Peace peace peace. Hope everyone is doing well, got quite a few fantastic releases to cover over the next couple of weeks, so stay tuned for that! Without further ado though, let’s get into this week’s roundup!
Features
Fearless, loud, soulful -Aquiles Navarro & Tcheser Holmes’ Heritage of the Invisible II in a nutshell
Fearless. Loud. Soulful. 3 words to sum up Aquiles Navarro & Tcheser Holmes’ new collaborative album Heritage of the Invisible II. As members of the incredible New York-based jazz collective Irreversible Entanglements, the talented trumpet-and-percussion duo have excelled at creating music with a sense of urgency and necessity. On Heritage of the Invisible II, they take that energy to new heights, with a frantic, cacophonous and bold album that sounds equally as electrifying than anything they’ve created so far. I’ll go further in saying that it may be one of the better jazz releases of the year. Read more
Releases
10.4 ROG – treblemaker
10.4 ROG has been at the forefront of some of my favourite music being released over the last couple of days. His influence on the independent music scene cannot be understated, and with the release of his new project treblemaker, the talented artist continues showing why he’s one of the best to do it. His production is dense and textured, with thick basslines and beats that carry such a groove it’s impossible not to rock with it. Tracks like “That Saturated Fat” with Broken Transient and “Barrio Kart 150cc” are examples of that incredibly dense and dynamic sound that captures the funk and soul of his music perfectly. The incredible composition on “Plant Loops” is another impressive highlight, while the chords and synths on “Tomorrow and Yesterday” are fantastic too. Overall, this 7-track project showcases 10.4 ROG’s talents as a producer and composer, brilliantly capturing the raw and soulful aura and aesthetic of his music. Definitely one to support!
dj blackpower – blp2020: “king of the night”
As dj blackpower, MIKE has become one of my favourite producers of the last few years. His murky sound is complemented by soulful samples and a desolate, alienating feel that makes his music so captivating. On his new project as dj blackpower blp2020: “king of the night”, the incredibly talented artist has come through with some of the best-produced music of this year. When I listened to “Sorrel Juice” for the first time, my jaw literally dropped. The incredible guitar-arpeggios and vocal sample work perfectly, and MIKE’s verse is a piercing and important addition to the overall vibe and aura of the track. Other highlights include the groovy and smooth cuts “bad News” and “Mhm!”, as well as the more distant and desolate soundscape of “STAY HUNTING”. Overall, this is a stellar release that once again showcases dj blackpower’s incredible talents as a producer. Definitely one to support!
Small Bills (ELUCID & The Lasso) – Don’t Play It Straight
Every ELUCID release requires hours of listening and digesting. I definitely won’t be doing that here, but I just wanted to say that his new collaborative album with Detroit producer The Lasso is exceptional. Don’t Play It Straight features 14 tracks of some of the craziest hip-hop I’ve heard this year. The Lasso’s production is eclectic, colourful and incredibly off-kilter, making it a perfect soundscape for ELUCID’s crazy rhyming. Tracks like “Sometimes Care Looks Like Leave Me The Fuck Alone” featuring billy woods and “Holes In The Air Caused by Light” feature heavy drums and basslines, with the latter track containing some slick and textured guitar leads, as ELUCID’s dystopian raps ring through poignantly throughout the entire album. Moor Mother’s verse on “Falling Up” is another highlight to me, her presence on this track and others I’ve heard this year is so incredibly beautiful. Overall, this is a fascinating project and one I’ll need to listen more to, to really appreciate.
Pacific Yew – Squeeze Demo
Oakland, California-based producing maestro Pacific Yew has come through with a stellar new release titled Squeeze Demo. His characteristic guitar-led sound feels warm and beautifully textured along with the subtle basslines and drumming throughout. The colourful and dynamic “Truly” is exceptional, with its organic and beautiful aura perfectly capturing the groove and tone of the project as a whole. The vocals on “Squeeze” are exceptional as well, as they complement the dynamic and colourful guitar leads beautifully, while “Tomorrow’s Gone” is the most soothing and textured track on the project. The slow-paced groove, the incredible guitar leads and the subtle vocals throughout are truly hypnotic and mesmeric. It’s a stunning project, and one definitely worth supporting!
