Because The Internet, the second studio release from comedian-turned-rapper Childish Gambino (aka Donald Glover), is an extension of his best moments as a musician. He is funny yet critical, experimental with new sounds and barplay. He spits lyrics full of self-reflection and honesty, and the flow of the album itself is atypical, which is characteristic of […]
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Kevin Morby’s debut solo album Harlem River is slower and more mellow than his group efforts, which include Woods and The Babies. Harlem River is Morby’s melancholy love affair with New York City. The album only includes eight songs; each is a different tale about the five years Morby lived in New York. Harlem River […]
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M.I.A. has carved a niche within electronic music, melding Eastern and Western elements together to create bhangra hip hop with hints of fidget house. Her fourth album Matangi has the digitized grit of her earlier albums, but doesn’t drop jaws in the same way. This project is supposed to be M.I.A.’s spiritual album, drawing influence […]
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Initially, Mug Museum might be mistaken for a Nico or Marianne Faithfull record, but Welsh musician Cate Le Bon is a little funkier, with a more complex sound. Her third album is mellow and engaging with a rock edge. Each instrument isn’t doing anything terribly ridiculous, but because they occasionally are arranged like puzzle pieces that […]
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Chicago band Emblems new EP Solstice is a glum and forlorn. The three-song EP isn’t quite enough to fully grasp what Emblems is trying to achieve musically, but it gives listeners a taste of what Emblems style. The first track on the EP, “Tree Coats,” introduces listeners to Emblems’ darker rock sound. While this track […]
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Ezra Furman takes being a punk kid to a completely different level with his new album Day of the Dog. If moshing to saxophones is your style, this album is for you. Day of the Dog opens explosively with “I Wanna Destroy Myself.” A saxophone and piano make an appearance, adding some unexpected instrumentation for […]
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Jungle, the duo from England, produces some wicked funky beats. The group’s new EP The Heat is beyond groovy—the beats are a fun hybrid of R&B, funk, and disco, and no reaction other than dancing makes sense. The entire EP is full of synths and affected vocals that give it a robo-funk sound. Each element sounds […]
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Contrary to the sleepy nature of the debut album Doris, Earl Sweatshirt’s show at The Metro was lively. Throughout he engaged with the audience directly, which enabled the audience to be more like peers rather than fans. Granted, it is Earl’s nature to be goofy and engaging. He was also joined by Vince Staples and […]
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Let’s Be Still may only be the second release from The Head and the Heart, but it stands out in its musical maturity. The album has a diverse tracklist—each song has a different vibe, but it all still sounds like The Head and the Heart. This album is marked by a distinct brand of honesty […]
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Lately, DJ sets and electronic dance music are the big draw, so it is a good time to be a beat-maker. On October 5 at The Metro, British DJ Gold Panda strayed away from some of his more ambient beats for a pulsating set that was equally as entrancing, yet somewhat lackluster. Gold Panda makes […]
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“I’d like to welcome everyone to the innanet, tune in, log on,” Vic Mensa says, welcoming us to his new mixtape INNANETAPE. (The title is a combination of “internet,” or “innanet,” and “mixtape.”) INNANETAPE is the first solo project Mensa has released after the dissolve of the jazz/hip hop/rock hybrid band Kids These Days. On INNANETAPE, Mensa […]
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Of Montreal usually sounds like a schizophrenic acid trip through a friendly, magical forest. On its new album, Lousy With Sylvianbriar, the group stays quirky but with a funkier, rock-n-roll sound. Of Montreal is from Athens, Ga. and has been around since the mid ‘90s. Frontman Kevin Barnes has kept the quirk alive after 12 studio […]
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