With New Epoch, Japanese producer Goth-Trad has created a rare beast: an album providing plenty of top-quality DJ-food for selectors that also stands up as a straight-up front to back listen. It’s a tough trick to pull off as the extended intros and breakdowns inherent in EDM can make for repetitive listens at home but then again, you’d be hard-pressed to qualify New Epoch as ordinary club music – drawing on Goth-Trad’s past work in noise, jungle, Trip-Hop and UK Bass, it’s satisfyingly physical without bowing down to typical trends.

Much like contemporaries Shackleton and Pinch, Goth-Trad was part of a generation exploring Dubstep’s sonic territory before even being aware of the genre’s existence. Working out his native Japan, he’s since evolved into a respected scene player all while keeping his music from falling prey to the standardization that’s afflicted the genre in subsequent years. Take lead single Air Breaker: a heavy, grinding beast of a stomper, it’s the kind of ugly mutant that would leave both party-hearty brosteppers and effete gauzewave fans recoiling in horror. In other words, it’s the best thing ever. Dig a little deeper however and Air Grid & Cosmos explore the same feeling of dread while inverting the equation – here it’s the void of space that leaves an impact with sub bass so heavy it’ll collapse chest plates and leave a trail of broken, buzzing iPod ear buds in its wake. Listen to this on proper speakers.

In interviews, Goth-Trad mentioned the thematic impact of Japan’s Fukushima disaster on the album and it’s hard not to interpret the album’s dread bass as the soundtrack to the post-apocalypse. Though more conventional thanks to its wobbling undertow; Babylon Fall with reggae legend Max Romeo makes this explicit, the singer’s words of warning and prophetic chants floating over the track with baroque resignation. It all makes for a dark, uncompromising listen with few moments of light, though Mirage and the showstopping title track offer glimmers of hope through the detuned synths and squelching sub-frequencies. But perhaps the most surprising thing about New Epoch isn’t that the darkness works in a thematic context but that it absolutely slays crowds removed from it: drop pretty much any tune here for the right people and watch their faces scrunch up – always the sign of a good banger. That New Epoch succeeds as an expression of emotion and the catalyst for release stands as its strongest achievement.

A few years ago, New Epoch might have sadly gone by unnoticed, flooded as the world was with dark visions of dystopian urbanity. In 2012 however, now that the dust is clearing from the great recession and everyone’s ready to party to generic crap again, it’s easy to single out as a prophetic warning and a bracing listen, the rare auteurist statement in electronic music that also works on the dance floor. Though you won’t find any pitch-shifted R&B vocals, Juke rhythms or slow tempos on this release, you don’t necessarily need to be a regular Rinse.FM listener to get in on the action either: dark music fans of all stripes would be well advised to give it a chance as Goth-Trad twists and pulls a tremendous number of sounds into the 140BPM tempo. Coming on the heels of Pinch & Shackleton’s equally arresting collaboration album, New Epoch is a surefire sign that the state of the Dubstep union is strong though it’s best enjoyed through carefully considered material removed from the daily grind of disposable daily downloads.

Download:
MP3: Goth-Trad – Alone Warrior (Non album track, 320)

Flash Bang Grenada top Spock at his own game and teleport alongside Verbs and Riddlore. The latter is a Project Blowed O.G. and one-time member of Chillin’ Villain Empire (CVE). You should be aware of him, but you are likely not. This is a good place to start.This remix tweaks the original “Teleport” from last year’s 10 Haters, arguably the best rapped project that didn’t involve a man who shares a last name with a memorable character from Revenge of the Nerds. Like the only remixes worth a damn, there are all new verses. Busdriver wins this round by bragging that he can “teleport to Tripoli.”

The son of the man who wrote Krush Groove also has a new album coming out later this month. It is called Beaus & Eros. He may like a pun even more than me. You can pre-order it here. Last week, he dropped a song called “Superhands Mantra” featuring Aesop Rock. I am posting it here because I like music from people who are great at rapping.

On a Previous Episode:

Knocksteady Podcast: Flash Bang Grenada

Video: Flash Bang Grenada – “Moisturizer”

Flash Bang Grenada ft. Open Mike Eagle – “In a Perfect World”

Pelican briefs, Craig Ehlo, Lil Mac, the beat for Wu Banga, the ghosts of master killers, all channeled on the latest leak from the Wu Tang Pulp project. Some more strictly fam members only shit from the Wrecking Crew (Has-Lo, Zilla Rocca, Curly Castro), plus Boogieman Dela and David Little. Small Pro slices and dices the beat.

This is better than any rap tribute album that I’ve heard (admittedly, I can readily think of few beyond In tha Beginning.) Why cover the songs when you can re-imagine them? The Wrecking Crew know they can’t do better, so they think differently.  Peace to Steve Jobs, Maximilian Pegasus, Lex Louis Rich Liberace, cold currents, giant landscapes of broken rocks, bottles going off in the church, people who slap pastors, number spots, Egyptians, Haagen Dazs goggles, Nieman Marcus, Carlo Gambino’s stash house in Hackensack, coconut, incense, and jiffy pop.  Just chant Wu, aight?

