Click the photo to get acquainted with your new favorite rapper, Jonwayne. He’s an ace beatsmith too, having dropped the fantastic Bowser beat tape last year on Alpha Pup (check out the titular banger below). 2012 LP on Stones Throw.
Tag: Alpha Pup
Feature: From Russia with Fuzz, Moscow Gets its Own L.A.-Inspired Beat Scene
Russia gets fly, thanks to Error Broadcast and Alpha Pup.
A testament to the wide reach of Los Angeles’ thriving instrumental hip-hop movement, a group of electronic artists based in Moscow has begun its own beat scene and, bringing things full circle, has found a friend in downtown L.A. label Alpha Pup. This is a quick read and a mere introduction to their world, by yours truly, published in L.A. Weekly.
Pitchfork did an in-depth followup (we assume), which you can and should read too, called “Beg, Steal, or Borrow.” Also, check the tunes.
News: Tearist! Vice Cooler Helps Orphans, Heart Music Finds the Beat, Mestizo Digs Elliott Smith
Machina Muerte founder Mestizo name-checks Elliott Smith
Quick bloggy bits from around the L.A. underground (and up). Share ’em.
- FEATURED: L.A. Rapper Mestizo Name-Checks Elliott Smith*
- Heart Music’s Free EP w. Baths, Teen Daze, Light Pollution, more
- Vice Cooler’s Rwanda Benefit LP, ft. No Age, Dan Deacon, Gossip
- Finally! Listen to Synth-Punks Tearist’s Brand New Track “Headless”
(all stories via West Coast Sound, via L.A. Weekly)
* “Elliott Smith’s death gets a mention — a display of Mestizo’s ability to intertwine classic rap braggadocio with harrowing reality and emotive introspection.”
Mayer Hawthorne Hooks Up with Virginia Beat-Maker Nottz, Drops Etched 12-Inch for ‘I Need You’
Feature: Los Angeles’ String of Indie Labels Thrives in the New Music Business
Amanda and Britt Brown of Eagle Rock indie label Not Not Fun pose for Los Angeles Times (photo by Jay L. Clendenin)
Well, it has been a long, long time coming, but I’m pleased to share my debut pair of links over to the Los Angeles Times. The main feature, which runs in print in Sunday’s Calendar section, profiles the ways in which independent labels in L.A. are adapting to the changing landscape of the music biz. Read about it here:
L.A.’s string of indie labels succeeds with a jack-of-all-trades approach
With noted input from the Dangerbird, Stones Throw, Alpha Pup and Not Not Fun imprints, plus tons of help from folks at Sargent House, Hydra Head, Southern Lord, Anticon, Manimal Vinyl, and Post Present Medium.
Also, there’s a supplemental blog piece to read, featuring a free download of Aloe Blacc’s stunning “I Need a Dollar” here:
Indies in L.A.: Alpha Pup and Not Not Fun talk the thriving L.A. scene
News: Music’s Worst Hats, Space Thump from Yuk, Origami On Vinyl, Baths Rmxes Brad Laner
Jay Kay wasn't just kidding with his headgear.
Quick bloggy bits from around the L.A. underground (and up). Share ’em.
- FEATURED: The Ten Worst Hats in Modern Music History*
- MP3: Space Thump from Producer Yuk from My Hollow Drum
- Echo Park’s Origami Vinyl Hosts Album Making Seminar
- MP3: Beat Star Baths Remixes L.A. Legend Brad Laner
(all stories via West Coast Sound, via L.A. Weekly)
* “We’re pretty sure Empire of the Sun derives its power from the insane headdresses of frontman Luke Steele. Out of, erm, respect to that epiphany, we present to you the ten most hideous, god awful, what-in-the-funk-where-they-thinking hats in modern music history.”
Mayer Hawthorne Hooks Up with Virginia Beat-Maker Nottz, Drops Etched 12-Inch for ‘I Need You’
Compton Hype HOPE, Hawthorne Joins Nottz, Lotus RMXs Some Soul, Sumsun RMXs McClure
Compton's buzzing on HOPE
Quick blog bits from around the L.A. underground (and up). Share ’em.
