and critics. COFFEE TABLE TALK VOL. ONE finds the group continuing in the ways that we have all come to know and love. The music is refreshingly addictive and expressive, the lyrics are creative and heartfelt, and the only thing lacking on this project is more songs. Hopefully, the follow-up(s) come sooner than later, because this taste most certainly has me hungry for more.
-chief
Austin-based industrial/noise duo Blank Hellscape decided to close the door on 2017 with a bang. New Year’s Eve brought the release of Demo 2017, a 6-song set (4 via Bandcamp) that is a statement project if I’ve ever heard one. If I had to guess, ‘demo’ is being used ironically in this context, because these tracks have body to them, and are quite arresting. For those into heavy rhythm, boundary pushing and raw emotion in their music, Blank Hellscape is like hitting the jackpot. Give it a listen, a share, and donate a few bucks if you can, because supporting local and independent music helps us all.
-chief
In October of 2017, Austin (by way of Nashville) hip-hop crew Out of Place dropped their latest project, A Collection of Sounds. The album is not only a celebration of their collective nature, it is also an ode to collaboration, as a handful of solid MCs find their way onto the project. Guest verses from Love Space, Wick-It The Instigator, Denice King, Tenci and Ufulu Child bolster top notch production from the crew (plus guest production from Loot Tester and Lucky Punch). The thoughts shared are complex, but presented in a way so easy to relate to that you realize you more than likely share many of the same lines of thought. Although this was a 2017 release, I recommend checking this out as a good way to get your 2018 going.
-chief
Anyone following this blog knows that Click-Clack is one of my favorite Austin-based artists. He stays working, stays pushing his creative boundaries forward, and on projects like Sleep No More II, he finds ways to take what’s hot now and transform it into something unique to his style and delivery. Click-Clack is a gifted producer in his own right, but for this project he curated production from Cop Boy, Boy Arthur, shyguy and levitating man X chango. Shout out to Ballteam for breathing some fresh air into the culture, and putting some artistic integrity into the vibes.
-chief
Chief and TheDoomsdayDevice 