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DOWNLOAD: XV -Vizzy’s Zone

I’m pretty excited to introduce this new mixtape by OnCue. Not only because it’s an awesome project, but also because I got to take part in the creation of some of the songs. Which is something I’m really thankful for. This project stands out to me because for every single song he had us (producers) sample songs that were carefully chosen so that it blends smoothly like an album. His lyrics are really heartfelt, and witty. This also seems to be the first project where he has sung most of the hooks. I’ll have to say I really enjoy most of the hooks, but on some of them I think his voice is too “hardcore” for. He seems to have the type of voice that hooks onto your eardrums immediately as well. Oh, and don’t forget that the production on this is really really really great. My favourite track on this project has to be Time Machine, but I wont say too much about it. Give it a listen below!

Download Mixtape | Cuey Sings the Blues.

Escape (produced by Emay & OnCue)

Time Machine (produced by Chanes & Joey Flava)

Peace,
Emay

It was like Sunday morning when I was chatting it up with my dude Mikey from Blackbird Blackbird and he sent me this new song of his that blew me away. The one thing I really enjoy about his music is that he puts a new twist on the “chillwave” genre with every project he makes. This is something that many bands with that title are incapable of. A lot of them are still coming through with the simple ass kick-snare-kick-snare pattern over like two chords of synth. That stuff is cool at first, but how much of that can a band do? Mikey is sick with it in terms of adding new things into his music. This track contains great lyrics, and I’ll have to say that high pitched sample you can’t quite make out sounds ill as hell on this track. Props to Mikey, and be sure to check this track out below!

Download | Modern Disbelief.

Word,
Emay

Squarepusher is prepping his upcoming release as musical alter-ego Shobaleader One later this year. The first single, Cryptic Motion, will be out on Ed Banger later this year (complete with a crazy-as-shit remix by Mr. Oizo) with a full-length LP scheduled for sometime after that. But the internet hype-machine must go on. And so this video has been released to help build a buzz for the whole project. It’s pretty dope, and the music I’ve heard so far has been really great; Squarepusher sounds as focused and on-point as ever. And as I already said: there’s a crazy-as-shit remix by Mr. Oizo. That’s always a great selling point.

peace,
-the judge

BONUS! Now with extra bass-slaps.

For the past few months I’ve had a minor obsession with South African renaissance man Spoek Mathambo. This means not only stalking his twitter, eagerly anticipating his Fader magazine cover, catching up on his back catalogue of side-projects and features, but also keeping his latest LP, Mishni Wam, in heavy rotation. It’s tough work, to keep up with a man so prolific but someone’s gotta do it damnit. It’s just about time I passed some of it along.

DOWNLOAD: Spoek Mathambo – War On Words

peace,
-the judge

Miguel Atwood-Ferguson is perhaps the coolest of all violin players doing their thing today. Not only is he incredibly talented and surrounded by equally gifted players, but his choice in music is always impeccable. Here we see the band (accompanied by Flying Lotus on the bleeps and boops) performing a re-orchestrated version of Drips (from Cosmogramma) that eventually evolves into a cover of Dilla’s Take Notice (one of my top 10 Dilla joints). Beautiful stuff. Always nice to see musicians who are taken seriously taking hip hop seriously. Also, if the video isn’t enough for you, there’s an mp3 version recorded live from the show available to enjoy and download free below.

peace,
-the judge

Once again, I was going through some new releases on No Modest Bear and stumbled on some dopeness that I just had to share on here. Dag för Dag is a Swedish band that began getting recognition around 2007 according to their bio. As I’m currently listening to this release I’ll have to say that this is some dope shit. It kind of has a Sigur Rós feel to it, but it also reminds me of The Breeders on some of the tracks. I love me some chilling music that isn’t boring, and this certainly does the job for me. Be sure to give it a spin.

Download | Releases EP.

Word,
Emay

Here’s a nice video to accompany Star Slinger’s remix of I Am You by Coolrunnings. The video was directed by John Kendall, and I think the scenes in this really amplify the strength of an already dope song. I went nuts the first time I heard the shit, and I’ll continue to go nuts every time I bump it!!

Download | I Am You [Star Slinger Remix].

Twin Sister is too good.

-the judge

First off I want to thank Tonje and my dude Star Slinger for helping me out with the cover! This is a track that I semi-uploaded onto facebook a couple weeks ago and since the feedback was so positive I decided to release it as a single. I even performed it when I opened for Wax in Toronto. This song means a lot to me because it has a lot to do with taking things for granted, and what the world expects from each and every one of us. Hopefully you get to give the track a listen and tell us what you think!

Download | If You’re Breathing.

Thanks,
Emay