BUSY - moths ep

There are few things better than randomly stumbling across an artist you've never heard of and then consequently having your mind blown. Such was the case for me with my most recent acquisition: the "Moths E.P." by Baltimore producer Busy.

I will tell you up front that this collection of tunes is best listened to all the way through on headphones, preferably while enjoying some mild herbal remedies. The disc kicks off with "Aft," a swirling, breathing, multilayered soundscape so captivating that you almost feel like you are floating down a river through some futuristic, fog-laden jungle. The music flows seamlessly to the next track, "A Camphoraceous Elixir," where the beats kick in.

The disc continues in this fashion, alternating between thick, immersing, soundscapes, and disgusting beats, synths tickling your eardrums as they dance and wander about the stereo field. Listening to this album is like entering a dream you never want to wake up from. And when you do wake up, after a quasi-refrain of the aqueous sounds from the first track, you can't help but want more.

On iTunes, this disc is classified as "Hip Hop/Rap," but Busy achieves much more than that here. He's creating sounds and a style of his own that I haven't really heard before.

It's really hard for me to nail down a favorite track on this EP; if I had to, it would probably be the penultimate tune, "Witch Hunt," which is the bounciest, most grooving tune that Busy serves up for us. Still, I'll reiterate that you may as well just listen to the whole EP at once, as it only clocks in at a mere 17 minutes - pretty good for 9 tracks. I'd say it gets the ADD seal of approval.

So here it is, for your aural pleasure:

BUSY - moths ep

DEATH THERAPY preview

My first EP has been in the works for some time, and should be coming out before the end of the summer, and I thought I'd break off a little preview for you.

This first one is an 8-bit influenced hip hop track:
TIMESTOPPA

And also, here is a spacious, jazz-tinged hip hop track:
HOSPICE

This should give you some idea of what the EP is going to be like. The other tracks are more ambient in nature, with dubstep, world music, and experimental influences.

So enjoy the traxx, and make sure to buy the EP when it comes out. It has beautiful artwork by the very talented and legendary Jon Brown.

On a further self-promotional note: I produced a track for Petoskey rapper Leif Kolt's upcoming album. There's a preview show for that said release on August 28 at Coffee and Connect in Petoskey, where Leif, myself, and Coloreater will be melting your brains.

And lastly, myself, Crash Sunday, and Galactic Vacationer, will be playing some shows between here and the east coast next month, so try to come out to one and give us your money if you can. Here are the dates, as of now:

7/31 - Rubble's Bar - Mt. Pleasant, MI
8/6 - Old Glory Studios - Canton, OH
8/8 - Slainte Wine Bar + Lounge - Portland, ME
8/10 - Death by Audio - Brooklyn, NY
8/11 - Goodbye Blue Monday - Brooklyn, NY
8/12 - Garfield Artworks - Pittsburgh, PA
8/13 - Howard's Club H - Bowling Green, OH

FONER - love beats

Second post in 5 minutes, I know, but I have something to share with you:

Foner. He's a Russian hip hopper I stumbled across in a recent internet excursion and as far as I know, he's only got a soundcloud page. His sound is a great balance between the old and the new, blending mutilated, dusty old soul samples with those off-kilter, dreamy beats that seem to be sweeping through the underground hip hop scene.

Definitely worth a listen or two. Plus, most of his tracks on this LP clock in at under 2 minutes, a great bonus for the more ADHD of us. Enjoy.

Love Beats

OBESE OVERTURE

This is my first attempt at a mix. It's basically just a cross section of the stuff I've been listening to lately. A lot of hip hop, some future stuff, and also some dubstep. Nothing special, nothing fancy, just some good tunes.

• mf grimm - return to eden
• immortal technique - watch out (southpaw & DJ GI JOE remix)
• houseshoes - newports
• hudson mohawke - polkadot blues
• RJD2 - a moment of weakness
• nosaj thing - 1685/bach
• nosaj thing - lords
• heyoka - mowdery pildew
• M.I.A. - teqkilla
• turnsteak - broken control (jahcoozi remix)
• starkey - spacecraft
• hip drop presents - rubadub science
• joaan - splendor in the grass
• imogen heap - hide and seek (mt. eden remix)

I only recently heard of MF Grimm, and this opening track, fresh of his newest release ("You Only Live Twice") floored me upon first listen. I love listening to underground MCs, who still seem care about the music and have some sort of message beyond bitches, hos, and diamonds. One of his lines in the second verse particularly struck me: "So back the fuck from me, cause your jewels came from dirt, and when we all leave they will return to the earth." Plus you gotta love the daffy duck samples throughout.

Other high points for me include the jazz and soul influences in the Houseshoes and RJD2 tracks, and later on the expertly chopped vocals in "Broken Control."

Anyway, enough talk. Here are the goods:

CLICKY