July 2012 Hotlist Week 2

Shawn Lee - "Synthesizers In Space" 2012

There's a certain "clean grimyness" about the funk songs of this album that is very appealing. Shawn Lee is in the zone right now, and hitting the world with a barrage of releases, all of which are high quality and different from each other.

Bibio - "K Is For Kelson" 2011

I don't like this EP as much as I like the album it's a companion to, but it's still OK. Depending on my mood, sometimes I find these guys kinda corny, and then at other times I really dig them.

WITCH - "We Intend To Cause Havoc" 2012

Through my Now Again subscription, I got this. It's 50 something songs long. Every single song they ever released. WITCH is a psych rock group from Africa in the 70's. I like this a lot, but it's nothing groundbreaking or mind blowing.

Rob Swift - "Roc For Raida" 2012

A little mix Rob Swift put together as a tribute to Roc Raida. Pretty basic with some of his productions and scratch routines interspersed with some interviews. Still a good listen for fans of turntablism.

Cypress Hill & Rusko - "Cypress x Rusko EP" 2012

I don't know if this is the full collaboration, or if they're just testing the waters with this. I think a hip hop/dubstep collabo could work with the right people. Cypress Hill are not the right rappers for this though. They sound pretty old, tired, and washed up, and this EP sounds super forced and calculated.

Anagraphs - "Flowers & Perfume" 2012

SUPER chilled out and laid back. I think I could listen to an ambient album from this guy all night, if something ever was to happen, the way the synth sounds on these beats just slip out of the speakers and float around and stay for a while. I used to not really care for his drum programming, but that aspect of his style has improved since the last release, and I feel like this album is a good transition album, giving us a hint of what is yet to come from him. Check him out on Soundcloud and Bandcamp.

Amon Tobin - "Box Set Disc 2: Monthly Joints" 2012

I guess these songs were all released for free through his website during 2008 and 2009, but I never knew about it. Thankfully they all got put on one disc for this boxset. This is right up there with one of my favorite albums by him now, if you count it as a stand alone album. Just phenomenal. Even being almost 4 years old, this still sounds like it's from the future.

Louis C.K. - "Live From Houston" 2001

An older set from him. He seems a lot more goofy and whimsical back then, but his main style that he has now was already in place.

I.L.I.C.I.T. - "Who's ILL? 3" 2012

3rd installment in his series of EPs. Not really feelin this one. The beat on the last song is pretty tight, but that's about all I like about this EP. I like the message of the weed song, but stylistically, it seems like he's trying to get on that Wiz Khalifa or Kid Cudi tip or something. It doesn't suit him. He sounds like an MC with no identity trying to find one by trying out a lot of different styles. Normally I like people who do things like that, but lyrically he just doesn't get adventurous or complex enough for me.