Frequencies of 2014: Mix
–Words and list by Kevin Madert
This is another installment in the “Frequencies of” series. The music that got to me most in 2014 – that got my head nodding, that sent goosebumps prickling across my skin, that had me screaming at the top of my lungs – placed in a handful of semi-specific categories (for organizational purposes more than anything else). Am I telling you these are the best things released all year? Certainly not. Am I telling you they’re all great, and suggesting you check them out in order to grasp a more complete picture of the year in music? Absolutely.
Phaeleh – Slumber Sessions
Recorded as an installment in I-D’s “Slumber Sessions” series, this mix exists not only as a hauntingly beautiful piece of art but also as an ambient background piece, intended to be listened to as one zones out and drifts off to sleep. Phaeleh, as a master of such sounds, constructs an eclectic and meandering mix, often comprised of wholly ambient tracks and dipping at times into little more than droning notes and hushed sound effects. In his own words, “in some ways you can think of it as a soundtrack to a dream…I wanted it to be able to exist in the background, without focus, whilst at the same time having elements of detail and beauty scattered amongst the layers of sound unraveling as the mix progresses.” In the process, he created perhaps the best mix of 2014 – a definite must-hear.
Read More
Frequencies of 2014: Hip-Hop
–Words and list by Kevin Madert
This is another installment in the “Frequencies of” series. The music that got to me most in 2014 – that got my head nodding, that sent goosebumps prickling across my skin, that had me screaming at the top of my lungs – placed in a handful of semi-specific categories (for organizational purposes more than anything else). Am I telling you these are the best things released all year? Certainly not. Am I telling you they’re all great, and suggesting you check them out in order to grasp a more complete picture of the year in music? Absolutely.
Atmosphere – Southsiders
Atmosphere – aka rapper Slug on vocals and producer/DJ Ant on everything else – has always managed to stay both relevant to their fanbase and true to themselves throughout their twenty-plus year career. On Southsiders, their latest, Slug is even more mature than when we last heard him on The Family Sign in 2011. He raps about topics ranging from his marriage (“Fortunate,” & “My Lady Got Two Men”), to a eulogy for former Rhymesayers artist Eyedea (“Flicker”), all backed by restrained but raw beats courtesy of Ant. Between this album and their rigorous touring schedule – I was able to catch the Minnesota twosome on their recent North of Hell tour and couldn’t have been more impressed – it’s a safe bet Atmosphere will remain a force in the underground hip-hop community for many years to come.
Grieves – Winter & The Wolves
It’s no surprise two of the best hip-hop offerings of the year are Rhymesayers products. Grieves (real name Benjamin Laub) drew a fair bit of comparison to Macklemore upon the release of his fourth full-length, Winter and the Wolves, but the similarities extend about as far as their shared home of Seattle and the similar color of their skin; neither of which have any bearing on the quality or sonic components of their music. Laub has often been a serious guy, crafting morose tracks and telling tales of childhood struggles and emotional loss, and WatW is often about as bleak as it gets. While these tunes are admirable, it’s when he breaks from this mold and gets more optimistic that things really get interesting – the playful “Whoa is Me,” and the Slug collaboration “Astronauts,” are two stand-outs in this category.
People Under The Stairs – 12 Step Program
Imagine a day of channel surfing soundtracked by head-nodding alt-hip-hop, and you’ve got a rough idea of the structure and sound of People Under The Stairs’ latest effort, 12 Step Program. Complete with sampled television interludes and growls of manufactured static between (and sometimes during) many tracks, it’s a concept album sonically rather than thematically. PUTS have always been stellar storytellers, and that quality is prominent here too – “Pictures On My Wall” and the appropriately named “Cool Story Bro,” are just a few of the best-spun yarns. All in all, it’s another quality album from an established group with a career full of them.
Pharoahe Monch – PTSD
Pharoahe Monch is one smart dude. The NYC-based rapper finds himself most at home crafting intricately layered rhymes within thoughtful tracks compiled into unique conceptual albums, and that’s where we find him on Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Envisioned as a follow-up to his previous LP W.A.R. (We Are Renegades), Monch’s razor-sharp tongue chronicles the path of a war veteran returning home and dealing with the condition from which the album draws its name. The duality is in the details, as the album is also a metaphor for Monch’s own path as a newly independent artist. If you enjoy your hip-hop with a healthy dose of contemplation, this album is well worth your time.
