Death Grips have just shared the video for "I
Break Mirrors With My Face in the United States", from their upcoming
album Jenny Death, which coincidentally is fantastic for those who haven't heard
it in one form or another yet. Like much of the groups output the video and
song are seemingly an exercise in how to be intense!
Run the Jewels have released the video for "Close Your Eyes (And Count to Fuck)", their Run the Jewels 2 track featuring Rage Against the Machine's Zack De LaRocha. The clip was directed by A.G. Rojas and is topical given the current social political climate here in the U.S.
UK based producer Clarence Clarity (named after the popular meme) recently dropped his debut LP, No Now, via Bella Union. The reception has been pretty much nonexistent thus far which is surprising to me because the record is a brave and impressive hour plus journey into a distinctively dense and cacophonous re-imagining of pop and R&B music.
You may be thinking to yourself oh this is another ethereal bedroom R&B producer who’s married traditionally commercial themes with dramatic, sleek, minimal, dark, undertones to satisfy those who prefer their smoothness to mirror Autre Ne Veut over something like Jodeci? Well I’m here to tell you that while Clarence clearly knows what the Autre Ne Veut and How To Dress Well’s of the universe are doing with their takes on the genre, this is not that, this is maximalist, disjointed and glitchy, this is taking that idea of mixing 70% of that traditional R&B flavor with 30% experimenting and reversing the percentages so that the experimentation is now at 70%. No Now probably shares more in common sonically with the Animal Collectiveand is very much here and now, it completely encapsulates the all consuming nature of the Internet and the overwhelming beauty and ugliness it can sometimes create in today's society.
The unique take isn’t the result of production alone; Clarence’s eccentric vocal delivery will catch some off-guard and like last year’s FKA Twigs record, must have been extremely difficult to even pull off in these nontraditional musical environments. But somehow it all works and it all works extremely well in my opinion, providing the listener with one of the most original records I’ve heard in recent memory that could function on both a dance-floor and at home.
I hope people get to hear the record, it dropped earlier in the month and I haven’t really heard or seen much about it, which is why I’m even sharing a post that is closer to a record review than a heads up to readership that I usually would provide at this point. Get a taste of No Now from the five track sampler below and if you like what you hear pick up a digital copy from the usual places or a special edition physical copy from Rough Trade that also includes the instrumentals.
Italian noise act Zu are gearing up to drop their fifth
record via Ipecac Recordings on March 24th. Corta Tordo was recorded
in Bologna, Italy and for those not acquainted with the bands sound it’s a
combination of atmospheric, heavy, sludgy moments (Think Melvins) and super
chaotic outbursts (Think The Locust). While I wouldn’t compare them in sound,
people who found themselves enjoying the last Deafheaven record unexpectedly
might have a similar experience with Tordo, as there are some hypnotic moments wrapped up in otherwise abrasive compositions. Give the record
a spin below…
Death Grips shared “On GP,” their newest song from
their upcoming LP Jenny Death. The track was shared with a video of a man doing
random weird activities, it’s a different sound for the trio and reminds me a
little more of Zach’s work with Hella. Look for Jenny Death to drop at the end
of the month.
As the title above states “Here Is A Gift For You” is
a 42-minute documentary on metal super-group, Old Man Gloom (Cave In, Converge and ex-Isis).
Kenneth Thomas put together the feature which chronicles the band up to the
making of their 2014 album, “The Ape Of God.” The film is a great mix of interviews from various musicians, family remembers and scenesters that often retain a very dry and sarcastic sense of humor. A must for fans of any of the bands these guys are involved with or if you consider yourself a fan of gloomy psychedelic metal.
Yes I’m still here, just getting a little choosier about
what I post these days…
Shlohmo’s new album Dark Red is scheduled to
drop on April 7 via True Panther/WeDidIt and with that date swiftly
approaching, Shlohmo has returned with his next video and single. Jack Irving directs
the video for “Beams” which matches the fast paced drum & bass roots the single
lives in.
