For fifteen years, Nat Brower has gradually created an eclectic catalog of solo tunes, ranging from lo-fi garage rock to his more recent glam rock revival ballads. On Live & Contagious, Brower takes his recent years to a “live” setting, and delivers a career-spanning forty minute set.
We have updated our HIGHLY RECOMMENDED Spotify playlist with next 20 “HIGHLY RECOMMENDED” shares from our official Instagram page. Volume II includes deep cuts from Outkast’s catalog, spiritual jazz and a few of our current favorites in DIY punk. Tap in to hear the update. Special thanks to one of our current favorite artists, Portland’s MJ aka @myartdad for taking the time to create the cover art for this round.
On WEWEREFRIENDS, experimental noise mastermind RXM Reality shifts his sound from extreme abrasiveness and replaces it with drawn out layered vocals and cohesive song writing. It’s his second album of the year, and reveals an unexpected emotional and more human side of his unique compositions.
On German quintet Lassie’s latest compilation, the post-punk group take the increasing popularity of ‘Devocore’ to Leipzig and add a layer of technicality to the eclectic microgenre. The Golden Age of… collects fifteen of the band’s previously released recordings and refurbishes them with a new name, new album art, and freshly pressed physical cassette tapes.
Doom metal trio Sign of the Sorcerer have released two lo-fi EP’s. On their third release, Obsessions of the Vile, the band finds their comfort zone and deliver a horror-themed psychedelic doom project with heavy influences from late ‘70s southern Rock ‘n Roll.
As fentanyl-based opiate use tears through middle America, overdoses and death have become everyday occurrences for certain cities and towns. On The Heart Pumps Kool-Aid, experimental composers More Eaze & Seth Graham join forces as —-___—___, and use elements of harsh noise and understated ambient soundscapes to work through the tragedy that accompanies the current drug epidemic.
Erykah Badu’s stature in contemporary R&B has been overwhelmingly powerful for over twenty years. In that time, her creativity has evolved in numerous ways, with her second opus arriving through the futuristic magnificence of New Amerykah Part Two (Return of the Ankh) (2010). Her fifth record is a glorious homage to her soulful hip-hop roots, and effortlessly ties together all of the most rewarding elements of her iconic legacy.
Chicago producer, Composuresquad, has been a leader in the local DIY nightlife scene for years. He is one of the top sought-after DJ’s in city limits, and has hosted many of the most memorable events that have occurred in the past decade. On the latest edition of “The Junkyard,” Composure sets out to interview Leah and Blake Saint David, two members of a versatile rising collective of DIY artists that are on the verge of re-defining experimental music in the 312.
After years of one-off collaborations, vocalist Trenttruce & multi-instrumentalist Coto Loco team up for their darkwave debut as Black Magick Chocolate Tears. Black Magick Chocolate Tears showcases the intense vocal range of Truce & subtly complex production skills of Coto Loco. Across twelve tracks, the two artists balance out each other’s strengths to a forge a sound that crosses pop music with an ominous after hours disposition.
On his debut, Detroit rapper, Bruiser Wolf, layers punchline-heavy rap with clever pop culture references and outrageous satire. Dope Game Stupid is a captivating thirteen track listen, intertwining hip-hop’s emphasis on lyricism and breathe control with an unconventional artistic persona that could only exist under the leadership of Danny Brown. The album may be the first formidable creation from the warped mind of Bruiser Wolf, but it establishes his presence in music with an entrance that refuses to be ignored.