Previously:
Scallops, Tossed Salads, & Rap Ballads

Full Spectrum, the Sequel: Starring Has-Lo, Zilla Rocca & Open Mike Eagle

The Endless Nights & Weekends of Zilla Rocca

It’s been a rough week for Shaq. Last night, Kobe Bryant passed him in scoring on the all-time list, now Serengeti has unleashed the power of the Killa Deacon on the Big Aristotle.  For those who don’t know the back story, Kenny Dennis (Kdz) and Tha Grimm Teachaz were signed to Jive Records in ’93. After a Teachaz performance at the label’s showcase in Philly (other performers included the Fu-Schnickens and Tevin Campbell), Shaq-Fu got brazen and mocked Kenny’s mustache live on-stage.

“Shazam” is the ‘stache’s revenge. Shaq don’t want none. How can he in the face of a militia? It’s the Teachaz vs. the Magic and magic isn’t a real thing. How indomitable is the Kdz? He makes Shaq look like Greg Kite. Or Larry Krystkowiak. Premiering today on PotW, “Shazam” is swiped from Serengeti’s forthcoming Kenny Dennis EP, a brilliant and hysterical record that I will discuss at length when the time is right.

Don’t take this Litterial Green. For those who don’t grasp the Andy Kauffman-like genius of writing diss songs directed at the star of Kazaam in the voice of your 45-year old white alter-ego, David Cohn is working on a project with Sufjan Stevens and Son Lux. Because the world needed to hear Serengeti’s Illinois.

Previously:

Strange Whips, BEeffs, and Leafs

You Really Never Know Someone Until You’re Both Buried: Serengeti’s Family & Friends

That Blog Post Got Viewed the Most: Serengeti’s “California”

Jonah Bromwich’s favorite vacation spot is the Isle of Wight.

There’s only so much concrete meaning that we can infer from beatmakers’ music. Without lyrics acting as signposts, all we have to go on is tempo, mood and the occasional sample. Not much really.

That’s what makes it so fun when a producer like Shlohmo drops a few more clues to puzzle over. His excellent new Vacation EP plays the meaning game extremely well. At first, the title seems like a total misnomer. These aren’t sunny sounds; in fact, every song prominently features the sound of dripping water. So it’s great when Henry Laufer gives a nod to a different Shlohmo with the Rothian punchline serving as an apt title for the third and last track: “Rained the Whole Time.”

Despite the constant presence of precipitation, these sounds aren’t the depressing ones you might expect to hear f someone’s trip down to the shore got rained out. First track, “The Way U Do,” after twenty seconds of brightness, quickly gives in to a droning lament, the edges blurred out. It looks like the clouds didn’t take very much time to move in.  Soon enough, a new sound joins that buzzing sadness, as a vocal note and a guitar riff meld into one another and extend skyward. The song runs down with these two elements, the lament and the hymn firmly bouncing off one another; two voices, one high, one low, and both equally soulful.

“Wen Uuu” works within that template, giving more credence to the theory that there are two people on this vacation. Vocal samples give a few more clues as to what’s going on. The back and forth call, surrounded by looped strings and perfectly placed drum taps goes, “Nobody knows…you love me.” It’s a sad note to be sure, but the song is so astoundingly pretty that it emphasizes the romance between these isolated lovers.

And then there’s “Rained the Whole Time,” the most kinetic and sexy of the three tracks. The voice here is male, and while there’s a couple of sighs and a few hums, the vocals are hushed enough to suggest something intimate. There’s a muted suggestion here, (and of course it’s subtle, and could be imagined, but there’s the beauty of music without words, that it allows you to take your own meaning) that it might not be such a bad thing that it rained the whole time. If a vacation is a getaway, it doesn’t take much more than a room and someone you love to fulfill the promise of escape.

Previously:
Places & Kings

Sach O: Burial – “Shell of Light” (Shlohmo Remix)

Download:

Shlohmo – wen uuu by FoFMusic

Fun fact: this video was created entirely out a photo collage of pictures taken from Blu’s Instagram page. Media TakeOut told me that Lana Del Rey demanded her swag back after watching this (and a full definition of what swag means in 2012).

Madlib is credited with the beat. Only the IRS knows if he got paid.

Dear Internet,

Remember that one time when a bunch of you gave money to foot the bill for the weed carrier in Animal Collective to travel to Mali to play a concert and buy all sorts of exotic sandals. Well, this time I have an even better and less culturally noxious offer for you. Mike Eagle and Ras G are two of the best musicians that Los Angeles has yielded in the last decade. The former popularized the phrase “art-rap” to make Animal Collective fans feel guilty for ignoring experimental rap in favor of exclusively Dipset (I know, you’ve all changed.) The latter helped found the Beat Scene that brought you such artists as Flying Lotus, Nosaj Thing, and Allen Ginsberg.

