Wavves: Lost in the World
March 26, 2013
Often lazily labeled a slacker rocker, Wavves’ Nathan Williams is anything but. For his fourth LP, Williams and longtime cohort Stephen Pope (formerly a guitarist for indie hero Jay Reatard) spent an entire year in the studio. The result is a more melodic, sometimes even upbeat album, which still clings tight to the twisted positivity Williams has preached from the beginning.
Kavinsky Makes a Run for It
March 6, 2013
Like his friends and collaborators from the French electro scene—Justice, Surkin, and the late DJ Mehdi—Kavinsky makes a specific type of electronic music that’s decidedly dark but danceable.
Baauer and Just Blaze Get High
February 13, 2013
Rap icon Just Blaze is now nearly 15 years into his career, and in an effort to reinvent himself while channeling his roots as a dance-music DJ, he’s decided to put out a new record and set out on a collaborative tour with Baauer.
Phaseone and Parisian Connect
January 29, 2013
Though hundreds of miles apart—Phaseone lives in Brooklyn with his girlfriend, Parisian remains “stuck” in St. Louis—the two make a similar brand of ethereal, instrumental music.
Cities Aviv, On the Map
January 23, 2013
In questioning the credibility of pop music and the constructs that have led bloggers and blog-readers alike to align their opinions and agree on what is “good” and “bad,” Cities Aviv has found an avenue for his music that traverses the mainstream and the obscure, and he comes out with his distinct version of pop music that is both nostalgic and futuristic.
Holy Ghost! is at Home
December 28, 2012
Holy Ghost! is a Brooklyn band that doesn’t obsess over their image; they’ve bucked the trend of releasing “exclusive” remixes daily and instead take time to work on cohesive albums; and despite falling under the dance music umbrella, they’re miles away from the chart-topping “live your life” chant-alongs that are all but ubiquitous on pop radio.
Action Bronson in the Lap of Luxury
November 15, 2012
Action Bronson is a man of excess. Take a tour through his quickly-expanding catalogue and you’ll get a glimpse into the mind of a man obsessed with the finer things in life—expertly-prepared cuisine, rare and luxurious furs and leathers, and, of course, willing women of all sizes and colors.
Macklemore & Ryan Lewis Find Clarity
October 9, 2012
Macklemore & Ryan Lewis’s popularity doesn’t entirely make sense. Not only are they two white guys from Seattle making hip-hop, they’re two white guys from Seattle making hip-hop unlike any other.
Getting Ready with Flying Lotus
October 5, 2012
A DJ and producer in the traditional sense, unlike his fist-pumping counterparts, FlyLo (as his fans affectionately refer to him) is a hip-hop head who’s created and pioneered his own style—a blend of ambient landscapes, soulful energy, and sampled loops—and created a sound that’s truly distinctive. Simply put, when you hear a Flying Lotus record, you know it.