Psychedelic Rap

Way Back Wednesdays: Nas – “It Ain’t Hard To Tell”

April 21, 2021 — Leave a comment

I wanted to post a pun about Sodium – but Na(‘s), you won’t get it. Let’s go Way Back!

  • Pictured: Cover Artwork for “Illmatic” (LP) (Released on April 19th, 1994) (via Columbia Records)

Good Evening to you – Jacob Braybrooke here, it has been a busy one with doing my deadlines for my university projects, but I have just about got enough time to deliver your daily track on the blog, because it’s always my day-to-day pleasure to write up about a different piece of music every day! I’m not sure whether we really tend to look at enough Hip-Hop music on here, and so we’re going to take a refreshing flashback to the release of ‘Illmatic’, the classic debut album from the East Coast rap pioneer Nas, which was released back in 1994. To this day, Nas has received seven Platinum certifications for his albums in the US and now serves as the head honcho of the Mass Appeal Records label and the associate publisher of Mass Appeal magazine. After he’s received thirteen Grammy nominations for each of his thirteen main album releases, his latest, ‘King’s Disease’, finally won him the award for “Best Hip Hop Album” – a shocking statistic when considering his socio-economic impact on popular culture. ‘Illmatic’ is often regarded as one of the all-time best of the US Hip Hop genre, with the album cover depicting Nas at just aged seven – and has been inducted into the Library Of Congress for preservation just this year too, for records they consider being “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant”, despite relatively low sales at first. Let’s remind ourselves of the closing track and single ‘It Ain’t Hard To Tell’ below.

Nas originally recorded a demo tape for ‘It Ain’t Hard To Tell’ in 1991 that he sent to Columbia Records – He gave it an alternate title of ‘Nas Will Prevail’ and this version was roughly 90 seconds later, with a more Jazz-oriented beat and a longer pair of verses with different lyrics. The tune was later styled as a ‘Hardcore Hip-Hop’ release, however, with samples of Michael Jackson’s ‘Human Nature’ and tracks by Kool & The Gang and Stanley Clarke driving the beats forward, paving the way for a #91 spot on the US Billboard Hot 100 Chart. The samples make for fitting choices, with vocals that touch upon dreaming with no limits for ambition and the idea that ‘the sky is the limit’ as Nas smoothly raps lines like “‘Cause in my physical, I can express through song/Delete stress like Mortrin, then extend strong” and “My poetry’s deep, I never fell/Nas raps should be locked in a cell, it ain’t hard to tell” with a fast-paced delivery, but the backing beats are kept nicely mid-tempo to evoke a smooth feeling. If you listen very closely, there’s also delicate string sections in the background of Nas spitting his wordplay, keeping the instrumentation diverse and accentuating the Horn and Trumpet melodies for a crisper rhythm. The vocals simply make the rapping feel as if we’re intruding on Nas coming to his final form in a sense, with emotive qualities and intimate themes that he gently embraces. The main samples work very well, selling a triumphant mood that gives the track a little more depth than it’s feel-good and very motivational overtones may suggest. Overall, it still manages to sound fresh and feel memorable because it largely feels like Nas to an unmistakable extent. It’s expressive, as Nas lets himself off the leash and leaves you wanting a bit more since it doesn’t drag on very much at all – not to a confrontational extent – but to the point where the scope feels suitably big. It was a moment that I’d also argue that Nas never truly followed up on, and it’s quite important to remind ourselves that we should appreciate Nas while he’s still around us because he has the talent and integrity, as an artist, that deserves the crossover success that he has achieved. Blissful and Brilliant.

  • Pictured: Nas in the studio recording “King’s Disease” (in 2020) (Photo Credit: Brooklyn Vegan.com)

If you’re a fan of Nas, or you would like to get up to speed on his latest material, then feel free to go in “Ultra Black” on my previous blog post concerning him here: https://onetrackatatime.home.blog/2020/10/14/todays-track-nas-feat-hit-boy-ultra-black/

  • Pictured: Cover Artwork for “King’s Disease” (Released on August 21st, 2020) (via Mass Appeal Records)

That’s all for today – Please join me again tomorrow as we take a flash forward to the present with an in-depth look at a sampler track from the new album to be released by a Northern Irish female electronic music producer who combines classical scoring and vintage sound design with the latest Synthesizer hardware, and has scored for multiple film, television, theatre and dance projects – including the ‘Game Of Thrones: The Last Watch’ documentary. If you really liked what you just read, why not follow the blog to get notified when every new daily post is up and why not like the Facebook page here?: https://www.facebook.com/OneTrackAtATime/

WWE WrestleMania 37 Weekend Special: 21 Savage, Offset & Metro Boomin – “Ric Flair Drip”

April 11, 2021 — Leave a comment

To be The Man – You’ve got to beat The Man. On that note, it’s time for a special post!

  • Pictured: Alternate Cover Art for “Without Warning” (Released on October 31, 2017) (via Epic Records)

Well… You could say that last night’s events certainly put a whole new meaning into WWE’s ‘Thunderdome’. Once it got going half an hour later than scheduled though, I had a great night. A fantastic main event, a solid opener that picked up the pace and got things moving again pretty well, the sight of seeing my guy Cesaro getting the big win that I thought and hoped he would in an instant classic, two matches that turned out to be better than expected, and only one of the matches fell outright flat, and so that’s pretty good going, all things considered for a pro wrestling show just shy of four hours long. Sunday’s two-day spread of specifically themed posts continues with a look back at a more contemporary track than my offering yesterday with a track themed around the 16-time world champion Ric Flair. Released in 2018 on their ‘Without Warning’ Halloween mixtape, 21 Savage, Offset & Metro Boomin, a trio of US rappers and producers known from other projects like Migos, popularized the term of ‘Drip’ through their Nature Boy tribute. It’s a slang expression for excessive fashion and pompous wealth, and the track has, since it’s release, become the second most-streamed song on the RapCaviar Spotify playlist. It’s also the highest charting single for Offset and Metro Boomin, as leading artists, on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, peaking to the heights of #13 after the music video went viral. Let’s check it out below.

