BEST AND WORST NEW TRACKS OF THE WEEK 03/06/2015: Mick Jenkins, Raleigh Ritchie, Eminem and more...

Mindblowing music videos, parrot-fronted metal bands and Games of Thrones characters over trap beats. This week has it all.

THE BEST:

'P’s and Q’s' - Mick Jenkins

Did you notice that almost all the words in this song begin with P or Q? Or were you as distracted as I first was by the mind-blowing slo-mo, one-take, shot-in-reverse music video? From the alliterative lyrics to the stunning visuals to the huge instrumental, almost every aspect of this Chicago rapper’s new single is a stroke of genius. I was so impressed on my first listen that I rose from my chair and gave a standing ovation.

'Take You For Dead' - Desta French

Desta French isn’t French. Rather confusingly, she’s half-Columbian, half-Italian and lives in London. ‘Take You For Dead’ is her latest single, a groovy eighties-inspired pop number with Chaka Khan undertones. The ending is all very epic. There’s even a guitar solo thrown into the mix for good measure.

'Never Say Die' - Raleigh Ritchie & Sounwave

As a fan of the violent pornography, Game of Thrones, I was intrigued by the news that castrated ex-slave warrior, Grey Worm, had a musical career on the side. ‘Never Say Die’ sees the actor showing his further talents for singing and rapping over a soaring trap-flavoured beat produced by Sounwave (the badass ‘fuck it, I never had a heart!’ line followed by walls of grimy sub-bass is definitely my favourite bit!)

'Left Behind' - Cln.

This Brisbane bedroom producer certainly lives up to his name. Despite this track’s multiple layers – the music box tinkles, the sawtooth synths, the 808 bass, the pitch-shifted vocals – ‘Left Behind’ feels impressively clean. I could see this electronic instrumental being picked up and used in a suave car ad.

'Seven Perches' - Hatebeak



What do all vocalists have in common? They're all human. Grindcore act, Hatebeak, have decided to think outside the box and employ a parrot on lead vocals - a Congo African 21-year-old parrot to be precise named Waldo. 'Seven Perches' is the latest single from the group's upcoming album 'Number of the Beak', featuring Pig Destroyer member Blake Harrison.

THE WORST:

'Phenomenal' - Eminem

This track is all a bit too overblown and messily-produced for my liking and the constant ‘phenomenaaaal!’ screeches during the hook are fairly irritating. I am liking Em’s angry delivery and choppy flows though. 

Review of 'AT.LONG.LAST.A$AP' by A$AP Rocky

New York emcee, A$AP Rocky, has become one of the more prominent names in the trap rap scene largely for his quirky metrosexual fashion sense (remember that time he once wore a skirt) and his banging selection of beats (the main appeal to me). When it comes to his actual rapping ability, there's not much to separate him from others in the game. His flow is adept and he’s a lot less annoying than some of his autotune-warbling contemporaries, but at the end of the day he’s just another dude spitting about money, drugs and bitches (which is fine if you’re not a lyric snob like me).

AT.LONG.LAST.A$AP sees Rocky taking influence from trip hop and ‘old 60s psychedelic shit’. At 18 tracks, it’s not the most concise album in the world, but it does manage to keep up the pace. Arguably, the best tracks are left until last. ‘Better Things’ might just be the prettiest here, swiftly followed by the hardest track ‘M’$’, that’ll make you want to fix your car with hydraulics.  ‘Everyday’ meanwhile features a killer boom-bap beat courtesy of Mark Ronson, plus vocal features from Miguel and – of all people – Rod Stewart (although I’m pretty sure it’s just a sample).

Me whilst listening to 'M'$'

Altogether, the album relies hard on guest performances. There are lots of names to gawp at. Many disappoint – I knew I’d find M.I.A. and Future’s verses annoying, but I expected more from Kanye who spends his bars rhyming the same word with the same word: ‘sometimes the best advice, is no advice, especially when it’s your advice’. Lil Wayne is the only surprise here, laying down a killer verse on ‘M’$’. Like his performance on the recent Tyler album, he proves he can actually ride a beat instead of delivering the slurry nonsense we’re all used to.

