“I’m not trying to watch instruments bro, I just wanna see some knobs being twisted.” While wildly amusing and sometimes gathering agreement from myself, this quote sums up a main direction that music has taken in the electronic age. So while many artists continue to push the boundaries of what computers can do, Chicago octet Kids These Days succeed in taking us on a whirlwind through genres and eras with a true appreciation for musicianship. The sounds come together via trombone, trumpet, drums, bass, keyboard, vocalist, and rapper to form a refreshing blend of soul/jazz/hip-hop/blues/rock. The band’s members, all 18 or 19, met while studying at a music school while simultaneously attending high school. While the horns blare and vocalists Liam Cunningham and Macie Stewart provide a contemporary soul sound reminiscent of The Black Keys, MC Vic Mensa provides flavor with solid lines and a flow that reflects a maturity far past his age. He’d definitely be able to hold his own on traditional hip hop beats, but his style matches so perfectly with their sound so I’d hope he doesn’t stray too far away. Their Hard Times EP is for sale on iTunes for $3.99 and if there were ever a time to step back from stinginess, this would be it. They’re currently working on a full length album entitled “Trap House Rock.” Their band interest on facebook is “we enjoy positive vibrations and bangin out dat dope music,” which is so odd because we’re all about the same things over here. If you are too, it’s time to get keen. Scope some of their videos below.

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Last Tuesday, the world jumped after months of delay and anticipation for the release J. Cole’s big debut; meanwhile, fellow Carolina native Phonte released what’s quickly become one of my favorite albums this year. Charity Starts At Home is the first solo album from Phonte after the split of Little Brother, and succeeds in proving that he’s one of the more underrated lyricists out there. He’s always had a knack for providing the unique perspective of an extremely talented artist that lacks certain rapper qualities (swag/female admiration/whatever) that guarantee commercial success. Most hip-hop artists today have an infatuation with going on about their rags-to-riches aspirations. Not to say I don’t enjoy hearing this style of rap that can motivate the laziest, but it’s refreshing to hear a point of view that’s realistic without reflecting any bitterness or hate. This goes further on other topics like critics (He said ‘Te I worry about you and the rap game/I said mofucka get a real problem;This rap shit is not the life I live/It’s a tool that I use that’s it). The only complaints from me are the love joints (“To Be Yours” & “Ball and Chain”) that slow the pace in the middle of the album but he’s just showcasing his expression I s’pose. Luckily, the rest is filled with raw bars and an effortless flow; Phonte should no longer be overlooked — this album is worth every cent of the $10. Cop it here.

$5 gas and poverty rates
Are rising much higher than your hourly rates
So if you thinking about quitting you should probably wait
Cause everybody gotta do a fuckin job that they hate
Go on live out your dreams that’s what they tellin’
Fam in my ear and they yellin’
Keep it real ‘Te and don’t ever sell out
Well how the fuck you sell out when ain’t nobody sellin
Tired of playin’ with yall
I wanna fight the good fight but it ain’t payin me dog

Check the lyrics here.

Tracklist

01. Dance in the Reign +++
02. The Good Fight
03. Everything Is Falling Down
04. Not Here Anymore
05. Eternally
06. Sendin My Love
07. Ball and Chain
08. To Be Yours
09. Gonna Be A Beautiful Night
10. We Go Off
11. The Life of Kings +++
12. Who Loves You More

stay up
+jangbar

It’s a big day for Carolina — new albums from Phonte and 9th Wonder. Oh, and J. Cole‘s highly anticipated debut finally hit the shelves today, and it served more than an ever as a reminder of how much the money and fame aspect that accompanies the desires of making music can affect the latter. Jermaine’s been quoted as saying he understands that he’s strategically made tracks (“Work Out”) specifically to cross the boundary towards commercial appeal to gain new fans that will eventually discover his deeper material. While it’s hard to argue with this approach to an artist that’s gained as much “underground” acclaim as he as, it’s tough as a fan and not a critic to know that he could be making better shit. But that’s the nitpickin’ — this album from front to back is solid. A mix of the old, “Lights Please” & “In the Morning,” with a handful of unreleased and leaked tracks. Showcases of his lyrical skills on ‘Sideline Story,’ ‘Nobody’s Perfect,’ and ‘Rise and Shine.’ Thematically crafted songs like ‘Never Told,’ ‘Lost Ones,’ and ‘Nothing Lasts Forever.’ In fact, there’s no tracks where you’d characterize his rhymes as weak, which is something we’ve just become accustomed to when listening to any J. Cole song. The qualms will come from the expectations for him to say more than he did with his first album and to tie it together thematically more fluidly. He’s held in a similar esteem as Kendrick Lamar when it comes to lyrical ability, so, whether fair or not, Section.80 set the bar high for Jermaine to impress. I know there’s more for him to offer, it’ll just take time and less of a yearning for the spotlight that I feel has degraded the quality of music from artists like Big Sean and Lupe Fiasco. Ultimately, he came up short in creating a masterpiece — this is more of an extremely well-produced mixtape. Which won’t draw complaints from me as a fan, but leaves me looking for more from his next projects.