It was simply emotional to see fans in an actual venue for the first time in over a year, even if the first sights of ponchos and heavy rainfall was one that you simply couldn’t make up. Anyways, part two resumes tonight with the promising line-up of Roman Reigns vs. Edge vs. Daniel Bryan in a Triple Threat main event for the WWE Universal Championship, Asuka vs. Rhea Ripley for the WWE Raw Women’s Championship and Kevin Owens vs. Sami Zayn with a celebrity appearance from the YouTube megastar Logan Paul, to name just a few. Let’s hope the weather holds up. Back to the task at hand, ‘Ric Flair Drip’ is a track which I didn’t recognize by it’s name, but once I hit play on the music video, I instantly knew it. This track was played very heavily on the soundtrack of WWE 2K19, along with a small selection of other tracks. With it’s very recognizably programmed Trap Beats and it’s tense tapestry of moods, it didn’t take me long to gather my thoughts. Lyrically, it plays out as you’d expect, with slang-filled sequences like “Fifty-Seven ninety, Split the coupe on my wrist” and “My car five-hundred and I don’t put no miles on it” that are delivered with a boastful and flauntering attitude, as they glide aggressively over the top of a melodramatic backing beat. There’s some heated String sections and copious amounts of heavy Bassline that dovetail the Grime-inflicted production. There isn’t much of a chorus here, but lyrics that declare 21 Savage as the “Top of the food chain” and flaunter his commercial success as a music artist like “Multi-million dollar, I’m a fool with the hits” that rhyme with preceding lines paint a very clear picture of what they’re getting at here. Icy Keyboard melodies and low-pitched Drum beats make up the darker variations of mood, we get a fun cameo from Ric Flair in the track and the video itself, and that’s your lot. Some of these hooks are decently catchy, and the mood works well even if it doesn’t progress very much. Overall, it feels all a little stereotypical for my liking, with a basic lyrical theme that we’ve seen a hundred times before about money and power, and it doesn’t seem to be pushing many boundaries. The heavy auto-tune effects get rather tiresome and the classic gangster rap picture isn’t doing anything very interesting for them. While it’s not great, it’s pedestrian and it has a brief couple of fun moments. Overall, though, I don’t think it’s really the case of it not really being my thing, I think it’s just pretty bad on the whole. While not inherently offensive, it simply lacks much variation, the songwriting is average, and it gets on my nerves a little bit. So, that leaves me with just one thing left to say – WOOOOOOOOO!

  • Pictured: Ric Flair with the WWF Championship in Albany, New York (1992) (Photo via WWE.com)

That concludes our WrestleMania-centric weekend of blog posts here on the blog, and Scuzz Sundays will make it’s huge return from a two-week hiatus at this point in seven days time. But first, if you missed out on my post yesterday, it’s time to hit the ‘Big Time’ with Peter Gabriel here: https://onetrackatatime.home.blog/2021/04/10/wwe-wrestlemania-37-weekend-special-peter-gabriel-big-time/

  • Pictured: Cover Artwork for “So” (Album/LP) (Released on 19th May, 1986) (via Charisma Records)

That’s all for today – I’ll be back to business as usual tomorrow once I’ve recovered from what’s shaping up to be another late one! That’s what you get for being a WWE fan in the UK though, right? You won’t want to miss out though as we sample the new tune from the final member of the Boygenius trio – which also included the recent breakout stars Phoebe Bridgers and Julien Baker. If you really liked what you just read, why not follow the blog to get notified when every new daily post is up and why not like the Facebook page here?: https://www.facebook.com/OneTrackAtATime/

Today’s Track: Genesis Owusu – “Whip Cracker”

March 27, 2021 — 1 Comment

Title not to be confused with the Phil Collins-starring vehicle, Genesis. New post time!

  • Pictured: Cover Art for “Smiling With No Teeth” (LP) (Released on March 5th, 2021) (via OURNESS)

Good Afternoon to you! My name is Jacob Braybrooke and – you know the drill by now – it’s time for me to get typing up for your daily track on the blog, because it is always my day-to-day pleasure to write up about a different piece of music every day! The soundtrack to your Saturday comes from the rising star Aussie hip-hop producer Genesis Owusu, who had his origins set in his birth-place of Koforidua in Ghana, but he was relocated to the Australian capital city of Canberra when he was only two years old. I first came to discover Genesis (real name: Kofi Owusu-Ansah) around seven months ago, when his single ‘Don’t Need You’ was featured on The Current’s Song Of The Day podcast. I liked it back then, and I play-listed the track for airplay on my student radio station. All of that time later – his debut studio album, titled ‘Smiling With No Teeth’ was released on March 5th via his own label, OURNESS, and it really has come out of nowhere to become probably the strongest release of the new year so far. Filled with rich, carefully manufactured concepts around mental state and systematic racism, along with deep and satisfying grooves, and the surprise factor, he really has become one of the most exciting new talents for me, and one that I’d highly suggest that you get your finger on the pulse with. Genesis is also the brother of the two-time ARIA Awards-nominated rapper Citizen Kay. I think that my favourite track from the record is probably ‘Whip Cracker’. ‘Easy’, ‘Gold Chains’ and ‘The Other Black Dog’ are highlights too, but this track makes for a natural change of pace between the midway point of the record. On the track, he hits out at the stereotypes of his race and upper-class bigotry, which had been building throughout the previous tracks. Back in June, he released a black-and-white music video for the track, which he says was filmed in almost a single take, and directed by Bart Celestino. Let’s check it out below.