I’m yet to research into who exactly Joe Fox is, but he seems to contribute the most guest performances on this record, largely bringing the ‘old 60’s psychedelic shit’ influence. Four tracks feature folksy-sung hooks from him. They feel like something Eminem might do, except without the cheesiness that was all over The Marshall Mathers LP 2. In fact, Joe Fox’s recurring appearances seem to give the album the motif it needs, stopping it from becoming a jumbled mess and giving it all a sense of cohesion.

I Googled 'Joe Fox' and a picture of Tom Hanks came up. I am none the wiser.

The album ends with perhaps the most poignant of all the guests – a spoken section from Rocky’s recently-passed mentor, A$AP Yams. For me this is one of the best tracks here, not because of sentimental value, but because Rocky really seems to be rapping his ass off on it. It’s the only real song where Rocky sounds like he’s pushing his ability, and not simply cruising. Maybe we can expect more of this in the future. For now, the beats are still the clincher. 

★★★☆☆

TRACK TASTER:

BEST AND WORST NEW TRACKS OF THE WEEK 27/05/2015: Disclosure, Drake, Chance the Rapper & the Social Experiment and more...

Radio DJs have been beating baby rabbits to death with bicycle pumps. The UK got beaten by Australia in Eurovision. It’s been a cruel and confusing week, but no need to fear, I am here to bring hope and joy to the world in the form of music, words and pretty pictures.

THE BEST:

‘Holding On’  - Disclosure

After hearing the Lawrence brothers’ last single ‘Bang That’, I grew fearful that Disclosure were about to lose their charm and start writing twerk anthems. However, this latest single ‘Holding on’ has rekindled my faith in them, sporting the EDM duo’s signature sparkly synth swells and a killer guest vocal performance from jazz singer, Gregory Porter. Disclosure have announced this track as the first single from their upcoming album (which means ‘Bang That’ won’t make the cut – hell yeah!).

 ‘Cities of Gold’ – Lone

Made in 2004, this previously unreleased track from the Nottingham electronic producer has only just seen the light of day. It isn’t the nostalgic sugar rush we’ve come to expect from Lone. The opening hard and schizophrenic percussion is anything but sweet. However, the last half does show hints of what was to come, the industrial drumming gradually petering out into a passage of dreamy ambient synths.

Lone has recently been dropping a lot of previously unreleased old material, which fans can stream on his Soundcloud.

‘On a Wave’ – Drake ft. Tinashe

I’m sorry Drake and Tinashe. I know you didn’t want us to hear this track and that some gluttonous hacker decided to leak it prematurely on the internet. I could have chosen to not listen to it out of protest, but alas I have no willpower and I gave in (and now I’m streaming it on repeat). Unlike most leaks, this is actually a damn good track that I’m glad wasn’t shelved. The instrumental is atmospherically moody and the two artist’s breathy vocal performances complement it so well.  

‘Hiatus’ – Chance the Rapper & the Social Experiment

Will Chance ever release his new album? ‘Hiatus’ is the latest track to surface from the Chicago emcee and his backing band, set to appear on Surf. It’s a groovy little number with some great internal rhyming. I was just getting into it around the one minute mark – and then it abruptly ended without any warning whatsoever. I’m guessing there’ll be a full version on the album, but honestly, Chance, I know you’re just trying to tease us, BUT STOP FUCKING AROUND AND GIVE US YOUR ALBUM ALREADY!  

‘Jacaranda’ – Trails and Ways

I just can’t get enough of these Oakland indie rockers. Their music is just so feelgood and summery – particularly this brand new glittery track. It makes me want to run naked through fields of dandelions. I don’t care if I get done for indecent exposure. I don’t care if it doesn’t agree with my hayfever. I’m doing it and you can’t stop me.

