Artist Spotlight: SZA I first heard SZA’s (pronounced “sizza”- a Wu-Tang reference) work when somebody shared her See.SZA.Run EP with me earlier this year. Right when the first track “Bed” plays, you can already feel the emotion that pervades the entire EP. I was mesmerized after the first listen but learning about this girl’s story only made me love her more. Raised an Orthodox Muslim in a small town in New Jersey, her path to music was an unconventional one to say the least. (Read the rest after the jump.) [[MORE]] SZA, aka Solana Rowe, was sheltered by her parents her entire life, Rowe was never exposed to MTV, the radio, or anything deemed inappropriate. After leaving home, she graduated from Cornell majoring in marine biology and then, naturally, started working as a bartender in a strip club. One day a friend was recording and invited her to give singing a try, and so SZA was born. See.SZA.Run, her debut EP, was only released 6 months ago but Rowe has already come out with her second project, S, and has plans to release the 2 more projects in the next few months (the other two will be called “Z” and “A”). Her sound is an incredible mix of influences ranging from Ella Fitzgerald to Bjork, her lyrics are profound and her voice infectious. When asked to describe her sound she responded  “I have no idea why I sound the way I do, but you do whatever the fuck you want to do. If you want to work at a strip club and get your money and still have a degree in marine biology, it’s possible. If you want to be an artist but don’t fit in a genre, fuck it, create one”. You do you SZA. Listen below to See.SZA.Run and S. 
Pop-upView Separately

Artist Spotlight: SZA

I first heard SZA’s (pronounced “sizza”- a Wu-Tang reference) work when somebody shared her See.SZA.Run EP with me earlier this year. Right when the first track “Bed” plays, you can already feel the emotion that pervades the entire EP. I was mesmerized after the first listen but learning about this girl’s story only made me love her more. Raised an Orthodox Muslim in a small town in New Jersey, her path to music was an unconventional one to say the least. (Read the rest after the jump.)

Read More

Black Sabbath — “God is Dead?”

Holy shit. Get ready for this. Rock gods Tony Iommi, Ozzy Ozbourne and Geezer Butler are not only all still alive (how is that possible?), they’re about to release a brand-new album this summer. Equally as surprising, their Nietzsche-referencing single is insanely good. Even 51 years after they formed Black Sabbath, they still rock harder than most bands out there. This is going to be a good summer for music. 

Source: Spotify

Queens of the Stone Age — “I Appear Missing”

Matador Records recently tweeted this preview of Queens of the Stone Age’s new album, … Like Clockwork, due to be released on June 4th. This track, “I Appear Missing” hints at the upcoming album’s potential with an eerie western-themed animation about some levitating mummy whose goal of returning to civilization is hindered by desert wildlife (bummer). Check it out!

Deerhunter’s new album Monomania finds the band ditching hazy psychedelia in favor of more traditional garage rock. No song highlights this shift more than “Back to the Middle,” which could be read as a metaphor for the band’s approach to writing the new album. With its nostalgic lyrics and pleasant, unhurried melodies, “Back to the Middle” is Deerhunter at its most accessible and easygoing work yet.

Source: Spotify

Hayze - Life Is Hell (feat. Apathy)

When one thinks of Connecticut, underground hip-hop is hardly the first thing that comes to mind. Enter Hayze, a 23-year-old emerging from CT with smooth rhymes and a mixtape coming out this December. “Life is Hell” makes for a solid introduction to those unfamiliar with Hayze. It even features a verse from Apathy, one of the reigning champions of east coast hip-hop and leader of the rap group Demigodz. Despite being from the same state, Apathy discovered Hayze by chance and has since become something of a mentor to the young MC. The track produced by Apathy, signaling a growth in musicianship while making room for his new apprentice to shine. Judging by these verses, Hayze is definitely worth making room for. We’ll be keeping our eye on him.

