The weather is finally changing and we got some music to warm you up this week.
Peep swag from some of the most exciting artists in music right now.
King Krule – The OOZ
I wrote in depth about The OOZ here, but in summary, it’s a masterpiece. King Krule’s (real name Archy Marshall) sound is simultaneously polished and raw. Improvisational and calculated. Maximal and minimal.
This is the kind of album everyone wanted from Marshall after his 2013 debut 6 Feet Beneath the Moon got so much hype.
He’s a star, and as Jayson Greene of Pitchfork stated, Archy Marshall is, “one of the most compelling artists alive.” That isn’t hyperbole in the slightest.
Gucci Mane – Mr. Davis
East Atlanta Santa has had one of the greatest comebacks of all-time. Gucci’s journey from constant incarceration and drug addiction to becoming a symbol of stability in the hip-hop game has been wild.
This is Gucci’s second album of the year and it holds no punches. Gucci is more honest than ever before about his upbringing and battling his demons.
But it’s not all about his trials and tribulations, Gucci is as triumphant and confident as ever on “I Get The Bag” (with Migos), “Stunting Ain’t Nuthin” (with Slim Jxmmi and Young Dolph), and “Enormous” (with Ty Dolla $ign).
Gucci brings with him the best producers in the game: Metro Boomin, Zaytoven, Mike Will Made It, TM88, Southside, and Murda Beatz. The beats are perfect, Gucci’s bars are as firey as before. Let’s all bask in this man’s glory.
DVSN – Morning After
Toronto R&B duo dvsn are Drake signees, but their brand of sultry songwriting is a clear departure from other T-Dot crooners The Weeknd and PARTYNEXTDOOR. Less drugs, less weed smoke, less strip clubs. More straight up R&B about love and heartbreak.
If it weren’t for the intricate production laid forth by Nineteen85, this record could belong right in 1997, it’s throwback R&B without the new school twist of pill-popping.
It’s also much more musical than The Weeknd or Party, acoustic pianos and intricately designed synths litter the album, it’s a very clean R&B record, if not perhaps slightly subdued at times.
If you’re in your feelings, throw on some DVSN and feel that shit!
The Beaches – Late Show
This foursome of badass women from Toronto rock as hard as anyone out right now. With Queens of the Stone Age riffs and big, airy, swaggering vocals, The Beaches have officially announced themselves on the rock scene after years of false starts as they searched for their sound.
The Beaches have found that sound on Late Show. They’ve made a romping album of clean pop punk with no frills. They worked alongside fellow Canadians Emily Haines and Jimmy Shaw of the band Metric to make this album and it shows in the polish of Late Show.
“Money” and “Let Me Touch” are standouts, but the whole record, which lasts just under 40 minutes, is full of face-melting riffs and great songwriting. The Beaches will be around for awhile.
Zaytoven – “Left Da Bank”
As y’all know, here at Kulture Hub we’re devoted followers of our lord and savior Young Dolph. Everything he does is perfect and amazing.
So when Dolph announced that merely weeks after being shot in Los Angeles, he’ll will be dropping an album next Friday we were too hype.
Now he’s linked up with Zaytoven, who dropped a mixtape last week, on the legendary ATL producer’s “Left Da Bank,” a track about all the racks Dolph and Zay are bringing in. They dropped a video as well. It’s lit.
Baka Not Nice – “Money in the Bank”
Baka Not Nice, whose career began as a part of Drake’s security detail, is now dropping heaters. After the anthemic “Live Up To My Name” earlier this summer, “Money in the Bank” is equally as massive.
This dude supplied all the best ad-libs on More Life, he’s now a staple of the OVO hit machine and expect him to keep hanging around. We’ll be hearing more from Baka Not Nice, who is, in fact, nice.
Torey Lanez – “Real Thing” (ft. Future)
With his sophomore album Memories Don’t Die on the way sometime soon, Torey Lanez followed up singles “Skrt Skrt” and “Shooters” with “Real Thing,” joined by Future for this nice lil’ auto-tuned banger.
While we have the album title and a couple singles, we have yet to get a release date from Torey, he may drop it sometime out of the blue. We’ll keep our eyes peeled.
Kehlani – “Touch”
After last week’s “Honey,” Kehlani is back with “Touch,” a sultry tune about linking up with her flame. It’s a cool track from the songstress.
Although it’s unclear if “Touch” and “Honey” are part of a soon-to-be-released bigger project, one would have to imagine so.
We’re here for any Kehlani project.