THE WORST:

‘Mercy’ – Muse

‘Dead Inside’ and ‘Psycho’ seemed ambitious, even if they weren’t perfect. By comparison, ‘Mercy’ just feels like unaspiring radio rock. I’m hoping Drones doesn’t contain any more bores like this track

Review of 'Choose Your Weapon' by Hiatus Kaiyote

On the odd occasion when I’m feeling classy, I’ll kick back with some brie, crackers and red wine and listen to some soul music. Hiatus Kiayote are my latest and greatest find – a Melbourne neo-soul group with a frontwoman villainously named Nai Palm (pronounced ‘napalm’). From a glance you’d think they were some crazy white brutal hardcore band, but their sound couldn’t be more opposite.

I first stumbled upon them a couple weeks ago after hearing an old hit of theirs titled ‘Nakamarra’. The husky vocals and pillowy chord progressions transported me to a happy, summery place of peace and love and daisy chains.

I expected the same husky vocals and pillowy chord progressions from this album and without a shadow of a doubt I got this. Hiatus Kaiyote know all the sweet notes to hit to make you feel warm inside. However, it became immediately clear that the vibe wasn’t the same. The reason behind this became clear after repeat listens – Hiatus Kaiyote have lost their smoothness.

They’ve developed ants in their pants, losing their ability to sit still, crafting songs that refuse to settle into a groove. There are no straightforward, easy-flowing numbers like ‘Nakamarra’ on Choose Your Weapon. The record opens with ten minutes of jazzy noodling, disguised as three songs. After this, the music becomes a little more structured and digestable, but there’s still a lot of melodic fidgeting and no real hooks or solid riffs or rhythms to serve as a payoff.

Too much noodles

That said, buried beneath the progginess are some beautiful moments that are worthy of praise. ‘Swamp Thing’ has a muddy, driving bassline that aptly suits it’s title. ‘Prince Minikid’ has a dreamy instrumental that Flying Lotus would be jealous of. Then there’s my favourite track, ‘Atari’, one of the most energetic tracks here – sporting an upbeat chorus of sorts and some fun 8-bit synths.

All these moments feel like creative strokes of genius that could have paid off if Hiatus Kaiyote didn’t have such a short attention span. Meandering off every time a good idea pops up, the album feels like a constant tease. Those with more tolerance for a good noodle will enjoy it. 

★★★☆☆

TRACK TASTER:

Review of 'The Magic Whip' by Blur

Next time you’re stranded in Hong Kong for five days, record an album.

That’s what Britpop veterans Blur allegedly did. With the exception of the lyrics, most of this material was thought up in five days.

To some degree it shows. The Magic Whip isn’t a bad album - it doesn’t feel rushed or unfinished - but it does feel awfully meagre for a comeback album (it’s been over a decade since these guys gave us a full length LP). The standout tracks are easy to pinpoint – namely the glittery opener ‘Lonesome Street’ with its punchy guitar riff and cool drowsy interlude, the funk-tinged ‘Ghost Ship’ and the broodingly epic ode to overpopulation ‘There Are Too Many of Us’. The remainder meanwhile is very subdued, not very catchy and all very down-tempo.

Damon Albarn’s vocal performances are partly to blame. There are no big, anthemic choruses on this record. Most of the vocal hooks are groaned out lazily, most notably the la-la-las at the beginning of ‘Ong Ong’ in which Damon sounds like he can't be bothered. Indeed, the man has never been the liveliest singer in the world, but when you compare these performances to that of hits such as ‘Parklife’, ‘Girls & Boys’ and ‘Country House’ (not to mention his work with Gorillaz) it’s clear there’s a spark missing.

That said, Damon Albarn does still seem to have the edge when it comes to writing colourful lyricism. Alongside the already mentioned topic of ‘Overpopulation’, The Magic Whip sees songs dedicated to subject matter as diverse as North Korea and the ice cream man. Linking it all is the theme of loneliness. As the strangely-titled song ‘Thought I Was A Spaceman’ suggests, Damon Albarn sees himself as an astronaut surrounded by emptiness. Perhaps this explains the withdrawn nature of his vocal performances. In any case, I still want some hooks! 

★★★☆☆

TRACK TASTER:

BEST AND WORST NEW TRACKS OF THE WEEK 20/05/2015: Lunchmoney Lewis, Yung Lean, Iggy Azalea and more...

