Stream a teaser for Nicolas Jaar's new album, plus Glasser, Le1f & Gent Mason
Track of the week : Le1f - “Damn Son”
The first sounds to emerge from this New Yorker’s forthcoming ‘Tree House’ mixtape makes it clear why Le1f is the most exhilarating rapper around. On “Damn Son,” his increasingly taut flow is intertwined throughout the eponymous Trapaholics’ sample, as the whole cut skims atop producer Shy Guy’s deftly laid beats. Extra vocal flair is brought by Rahel as flute synths drip an elegiac underscore into the mix: just damn.
Video of the Week : Glasser - “Shape”
The past eighteen months that Cameron Mesirow has spent on the follow up to her debut album ‘Ring’, seems to have brought space for introspection and a resulting clarity of craft. Her stirring, mellifluous reflections on shifting emotional and physical boundaries are enhanced by a simple graphic visual. ‘Shape’ is made replete by deep bass lines and a clever use of synth (a particularly piercing sample arising at 3:35).
The Other Video of the Week: Banks - Waiting Game
We couldn't fail to hype this astoundingly alluring video despite it being a very, very late addition. Banks and Sohn, two acts whose records we are assured to be playing till the .wavs fail in 2014, have joined forces for this powerfully seductive lament on the pitfalls of long distance relationships. Granted it's a little "superstar problems" what with it being international tour diaries that keep Banks from her suitor, but whoever he is he has to be completely foolish to let her out of his site as Banks who by all accounts is a lovely lady as well as being a supremely accomplished writer of pop songs, now proves that she also has an incredibly forceful command of the lens too.
Wake up call of the week : Dean Blunt “King James”
Having recently severed creative ties with Inga Copeland, Hype Williams’ Dean Blunt heralds his upcoming European tour by recording a ten track EP, ‘Stone Island,’ in a Russian hotel room before setting it loose online. Listen to the full release here. And while you’re waiting for it to become one with your hard drive, hit play on the deeply intoxicating third track.
Thing to subscribe to this week : Nicolas Jaar’s new Other People label site
Nicolas Jaar and collaborator Dave Harrington have revealed the suitably cinematic, opening eleven minutes of their imminent new LP ‘Darkside.’ This free-to-download preview points us to Jaar’s newly established Other People label, which will be delivering new material to subscribers every Sunday. You’ve got five days to do the right thing here:
Discovery of the week : Gent Mason “Eden"
London’s Aesop label has already seemingly perfected the art of weighing quality over quantity. Following SOHN’s exceptional ‘The Wheel’ EP, with this somnolently provocative first ever track from the wholly unknown artist Gent Mason