- FEATURED: Is Rapper HOPE Compton’s Next Big Hype?*
- Mayer Hawthorne Hooks Up with Beat-Maker Nottz
- MP3: Soul Chanteuse Remixed by Flying Lotus, Mount Kimbie
- Beat-Waver Sumsun Remixes Alpha Pup’s Oscar McClure
(all stories via West Coast Sound, via L.A. Weekly)
* In the just-out music video for the new H.O.P.E. track, “Bliss,” our unlikely hero has his lights turned out as a result of insufficient funds. Still, he’s got the skills to pay the bills.
Mayer Hawthorne Hooks Up with Virginia Beat-Maker Nottz, Drops Etched 12-Inch for ‘I Need You’
MP3, Groove Edition: Nite Jewel, Asura, Ana Caravelle, Fol Chen, Madlib, Freddie Gibbs
Nite Jewel, amidst balls
We’re getting caught up on two weeks of intense blogging for West Coast Sound, and we now present to you some tasty MP3 and/or streaming works. This is Groove Edition (think “fun-kay”).
- FEATURED: Nite Jewel with Teen Inc. for EP, ‘Am I Real?’*
- ‘Timber,’ Lush Electronics from Asura and Ana Caravelle
- Chamber-Funk Ensemble Fol Chen Drops ‘The Holograms’
- James Poyser, Karriem Riggins, Madlib on ‘Funky Butt’
- Arabian Prince and CX Kidtronik in ‘Let’s Hit the Beach’
- Freddie Gibbs with ‘Str8 Killa’ EP, Says ‘F*ck the World’
(all stories via West Coast Sound, via LA Weekly)
* “Nite Jewel, keyboard queen Ramona Gonzales, is a quintessential artist of the L.A. underground and has now produced a collaboration with a young group that’s starting to catch buzz, Teen Inc.”
News: R Kelly Meets Baths, Hawthorne Covers Johnston, VOICEsVOICEs Video, and more
Baths and R Kelly get their wrassle on.
Quick bloggy bits from around the L.A. underground (and up). Share ’em.
- FEATURED: R Kelly Croons Over Baths’ ‘Maximalist’*
- MP3: Mayer Hawthorne Covers Daniel Johnston
- VOICEsVOICEs Share Creepy New Video for ‘Flulyk Visions’
- MP3: Beat Music Meets Chillwave on Veux’s ‘Late Key’
- MP3 Exclusive: Night Horse Resurrects Thin Lizzy with ‘Rollin’ On’
- L.A.’s Answer to Cannibal Ox? Meet K-The-I and Michael Nhat
(all stories via West Coast Sound, via LA Weekly)
* “Hot doesn’t begin to describe what happens here.”
Q&A: DJ Nobody on Love, Auto-Tune and Low End Theory (plus, DL his new LP for free)
Nobody from the road.
Low End Theory resident and longtime L.A. music-maker DJ Nobody was kind enough to sit down with West Coast Sound to discuss the very intimate inspiration behind his brand new, completely free (for download) album, One For All Without Hesitation.
Read what he had to say, and grab the record, here.
News Roundup: Ryan Adams Sells Out, Tortoise Goes Gangsta, Lorn and Boys Like Us
Oh, indeed.
Quick bloggy bits from around the L.A. underground (and up). Share ’em.
- FEATURED: MP3: Black Beat Music from FlyLo Signee Lorn*
- Ryan Adams’ Sci-Fi Metal Concept Album Sells Out in a Day
- MP3: Tortoise Goes Gangsta with ‘Drums,’ Feat. Guilty Simpson
- V-Wknd Keyboardist to Debut New Project in Highland Park
(all stories via West Coast Sound, via LA Weekly)
* “Lorn is a beast on the beat machine — a former scratch DJ who clearly spent some time listening to the fathomless rap noir of D-Styles’ classic turntablist docuement, Phantazmagorea.”
Chris Writes Things 