I did not previously know that ‘Whip Cracker’ had already been shared during the heights of the Black Lives Matter cultural movement over the previous summer, but it certainly makes a great deal of sense, with the bold subject matter of the track feeling ripe for those anxiety-inducing moments. Shared on an Instagram post at the time, Genesis wrote: “I’m not gonna sit here and try to convince anyone why me and my family’s lives matter. I’m not gonna be congratulating white people for not being racist, and I’m not gonna beg and plead for the justice of my people anymore. I’m taking that shit.” in his adrenaline-fueled post. He also shared links to Ways To Act, a resource that listed organisations which work with indigenous Australians. Back to the task at hand – ‘Whip Cracker’ is pretty much just that. Bolstered by references to Malcolm X and slavery issues, he delivers lines like “Spit up on my grave, Hope my thoughts behave, we so depraved” and “Hope your soul is safe, We gon’ hold your fate” with a great viscerality and an urgent flow. Rather than feeling like a series of buzz words of his naming and shaming, however, this more vaguely feels like a celebration of outspoken rights attitudes, although Genesis never shies away from the acknowledgement that more work needs to be done. For instance, the main bulk of the track sees an electronically-based synth opening slowly develop into a lovely Post-Punk backing for Genesis to hit his aggressive bars from. The guitar licks and the angular bass riffs just mould themselves into a slightly psychedelic Aussie Synth-Pop conclusion that makes the genre feel wonderfully tricky to really define. It also feels like there is a full backing band sound behind this – instead of just a lyricist and a producer that most modern hip-hop productions are often modelled after. The themes are edgy and rich, but the instrumentation is deeply satisfying too – with a fresh feel, as the metaphors featured in the prior tracks on the new LP are ditched in favour of a short-fuse, outspoken personality. It pays off hugely for Genesis, with the important messages of the track and the exciting production tactics making it feel like a viable, strong argument for the Best Single Of The Year, and I’m sure the record will be making an appearance on my Top Ten lists. I mean, it only takes you some listening to the album to find out that he is clearly not just your average rap artist. It’s fantastic.

  • Pictured: Genesis Owusu in a general promo press shoot (2020) (Photo Credit: Bec Parson/OURNESS)

As previously mentioned, I did cover ‘Don’t Need You’ on the blog back a long while ago, and I wasn’t as familiar with Genesis as I am now, but if you’d like to see how far that we’ve both come since that point, you can still peruse my little musing on that track here: https://onetrackatatime.home.blog/2020/11/06/todays-track-genesis-owusu-dont-need-you/

  • Pictured: Cover Artwork for “Don’t Need You” (Single) (Released on May 15, 2020) (via Ourness Pty Ltd.)

That’s all I’ve got time for – and probably enough rave reviewing for your eyes to read. They won’t get much of a short rest, however, because duty calls tomorrow for another new weekly entry in our Scuzz Sundays series – where we revisit an Emo-era Pop-Punk classic from the late 90’s up to the mid-00’s. Join me then – for an in-depth look back at a single coming from a Rap-Rock group famously native to South Gate, Carolina who became the first Latin-American Hip-Hop group to earn a star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame in 2019. If you really liked what you just read, why not follow the blog to get notified when every new daily post is up and why not like the Facebook page here?: https://www.facebook.com/OneTrackAtATime/

New Album Release Friday: Serpentwithfeet – “Fellowship”

March 26, 2021 — Leave a comment

A true friend is one who remembers your birthday – and not your age. New post time.

  • Pictured: Cover Art for “DEACON” (LP) (Released on March 26, 2021) (via Secretly Canadian)

Good Morning! I’m Jacob Braybrooke – and it’s time for me to get typing up for your daily track on the blog, as per usual, because it is always my day-to-day pleasure to write up about a different piece of music every day! It looks like plenty of artists are looking to capitalise on the new Spring-time weather, because there are loads of new releases out there today. Emerging Galway 4-piece NewDad have released their debut EP – and new full-length offerings from the likes of BRIT Awards darling Ben Howard, rising Israeli genre-blurrer Noga Erez, intimate Canadian indie folk singer Tate McRae, Northern Irish Electronic composer Hannah Peel, US Experimental cult favourites Xiu Xiu, intriguing ‘Cinematic Soul’ collective El Michels Affair, and more. However, I’ve been quickly getting excited about ‘DEACON’, the new record from the Balitmore-raised Experimental Soul artist Josiah Wise – aka Serpentwithfeet. I am a big fan of ‘Fellowship’ – the lead single, which I’ve been playing on my own radio show, because it makes me feel fuzzy and wholesome inside. The new LP follows 2018’s debut LP ‘Soil’, but he’s also known for the ‘Blisters’ EP from 2016, and the ‘Apparition’ EP that he put out last year. This album has been getting some very kind reviews, and so I’m really looking forward to starting to stick my teeth into it when I have a moment to. It was also co-produced by Sampha and Lil Silva, who sing the backing vocals on ‘Fellowship’, and so you’ve got three particularly talented creatives working on this. A loving ode to the bonds in that friendship provides – Check out the lead single below.

