Heavy Rotation Vol. 2
I didn’t get a lot of listening in this week due to traveling up to PA to see family. We make this trip pretty much every July 4th week. The weather is almost always gorgeous. Not quite as hot as down south and certainly not as humid. If you celebrate July 4th, I hope you had a great time! They certainly love their fireworks up here. I don’t think they stopped until 2:00am.
This weeks highlights took a slight turn from what I was excited about being released last week. Plus some hip hop that I learned about from watching the Conductor Williams What's In My Bag episode. If you’ve never watched the What’s In My Bag series by Amoeba records, I cannot recommend it enough.
I haven’t dug into any releases from this week yet, but there are certainly a few that have my attention. A new Voidz album looks to be in the works and there’s a new single . Also, a single from Jessie Ware and Romy ? Absolutely, yes, please! I can’t wait to dig into the new Kiasmos , too.
Joe Ghatt
Caper Psych-rockI'd never heard of this outstanding psych-rocking kiwi before, but I am hooked. I've had Ghatt's single Always Remember on my Discovery 2024 playlist for a while now, and I'm not sure when the full album came out, but, I've been jamming it over and over the last few days. I just really love the overall sound, and his vocal style. He really nails that 60s/70s psych sound, but at the same time making it his own. Also there's a lot of flute playing on this record, and I love all things with the flute. Check out Cal Tjader's song Aquarius, or Sven Libaek's Inner Space. Heck, The Beastie Boys' Flute Loop! Yeah, the flute kicks ass.
Listen to Caper
L'Impératrice
Pulsar Nu-DiscoThis band is so tight. I highly recommend watching videos of them playing live to see what I mean. They sound so, so clean. If Daft Punk had a full band during the Discovery era, this is what it would sound like. It's like live French House music done better than anyone else as far as I know. It's apparently called Nu-Disco and that makes sense.
Listen to Pulsar
Evidence
Weather or Not Hip HopEvidence is a hip hop artist that I learned of from the very recent Conductor Williams' What's In My Bag episode. At least, I don't think I knew of him. I just learned he's one-third of Dilated Peoples, so maybe! Either way, I will be digging into more of his solo work. Weather or Not is 100% pure boom-bappin' hip-hop, and if that's your jam, then you will love this expertly produced record.
Listen to Weather or Not
Your Old Droog
Yod Stewart Hip HopThis is another record that I learned of from the Conductor William's What's In My Bag episode. I don't know if this is a great comparison but Your Old Droog's voice, style and music production reminds me a lot of MF DOOM, but not in a copy-cat sort of way. Kinda like Ghostface Killah, too. On this album at least. Underground hip-hop at it's best.
Listen to Yod Stewart