You know the drill. I listen to a load of songs from the last seven days and pick out my favourites and least favourites. This week Lunchmoney Lewis, Yung Lean and Iggy Azalea make the cut.

THE BEST:

‘Bills’ - Lunchmoney Lewis

This might just be the most upbeat pop song about being broke that I’ve ever heard. Not that there are many pop songs about being broke – part of what makes this track so fresh for a radio single. My only qualm is the music video – he sings ‘stubbed my toe on the edge of the bed’ whilst tripping over a toolbox.

‘Obstinate’ - Packwood



A dude named Vivaldi once wrote a classical four-piece suite called the 'The Four Seasons'.  Melbourne folk artist, Packwood, seems to be competing with his own take, complete with orchestral instrumentation. His upcoming album Vertumnus is currently being released in four parts, each part released on the first day of a new season. 'Obstinate' is the lead single from Hibernal, the winter section of his album, which at first confused me considering we're in the midst of Spring. But of course, Aussie seasons are different to that of the northern hemisphere.

‘Testyear’ - Five Star Hotel

Tagged ‘JpegGraveyard’, this obscure Soundcloud find merges spooky synths and over-compressed trap drums to create an eerie cacophany. It’s like staring into digital hell. The drop at 1:23 is earth-shattering.

‘Stranger’ - Active Child

Indie electronic producer and singer, Pat Grossi (AKA Active Child), delivers his signature choir-like falsettos over angelic arpeggiated synth harps. Quite the contrast to the last track, this is digital heaven.

THE WORST:

'Fd Up' - Yung Lean ft. Thaiboy Digital



The Swedish rapper's overuse of autotune and complete lack of energy is made even less charming by the line: 'my future's looking brighter than my urine test.' 

'Pretty Girls' - Iggy Azalea ft. Britney Spears

Australian-American hip hop artist, Iggy Azalea, switches from singing about how fancy she is to singing about how pretty she is. The result is a failed attempt at Fancy 2.0 that's far too similar to its predecessor (even the synth riff feels like an imitation). Pop icon, Britney Spears, meanwhile tries to fill the gap of Charli XCX, but fails to prove her relevance.

Review of 'Bush' by Snoop Dogg

Having thankfully abandoned his shortlived career as a reggae artist, Snoop Lion returns as Snoop Dogg with this brand new record Bush, the title of which could refer to many things. Personally, I think it’s a tribute to the ex-president.

Clearly the inspiration behind this album

In recent years lots of artists have been jumping on the 70s-revival bandwagon. Snoop is the latest to hop on board (although given his 90s g-funk roots it’s hardly new territory), half-rapping/half-singing over slinky instrumentals loaded with bow-chikka-wow-wow guitars, groovy basslines designed for making babies to and gratuitious use of the 808 cowbell. It’s unashamedly cheesy, particularly the melodramatic male backing vocals layered over each hook (they did make me chuckle), but Snoop – being as smooth as he is – is able to get away with it, resulting in an album that’s charmingly feelgood.

Snoop

Handling the production is Pharrell Williams. Some of you may have heard of him. He turns out to be one of many guest artists on the record, others being Stevie Wonder, Gwen Stefani, Kendrick Lamar, T.I. and Rick Ross. Together, this horde of guest artists help to conceal the fact that Snoop can’t sing or rap any more (or most likely isn’t trying). Snoop’s vocals are largely flat and auto-tuned and his lyrics consist of largely weed-related throwaway scrap, but underneath the carnival of backing vocals and Pharrell-produced funk this seems irrelevant, that is until you remember that this is a Snoop Dogg album.

Choosing to take a backseat throughout the whole album, the record never feels quite as vibrant as it could be. I can just picture Snoop lying back with a joint in his hand whilst the rest of his entourage do the work around him. That said, this is an enjoyable listen and there are standout moments. ‘Run Away’ and ‘This City’ contain some of Pharrell’s most velvety beats yet and ‘Peaches N Cream’ is clearly the new ‘Gin and Juice’. 

★★★☆☆

TRACK TASTER: