Ludicrous amounts of interesting music released today including albums from Blood Orange, Steve Gunn, Tei Shi, Jehnny Beth and others (posts to follow) but this definitely stood out from Che Noir’s latest album No Validation.
Tag: hip hop
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Che Noir – Painting Class
The opening track from Che Noir’s new LP The Color Chocolate 2 see the Buffalo-based rapper and producer in typically reflective form, with bars like “Family trees that we cherish with conviction / But the only thing that we inherit is addiction” passionately delivered over rich, evocative production.
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Saba, No ID – Reciprocity (feat. Ibeyi)
From The Private Collection Of Saba and No ID is a collaborative album between Chicago artists Saba and producer No ID. The project blends hip-hop, soul, and experimental production across a series of tracks and features various guest appearances while leaning in to No ID’s sample-driven, textured production and Saba’s lyrical focus and vocal versatility. There’s a lot to enjoy here, but the 90 second Reciprocity with vocals from Ibeyi is a definite highlight.
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Che Noir – Vanilla Skies
Buffalo rapper and producer Che Noir kicks off 2024 with a four-track EP The Color Of Chocolate. The first of many projects expected from her this year, she dominates on every song, even when up against some talented guests. On Vanilla Skies she goes solo, and it’s all the better for it.
https://chenoir.bandcamp.com/album/the-color-chocolate-vol-1
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Kamaiyah – No Pape
Another Summer Night seems to have landed at least six months too late; I can’t really think of a title (or vibe) less suited to the general mood in the UK right now. However Kamaiyah is as bouncy as ever, and although this doesn’t really compare to her divinely brash and boisterous debut A Good Night In The Ghetto, it’s a diverting change from the rain-lashed misery we’re all currently sucking up.
Shabazz Palaces’ Ishmael Butler is one of the most consistently weird hip-hop innovators out there; a title his new album Robed in Rareness is only too happy to reinforce. Operating as a solo project since Tendai Maraire’s departure a few years back, Butler has surrounded himself with collaborators including Royce The Choice, Porter Ray, O Finess, Geechi Suede and Butler’s son Lil Tracy, none of whom dim the light of creativity that continues to burn bright as he enters his firth decade. Binoculars came out as the lead single a couple of months back and is just sublime.
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Raw Poetic, Damu The Fudgemunk – Ease Side
I’m not sure why it’s taken this long for me to get stuck in to Raw Poetic and Damu The Fudgemunk’s Away Back In LP, but I have now, and it’s great. 2022’s Laminated Skies is a masterpiece and didn’t get anywhere near the attention it deserved. Away Back In is described as “a transcendent musical fusion of hip-hop, jazz, and garage rock”, and lead single and opening track Ease Side is indicative of its loose, upbeat vibe.
Woozy hip-hip, courtesy of, well, ALL the artists. Given soundgood is less than three minutes long I’m not entirely sure what all these dudes are adding – a sigh here, a cymbal crash there – but it’s really lovely regardless.
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Kota The Friend – Elevator
Of the two rap albums released last week that I paid attention to – the other being 6LACK’s Since I Have A Lover – Kota The Friend’s To See A Sunset is definitely the most fun. I think I’ve used the word ‘breezy’ every time I’ve posted about his music, and I see no reason to break that habit here. Breeeeezy!
https://kotathefriendofficial.bandcamp.com/album/to-see-a-sunset-explicit
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6LACK – Inwood Hill Park
I’ve got places to be today but here’s an absolute banger from 6LACK’S new album Since I Have a Lover to roll you into the weekend.
The Predatory Wasp 