Check out all the lyrics to the album here.

stay up

+jangbar

Tracklist

1. “Intro”
2. “Dollar and a Dream III”
3. “Can’t Get Enough” (featuring Trey Songz)
4. “Lights Please”
5. “Interlude”
6. “Sideline Story”
7. “Mr. Nice Watch” (featuring Jay-Z)
8. “Cole World”
9. “In the Morning” (featuring Drake)
10. “Lost Ones”
11. “Nobody’s Perfect” (featuring Missy Elliott)
12. “Never Told”
13. “Rise and Shine”
14. “God’s Gift”
15. “Breakdown”

I <3 Bacon

Hello friends! It’s been a minute — I’m finally feeling somewhat settled out here in Barcelona and starting to think I may never return to the US. Beautiful women, amazing architecture, siestas, and an overflow of opportunities to see great electronic music. If they had animal fries out here that’d seal the deal. Anywho, more on the city later when I have some stuff to stimulate your ojos. For now your ears will have to take in the jams that have provided the soundtrack for the city. Hit the jump to hear ’em all. (more…)

Drizzy Drake Aubrey released a few new songs via October’s Very Own this evening. Two produced by his main man 40 and the other a remix to Waka Flaka’s ‘Round of Applause.’ These won’t be on Take Care but interesting to hear nonetheless, kind of shows you the direction he’s going in musically right now. His transformation from rapper to pop star is still really disappointing but there’s nothing we can do about it so here’s to hoping he finds some anti-depressants, maybe a stable gal with a regular sized (sorry Nicki) ass and gets back to hittin us with raw bars.

Wacka Flocka ft. Drake – Round of Applause
Drake – Free Spirit ft. Rick Ross
Drake – Club Paradise

Two new tracks from Kendrick Lamar and Asher Roth today off of Peter Rosenberg’s What’s Poppin Vol. 1 Mixtape. Asher kicks his alliterated flow over some smooth horns on “Goodbye” while Kendrick goes in for a verse on something more relaxed and spacey.

Asher Roth – Goodbye

Kendrick Lamar – My Mind Drifts

EDIT: here’s some more goodies from the tape:

J. Cole ft. Childish Gambino & SD – Who Datt Pt. 2 (Prod. by J. Cole)

Tyler The Creator & Domo Genesis – Odd & Twisted (Got it Twisted Freestyle)

Blending genres has always fascinated me — there’s universal similarities in responses to underlying themes in music across genres: hardcore and dubstep, hip-hop and soul, electronic and indie, etc. The first time I heard a dubstep track, the first thought that ran through my mind was “holy shit, this is the gangster rap of electronic music.” So it’s starting to make sense in my eyes why many acts have failed at bringing together hip-hop and dubstep into a matrimony of harmonious filth. Frat-rap with dubstep doesn’t mesh well; the message of the former is girls weed and nice things, whereas the latter serves the purpose of temporarily removing your head from the body it normally controls. Two completely different vibes. The album that led me to this conclusion is Wu-Tang Meets the Indie Culture Vol. 2: Enter the Dubstep, a collection of Wu-Tang tracks set to the impure sounds of some raw artists, including Excision, Datsik, and Evol Intent. They aren’t so much remixes into completely new tracks as they are Wu-Tang verses set to the tune of dubstep. It all comes together quite nicely; now the next step is to get some more impressive Big L dubstep re-works. Grab it on iTunes or Google can help you out.

Tracklist

1. Deep Space (Jay Da Flex & Yoof Remix)
2. New Year Banga (Rogue Star Remix)
3. Street Corners (Scuba Scythe Remix)
4. Love Don’t Cost (A Thing)/Still Grimey (Nebulla & Dore Remixes)
5. Knuckle Up (Matt U Remix)
6. Biochemical Equation (Datsik & Excision Remix)
7. Keep Hustlin (Trillbass Remix)
8. Now Or Never (Parson Remix)
9. Cinema (Chimpo Remix)
10. Coke (DZ Remix)
11. Iconoclasts (Syndaesia & AKS Remix)
12. Handle The Heights (Stenchman Remix)
13. Do It Big (Baobinga & I’d Remix)
14. Wu-Tang (DZ Remix)
15. Let’s Get It (Evol Intent Remix)
16. Lyrical Swords (Pawn Remix)
17. Think Differently (Hellfire Machina Remix)
18. Pencil/MyPiano/Firehouse (Soroka Remixes)
19. Alphabets (Dakimh Instrumental Remix)