Two and Four

K.I.D. - We Can Just found out about this dude through random...

Thu, 15 Mar 2012 02:08:00 -0400

K.I.D. - We Can

Just found out about this dude through random youtube clicks. Diggin the sounds…
Check out his mixtape at http://theekid.bandcamp.com/album/super-duper

Toro y Moi - Underneath the Pine

Tue, 24 Jan 2012 22:10:48 -0500

Underneath the Pine, the second official album release from Toro y Moi, is an innovative and unique work that fuses contemporary techniques with vintage soundbites to form a flowing, mellow pillow of grooves. The upbeat percussion and funky bass lines are sure to have your head bobbing by the second track (“New Beat”).

What impressed me the most out of this entire work was Chaz Bundick’s (Toro y Moi) instrument choices. Each song takes on a consistent persona that demands attention from the listener with frequent build-ups and breakdowns. Chaz uses a wide variety of both electronic and physical instruments to create a psychedelic hodgepodge of soul, funk, disco, and even early hip-hop production to take control of the mind and imprint a particular fogginess on it.

Since Underneath the Pine, Toro y Moi has released an EP entitled Freaking Out. I’m excited for his ever-growing potential and imminent success.

Tracklist + favorite tracks (bolded/underlined):

01. Intro/Chi Chi
02. New Beat
03. Go With You
04. Divina
05. Before I’m Done
06. Got Blinded
07. How I Know
08. Light Black
09. Still Sound
10. Good Hold
11. Elise

Frank Ocean - Nostalgia, Ultra (My #1 Album of '11)

Tue, 24 Jan 2012 22:09:39 -0500

Frank Ocean’s Nostalgia, Ultra is one of the best debut albums of any artist that I’ve ever heard. It really explores the talent of Mr. Ocean, exposing almost no bounds outside of his actual vocal range.

I would classify this album as a summer album because it has a light, simple, west-coast feel that establishes itself in Strawberry Swing and maintains itself straight through until Nature Feels.

Although Frank is considered R&B by the media and labels, I would classify him as more of a singer-songwriter (if I had to put a label on it). Each song on this mixtape has a specific meaning and the order of the songs is very fluid. His lyrics have much deeper meaning than the average girl-whining material that most modern R&B artists default to when releasing a new album or mixtape.

Tracklisting + favorite Tracks (underlined):

01. Street Fighter
02. Strawberry Swing
03. Novacane
04. We All Try
05. Bitches Talkin’
06. Songs For Women
07. Lovecrimes
08. Goldeneye
09. There Will Be Tears
10. Swim Good
11. Dust
12. American Wedding
13. Soul Calibur
14. Nature Feels