Tag Archives: chief

Opening Statements :: Manners Releases Debut EP

Posted on June 5, 2018 | Leave a comment

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After putting in a year or two of solid gigging and songwriting, the San Marcos-based trio Manners has finally released their debut project, a self-titled EP.  The 5-song collection showcases the band’s ability to write songs that are cutting in their introspection while still maintaining a tone of humor (albeit it, a very sharp humor).  The band has a playful energy, but the songs focus on topics such as promiscuity, self-doubt at the expense of putting someone on a pedestal, trust and heavy hitters of that nature.  The garage-rock feel of the recordings make the songs connectable due to their honesty and rawness.  For a debut project, Manners shows a lot of potential for the band… hopefully it leads to future projects.

-chief

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Strange Love :: Click-Clack And Ballteam Keep It Coming With ‘Skranger Things’

Posted on June 4, 2018 | Leave a comment

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On a national scale, the music scene may be anticipating Pusha T‘s Surgical Summer, but Ballteam and Click-Clack are looking to turn the Austin hip-hop scene into Ballteam Season for the summer.  The collective keeps dropping banger after banger at a breakneck pace, the latest being Skranger Things.  The song is infectious as hell, with it’s synthesizer loop-based and 808 heavy track (the synthesizer I’m sure was an influence on the track name).  Click-Clack part raps, part sings his way through a persistent statement of letting the girl at the focus of the song know that he can make whatever she wants happen more so than other guys can, but she has to make it known.  Props on the Lucas artwork for the cover.  You know the drill… share this around so that the numbers on the track can reflect the dopeness.

-chief

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Episodic Nature :: Virgil Wolfe And Strcolctr Connect For ‘Filler Episode’

Posted on June 1, 2018 | Leave a comment

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Virgil Wolfe proves time and time again that he is not content with resting on his laurels.  Almost exactly half a year after releasing the insightful and thought-provoking Calamity produced collaboration Before The World Wakes Up, Wolfe is already talking up his next release, Unlimited TV Dinners.  The project, slated for a June 30th release, is an EP length collaboration with producer Strcolctr, and if the lead single Filler Episode is any indication of what’s to come, it sounds like we’re going to get our insight via clever analogies and imagery this go-round.  I’m not used to hearing Wolfe on the type of production that is Filler Episode, with it’s laid back nature and extremely heavy swing, but I gotta say that I dig what he’s laid out.  Here’s to hoping that Unlimited TV Dinners is another step in the right direction.

-chief

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Mellow Masterpiece :: Poolboi Blu Keeps The ‘Sincere’ Momentum Going With ‘(Volume 004)’

Posted on May 31, 2018 | Leave a comment

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You’d think with the summer heat on the horizon, poolboi blu would be ratcheting up the vibes, but on his latest mix of his soon to be iconic series, sincere (volume 004), poolboi opts for a mellower set of songs.  The R&B jams that open the mix are a refreshing change of pace, and when the bars start dropping it’s like ‘the party was already going, so why not invite a few more friends?’  I’m always going to be ready and on the lookout for a poolboi mix, and he certainly hasn’t let me down yet.  For those catching this post while it’s relevant, you can catch poolboi blu and myself doing 2X4 DJ sets this Thursday at Buzzmill San Marcos, and this Friday at Tantra Coffeehouse (San Marcos).  Don’t sleep.

-chief

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Double Dosing :: Clemits Drops Back To Back Instrumental Bangers

Posted on May 30, 2018 | Leave a comment

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Anybody with their finger on the pulse of the Austin hip hop community has had an eye on Clemits for the past couple of years, for sure.  After spending some time bubbling with the rest of the underground pack, a concentrated effort has been made to push ahead.  This has resulted in a handful of strong songs and videos from last year’s solo LP CRUSH, some exposure on a few mainstream blogs, and recently, back to back strong singles in Fentanyl and Gangster Jazz.  Each of these tracks are befitting to their name… Fentanyl has a trippy air to it, with it’s wet percussion, immersive bassline and completely wild flip at the end… Gangster Jazz goes for more of a DITC feel with its musclebound bass and drums imposing a space for the horn loop to move freely.  Clemits has always been one to imprint his soul on the work, and with the release of these two strong instrumentals, my anticipation of what a full-length beat tape (his first in 4 years) could bring is high and hopeful.

-chief

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Open Book :: Nathan Painter Leaves It All On The Table For Debut ‘Welcome To Reality’

Posted on May 29, 2018 | Leave a comment

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Sometimes, being new to a discipline is a benefit, as you do not have the burden of unlearning habits or hesitation.  For example, Austin-based artist Nathan Painter recently dropped his debut project Welcome to Reality, and the gems he’s dropping are those of a seasoned veteran.  This album definitely shows that he is not afraid to hold the mirror up to society, his contemporaries, or even himself, with extremely forthright insight and honestly exploding off of these tracks.  If you’re a fan of the new wave of brutal honesty coming out of the Austin hip-hop scene, Nathan Painter is definitely for you.

-chief

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Chasing Greatness :: Click-Clack Makes A Statement With ‘Jarden’

Posted on May 25, 2018 | Leave a comment

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You can’t sleep on Click-Clack.  That being said, I have dropped the ball just a bit in terms of keeping folks up to date with what he’s been doing, but trust… Click-Clack and Ballteam have been putting in major work while building up to the next batch of releases.  Click-Clack‘s confidence has been growing astronomically the last couple of years, and he’s really come into his own in terms of building the culture and legacy that will surround his sound and his bars.  Much of that swag is on full display for Jarden, and that beat goes hard, making it a double-down on the dopeness.  I’m still a firm believer that, with the right exposure, Click-Clack could have his time to shine on a larger scale… if you believe the same thing, support by liking, commenting , sharing and all that.

-chief

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Breakdown Boogie :: Willis Nillis Drops A Gem With ‘Analysis Paralysis’ EP

Posted on May 24, 2018 | Leave a comment

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From the digital desk of Austin based beatsmith Willis Nillis :

‘i’ve been working on this EP for about a year and after a while of battling my own nerves and self doubt, i am proud to share these songs with people.’

I’m definitely happy to have discovered this.  It’s like chip-tunes with a little bit of soul and a lot more body.  Willis Nillis has definitely jumped onto my radar with the release of Analysis Paralysis.  Here’s to more good tunes in the future, hopefully near future.

-chief

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Shared Fortune :: Cameron Elise Releases ‘Afortunada’ Single

Posted on May 23, 2018 | Leave a comment

I remember seeing Cameron Elise several years ago at an impromptu house jam.  There were maybe 8 or 9 musicians of different skill and discipline levels around, and everyone was floating in-between ideas.  For the moments that Cameron took the lead, however, ideas seemed to evolve into movements and folks seemed on the same page.  In a more abstract way, I feel we are seeing that same process coalesce with her recorded material.  What was once raw talent and passion captured on recordings is evolving into focused ideas and execution with the proper amount of flourish to bolster those ideas.  If Afortunada is any indication of what her next full-length release will bring, I am definitely interested.

-chief

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Moving Ahead :: Wild Child Continues To Gain Momentum With ‘Follow Me’ Video

Posted on May 22, 2018 | Leave a comment

When I break down the numbers for 2018, I won’t be surprised if Wild Child is all over the analytics for my website.  The band has been seriously blazing themselves a trail towards success this year with the release of a new album, a nationwide tour, and a seemingly continuous onslaught of music video output.  Their latest, Follow Me, is a somber but moving tune, with an equally low-key yet on the nose video to match.  If you aren’t already hip to Wild Child, you’re running out of time to say you were a fan before they blew up, because it seems inevitable at this point.

-chief

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