Monthly Mixtape: January 2015 1. Doldrums – “HOTFOOT” (Sub Pop) “There’s a lot of paranoid sentiment and dystopian imagery in there,” remarks Doldrums’ chief provocateur Airick Woodhead about The Air Conditioned Nightmare, from which the brash electronics of “HOTFOOT” are pulled. Initially the remnants of a digital nightmare, a series of rudimentary drums eventually calm the track’s agitated nerves. As much based in prehistoric … Read More
Monthly Mixtape: November 2014 1. Frazey Ford – “September Fields” (Nettwerk) Recorded with Al Green’s backing band the Hi Rhythm Section, Frazey Ford’s new album Indian Ocean is prime folk-infused, laid-back Memphis soul. With its rolling rhythms, throwback vibe, and soulful vocals from Ford, the album starts off with this clear highlight. Melancholy but ultimately joyful and melodically soothing, “September Fields” is a perfect … Read More
Monthly Mixtape: October 2014 1. Ballet School – “Heartbeat Overdrive” (Bella Union) Ballet School play a clever trick on “Heartbeat Overdrive;” the song opens with a shimmering delayed guitar, only to be jerked out of the ether with a booming, synthesized drumbeat and Rosie Blair’s powerful voice. What follows is a big, romantic statement not uncommon to shoegaze but expressed with the confidence and … Read More
Monthly Mixtape: September 2014 1. Run the Jewels- “Oh My Darling Don’t Cry” (Fool’s Gold) Here’s the thing: Run the Jewels are already one of the hardest rap groups on this planet, that’s what happen when you have the fire-spitting Killer Mike and the cold and calculating El-P on the same record, but even for them this is a 10 on the rapper scale … Read More
