As a longtime fan of the work of Kendra Sells, I was very happy to see she’d dropped a solo project (the All In Your Head EP), and after hearing it, I was impressed with what she’d managed to put together. Sometimes, however, a good music video can provide you a deeper understanding of what the artist is trying to convey, and with the video for Your Cut, I’ve attained a bit more understanding from the track in terms of how playful (or seemingly so) the vulnerability she expresses is intended to be. The video, a Kendra Sells concept fleshed out by Jump-Start Performance Company and brought to life by the combined efforts of Elias Flores III, Lilith Tijerina and Sarah Tijerina, is a colorful, energetic and expressive affair worth checking out (and definitely worthy of MUCH MORE engagement that it’s gotten thus far). Take my word for it, check this one out immediately, throw a like and a comment that way and share it around for others to do the same.
“In a distant land & time before COVID, Tito Strange, Beatnik Chemist & SniperShot drove from Dallas, TX down through Mexico for an epic 22 day adventure in a van. Its was WILD! We hit an 18 wheeler on a mountain road, got attacked by ants in the night, extorted for money, lost a drone in a canyon, almost got arrested shooting a music video on the pyramids and encountered plenty of turquoise water! It was too much epic-ness to list, but through it all we created a cool, laid back, 5 song EP recorded in a van in Mexico. The Turquoise Waterfalls EP is the first release from SniperShot‘s collab project: Fibonacci All Stars. The Turquoise Waterfalls EP and Vlog Series is out now! Appreciate your support!”
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Notes Floats is a master of lo-fi hip-hop bangers, and with his upcoming Lomax EP on the way, it looks like he is looking to continue his mellow production and thoughtful lyricism with Can’t Call It, a song about deep dedication and devotion in the face of what seems like an absence of certainty or results. The single is a free download, so there’s no reason to not listen to it even if you don’t opt to add it to your collection, so don’t sleep on this one.
At its core, hip-hop is nothing if it’s not cyclical. A strange dance occurs in this genre/culture where we seem to be both influencing and reflecting on what’s popular, what we moved past, and what’s coming back around. I say that to say this… when I first got to know Click-Clack, he was a raw MC with infinite talent in search of a sound that he could call his own. Over the years, he has attempted (and successfully nailed) a few different sounds, but on Sequence, it appears that Click-Clack may be going back to some of the things that (seemingly) inspired him to start rhyming, especially over the OTESLA production that makes up the EP. All of the cleverness, pride, self-reflection, humor and swagger we’ve come to expect from Click-Clack is here, but the production elevates it to a different level reminiscent of the ‘true-school’ era of hip-hop that helped catapult it into the lofty position it has held for the past two decades or so. Long story short, Sequence is that raw hip-hop shit that us lovers of the music seek, so definitely give it a listen, leave a comment or two on your favorite tracks, and share it around on your favorite streaming service so others can do the same.
Click-Clack and Swish Fifty have been building a strong working relationship over the past couple of years via a few Click-Clack releases and their affiliation with Ballteam, but Negars marks what (I believe) is their first consistent collaboration as a duo. With Swish handling production duties and both members on lyrical duty, this self-titled EP comes out in attack mode and doesn’t let up for its 5 track duration. The beats all hit hard, the braggadocios, humorous lyrical wordplay is present from both sides, and the cover art is instantly classic. In a summer full of dopeness, this already sits near the top of the list. Check it out and spread it around!
The San Marcos-based collective Water on Mars has been vigilant over the past couple of years in regards to shaping their sound and fine-tuning their chemistry as a band. After a run of live shows and a few one-off recordings of singles, Water on Mars is kicking off the summer of 2019 with a brand new EP. The songs are tightly structured, dynamic, melodic, and full of wonderful vocal harmonies that have become a signature of Water on Mars‘ sound. It’s available on all the major streaming services at this time (clicking the cover above will take you to Spotify), so don’t hesitate to look them up and give them some streaming love!
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.
It’s another banger out of the Austin music scene. This time, it’s Pretty Shitty, the punk rock outfit that’s ‘looking pretty and sounding shitty’ for rock and roll fans. Their self-titled EP is their second release, and it’s a power packed (albeit short) trip worth taking. Check it out, and keep an eye out for more from these guys in the (hopefully near) future.
Blastfamous USA is far from the first supergroup out of the Austin music scene, but they’re by far one of the illest and most promising musical connections the scene has seen in quite a while. NGHT HCKLRS and Zeale Rapz certainly did not need one another, as each of these particular musical projects has seen varied levels of success on their own. This go-round, however, is proving to be fruitful for all parties involved, especially Zeale Rapz, who was always clever with the wordplay, but is showing a completely genuine edge on these tracks that (in my opinion) has only been hinted at in the past. As with most banger EPs, I am certainly ready for what the full length project has in store… props to everyone involved in this project.
Chief and TheDoomsdayDevice 