Leor Galil,
Reader staff writer
Lemuria, “Ruby” This emo three-piece from Buffalo, New York, has steadily risen to the top of the nation’s underground punk scene since forming nearly a decade ago, and even hip music sites that generally refuse to acknowledge any band branded with the E-word have shown Lemuria’s recent third album, The Distance Is So Big (Bridge Nine), a bit of love. My favorite cut is album closer “Ruby,” whose massive, chugging postpunk hook reminds me of the best songs that Distance producer J. Robbins played in his own bands.
Anti-Gravity Bunny I started reading this Massachusetts-based experimental-music blog back when I used to run into its founder, Justin Snow, at the occasional Parts & Labor show in Boston. Snow has introduced me to some of my favorite unconventional acts—Mamaleek, Wreck & Reference, Ragana—and the dude has been on a roll lately. Earlier this month he tried to clear some of his reviewing backlog with a post called “Look at All These Killer Fucking Records I Missed,” and I bet it’ll take me months to get through everything he mentions.
Listening to raunchy house music with friends who don’t listen to house music I recently flew to Boston for a college reunion, and while I was riding in a packed car to my alma mater, a friend scanning the radio dial hit upon the goofily vulgar Breach track “Jack.” We briefly aired our confusion that it would be airing in the middle of the afternoon, but then everybody submitted to its stammering funk beat—it turned out to be a great setup to the kind of fun I’d have the rest of the weekend.
Leor is curious what’s in the rotation of …
Tyler Andere,
creative director for Portals and A&R at Loch Ness Management
Moody German techno and everything on Smallville Records For the past few months I’ve been listening to a lot of moody, German-based techno music. Robag Wruhme, Christopher Rau, and the whole Smallville Records roster have been my go-to for bedtime tunes. Wruhme’s Thora Vukk (released via DJ Koze‘s Pampa label) is a particularly beautiful album that I highly recommend.
Young Thug, “2 Cups Stuffed“ Atlanta MC Young Thug drops in with full-on, bombastic energy on the first verse of one my favorite rap songs of 2013. In his high-pitched, nasal voice, he belts out, “L-e-a-n-i-n-g. . . . Lean lean lean lean lean lean lean!”—and by the seventh lean, I’m totally leaning back with him, flailing my arms in the air with a big ol’ grin on my face. Find me a more fun and exciting rap song for the summer, and I’ll take it. Right now, I just want “2 Cups Stuffed.”
Becky G, “Play It Again“ This tween-pop gem from 16-year-old California singer and rapper Becky Gomez really plays a trick on ya with its unexpected switch from a Nicki Minaj-style flow to a brightly colored chorus. But once you get to that chorus. . . . Ahh! It’s undeniable.
Tyler is curious what’s in the rotation of …
Rafa Alvarez,
DJ and producer Different Sleep
The fake track list for Drake’s upcoming album In May, Drake’s dad uploaded a photo to Instagram of what looked like the track listing for Drake’s next album, Nothing Was the Same. It featured Frank Ocean, Future, and OVO signee PartyNextDoor. Producer credits included Clams Casino and James Blake, which just seemed too good to be true. It was declared fake via Twitter, but can’t we just pretend it was true for a second and bask in what could’ve been?
Trippy Turtle One of my favorite up-and-coming artists uses the alias “Trippy Turtle.” Upon discovering his music via Cashmere Cat’s Twitter feed, I scoured Trippy’s Soundcloud and became his biggest fan. Support from Cashmere Cat has caused suspicion that they’re the same person, but I reached out to Trippy and he denied it. He also sent me some incredible tracks, infused with R&B and Jersey club. Regardless of who or what Trippy Turtle is, I recommend listening.
Former teen starlets becoming hip-hop icons I don’t support it musically, but I find it entertaining when white teen starlets embrace hip-hop culture. In late March, footage of Miley Cyrus twerking in a frog suit surfaced online. Within days, Nickelodeon star Amanda Bynes posted to Twitter, “I want @drake to murder my vagina.” Hilarity ensued as Miley released a song produced by Mike Will Made It and Amanda got offered a hip-hop record deal. Paris Hilton even joined in and signed with Young Money. Is this one big publicity stunt? Is Amanda Bynes actually crazy? Illuminati?