Sage Francis – Copper Gone
Über-smart alt-hip-hopper Sage Francis returns from a four-year hiatus with Copper Gone, his sixth full-length offering. From the seething verses and powerful backbeat of opening track “Pressure Cooker,” the indie-rock feel of his previous LP Li(f)e is long gone, replaced by the more familiar vitriol and sense of urgent honesty. It’s a pleasant return to former stylings because it’s a successful one; it feels as if this is the album Francis was itching to make all throughout his hiatus, releasing all the energy he’d contained in that time into a taut, pointed final product.
Logic – Under Pressure
This local legend turned international rap star (he calls Gaithersburg home) has released plenty of unofficial mixtapes in the past few years, which have played a large role in his ascension to wider prominence. But it’s this debut LP that most fans were really waiting for, and it doesn’t disappoint; the often autobiographical style of Logic’s work is on full display on Under Pressure, making for a real and relatable collection of songs. His storytelling prowess is complimented by his undeniable flow – look no further than the nine-minute title track for proof of that.
Flying Lotus – You’re Dead!
What can I say about Flying Lotus that hasn’t already been shouted across rooftops the music world over? The electronica/experimental hip-hop/jazz fusion genre-melter has made a career out of combining the oddest influences and harnessing the results into a string of bizarre crossover successes. His fifth studio affair is more of the same, and finds FlyLo at perhaps his most poignant – even though he often says very little at all. The bottom line is this: if you’ve always loved him, you’ll be enamored with You’re Dead! from the get-go. If you’re not a fan, this isn’t going to win you over – it probably isn’t meant to anyway.
Read More
Frequencies of 2014: Bass/Beats
–Words and list by Kevin Madert
End of year “best-of” lists are a funny thing. First off, they’re entirely subjective – unless you rank based upon sales, which we all know is often the least relevant factor when considering a work’s merits. Second, they’re often far too ambitious and broad in scope. “The 50 Best Songs of The Year” looks good on the top of Rolling Stone’s website, but what the fuck does that actually mean? The editors and content compilers didn’t listen to every single release from January 1 to December 31, and even if they had there’s no way they could sort through the sheer volume of material and pick the definitive top 50. (Side note: Rolling Stone’s #2 song of the year was “Turn Down For What,” so their grasp on the definition of the word “best” is questionable.)
In my mind, a “best-of” list should mutually benefit the writer and the reader. Rather than futilely attempt to decide which songs or albums or artists were the indisputable winners, these lists should be cross-sections of the year in their respective musical spheres. I’m not here to be the pompous judge over some imagined contest that you signed yourself into appearing in solely by releasing music in the last calendar year. I’m just here – as always – to share the music I enjoyed too much to not talk about with anyone who’d like to hear it.
Read More
Frequencies of 2014: Chill
–Words and list by Kevin Madert
End of year “best-of” lists are a funny thing. First off, they’re entirely subjective – unless you rank based upon sales, which we all know is often the least relevant factor when considering a work’s merits. Second, they’re often far too ambitious and broad in scope. “The 50 Best Songs of The Year” looks good on the top of Rolling Stone‘s website, but what the fuck does that actually mean? The editors and content compilers didn’t listen to every single release from January 1 to December 31, and even if they had there’s no way they could sort through the sheer volume of material and pick the definitive top 50. (Side note: Rolling Stone‘s #2 song of the year was “Turn Down For What,” so their grasp on the definition of the word “best” is questionable.)
In my mind, a “best-of” list should mutually benefit the writer and the reader. Rather than futilely attempt to decide which songs or albums or artists were the indisputable winners, these lists should be cross-sections of the year in their respective musical spheres. I’m not here to be the pompous judge over some imagined contest that you signed yourself into appearing in solely by releasing music in the last calendar year. I’m just here – as always – to share the music I enjoyed too much to not talk about with anyone who’d like to hear it.
Read More