Suckinim Baenaim - s/t 10"

Suckinim Baenaim are a hardcore/punk group from Israel.
The four-piece has released a handful of splits and one self-titled 10" from 2009.
What may seem like a DIY crash-course from the opening song eventually settles as a graceful skewering, just under fifteen minutes of controlled chaos.

+++++++++++

Remy LBO - Peeling in the Dub

Remy LBO is an upcoming beatmaker/trip-hop/lounge artist from L.A.
He gave me a heads-up on his free-EP 'Peeling in the Dub', a sort of promotional preview of his recently released full-length 'Peeling in the Drum/Comical Cheating'.
The EP features four tracks from the full-length, an entirely new song, and one track off his previous album 'Component'.

All in all a tasteful blending of dub, jazz, and electronica with tight production.
Probably worth diggin' in those sofa cushions for the full-length... check it out/show support.

+++++++++++

Nine - Quinine

Latest 2009 album from New York's Nine.
His first official full-length output since 1996's masterpiece 'Cloud 9' -- thirteen years later and Nine is large as ever.
Been playing these two albums like a fiend lately; 'Quinine' has some flat-out headcrusher beats, and Nine drops some 360-rhymes that flip your wig -- I mean, his concluding verse on "Homicide" is LETHAL.
But like Guru it's mostly the voice...

Maybe one or two hard fillings but no hard feelings, album is still great.

"Yes"

Quinine
+++++++++++
mind the graves

Cheese People

Aye, Cheese People.
I mean, it's not as though most band names aren't ridiculous, so I think I can see past it...
Cheese People are a four-piece from Russia that play a mix of disco/punk with everything from funk to hip-hop flavor scattered throughout, elevated especially by catty lead singer Olya Chubarova. The band is often compared to Datarock or New Young Pony Club, though the band cites influence from bands like Prodigy, Gloria Gaynor, and Jamiroquai.

One of the more ambitious albums I've heard in a long time... Chubarova's vocals really skin the tracks inside and out with her impressive/quirky range.
The glam/pop might wear on smug listeners, but they'll be missing out on the quick-turns throughout the album like the grime/dance "Boombasters" or the mash-up wonderment of "Down and Down".


Fun album. This self-titled is the Japan release edition (which is the same with an included remix) from 2009. The band has another album coming this year.

Cheese People
+++++++++++
mind the graves

Ed Gein - Judas Goats & Dieseleaters

Ed Gein are a three-piece from Syracuse, NY.
The band functions as a type of aggro-punk (yeah, I made that shit up), in the sense of unrelenting and noisy crash-anthems. The members share vocal duties equally, making for a thunder of three that reaches through the speakers.

'Judas Goats & Dieseleaters' is the band's second full-length from 2005, closing wonderfully with a (shaggily) bombastic cover of Nirvana's "Breed" and weird street-recordings/dog ambience.

The band has a new album in the works for this year.

Judas Goats & Dieseleaters
+++++++++++
mind the graves

The Afghan Whigs

The Afghan Whigs were a soul-influenced rock band from Cincinnati, Ohio active throughout the 90's.
The band teetered on wide success (especially 1993's 'Gentlemen') but mainly maintained a loyal fanbase album to album with word of mouth/live success carrying the project.
Frontman/rhythm-guitarist Greg Dulli is what makes (or breaks) the band; his vocals are above-all unique in rock-music, and matched with his heated lyrical delivery is what strikes or sinks your appreciation.

The three albums here are 'Congregation' [1992], 'Gentlemen' [1993], and their final release '1965' [1998]. 'Gentlemen' is probably my go-to favorite of the bunch but I've fostered an appreciation for all of them -- really just a band that grows on you if you hang around to listen, though others might not fully follow Dulli's dragging enlightenment.

Congregation
+++++++++++




Gentlemen
+++++++++++




1965
+++++++++++
mind the graves

Chinese Man - The Groove Sessions Vol. 1

Chinese Man is a French hip-hop collective formed in 2004.
Comprised of the Marseilles DJ Zé Mateo and High Ku, with beatmakers SLY and Leolebug, the collective expands on their influences of dub, funk, reggae and jazz to outline their songs, cutting up samples ranging from Zakir Hussain to obscure film, successfully living up to 'The Groove Sessions'.

Recently stumbled on these guys with 'The Groove Sessions Vol. 1' (of the 2 that they've released), a collection of songs from 2004-2007; the production is sharp, the beats are on-point, and the layers and whistles they put into each track is staggering, in the best way possible.

Not really a throwaway to be found, def recommended/keep them tabs.

The Groove Sessions Volume 1
+++++++++++
mind the graves

Friko - The Journey To Mandoola

Friko is the brain-child of dual collaborators Peder Kjellsby (production/writing/mixing) and Sjur Miljeteig (sax, brass, harmonica) from Norway.
The duo released two albums full of varying guest-collaborators -- mostly vocalists -- to create the electronic/folk wonderment of 'Burglar Ballads' [2003] and personal favorite 'The Journey To Mandoola' [2006].

This album is great because it flows into each song/idea from great indirect avenues, eventually making it near-difficult to remember how the journey started, yet track to track feels explicitly linked in its progression; the production is sharp and visible throughout, with Kjellsby doing a great job giving every beat and tweak its own light.
The vocal contributions shift everywhere from the smoothest trip-hop to the most skewed folk, sometimes interchangeably in the same song.

Definite recommendation.

The Journey To Mandoola
+++++++++++
mind the graves