d.whale - Revelations EP

'Revelations is a metaphor for an awakening. South Jersey Hip-Hop conglomerate Music Crave Ent. (d.whale, EPIK & YK) release their debut EP “Revelations.” The project is a narrative of the lives of the artist beginning with their adolescence glorifying bankrolls, cars, clothes, hoes and drugs. Towards the middle of the project the artist experience their “Revelation” in which they realize what is priority and most important in their existence on the planet. It’s not all bout being a rapper but being a leader and being a source of inspiration for your generation. The question is what’s you “Revelation?”' - via Soundcloud

Really nice free mixtape helmed by the young and talented DeJuan Whaley (d.whale) and a plethora of producers with some really nice features including the likes of Mick Jenkins.  This covers a lot of ground appropriately for its conceptual design, magnified by all the hands in the pie throughout the project.  The constant is the presence of d.whale, whom has shown with the scope of this EP that he'll hopefully be in your ear for the foreseeable future.

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IDE - Sound The Horns (Prod. Lucky Loopiano)

IDE just released his new single/video/EP for 'Sound The Horns', which can be copped in single, clean, instrumental, and acapella form from iTunes.  This track is featured on his upcoming 2016 full length 'Breathe Easy', produced mostly by Lucky Loopiano and featuring many of the Creative Juices crew (IDE's label) like longtime favorite Alucard.

"Sound The Horns" Official music video
Directed by Serringe [Element Tree]
Director of Cinematography: Serringe [Element Tree]
2nd and 3rd cameras: Kenneth Shumaker, Aquiles Torres
Costume Design and Make up: Charlie De Leon
Opening Titles/Score: Kenneth Shumaker
Cast: Ryan Gallogly, Charlie De Leon, Jesus Himself, Geraldo Barreto, Roy Johannessen
Lyrics: IDE
Beat: Lucky Loopiano
Recording & Mixing Engineer: RVM Sounds
Mastered: Manuel Roessler
Single from the upcoming release "Breathe Easy" coming 2016 on CJMHipHop
www.CreativeJuicesMusic.com
@CJMHiphop
IG: @ide1043
Twitter: @ide1043
FB: IDE (Creative Juices)
Youtube: IdeologyTV

Jasper Redd - Jazz Talk

Jasper Redd is a comedian from Tennessee who gained some attention being featured on a season of Last Comic Standing.  Not sure if he won...but he probably should have.  I discovered him after the fact, and quickly caught on to his 'Jazz Talk' podcast which interlaced jazz music into his comedy, featuring new songs and samples for each episode he released, usually 2-5 minute chunks relating to one topic.  He also later did a stand-up special released on Netflix called 'Jazz Talk' which features a few of the same bits but without the music continuously intertwined, which released in audio formats via the same name.

His stand up is great, really funny dude, but the Jazz Talk podcasts specifically -- altogether about an hour of material -- is an incredible mixing of music and comedy that's unlike anything I've heard before.  He even commented on Youtube that he just threw on a jazz mix CD and just spoke over them but the result is eerily impressive for how smooth he molds the two together.  The levels of chill are through the roof on this, definitely one of my favorite comedians around today.  You can check out his stand-up performances or hear him via interwebs.

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Mick Jenkins - Wave[s]

Mick Jenkins' new 9 track mixtape 'Wave[s]' streaming on NPR.   

Officially out on 8/21.

RIP Sean Price

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Nine - The Difference

The latest from one of the greatest, New York's NINE!  I'd been anxiously awaiting his next official release since the incredible 2011 offering 'SoN.Y.' -- all the loose tracks he did between these releases are also consistently amazing, both under Nine and his other alias Quinine Milli.  Gotta check Youtube too for some others.

'The Difference' is aptly nine tracks that individually stand as their own unique incarnations of hip hop, professed in my opinion from one of the greatest MC's to ever do it.  I'd be lying if I said I haven't had this on repeat since its official release on June 19th.  I uploaded two tracks to Youtube (below) and hopefully they convince any new listeners or long time fans to give Nine his proper respects.  Opening track "Go Again" blazes out the gates, and when it reaches the concluding track and arguably the most seasoned Nine track to date, "B4", you'll likely find yourself hitting the repeat on "Go Again" to hear it all over again.

