The Tape

Cadence Weapon’s new album is amazing. Cadence Weapon is amazing. Afterparty babies are amazing. The newest release from Cadence “Fucking” Weapon is so ridiculously different from his debut album “Breaking Kayfabe”, the only recognizable part is his voice. It seems as though Cadence Weapon has really broken through with a new idea for this record. There is a distinguishable difference in his last album which had a very minimalistic yet interesting vibe to it. This album has a more electronic/house music vibe to it, it even has a track on it called “House Music.” I’ll just briefly talk about my three favorite tracks.

Coming in at number 3 is track number 3 “True Story.” This track starts out with a little bit of spoken word, and then bursts into Cadence rapping about rumors. His loud, dramatic, annunciated voice really makes this track exciting.

Cadence Weapon- True Story

Number 2 is the opening track of this album entitled, “Do I Miss My Friends?” This song has a ridiculous beat. It starts out with a loop of him singing “Mmm Bup.” Next comes in a little loop of him singing about him missing his friends. He proceeds to rap over his own acapella beat.He continues to sing the chorus sort of out of tune, but it’s alright because it’s damn catchy.

 Cadence Weapon- Do I Miss My Friends? (mediafire)

My favorite track on Cadence Weapon’s new album “Afterparty Babies” is called “Getting Dumb.” I guess I love this track so much for two reasons. The first being that the beat is sick. It starts out with this really heavy drum pattern, with a dirty sounding synth layered on top of it. But the main reason I guess I love this track, is because it reminds me of a better version of Lupe Fiasco’s “Dumb It Down.” I feel the lyrics in Lupe’s track are far superior, but Cadence Weapon just brings this vibe to the track that a ringtone beat doesn’t bring to a song. Even though Lupe used such a shitty beat to protest average, radio rap music, the beat still sucks. Lupe is still my favorite hip-hop artist, but I think Cadence Weapon does a better job of presenting his protest then Mr. Fiasco does.

Cadence Weapon- Getting Dumb (mediafire)

9.2/10

An australian musician who mixes a folky rock style with electronic influences. He sounds a lot like Sufjan Stevens. His CD “The Submarine” is a great rainy day album, that has a real feel good vibe. He loops electronic beats and interesting instruments over his popy vocals. I was first unsure about his CD, “The Submarine” but the more i listened the more interesting it got. A few negative points I don’t find anything about the music to particularly stand out. I just although I have a good time listening to it, and don’t get me wrong I think its a good album, but their is something about it that feels a little bit, “disposable.” So just check him out and make your own mind up.

7/10

Two of the most interesting songs on Whiley’s album, “The Submarine.”

Whitley-A Shot To The Stars

Whitley-White Feathers Strange Sights

If yo like what you hear you can purchase his CD at Whitley Myspace

The only tagline to rival Juno’s “Silencio, old man!” is the album title of the Los Campesinos debut, Hold On Now Youngster. The way I’ll be doing this review is taking you through the tracklist as I listen to it. Let’s begin. The review and two tracks after the jump. (Read more…)

Atomic Hooligan are an England based DJ duo who after releasing their album “You Are Here” in 2005 have gone on to make another delicious piece of dancery.

Atomic Hooligan make me want to explode and their new album “Sex Drugs and Blah Blah Blah” drops in March and everyone should get it.

Atomic Hooligan - I Don’t Care

And a link to the video here

The album these two poets made together is great, it is entitled “Ghetto Pop Life.” They both have great flow, some sick beats, and sick loops. It reminds me of the Pharcyde and Wu Tang, at the same time. Also other than the tracks I am throwing up, be sure to check out “That Brooklyn Shit.”

I give it an 8 out of 10

Keep laying down those tracks boys!

Danger Mouse and Jemini-Omega supreme

These 3 songs I think, are the highlights of the album. Great flow and lyrics.

Danger Mouse and Jemini- Yoo-Hoo!

Danger mouse and Jemini- Born-A-MC

Former Test Icicles singer Dev Hynes has gone on a very different path since leaving the manic mayhem of the Test Icicles. But aside from many other “side projects” Hynes (or better now known as Lightspeed Champion), fantastically transforms his previous genre into smooth indie pop. I find every track extremely well written, except the few tracks with the annoying female harmonies. Anyways, I’ll do a short review of every track and then give you the MP3’s of my two favorites.

Number One- Not much to say, just a smooth acoustic guitar with a nice pedal steel in the background.

Galaxy Of The Lost- The way Hynes builds up to the chorus of this track, almost makes me forget about the annoying background vocals. All around, a nice track.

My ADD is already kicking in so let me just summarize a few tracks for you guys.

Midnight Surprise- One of the only 10 minute songs that I can listen to. The song takes many twists and turns, but never seems to lose its main focus and always resolves to a sort of half time feeling chorus. Oh yeah, there just also happens to be a pretty Test-Icicle-ish guitar solo towards the end that rocks.

Devil Tricks For A Bitch- This is another fantastic track. In case you haven’t already noticed, I absolutely love pretty much every track on this cd. Anyways, it starts out with just Hynes and a lovely string arrangement and slowly builds with drums and guitar. Not much more to say, besides another great track.

Dry Lips- My favorite song on the cd. It goes between a double time feel and as the rest of the instruments slow down, a banjo keeps the double time feel as some flutes kick in. The arrangement on this track is flawless.

Overall I love this cd so much, and I’ve only listened to it 2 or 3 times. Here are a few of my favorite songs

Devil Tricks For A Bitch

Dry Lips

Upon arriving home I was promptly handed the new Hot Chip by my dealer H-Dog with which I went upstairs to immerse myself in. I had been waiting for the album for months refusing to download it or read reviews of it because I want my virgin listening experience bad. The first 3 songs on “Made In The Dark” absolutely rock, they make me want to move and do white boy dance moves like a good Hot Chip song should. The sound is not cluttered but feels more packed with things happening which definitely works for those little ditties. Out At The Pictures is my favorite on that album for sure but it has its singles that we’ve all heard before. Once Hot Chip drops its dancable goodness is where the album lost some serious points for me. Too many ballads guys…

Regardless the album is Hot Chip and is therefore a must have, just ignore those weak songs and shake a fist to Made In The Dark. (Tristan’s review is to come shortly)

7.256631/10 (First Impression) After more listenings 8.2