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New Album Review: Flying Lotus – ‘Cosmogramma’

Brian Wilder — Tue, 25 May 2010 05:05:56 +0000

Although his government name is Steven Ellison, Flying Lotus has made a name for himself in the underground electronica circuit. With a host of EPs, collaborations and mixtapes to his credit, FlyLo has a chronicle of work that spans nearly a decade.

Steven Ellison a.k.a Flying Lotus

While the rest of us were pulling all-nighters and doing keg stands, Flying Lotus was hard at work crafting his first two studio albums, ‘1983‘, in 2006 and ‘Los Angeles‘, in 2008. But enough of the history of things, let’s talk about his latest release, ‘Cosmogramma‘

Considering the fact that FlyLo is the great-nephew of Alice Coltrane, much of this album has obvious (and not so obvious) jazz elements that hearken back to the days of Miles Davis-esqe freestyle sessions. This is one of the few albums, as of late, that actually sounds like an album. By this, I mean that the record must be played in its entirety in order to get the full effect of Ellison’s hard work and diligence towards the project.

Merely skipping around from song to song would only do you a disservice.

Album art for 'Cosmogramma'

The album as a whole is a very symphonic piece of work that requires more than one complete listen to experience every element that he seemed to have worked so meticulously on. Tracks such as “Do the Astral Plane” and “Zodiac Shit” have the makings of being breakout singles for ‘Cosmogramma‘ with pleasantly rhythmic back beats by Stephen”Thundercat” Bruner.

If you let me, I could go on and on about the album and all the intricately placed elements within this 42-minute-and-one-second opus, but a review is a review. Even it has it’s limits.

I suggest you pick up a copy if you haven’t done so already. That’s an order.

Aloe Blacc – I Need A Dollar

admin — Tue, 20 Apr 2010 02:44:41 +0000

Everyone needs a theme song. And I can’t think of a better one to recommend for you this week. Here is Aloe Blacc’s official I need a dollar music Video.

And here is a great cut by HBO for the “How to Make it in America” series.

Aloe Blacc is a true renaissance man.Take his latin cover of John Legends ordinary people for example. It proves not only can this multi-talented musician produce, rap, sing, and play multiple instruments, but he can also flip it in spanish. Aloe’s influences range from Cat Stevens, to the soul warming sounds of American spirituals.

Simply stated, I’m a musician. I have produced music in many genres from country and folk to hip-hop and dancehall. Whatever I make depends on what instrument I choose to pick up at the time; the guitar usually brings something alternative out, while the keys direct me to a more soulful composition. Most times I just make some banging hip hop.

-Aloe Blacc

Nike Turns Shoes into Sound Controllers

admin — Thu, 15 Apr 2010 15:08:15 +0000

Love what Wieden Kennedy and Nike did with this live performance by turning several Nike “Free” shoes into sound controllers.

Tomoaki Yanagisawa of 4nchor5 la6 was responsible for the hardware part. He added flexible and accelerometer sensors to the shoes. Daito Manabe of rhizomatiks did the sound programming with Max.

They were both commissioned by Wieden + Kennedy Tokyo for this project.

Apparently there was a live performance of this event, we do have a Wieden + Kennedy source in Tokyo and are working on getting our hands on the raw cut.

Discovered at: Frank151 by Caitlin

New Music Review: Janelle Monae feat. Big Boi – “Tightrope”

Brian Wilder — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 20:56:27 +0000

Janelle Monae first hit my radar back in 2008 when a good friend passed along a link to her freshman LP, “Metropolis: The Chase Suite“, and my mind has been constantly blown ever since.

Hailing from the one of the music capitals of the world, Atlanta, Monae kind of left a lot of her fans hanging after the underground successes of “Many Moons” and “Sincerely, Jane” from her fledgling album. That is all in the past now that she’s back on the scene and ready to release her second studio album, “ArchAndroid“, due out May 18th.

Albeit, she’s now signed with Bad Boy Records as her distributor, Monae still maintains the indie feel of her music under the Wonderland Arts Society. This time around the afro-punk songstress has teamed up with Big Boi of Outkast to produce an updated take on a dance that was revolutionized by the Godfather of Soul, James Brown.

