Wu-Lu - "Scrambled Tricks"

By -

Photo by Machine Operated

It's been a while since I've found a British MC that I've gotten excited about. I jumped fully on board the garage scene when The Streets and Dizzee Rascal broke, and I've dabbled with British hip hop on and of since then. With the latest from Wu-Lu, I may be fully on the bandwagon again. "Scrambled Tricks" has all of the gritty and grimey sound we want from the genre, but Wu-Lu adds a layer of what is almost noise rock onto the sound. This reminds me of how early Public Enemy records weren't always completely pleasant to listen to because of how rough they sounded. "Scrambled Tricks" isn't anything like the vast majority of hip hop in 2022, and that is a fantastic thing.

Miles Roman-Hopcraft (aka Wu-Lu) says of his upcoming album:

“It’s a patchwork of situations that have happened, but it’s a cohesive thing of trying to understand where someone is coming from and trying to explain where you’re coming from – relatable situations.” 

You can watch the video for "Scrambled Tricks" below. LOGGERHEAD is due out July 8 on Warp Records, and can be pre-ordered here. For more on Wu-Lu, check out the artist's website. Upcoming tour dates are below the video.


Sat. June 25 - Pilton, UK @ Glastonbury FestivalThu. June 30  - Lärz, DE @ Fusion FestivalSat. July 2 - Belfort, FR @ Les Eurocks FestivalSat. July 9 - Bristol, UK @ Rough TradeSun. July 10 - London, UK @  Rough Trade EastFri. July 15 - Leeuwarden, NL @ Welcome To The VillageFri. July 29 - Saint-Nazaire, FR @ Les Escales FestivalSat. Aug. 6 - Tasov, CZ @ Beseda U BigbítuThu. Aug. 11 - Rees-Haldern, DE @ Haldern Pop FestivalSat. Aug. 13 - Winterthur, CH @ Musikfestwochen FestivalWed. Aug. 17- Charleville-Mézières, FR @ Le Cabaret Vert FestivalSat. Aug. 20 - Saint-Malo, FR @ La Route du Rock FestivalSat. Aug. 27 - La Tour-de-Peliz, CH @ Nox Orae FestivalFri. Sep. 2- Salisbury, UK @ End Of The Road FestivalThu. Sep. 8 - London, UK @ Village UndergroundSat. Sep 10 - Acquaviva, IT @ Live Rock Festival

On Repeat...

Liam Kazar - "Shoes Too Tight"

By -
Image
Photo by Alexa Viscius This may be Liam Kazar's debut single, but the Chicago based musician already has an impressive resume, having worked with Jeff Tweedy, Chance the Rapper, Steve Gunn, Daniel Johnston, and others. "Shoes Too Tight" features childhood friend Spencer Tweedy on drums, Lane Beckstrom on bass, and Ohmme on vocals. It's an absurdly fun and groovy little song that is a party waiting to happen. What he gives us here is a timeless song that could truly have been released any time since the 1960's (ok... maybe not the 80's...) There are elements of classic rock, 60's crooners and R&B, indie rock, modern Americana... it's really just packed with everything in a cohesive song that maintains the vibe the entire way through. You can watch the video for "Shoes Too Tight" below. For more on Liam Kazar, check him out on Instagram and Twitter . He's also raising money on his Bandcamp for Constellation and The Hungry Brain. ...
Read more

Dutch ReBelle - "GOONIEZ"

By -
Image
How is Dutch ReBelle not a national superstar at this point? The Boston MC just released "GOONIEZ," and I know I'm a bit out of touch with current mainstream hip hop, but this song is absolutely killer. It's a stripped down hip hop song that has this futuristic space age sound to it. Plus, ReBelle's flow is unsurpassed. You can't listen to her and not be completely sucked in. The song has a feel reminiscent of classic Missy Elliott. As much as I love that we can still see Dutch ReBelle in smaller Boston venues, "GOONIEZ" proves she should be playing much larger venues nationwide very, very soon. You can watch the video for "GOONIEZ" below. For more on Dutch ReBelle, check out the artist's website . 
Read more

The Freqs - "Witch"

By -
Image
Photo via Facebook When you're a rock band from Salem, MA, you have to have at least one song about witchcraft. The Freqs have fulfilled their obligation with a banger of a song. "Witch" is this giant monster of a song, filled with fuzz and strained, screaming vocals. This is the type of song that doesn't usually exist in this century. It's giving me some serious 90's flashbacks, like if Hum got aggressive or Alice in Chains decided to do some damage on the college charts. As great as the vocals are in "Witch," what's really drawing me in is the instrumental break down that takes over about halfway through. This is the kind of song to make the hipsters and the headbangers equally excited. You can listen to "Witch" below. For more on The Freqs, check out the band on Facebook and Instagram . The Freqs · Witch
Read more