Test Patterns - "Don't Ask Me"
Test Patterns are a dark, electronic music project based in Oakland, CA. I think letting Gage Bickerstaff of the band explain their new single is best: “This song came from an inspiration to write a great hip hop song, but I couldn’t find anyone to rap on it, so I had to do it myself. What came out was one of the best things I’ve ever done.” This accidentally creating a great song reminds me of the story of how Beck was trying to sound like Chuck D on "Loser," failed miserably, and created one of the most iconic songs of all time. Bickerstaff isn't a Jay-Z level MC, but his flow is perfect for "Don't Ask Me." The song has this odd Massive Attack goes doo wop vibe and is just endlessly cool. His verses aren't what you typically get in any style of hip hop ever, but it helps elevate "Don't Ask Me" above most hip hop songs. It's like how artists like J Mascis or Neil Young don't have classic sounding voices, but that's what makes t...