“If you build it, they will come.” Or more specifically – if you have a will and a parking lot, you can build a music festival, and they will come. Such was the case at Saturday’s inaugural Bedrocktoberfest, located at Echo Park’s Bedrock LA complex off Glendale Boulevard, which had the feel of a fun […]
Following the demise of Chicago band Kids These Days earlier this year, on the heels of SXSW and Coachella performances and the release of their debut, Jeff Tweedy-produced album “Traphouse Rock,” Vic Mensa is stepping out on his own. The 20-year-old MC is a part of the Chicago hip-hop crew SaveMoney, also including Chance the […]
In one of its many capacities, music has the wonderful ability to transport you to another place. During a nearly 90-minute set at the Fonda Theater on Friday night, Gold Panda served as a conductor of sorts, navigating myriad genres and effectively stamping the crowd’s sonic passport again and again as they traveled the world […]
After a steady stream of releases over the last few years, Los Angeles-via-Ohio beatmaker Ted Feighan – doing business as Monster Rally – is back with his third full-length album, “Return to Paradise” (coming in October). Its first single is the shimmering and seductive “Orchids,” which begins with a dusty riff that wouldn’t be out […]
After a series of cassette-only releases, the third of which being “Cassette 3: The Marion Morrison Mixtape,” producer/rapper Jonwayne is set to release his debut LP, appropriately titled “Rap Album One,” on Oct. 29 on Stones Throw. Its first single is “Reflection,” an unconventional and genre-jumping track. Beginning with sparse piano, then adding driving drums, […]
Following the EPs “Thuggin’” from 2011, and “Shame” from 2012, as well as this summer’s track “City” for the Adult Swim Singles Series, Gary, Indiana’s Freddie Gibbs and Los Angeles’ own Madlib are back with “Deeper,” the final EP to be released before their long-awaited joint album. Even gangsters get their hearts broken, as a […]
Three years after the self-release of his debut album “Earl” at the age of 16, Earl Sweatshirt is back with his major-label follow-up entitled “Doris.” It is a dark, moody and mellow affair featuring production from Tyler, The Creator, RZA, Christian Rich, and The Neptunes, as well as four tracks produced by Earl under the […]
“The Vail” is the first project released by 21-year-old Los Angeles native Jonathan Dilin, a multi-faceted 13-minute collection that showcases his abilities at rhyming and singing – but also producing, crafting four of the five tracks under the pseudonym JDefeats. His sound is rooted in post-R&B, murky and propulsive synth-driven 808 beats that recall a […]
As I approached the Echoplex on Thursday, Aug. 1, for the Run The Jewels tour, I worried that the quiet and sparsely populated exterior and smoking patio might be a sign of a sparsely populated show to follow. No so. Even for the first act, the crowd was already stacked past the sound booth. Kool […]
Brooklyn’s El-P and Atlanta’s Killer Mike have collaborated with each other before – Mike guested on a track from El-P’s 2012 album “Cure 4 Cancer,” and EL-P produced the entirety of Mike’s 2012 album “R.A.P. Music” (as well as rapping on a track). They also toured the country together last summer with Mr. Muthaf*ckin’ eXquire […]