“Tightrope” is an upbeat track with a great deal of elements that you’d find in a far out Missy Elliot or Andre 3000 track. It’s the perfect way to get a dance party or night out on the town started.

The true magic comes from the music video, though, which is set in a time where dancing is illegal unless controlled within the confines of the government. It’s a pretty radical concept, but anyone who is familiar with her first music video should have no problem latching on to this gem.

Take a look at the video and judge for your self:

Janelle Monae feat. Big Boi – \”Tightrope\”

New Music Review: Asher Roth – "Seared Fois Gras with Quince and Cranberry"

Brian Wilder — Sat, 27 Mar 2010 18:00:45 +0000

As convoluted as the title for Asher Paul Roth’s latest mix tape is, don’t let that detract from the fact that Roth has decidedly taken a much more serious tone with this release. Produced in part with DJ Wreckineyez–who has worked with Phonte of Little Brother, DJ Cannon and Brain Bangley–”Seared Fois Gras…” rounded up some of the best producers and beat makers in the game to give Roth the perfect platform to reinvent himself.

Cover looks tasty. The same can't be said for the entirety of this mix tape, though

I wish I could say that his lyrics delivered from start to finish but I’m not in the business of lying to the readers out there. Whether it was the incessant number of times that he’s had to perform “I Love College” or the strain from the off-again-on-again whirlwind tour he had with Kid Cudi, Roth just sounds tired (and angry).

This is understandable when you make the mistake of branding yourself as the “college kid” when a large core of your audience has yet to graduate from high school. It does go without saying, though, that every cloud does have a silver lining and there is a heaping handful of tracks that do not disappoint. I recommend “F*ck the Money” feat. B.o.B and “Con-fid-ence”, both produced by Kanye West, for those in favor of West’s sample-heavy beats and I-hate-fame-but-I’ll-suck-it-up-and-make-more-money mentality.

The biggest surprise on the mix tape comes from a collaboration with Talib Kweli, Blu (named XXL Magazine’s ‘Freshmen 10′ in 2009) and Travis Barker for the “Sour Patch Kids” remix. Not only does Roth hit the mark with his lyrics, but it doesn’t hurt that Barker produced the HELL out of this track.

Overall, “Seared Fois Gras…” is solid enough to stay in your library and actually get a decent amount of plays. My only suggestion for Ash Roth is that he figure out the image he wants to portray to the masses quick before he falls into obscurity, because we all know what happened to the likes of Everlast and Bubba Sparxx…

New Music Review: The Gorillaz – 'Plastic Beach'

Brian Wilder — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 06:08:46 +0000

The majority is probably familiar with the flagship track, “Stylo” featuring Mos Def and Bobby Freaking Womack, but there’s is so much more to be had with the virtual band’s latest studio album, Plastic Beach.

Not only did the trio run the gauntlet by releasing five different versions of the album–I recommend the Japanese ‘Experience Edition’–but they brought out the production big guns with tracks featuring everyone from Snoop Dogg and De La Soul to London-born grime rapper, Kano and rock great, Lou Reed.

Cover art for the Japanese standard version of the album.

The overall execution of the album is tight. Period. The symphonic and mellow feel of “Cloud of Unknowing” and “Welcome to the World of the Plastic Beach” do not detract from the bass/synth-heavy material that fans were used to on the first two albums, but welcomed additions.

Plastic Beach is a joy to listen to I assure you that every house beats DJ in the world will make hella sure that its tracks will be added to their repertoire with the quickness. Trust me.

Big Wayde "I Get Away Remix" ft. Uncle Murda & Jay-Z

GOD — Wed, 13 May 2009 03:35:41 +0000

From the White Plains of Westchester county N.Y. Big Wayde is bustin’ into the scene fully loaded. An intellectual thinker and entrepreneur alike Big Wayde is one of raps dirtiest diamonds. Keep an eye out for the launch of Big Waydes highly anticipated soon to be released clothing line.

Visit BIG WAYDE on myspace to listen to his new track “I Get Away Remix” Ft. Uncle Murda & Jay-Z

Big Wayde is offer a FREE DOWNLOAD of his hot new single: “What Have They Done”