Now they’ve collaborated to help promote a trip to Africa to school the Ugandan youth on both the boom and the bap. A full-length project will come out of it and Mike and Ras have already raised half of the necessary funds thanks to a grant from the LA Department of Cultural Affairs. Now they need another $5,000 in matching donations. Mike’s spiel is below the jump. So is the song they’ve recorded, which I highly endorse. You can donate here and you should. But don’t take my word for it, listen to the advice of the famous Hollywood celebrity.

Via Mike:

I’ve been offered an opportunity that I never could have imagined.

I’ve been selected along with Brainfeeder artist Ras G to travel to the african nation of Uganda to teach a youth program about hip-hop and record a project with Ugandan rap artists.

The project was conceived and developed by LA hip-hop non-profit organization J.U.I.C.E. and has been partially funded by a grant from the Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs.

The grant, however, calls for matching funds. This means that they fund half of the overall budget for the project with the responsibility of the other half being on us.

We began with a fundraising goal of $7,000. At the moment we’ve generated $1,200. We still have quite a bit of ground to cover.

We need any help that you could provide. 1 dollar, 5 dollars, 1,000 dollars. Each and every bit of assistance we get will help this once in a lifetime opportunity come to pass.

The song we’ve presented here is just an exercise in Ras and I putting something down. Its raps I wrote to a beat of his that I liked. We did this very quickly and I think it came out great. Whats in front of us tho, is the opportunity to visit another culture and and have experiences that could change our lives and help us make a project that could be a landmark in both of our careers.

Please help us and donate here:

http://www.stayclassy.org/events/juice-intl-hip-hop-artist-exchange-agya-uganda/e8079

Download:
MP3: Open Mike Eagle & Ras G – “Warhorn”

Jonah Bromwich moves on to the year 3000.

The knock on Gangrene is fair: the beats are mostly more interesting than the raps. The easy fix is Evidence, the slow-flow professional, who adds his pedigree to a beat which echoes the dank inter-workings of a futuristic factory — the slow-clanging and gurgles suggesting the mechanical movements that murderers move with.

Evidence is in his element here. His sharp pronunciations rings out above the clamor, clearing the way for humanity amidst the dusty and dirty sounds — as though Pigpen programmed the keys. Evidence’s Cats and Dogs was unfairly ignored last year, an unflashy album that showcased an MC who hasn’t stopped growing in two decades.

With age Evidence has become less concerned with establishing his indie rapper bona fides and more interested in continuously revealing his personality, staking out a unique territory by refining the way he communicates his ideas over wax. “I know what I know and what I don’t can’t hurt” isn’t a naïve statement, although it might seem that way on first listen. Rather it’s the voice of experience, a guy who’s gotten by while being independent for so long that he knows all about the benefits of self-reliance.

Download:
MP3: Gangrene ft. Roc C & Evidence-”Dark Shades”

Newsflash: rap beats almost always sound better when emcees rap over them, so while Araabmuzik’s Instrumental University may be of great interest to aspiring swag rappers from Harlem to Houston Street, there’s not much there for the rest of us who enjoy hearing songs in their final form. That’s a shame though because while Electronic Dream remains one of my favorite releases last year, there’s a whole side of Araabmuzik’s production that doesn’t revolve around making DeadMau5 palatable to people who aren’t on ecstasy. For all of his Trance-rap trendiness and MPC finger-fucking, the kid is essentially  an East-Coast purist at heart, namedropping Alchemist as a favorite producer and peddling beats to names like Lloyd Banks, Fabolous, Cam’ron and Vado; New Yitty stalwarts who haven’t been hot since Bush was in office. They’re still rapping about guns, drugs & money and they sound damn good over Araabmuzik’s beats, though I personally could live out the rest of my days never hearing another album from any of them. Hence this zip file compiling the vocals to the Instrumental University beats: it gives the beats back their proper context and provides the variety needed to make aging NY thug rap palatable. One Jim Jones cut a year sounds about right for me.

Download:
MP3: Araabmuzik – Vocal University (left click)
MP3: Vado – Snapped
MP3: Styles-P – Ryde On Da Regular

Jonah Bromwich slightly prefers Ashley Banks.

What made “212″ great? It’s actually pretty easy to explain.

1. It came from a person that no one had ever heard of.

2. It was well-rapped, (incredibly well-rapped, actually) by a person that no one had ever of.

3. It was raunchy as hell, while being well-rapped, by a person that no one had ever heard of.

Now that we’ve heard of Azealia Banks, now that we know she can rap exceedingly well, she’s going to get judged a hell of a lot more harshly. Two minutes into “Bambi” she goes off like we know she can, for all of thirty seconds. This is after two minutes of irritating blather over pretty generic beat. It’s not going to cut it.

Azealia has a genuine gift for making simple lines sound anthemic: “I know all these bitches really can’t stand me” could have easily been the hook of a real three minute song and it’s a shame to hear it wasted here. It’s a reminder that talent isn’t the only part of the equation that matters; hard work and focus could transform lazy efforts like this one into songs that are worth keeping around.

Download: