44Views
Music week in review: Downtown Boys, A$AP Ferg, Wiz Khalifa, and more
After last week’s hip-hop centric review list, I got some weird shit for you this week.
Still some dope hip-hop singles, but these albums will fill your fix for dope electronic music and socialist Latinx punk rock.
Oneohtrix Point Never – Good Time Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
Oneohtrix Point Never, real name Daniel Lopatin, has weaved his abstruse electronic music for 7 full length albums dating back to 2009.
His sultry tunes have spanned the electronic world and Lopatin has become a critical darling over the years. His unique production pays notable attention to the idea of space within his music.
On his latest project, released today on Warp Records, Lopatin was tasked with scoring the new Robert Pattinson crime thriller Good Time.
Lopatin is a natural for scoring, especially in the dark, grungy world conjured up by the film’s creators. A standout is the Iggy Pop-assisted “The Pure and the Damned,” which sounds kind of like a futuristic version of late-career Johnny Cash.
Downtown Boys – Cost of Living
Providence, Rhode Island’s favorite punk rock communists Downtown Boys are back with the best punk record of 2017.
Lead singer Victoria Ruiz is like a more badass, more leftist version of Zack De La Roca. Singing in both Spanish and English, Ruiz powers Downtown Boys forward over sharp pop-punk guitars and driving drums.
After bursting onto the scene with 2014’s Full Communism, Downtown Boys are now a fixture in punk circles. Their political punk rock is some of the most refreshing shit you’ll hear this year.
Photay – Onism
Woodstock, New York native Phontay’s (Evan Shornstein) third album Onism is based off the philosophy of John Koenig which addresses, “the frustration of being stuck in just one body that inhabits only one place at a time.”
Well then.
That’s a complicated idea, but this album is not nearly as hard to access as Koenig’s philosophy.
Shornstein produces electronic grooves so full of depth and sound, both smooth and glitchy at the same time, it’s hard not to find yourself bobbing along.
It’s thoughtful electronic music, rarely using vocals besides the beautiful “Outré Lux” with Madison McFerrin.
You can play this at a party and have everyone casually rocking a long, but also listen to it as you contemplate the complexities of onism.
I’m a big fan of this record.
A$AP Ferg (ft. Migos) – Nasty (Who Dat)
A$AP Ferg dropped another joint of his upcoming album.
Ferg followed up “Plain Jane” and “East Coast” with “Nasty (Who Dat)” with Migos.
It’s another banger from Ferg and we’ll be getting his album Still Striving next week.
Then on the 25th, A$AP Mob will drop Cozy Tapes Vol. 2 drops. So if you’re keeping score at home, that’s Twelvyy, Ferg, and then the whole Mob in three straight weeks.
Queens of the Stone Age
American rock legends Queens of the Stone Age released “The Evil Has Landed” ahead of their new album Villains, set for release on August 25th.
This riffy new jam is exactly what you need in your sad rockless life.
We’re looking forward to Villains, it’s sure to be a powerhouse.
Wiz Khalifa (ft. Ty Dolla $ign) – “Something New”
Wiz Khalifa taps up fellow Taylor Gang member Ty Dolla $ign for this sultry little number.
Produced by Young Berg, the smooth R&B track sees Ty and Wiz going on about new lady friends.
The long-awaited and delayed Rolling Papers 2 does not have a release date, but we should be getting the new Wiz Khalifa album sooner than later.
Marshmello (ft. Khalid) – “Silence”
So yeah, I hadn’t heard about this Marshmello character until yesterday. I’m pretty ignorant of the pop-EDM thing, but it now seems rather pathetic that I’d missed this dude.
Anyways, this new song with Khalid has all the makings of a massive radio hit.
Khalid’s impressive vocals soar alongside Marshmello’s floating synths and it’s not too overbearing in the way massive pop dance music can be.
Kind of nice! When this song is inescapable in three weeks, I’ll probably regret saying that.
Madeintyo – “Cashing Out”
Madeintyo arrived in February 2016 with “Uber Everywhere” and stuck around with an extensive list of catchy little singles.
Yesterday he announced his debut EP True World coming August 25th.
“Cashing Out” is some fire vibes, pretty standard Madeintyo shit. True World should be a dope 6-track project.
Pi’erre Bourne – “Mad”
Pi’erre Bourne, the producer behind Playboi Carti’s debut mixtape’s fire beats, is releasing some of his own stuff.
On “Mad” he bemoans everyone that’s hating on him over acoustic guitar instrumentation.
Pi’erre just can’t quite understand why everyone is tight at him. We’re not Pi’erre, keep doing your thing.
Foggieraw (ft. Abdou) – “I Got the Kick”
DMV rapper Foggieraw doesn’t have too much of an internet presence, but this new track, with a feature from Abdou, is some laid back fire.
I’ve been forced to dive further into Foggieraw’s discography and dude has the juice.
Definitely one to watch. Check out his stuff.