Much of the inspiration for Serpentwithfeet’s new album came from his R&B roots in black Churches, and speaking on the creative direction for the new LP collection, he wrote: “I wanted to create something that felt calm and restrained.”, he continued, “This was my way of tapping into the energy many deacons possess”, in a press release for the material. He is, of course, referring to the role of ‘Deacon’ within the ministry of Christian office for the album’s title. Starting off with a subtle Afrobeat backing beat made up of ethereal percussion and warm synth tones, Wise croons lines like “Our breezy Sunday afternoons, Christmas films in July with you” and “Our fascination with Prosecco, The silly face you make when I say Hello” to lyrically play on the dialect that we have with our companions, and the quirks that make our bonds feel strong and personal to ourselves. The songwriting gets a little more reflective later on, with nice lines like “This is the blessing of my 30’s, I’m spending less time worrying and more time recounting the love” that talk carefully about maturity and progressing through the cycles of our lives. The chorus is very lush too, with Wise singing “I’m thankful for the love I share with my friends” in unison with Sampha and Lil Silva – as lushly composed Sitar work and tinny, cute steel pan beats aid the scene. Overall, I can really get behind the message of the track – which is about realizing that you may still be in the ‘good times’ rather than having a need to reminisce about them. Paired with some warm Gospel influences and energetic psychedelia, it makes for a pretty absorbing experience, where the meanings are straightforward and the chords do not truly progress a great deal, but remain fresh from the start to the finish because it feels powerful and intimate. Overall, this is the literal definition of “lovely”.

  • Pictured: Josiah Wise (aka Serpentwithfeet) in a photoshoot for “Soil” (2018) (via PitchPerfectPR.com)

We’ve reached the end of another daily musical diary entry! Scuzz Sundays returns in two days time, like it always does, but, in the meantime, we’ve got another 24 hours worth of text to bust through tomorrow first. In that case, I would like to introduce you to another one of my recent favourites – with a track coming from an Australian-based, but originally Ghanian, fresh new Hip-Hop producer who has just released his debut album on his own independent OURNESS label to positive word of mouth earlier in the month. He is also the brother of the two-time ARIA-nominated Canberra rapper Citizen Kay. If you really liked what you just read, why not follow the blog to get notified when every new daily post is up and why not like the Facebook page here?: https://www.facebook.com/OneTrackAtATime/

Today’s Track: CHAI (feat. Ric Wilson) – “Maybe Chocolate Chips”

March 16, 2021 — Leave a comment

Seven days without any chocolate consumption makes one weak. It’s new post time!

  • Pictured: Cover Artwork for “WINK” (LP) (Available from May 21st, 2021) (via Sub-Pop Records)

A good Morning to you! My name is Jacob Braybrooke, and it’s now time for me to get typing up for your daily track on the blog, as per usual, because it’s routinely my day-to-day pleasure to write up about a different piece of new music every day! An all-female Alternative Pop 4-piece group from Nayoga, Japan – CHAI have never shied away from a playful pun or edgy reference or two, in their lyrics and track titles, to different types of food. ‘Donuts Mind If I Do’ is a particular favourite of mine. That trend continues with ‘Maybe Chocolate Chips’, which is the latest single taken from their upcoming third studio album, ‘Wink’, which is currently set for release on May 21st. That feels like ages away, but the Alt-Rock creatives have been building a steady stream of anticipation for the new full-length release with their fun, wonky blend of shape-shifting R&B influences and sugar-sweet (if you mind the pun) DIY Post-Rock aesthetics. Signed to the Sub-Pop Records label, the girls have drawn their influences from CHVRCHES and Justice. A recent collaboration with Gorillaz and a support tour run for Superorganism has also developed their cult following. The new track features Ric Wilson, who met CHAI at the Pitchfork Music Festival in 2019. Check it out below.

Bassist and lyricist Yuuki spoke of the meaning of the track, penning: “Things that we want to hold on to, things that we wished went away. A lot of things happen as we age and with that for me, is new moles! But I love them! My moles are like the chocolate chips on a cookie, the more you have, the happier you become! and before you know it, you’re an original.” in their latest press release. Of course, the subject matter may sounds interesting and rather bizzare upon your initial instinct, but the lyrics of the track soon actually take the form of a unique ode to self-love, and a little social commentary on the quirks that make us all individuals, and how we can perceive our own physical appearance. Led by a synth-inflected backing that feels ambient and polished, with mellow synth grooves that softly wash over the layered vocals, which are more high-pitched and slightly downtempo. The vocals are quirky, but they feel lightly catchy, with a whirring beat that evokes a laidback, gentle tone. The rap section from Ric Wilson beautifally flows above the crooning backing vocals of the main artists, with lines like “Come and stroll in the park with me” and “They can’t define you with beauty myths” giving off a more introspective and understated mood. The chorus is a little more involved, but still kept relatively restrained and with a sugar-coated Soul style, as hooks comparing skin moles to the delicacies of a cookie with gooey chocolate chips gradually move more towards the forefront, while the instrumentation is kept pretty minimalist. All in all, this channels a sleek and synth-led R&B sound, but the hip-hop sections and the quirky lyricism give it a subversive, fun character. The result, for me, is a track which grows on you very effectively with repeated listens. The track showcases the band’s USP for the lyrically creative, with a sound that I find quite ‘undefinable’ overall, but it’s gorgeous. I love this one. Brilliant.