Ojerime – B4 I Breakdown
I need to thank Bandcamp Weekly for introducing me to Ojerime, because her most recent project B4 I Breakdown is an incredible one. The London-based R&B singer has a hypnotic voice, and the music on this project is soothing, sensual and incredibly funky and groovy as well. The trap influenced “Tangerine Dreams” is moody and sensual in sound, as her vocals sound almost overpowering. The incredible guitar leads on “Empty” are stunning, while “Mansur’s Interlude” showcases Mansur Brown’s incredible talents as a gifted guitarist. The project as a whole feels smooth, soothing and ethereal, as the sensuality of Ojerime’s voice captures a beautiful and poetic aura. It’s a fantastic release, and one i hope more people discover!
Xyla – Ways
San Francisco-based musicial Xyla has released a stellar new electronic project titled Ways. The queer bpoc classical musician-turned-producer’s debut full-length project is a bold one, as Xyla is able to compose ethereal, moody and dynamic electronic compositions, capturing the moodiness and dreamy tone of their music. The synth leads on “Now” are truly hypnotic, while the cosmic, broken-beat groove of “Cold” featuring Oso Feo is truly incredible. This project showcases Xyla’s propensity for bold, experimental house music is what makes Ways such an impressive listen. One to support for sure!
WON POUND – SOIL WORKS
Maine-based producer WON POUND released a groovy, eclectic and soulful project titled SOIL WORKS back in July, but I discovered this release this week and instantly fell in love with it. The project is funky, groovy and with some incredibly lush and smooth samples that create this 70s R&B tone that creates this incredibly lush and textured sound. The way these beats are chopped is pretty amazing to me. “todaywithu+” is an incredible example of this, as the vocal samples and beat arrangements throughout just sound so amazing to me. “spinning leaves” is a smooth and reflective track and another one of my favourites. I’ll definitely be listening to this project for a while, and I’m really happy I discovered it!
Mark de Clive-Lowe – Dreamweavers
Los Angeles-based jazz maestro Mark de Clive-Lowe has come through with a stellar new project titled Dreamweavers, a smooth and beautifully composed project that features Andrea Lombardini on electric and double bass, as well as Tommaso Cappellato on drums and percussion. It’s a colourful release, one with emphatic piano and synth leads, as well as groovy basslines that add a texture and a funky energy throughout that sounds vibrant. “Birds of Prey” is an excellent example of the rumbling, dynamic drum-led grooves that can be found throughout the project, while the ethereal and soft “In Answer To Your Question” sounds like a love song, a slower-paced and angelic tone and vibe that perfectly captures the soul of this project. Go check this one out!
SKinniez & THEO – HIGH/LOW
South African artist Skinniez and multi-instrumentalist THEO link up for an incredibly beautiful new project titled HIGH/LOW. It’s a smooth and ethereal r&b album with some of the craziest beats and productions I’ve heard in a while. The guitar and synth leads on “MRS SIMON’S TOWN” are truly insane, while the moody and subtle tone of “BASEMENT (INTERLUDE)” are so incredibly emotive. The whole project sounds beautifully therapeutic throughout. The delicate textures created by the gorgeous guitar leads and synths make this album a truly mesmeric one. It’s definitely something to check out and support!
Weekly Playlist
Tracklist
Aquiles Navarro & Tcheser Holmes – Initial Meditation (Heritage of the Invisible II)
Aquiles Navarro & Tcheser Holmes – M.O.N.K(Most Only Never Knew) (Heritage of the Invisible II)
Aquiles Navarro & Tcheser Holmes – NAVARROHOLMES (Heritage of the Invisible II)
dj blackpower – bad News (BLP2020 “King of the Night”)
dj blackpower – Sorrel Juice (BLP2020 “King of the Night”)
Small Bills (ELUCID & The Lasso) – Falling Up ft Moor Mother (Don’t Play It Straight)
Pacific Yew – Frans (Squeeze Demo)
WON POUND – run up_ (SOIL WORKS)
BudaMunk – Night Flight (Single)
Yugo Ease & Ill Sugi – Slow Burn (Dusk Till Dawn)
R-Kay – Grey Area ft Boadi (Single)
Ojerime – Empty (B4 I Breakdown)
Tierra Whack – Dora (Single)
Rago Foot – Fyre (Single)
Xyla – Ways (Ways)
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