IMO Nine has never released a less than great album, and I believe he deserves all the veneration and accolades compared to anyone doing it then or now.  Not to mention that all of his releases manage to consistently stay fresh and different.  The best news?  He has even more material planned for this year.  RESPECT!

Buy on iTunes

Buy on Amazon

The Velvet Teen - All Is Illusory

  
The Velvet Teen's first album in nine years.  Available for streaming on NPR before the official release on June 30th.  I'm about three tracks in and lurving it.

The i.l.y's - I've always been good at true love

Free project posted by the Death Grips twitter/website.  No info released. Guessing it involves Nick Reinhart (Tera Melos/Death Grips) in multiple capacities, keyboard player Andy Morin and Zach Hill.  Maybe Barney the Dinosaur?  Methinks MC Ride didn't show up to practice one day and this happened.  Then again I haven't really heard him not yelling before...

The album itself is a mutated garage sounding album with lots of modulated vocals/keys/strings.  Nine songs just under thirty total minutes, but it's a quick trip worth taking again.

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LONGEVITY - KINGDOM OF BEAST Vol. 2

The follow-up release to prob my favorite album of 2013.  
10 new tracks featuring production by Longevity, Duke Westlake, Logik Provider, and Luke Cage.

The album is up for name your price but show support if able.

Bandcamp/DL

Systems - Ghost Medicine

Systems are a hardcore/skramz/post-punk group from North Carolina.  To date, they've only released one album, 2011's 'Ghost Medicine'.  I noticed they played some shows with Circle Takes the Square, and perhaps some similarities run between the two aesthetically; vocals are often quick and enunciated, blurred in a cacophony of screams and sings.  They also have a very strong ambient lining throughout their song writing, though to the former perhaps venture even further from the heart of their sound.

Really cool stuff, definitely spring for the vinyl if available (a few weeks ago they posted on their Facebook that 30 copies remain), definitely worth it for the meticulous artwork alone.
The band is still active, so hopefully their 2nd release isn't far behind.

https://systemsnc.bandcamp.com/

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Gatherer - So Be It

New Zealand's Gatherer (based in Melbourne, Australia) were formerly the hardcore trio This City Sunrise.  They changed names and brought on a member's younger brother to venture into a more experimental direction, while still incorporating their gang vocals and bombastic song-writing that made This City Sunrise stand out. 

'So Be It' was their first full length in 2012, paving the way for their soon to be released second album.  Fans of old will feel right at home with tracks like "Elvis Horizon", and anyone else will get a refined introduction to one of music's more unique takes on experimental hardcore.

https://gatherer.bandcamp.com/

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Scattle - Street Heat

Scattle is the man mainly responsible for the sleekly flavorful Hotline Miami soundtrack(s), and at just 21 years old, harbors an immensely bright future for his dark electronic sounds.  

When Scattle isn't making music for one of the coolest game franchises around, he's releasing his own solo works (and developing games), much in the vein of his work for Hotline Miami with his adrenaline-fueled, bright & grimy synthed-out surges.  When Scattle really stretches he includes vocal samples and chops them around, showing that he not only directs great beats, but also ornaments them with equal panache.

Hotline Miami 2 drops this March, and if unfamiliar, his latest EP 'Street Heat' is a great starting point for plugging in.

http://scattle.com/

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Broken Haze - Vital Error

'Vital Error' is the follow up full-length to Keisuke Ito/Broken Haze's electronic/glitch debut, 'raid system'.  Just like said predecessor it features a few remixed works of his own tracks by other artists (like Machinedrum), a slice of some futuristic hip-hop/rap cameos, and predominantly an instrumental/electronic/dance foray into the future.  Some of the sounds and loops this dude does are unlike anything I've heard, and while his first album had more blasting bass, this seems to highlight more of shifting synths and effects.  Personal fave so far is "Raid System Tokyo", or the opening track "Loading", but all of this is nice.  Expect newness in 2015.

http://www.brokenhaze.net/

https://soundcloud.com/brokenhaze

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