  • Pictured: KANA (Lead Vocals/Rhythm Guitar), Yuuki (Bass Guitar/Backing Vocals), MANA (Keyboard and Yuna (Acoustic Drum Kit) in a promo shoot for “WINK” (2021) (via Conversationsabouther.net)

Thank you for checking out my latest blog post! We’re taking a break from the new music reviews tomorrow for our weekly ‘Way Back Wednesdays’ as we revisit one of the most enjoyable rarities that became available before the 2000’s. Tomorrow’s artists have been featured on the blog before, and they are a well-liked (especially on the internet, and not so known in terms of the mainstream) Scottish electronic duo who were known for pulling off possibly the best ‘Easter Egg Hunt’ in music marketing history prior to the release of their fourth main album in 2013, which was their first new album in seven years, and still stands as their most recent release to this day. If you really liked what you just read, why not follow the blog to get notified when every new daily post is up and why not like the Facebook page here?: https://www.facebook.com/OneTrackAtATime/

New Album Release Friday: Nubiyan Twist (feat. Soweto Kinch & Nick Richards) – “Buckle Up”

March 12, 2021 — Leave a comment

You may stop to ask, how many people does it take to make one song. New post time!

  • Pictured: Cover Art for “Freedom Fables” (Released on March 12th, 2021) (via Strut Records)

Good Morning to you! My name is Jacob Braybrooke and, you guessed it, it’s time for me to get typing up for your daily track on the blog, since it is always my day-to-day pleasure to write up about a different piece of music every day! Here we are again. New release day. This week’s offerings include a new solo LP from Cypress Hill’s DJ Muggs The Black Goat, a live album from North London’s Sorry and the return of German indie pop duo Haerts – who have had their music featured in numerous film & TV productions like ‘Carrie’, ’13 Reasons Why’ and ‘Love, Simon’. Tom Grennan is paving the way for the mainstream crowd, and Grouplove are back with a surprise new album. However, the record that’s earned the spotlight from me for this week comes from Nubiyan Twist. Born out of Leeds and currently based in London, they are a 10-piece Afro-Jazz collective comprised of a 4-piece Horn section, two vocalists and an electronics rhythms section. Orchestrated by guitarist/producer Tom Excell, the band have released their second album, ‘Freedom Fables’, today via Strut Records. The guest list includes CHERISE, KOG, Ria Moran and more – each of which “explores their own memoirs, a freedom of expression underpinning our belief that music is the ultimate narrative for unity” on the record. The group have seen rotational airplay from BBC Radio 6Music in recent weeks, among frequent performances on Jamie Cullum’s show on BBC Radio 2, with an appearance on ‘Later… With Jools Holland’ set to follow this month. So – let’s hit the gas pedal (Ya get it?…) on ‘Buckle Up’ below.

‘Buckle Up’ sees the London-based collective enlisting the help of saxophonist Soweto Kinch for a melodic solo, and a further call for help from vocalist Nick Richards, who sings about the mundanity of an unfulfilling life cycle. With Latin Jazz, Afrobeat and Trip-Hop callbacks, the single was an effective teaser for a record where “You can hear touches of broken beat, blunted hip hop, highlife, Latin, jazz and UK Soul running through the tracks” according to Tom Excell in a press statement for the album’s announcement. Although seeing a few Covid-related delays along the way, it’s here in the end. Predominantly, I feel that ‘Buckle Up’ references the sounds that the ensemble grew up becoming attached to, with a vintage tinge of Roy Hargrove-esque Brass melodies and undulating Organ polyrhythms blending with the more modern production allocated by the synth-inflected backing of the grooves and the bright horn lines which permeate the mostly Soulful qualities of the sound. The vocal section of “Sometimes I lean back in my chair, look up at the sky, Past these clouds and stars/To find new perspectives to loosen up my life” pads out the first half, while the second portion of the track goes for a more Hip Hop-inflicted beat. A speedy vocal delivery from Richards lowers the melodicism a tad, and the chorus allows the splashings of Trumpet melodies to shine with a more summery, energising mood, with vocal lines like “A journey to find a sense of peace and not desire” and “If I could catch a glimpse, Maybe this time find a door to the peace of my mind” feel much more self-reflective and self-developed. The Latin Jazz style feels at ease with the more melodic Hip-Hop influences though, with a little Dubplate and Reggae bursting through the Spoken Word outro. Overall, while the results are not a groundbreaking record, they are deeply satisfying and quite likeable. It feels relaxed, although not too restrained, and it feels nicely accessible – I’m glad that I could come along for the ride.

  • Pictured: Tom Excell (Lead Vocals/Producer), Nick Richards (Saxophone), Pilo Adami (Percussion), Oli Cadman (Keyboard), Denis Scully (Baritone Saxophone), Joe Henwood (Drum Machine), Finn Booth (Bass Guitar), Luke Wynter (Synths) and Jonny Enser (Horns/Woodwinds) (in 2021) (Photo via PR)

Thank you for reading my latest blog post! I’ll be rather busy making the trip back to my university term-time accommodation tomorrow, and so my entry tomorrow will probably be a little shorter and sweeter than usual. I can’t let the team down though, so I will be back with an in-depth look at the final track in my pre-Christmas backlog, at last. Tomorrow’s band emerged from a promising wave of early-2010’s British Hardcore Punk groups, with the line-up being a 5-piece super-group of musicians from bands like Arms Race, Vile Spirit and Gutter Knife. If you really liked what you just read, why not follow the blog to get notified when every new daily post is up and why not like the Facebook page here?: https://www.facebook.com/OneTrackAtATime/

Today’s Track: Clipping – “Say The Name”

March 4, 2021 — Leave a comment

…and whatever you do – Don’t fall asleep! It is time for a frightening new blog post…

  • Pictured: Cover Art for “Visions Of Bodies Being Burned” (Released on Oct 23rd, 2020) (via Sub-Pop)