Sega Bodega - “Luxor Quest I & II” Sega Bodega released a new EP this month, and here is a free download of one of the tracks called “Luxor Quest I & II.” It it he accompanies masterfully crafted vocal samples with a rich combination of complex synths and beat patterns. The drop from part I to part II is so subtle and beautiful it leaves you thinking “..what?…oh….oh wow…yes.” 
Pop-upView Separately

Sega Bodega - “Luxor Quest I & II”

Sega Bodega released a new EP this month, and here is a free download of one of the tracks called “Luxor Quest I & II.” It it he accompanies masterfully crafted vocal samples with a rich combination of complex synths and beat patterns. The drop from part I to part II is so subtle and beautiful it leaves you thinking “..what?…oh….oh wow…yes.” 

Cashmere Cat & Flux Pavilion on Diplo and Friends (BBC Radio 1Xtra) If you haven’t been keeping up with Diplo’s radio station on Radio 1Xtra you’ve been missing out. The guest DJs he has brought on the show range from Ryan Hemsworth to Avicii to Zeds Dead. Diplo features some of EDM’s greatest talents and brings out the best in them. For example - the very unexpected pairing of Avicii and RL Grime on the March 3rd episode turned out to be surprisingly wonderful. This last Saturday at 1 A.M. he presented another surprising line-up: Cashmere Cat followed by Flux Pavilion. The mix starts out with Cashmere Cat’s smooth beat-style feel with a focus on trap and hip-hop tracks then transitions into Flux’s signature massive dubstep vibe. Both sets are expertly mixed and had me on the edge of my seat wanting to rock out the entire time. Warning: the library is not the best place to give this mix a listen. Once you are in a no-judge zone click here and enjoy (available to stream until May 4th). 
Pop-upView Separately

Cashmere Cat & Flux Pavilion on Diplo and Friends (BBC Radio 1Xtra)

If you haven’t been keeping up with Diplo’s radio station on Radio 1Xtra you’ve been missing out. The guest DJs he has brought on the show range from Ryan Hemsworth to Avicii to Zeds Dead. Diplo features some of EDM’s greatest talents and brings out the best in them. For example - the very unexpected pairing of Avicii and RL Grime on the March 3rd episode turned out to be surprisingly wonderful. This last Saturday at 1 A.M. he presented another surprising line-up: Cashmere Cat followed by Flux Pavilion. The mix starts out with Cashmere Cat’s smooth beat-style feel with a focus on trap and hip-hop tracks then transitions into Flux’s signature massive dubstep vibe. Both sets are expertly mixed and had me on the edge of my seat wanting to rock out the entire time. Warning: the library is not the best place to give this mix a listen. Once you are in a no-judge zone click here and enjoy (available to stream until May 4th). 

The xx - “Together”

Bahz Luhrmann’s upcoming film adaptation of The Great Gatsby will either be a roaring success or a huge clusterfuck, and the soundtrack is going to play a major part in determining that.  Executive produced by Jay-Z, the soundtrack has original songs from Florence + The Machine, Lana Del Ray, and now “Together” by The xx.  ”Together” evokes a mood more than an actual idea, but it works because of its spare, sultry production. If you haven’t heard it already, it’s beautiful.

Source: SoundCloud / Interscope Records

Boards of Canada - “——— / ——— / ——— / XXXXXX / ——— / ———” Yesterday was Record Store Day, and people waited in line around the country to see what new music they could get their hands on. At least one lucky person was able to get a 12” featuring a clip of new music from Boards of Canada at Other Music in New York. Pitchfork has confirmed that it is an official Warp release, and internet users around the country have speculated the significance of this snippet. A robotic voice utters the numbers “9-3-6-5-5-7” which fans have speculated to be a piece to some sort of musical puzzle. Warp representatives said last year that BoC has been working on new material, but still no official date has been given for release. Listen to the clip after the jump. [[MORE]]
Pop-upView Separately

Boards of Canada - “——— / ——— / ——— / XXXXXX / ——— / ———”

Yesterday was Record Store Day, and people waited in line around the country to see what new music they could get their hands on. At least one lucky person was able to get a 12” featuring a clip of new music from Boards of Canada at Other Music in New York. Pitchfork has confirmed that it is an official Warp release, and internet users around the country have speculated the significance of this snippet. A robotic voice utters the numbers “9-3-6-5-5-7” which fans have speculated to be a piece to some sort of musical puzzle. Warp representatives said last year that BoC has been working on new material, but still no official date has been given for release.

Listen to the clip after the jump.

Read More