Good Afternoon to you – my name is Jacob Braybrooke, and it’s time for me to get typing up for your daily track on the blog, since it is always my day-to-day pleasure to write up about a different piece of new music every day! In retrospect, I think this track may have been a more suitable fit for Halloween. Never mind, though, because it’s a fairly grey, cloudy and grizzly day outside here in Cambridgeshire and so this might prove to be some good “Mood Music” for you, if you’re finding yourself to be in a similar frame of mind today. Clipping are an Experimental Hip-Hop group consisting of rapper Daveed Diggs, and the two producers Jonathan Snipes & William Hutson. They relish in the samples of scary Slasher flicks of old, with a ‘Rapcore’ sound that evokes a cinematic scope and a dark variation of tones that wouldn’t feel out of place in a vintage Wes Craven or John Carpenter Horror soundtrack. It goes without saying the results are pretty disturbing and intriguing, with the band describing their latest album, “Visions Of Bodies Being Burned” as a movie-like sequel to their 2019 release, “There Existed In An Addiction To Blood”. Released back in October, their latest album lifted it’s name from a Scarface line from the Geto Boys’ ancient 1991 single, “Mind Playing Tricks On Me”, and “Say The Name” turns this quote into a hook, and builds a dark fantasy influenced by ‘Candyman’ to it. Let’s get spooked with the results below.

The recent album, “Visions Of Being Burned” was acclaimed by critics when it was released on October 23rd via the ever-reliable Sub-Pop records label – with the record also featuring collaborations with musicians like rap duo Cam & China, the EVP research artist Michael Esposito, the Improvisational Jazz creator Jeff Parker, and a handful of others. As a matter of fact, the closing track “Secret Piece”, is a Spoken Word performance of a text-based “event score” that Yoko Ono wrote back 1953. It really is music for fine artists, and created by serious performers where commercial accessibility seemingly isn’t near the top of their list of priorities. I like that it sounds different to many of the other Alt Hip-Hop groups that have come before though, with stereotypical Jazz-Funk sensibilities being replaced by throbbing basslines and strobing synth melodies. This alternative production is clear on “Say The Name”, where visions of “The hook gon’ be the coldest pimp slap/Coat rack for man skin/Let it air dry” and “Swiss cheesed a brother, already half dead/Brain leaking out a hole in his forehead” are conjured up. These striking and graphic images are evoked by the Industrial clatter of the hip-hop samples, with rustic drum patterns that are integrated with a strong viscerality. The chorus is relatively simplistic in comparison, with “Candlesticks in the dark, Visions of bodies being burned” being repeated above the top of a Synth-heavy outro, matched by the gory sentiments and slightly demonic aesthetics being used throughout the verses. Vibrant, clattering drum machine loops are woven into the fabric of the mature, adult-oriented content with a sense of mystery and a lack of warmth. The concept works well because it feels very unique, although there’s fairly little substance in here for me. Overall, to me, it’s a strong success, however, and although I’d probably need to be in a certain frame of mind to enjoy it fully, it has a decent sense of originality and a well-inspired backstory for me to sink my teeth into, with the 80’s-ish gothic Horror aesthetics being pulled off nicely.

  • Pictured: Daveed Diggs (Rapper/Lyricist), William Hutson (Producer/Keyboard/Samples) and Jonathan Snipes (Multi-Instrumentalist/Producer) (in 2016) (Photo by Katie Falkenberg/The Los Angeles Times)

With that – You can stop hiding your face under the cushion of your sofa now. Can you believe that it’s nearly already time for the weekend again? Join me for an in-depth look at one of this week’s new album releases tomorrow, as we sample one of the new cuts taken from the ninth main addition to the discography of a prolific female singer-songwriter. This Liverpool-based artist owns the record label Bird, and you may know her as a former member of the Brit-Pop girl group Kill Laura, and previously a member of the Folktronica project Misty Dixon too. If you really liked what you just read, why not follow the blog to get notified when every new daily post is up and why not like the Facebook page here?: https://www.facebook.com/OneTrackAtATime/

Today’s Track: CLAUD – “Guard Down”

February 25, 2021 — Leave a comment

A new ‘Changing Of The Guard” for this young lofi pop superstar. Time for a new post!

  • Pictured: Cover Art for “Super Monster” (Released on February 12, 2021) (via Saddest Factory Records)

Good Afternoon to you – my name is Jacob Braybrooke, and it’s time again for me to get typing up for your daily track on the blog since, as always, it’s routinely my day-to-day pleasure to write up about a different piece of music every day! Previously writing and performing their own music under the pen name of ‘Toast’ with the release of their debut EP in 2018, Claud Mintz is a trendy, new bedroom pop indie musician who comes from the suburbs of Chicago, Illonois. The 21-year-old singer-songwriter, who identifies as Non-Binary, has become better known for their vibrant blue-and-green neon dyed haircut (Colours permitting) along with the recent success of their singles ‘Gold’, ‘Soft Spot’ and ‘Cuff Your Jeans’, which were lifted from their debut LP, “Super Monster”, which was released earlier this month on the Phoebe Bridgers-owned record label, Saddest Factory Records. I love the attention that Mintz puts into their cover artworks, with a hand-painted animation style that looks wistful and eye-catching in their coloring palettes, and I’ve been playing a few of their tracks on the radio between the past few weeks. Their latest single is ‘Guard Down”, and it was co-written by Cameron Hale and Mary Weitz. Check out the animated music video below.

That clip was giving me a few shades of Peter, Bjorn & John’s “Young Folks” from 2006, a track that I cherish – by the way. In a recent press release, Claud Mintz spoke further on the emotions behind the track, noting: “When I wrote this song, I had just found out somebody I had feelings for started seeing someone else, and my immediate response was to convince myself I didn’t care, even though I did”, elaborating on it’s production, “The verses and chorus sort-of make fun of how I keep myself closed off, but my rap towards the end of the song is a super honest stream of consciousness”, in their set of notes. Mintz wastes no time to get to the vocals in the track, almost immediately springing: “I haven’t seen you since the summer, We’re getting further from each other” off a psychedelic drum loop and a few guitar licks, before the melodies take a pop-driven shape where Mintz recites lines like “I’ve been staying Chicago, but I’m coming back tomorrow” and “You’re seeing someone, I’m not though/And that feels really awful” as the eclectic backing beat allows some whimsy and fun to burst through the heartbreak, but hopeful, nature of the lyrics. The hook of “Don’t let your guard down” keeps the mood simple, but upbeat. The rap section, where Claud poetically recites similarly lyrics over the top of a distorted vocal effect and a slight tempo decrease, catches me off-guard a little, but it keeps the pace flowing and diversifies the tone a little. The end is more effective, where Mintz is left to croon “Nothing like a New York summer” to their own device – that being a simple acoustic guitar strum. Very much aimed towards a Young Adult audience, I think that Taylor Swift is a fair comparison to make, but I also think you’ll like this if you’re fond of Clairo or Arlo Parks too. It’s not really the most experimental sound, but I think it works nicely. I think that’s because Mintz really writes the track with a ‘human touch’ – it feels warm, sumptuous and comforting, and that makes it tug your heart strings and relate to the subject matter. It’s not the most original sound, but it’s pleasant to listen to, and, for me, that makes it a top-tier 3:26 minutes of heartfelt Pop. It’s lovely.

  • Pictured: Claud Mintz in a recent press shot to promote “Super Monster” (2020) (Photo by ID Magazine)

That’s all folks! Another week is quickly flying past me – but there’s still time to select another pick for the “New Album Release Friday” feature tomorrow. This week’s spotlight is shined on the fairly obvious choice, as we take a deep dive behind the story of a young artist who’s been absolutely hyped to the hills with their new album, which releases tomorrow. Seeing support from KEXP’s Live At Home series and endorsement from Paramore’s Hayley Williams, this 25-year-old Alternative Folk self-producer is known for being a former member of Boygenius in addition to her solo work. If you really liked what you just read, why not follow the blog to get notified when every new daily post is up and why not like the Facebook page here?: https://www.facebook.com/OneTrackAtATime/

Today’s Track: Oneohtrix Point Never (feat. The Weeknd) – “No Nightmares”

February 20, 2021 — Leave a comment

The star of 2020’s Super Bowl half-time show makes a 180° point turn. New post time!

  • Pictured: Daniel Lopatin at an MOMA screening of “Good Time” (2017) (Photo by Rob Kim/Getty)

Good Morning to you! My name is Jacob Braybrooke and – like always – it’s time again for me to get typing up for your daily track on the blog, and that’s because it’s always my day-to-day pleasure to write up about a different piece of music every day! A veteran of the Experimental Electronic music genre and a mainstay of the iconic Warp Records label since 2013, Oneohtrix Point Never – aka Daniel Lopatin – has been in the game for the long haul. Exploring the vivid styles of kitschy MIDI production and pushing the boundaries of sample-based music cliches, his ninth studio album, “Magic Oneohtrix Point Never”, was released last October, and it draws from the psychedelic aesthetics inspired by the Magic 106.7 radio station. It’s an ambitious project for the well-reviewed Brooklyn-based producer, who has worked with artists such as FKA Twigs, Anonhi and Ishmael Butler previously. One of his most frequent collaborators, however, is the “Man Of The Moment” in the media – The Weeknd. Joining the contributions of Arca and Caroline Polachek for the recent album, The Weeknd (aka Abel Tesfaye) and Lopatin’s history goes way back. Lopatin and Tesfaye have traded in the favours for numerous guest spots on each other’s records in the past, and Tesfaye also appeared in 2017’s “Uncut Gems”, a critically acclaimed film that Lopatin scored, and it became the highest-grossing film at the box office for it’s distributor, A24. Paired by a hallucinogenic video, check out “No Nightmares” below.

Lopatin’s latest long-player reached the best-of-year end lists from a breadth of reputable publications, and the cinematic-inspired video was also conceived by Tesfaye and the madcap producer as a trilogy of short clips – The “Midday Suite” – that are influenced by postmodern art and film, and if you hadn’t been sold on their friendship yet, it also turns out that Lopatin was also the musical director of The Weeknd’s huge performance at the Super Bowl Halftime Show, which millions turned in droves to watch on their TV sets just a short while ago. Paired by a fictional universe of CGI monkeys and trippy Avatar visuals of the two musicians, “No Nightmares” sits between the multiverse of retro and futuristic in it’s approach. Opening with highly processed vocals and a thick layer of slowly dissipating synths, the production feels oddly comforting. The gradually dropping drum beats and the thick reverb of the synths give off a soothing feel, which are accompanied by the gradual revealing of the backing vocals and the chirping bird sounds. The vocals are almost unintelligible in most cases, with lines like “I’ve been missing from my own dream” and “It’s what happens so close” feeling artificial and otherworldly. The most recurring line is “Wait, in time, no nightmares”, which glides softly below the unsullied, experimental percussion of the nifty synth work. The arrangement seems suitably animated, with robotic vocal harmonies and long vocal notes from Tesfaye, who also shares a co-production credit for Lopatin’s latest album. His performance is good here, with an intriguing blend of vocal tones that suit the methodical synths and the Psych-Pop feel of the overall package. As far as mainstream artists go, I quite like The Weeknd and I think he’s a good stage presence in the role of his fame. Through his collaborations with Lopatin, such as “No Nightmares”, I think it gives him the platform to show some credibility as a true artist. “No Nightmares” is a decent example of this, with a good synergy between the two artists, where either man doesn’t feel like they are outshining the other. When all is said and done, I dig this track. Not necessarily everyone would “get it” – but it’s a unique spin on the heavy synth sounds of the 80’s, and it feels well-suited for the mantra of Warp Records, and with growth through repeated listens, it could potentially join the essential suite of Lopatin in becoming another of his most innovative productions of electronic work within the past decade.

  • Pictured: Cover Art for “Magic Oneohtrix Point Never” (Released on Oct 30, 2020) (via Warp Records)

Whew – time for a breather! There’s another day promptly catered for, but I’ll be back tomorrow, to add yet another entry into our long-running “Scuzz Sundays” series of featured posts tomorrow, where I’ll be throwing you back to the stuff of the lost Scuzz TV channel yet again. Tomorrow’s artist is pretty difficult to guess because it was a fairly short-lived burst of fame for it’s Norweigan Rock quartet. However, they still managed to upsell 55,000 albums worldwide for their two LP releases after being formed out of the ashes of two former outfits: Explicit Lyrics and Squid. If you really liked what you just read, why not follow the blog to get notified when every new daily post is up and why not like the Facebook page here?: https://www.facebook.com/OneTrackAtATime/

Today’s Track: Pa Salieu (feat. Mahalia) – “Energy”

February 8, 2021 — Leave a comment

Coventry Market – Although I’m not complaining, it could be draining. New post time!

  • Pictured: Pa Salieu and Mahalia in a recent PR shoot (in 2020) (Photo Credit: Warner Bros Records UK)

Good Morning to you! I am Jacob Braybrooke, and, as per usual, it’s time for me to get typing up for your daily track on the blog, because it is always my day-to-day pleasure to write up about a different piece of music every day! A 23-year-old British-Gambian rapper from Coventry, Pa Salieu was born in to a life where he was surrounded by other musicians and performers, with his Auntie being a Folk singer-songwriter from Gambia. After spending his early life growing up in Slough, Salieu landed the most played track on BBC Radio 1Xtra of 2020 in his debut single, “Frontline”, which he released in January of last year. Since then, he has released his first full-length record (Which he calls a Mixtape, rather than a traditional Album release) titled “Send Them To Coventry”, which earned him tremendous acclaim. It received a Metacritic review aggregate score of 90, as critics cited his experimentation with genres like Dancehall and Afrobeat, within a diverse Grime and Afro-Swing hip-hop template, which critics felt reflected the sonic fluidity of “Black Music” genres in the past and present. After collaborating on tracks with FKA Twigs and SL, Salieu enlisted the help of artists including Ni Santora, Stizee, Kwes Darko and Felix Joseph. The most notable of which is probably “Energy”, in which the Jamaican-British singer and actress Mahalia assists Salieu, on the closing number of the 15-track project. Let’s give this one a shot below.

The music video for “Energy” was directed by Femi Ladi, and in an interview with NME before the release of his mixtape last November, Pa Salieu spoke of his aspirations for the times ahead, explaining: “I’m not coming from a good life. But my music will have very big meaning… I see a better life for me and my family now. I can see that life can change now, I don’t feel so trapped. I can see the view over the horizon”, in reaction to the new-found acclaim signifying a fresh start for his personal and creative life. This sense of peace comes across in “Energy”, where Salieu raps lines like “Crown on my head, I was born shining” and “They put us in the dirt so we keep dying, I’ve died a hundred times and I keep fighting” over the top of a looping instrumental where the 80’s soft-rock synths are mellow, and these lyrical notes of elevation and self-worth are padded out with a rumbling Bass backing and a straightforward Bedroom Pop production. Light elements of Afrobeat flesh out the soundscape with limbering drum beats and sparsely placed guitar licks that evoke a little Funk-Rock. The tones of the instrumentation fit nicely with Salieu’s reminders to “Protect your energy”, in an ode to broadly well-meaning positivity and self-belief. The hook of “They just want your fall ’cause of jealousy” cements these messages of motivation, and the guest spot with Mahalia adds a soulful touch to proceedings. Although brief, it adds a female dynamic to the track that gives it more optimism. It’s usually more difficult for me to connect truly with artists who have been hyped up to the hills by the media like Pa Salieu seems to be, but overall, I think this is a solid performance. Although I think there’s a slight over-reliance on the auto-tune effects here for me, the sound palette has a great range and the lyrics are easy to relate with. It also feels like a good direction for Pa Salieu going forward, as the non-violent and melodic nature of the instrumental beats work nicely to convey the tone. I also like that when you take a look at his guest list, it’s wonderfully inclusive. An exciting artist.

  • Pictured: Cover Art for “Take Them To Coventry” (Released on November 13, 2020) (via Warner Records)

Well – That’s all I have for you to read today! My daily diary continues tomorrow as you would expect – where you can join me for an in-depth listen to a single from another very exciting emerging talent who I’ve heard about before, but I’ve only recently discovered for myself. She blew me away with her recent performance for KEXP’s Live At Home sessions, and this Colombian electronic music producer loves to describe her own sound as “Bright Music For Dark Times”, the direction of her debut solo LP, which she released last October from the well-known Domino Recordings label. If you really liked what you just read, why not follow the blog to get notified when every new daily post is up and why not like the Facebook page here?: https://www.facebook.com/OneTrackAtATime/