Earl Sweatshirt - Some Rap Songs Review

Back when Odd Future Wolf Gang Kill Them All was a budding rap collective in the late 2000's, one of Tyler, The Creator's greatest finds was a young kid, still in school, but with an unbelievable knack for stringing words and phrases together. This kid was only 15 when he started to write songs with Tyler, and in 2010, Odd Future released his first mixtape, titled Earl, at just 16 years of age. From the beginnings of these early recordings, it was clear that Earl Sweatshirt was a shining star within the enormous rap group. His wordplay was unmatched, and his talent was just beginning to be mined. Shortly after the release of his depraved, humorous, and often violent mixtape, his mother, UCLA professor Cheryl Harris, sent him to a boarding school for at-risk youth after becoming aware of his drug habits. His return marked the release of his first official studio album with Columbia Records, Doris, a significant work that cemented his name in the hip-hop world at only 19 years old. A couple years later, Earl's followup was released, which was also met with critical acclaim. Now in 2018, his latest album displays the most mature and raw version of Earl Sweatshirt that fans have seen thus far. Some Rap Songs is so artistic and high-brow, casual listeners may not even notice its greatness. Only real fans of the genre will turn their heads and nod in appreciation for what Earl does in this soulful, rhythm-rhyme laced, tightly woven album, one which is cleverly disguised as a lo-fi collage of disjointed beats and verses.

Thom Yorke - Suspiria Review

One might have wondered how long it was going to take Thom Yorke, lead singer of Radiohead, to branch out into recording full length film soundtracks, following in the footsteps of his bandmate Jonny Greenwood, with his already extensive catalogue. For some, a movie can become more popularized when an already famous artist takes up the songwriting duties. I remember in 2007 when I heard that There Will Be Blood directed by Paul Thomas Anderson and starring Daniel Day-Lewis was going to have music made by Jonny Greenwood, and I was immediately interested in the film, feeling its status already elevated from my point of view. His work has continued with most recently You Were Never Really Here and Phantom Thread, both released just last year. As far as Thom is concerned though, there were hints that he was more interested in branching out musically, mostly due to his other side projects as a solo artist, his other band Atoms for Peace, and having some of his Radiohead and solo work already getting featured in a number of films. Radiohead's attempt to get the title track for the most recent James Bond film, Spectre, was unexpectedly turned down; they ended up releasing the eponymously titled track as a single and b-side anyways, on their latest studio effort, 2016's A Moon Shaped Pool. Now, Thom Yorke finally gets his first full length soundtrack to let loose and explore multiple genres: Radiohead(y) rock, eerie soundscapes, piano ballads, church-like choirs, and drone, which all blend in and out of each other seamlessly, as Thom uses his masterclass talent in songwriting and musical experimentation to create an unsettling and unforgettable mood to be paired with this highly acclaimed Suspiria remake.

Milestones Part I: Radio

From a young age, I was always influenced by music, being stimulated by my father’s ever-growing collection, and eventually forming my own interests which sometimes deviated from what my parents found acceptable. Nevertheless, I remember the nostalgia from days of sporting a cd mix or album in my jog-proof Walkman on the way to school. Music still had that feature of physicality and gentle handling that made the experience all the more rewarding, and I doubt today’s generation will ever feel that simple pleasure of having a few CDs or CD wallet where your precious few choices mattered and made the soundtrack of your day. The only way future kids and young adults could discover the pleasure of handling music would be to discover vinyl records or invest in their own stereo cabinets, but I divulge. The point I am trying to make is that music has been ingrained in my being since I was very young, and if not for a chance presentation during one of my first general elective courses at the University of Connecticut, I may have never become a longtime radio host and DJ in February of 2008.

Aphex Twin - Collapse EP Review

Aphex Twin - Collapse Review

Few electronic musicians can make music sound so utterly alien and beautiful simultaneously. For this reason, and for the sheer complexity and magnitude of the electronic landscapes willed into sonic existence, this balance of contrast exhibited by an artist such as Aphex Twin simply has no equal. Aphex Twin is Richard D. James, a man who’s been embroiled in the creation of computer music since the early 1980’s. His music often falls into one of two categories: pretty melodic ambience, or abrasive aural assault, and sometimes a combination of the two. After James’s more than decade-long hiatus as Aphex Twin, his reemergence with 2014’s Syro, a collection of some of his best work produced during this period, earned him his first Grammy award for best electronic/dance album. Since his revival, Aphex Twin has arguably released some of his most exciting music after decades of growth, to be experienced and discovered by new generations. James followed up Syro with his 2016 EP, Cheetah, which featured tracks using the rare, eponymous synthesizer and contained some of his most accessible, beat-driven work. His music and energy continues to morph on his 2018 EP, Collapse.

The Prodigy - No Tourists Review

When one considers the varying degrees and sub genres of electronic music and mainstream EDM nowadays, it’s hard not to remember one of the style’s most famous originators, The Prodigy. With early hits with undoubted club energy and aggressive poise, such as "Smack My Bitch Up" and "Firestarter", there’s certainly a style of hardcore acid synth rave which The Prodigy made their own, and which still sounds good to this day, even when considering that their first album was released over a quarter century ago. As music evolved and became more diverse electronically over the decades, The Prodigy have kept with the times and evolved their sound, keeping it current, even into the later 2010’s.

Update: Crimson Sky Kindle, Paperback, and Original Soundtrack OUT NOW!

Update: Crimson Sky Kindle, Paperback, and Original Soundtrack Release

My debut in literature is out now, a horror novella called Crimson Sky! It's a short story that became expanded into a novella, which is the length between a short story and a full-length novel. To coincide with my Kindle and paperback's release is the Crimson Sky Original Soundtrack produced under my musical alias, DJ Dark Flow.

Alice In Chains - Rainer Fog Review

As a group that has shown perseverance and evolution through its tumultuous beginnings and tragic loss, Alice In Chains has become a shining example of an act who's show can, and must, go on. Jerry Cantrell, original founding member and songwriter of the group, learned to find his voice after the tragic overdose of legendary vocalist Layne Staley left him with no other choice but to step in and become the lead. Of course, all wouldn't have been as easily possible without enlisting the help of close friend and co-vocalist William DuVall. Through this questionable decision to continue on without their chief vocalist Staley, Alice In Chains have been able to grow into a healthy, heavy, and critically acclaimed second act in their career, first with the release of their 2009 comeback album Black Gives Way To Blue, and then in 2013 with The Devil Put Dinosaurs Here. The loss of Staley can be felt, but the alchemy between Cantrell and DuVall created a new future for a band that was originally thought to never be able to get back on its feet. Now, with an equal split of albums through two generations of Seattle's defining grunge and alternative metal band, Rainier Fog is another step in the right direction for Alice In Chains, despite falling for some of the cliches of an aggressive band getting older, and some thematic material getting recycled.

Gorillaz - The Now Now Review

In terms of an all-encompassing artistic package, few bands come close to the audio-visual experience that is the Gorillaz. The only group that immediately comes to mind who truly comes close to or possibly exceeds in their musical and visual cohesion may be an act such as Tool, but not many bands show as much complete dedication to their visual aesthetic as Gorillaz, a co-collaboration between British singer-songwriter Damon Albarn and comic artist Jamie Hewlett. These two members have worked in tandem with each other to birth a mythology of virtual cartoon band members to go along with their albums, singles, and music videos. These four members, named Murdoc, Russel, 2-D, and Noodle, broke through the rock, electronic, and hip-pop mainstream consciousness with their storied music videos and live, projected stage presence with Albarn and his backing band. Just a year after releasing their feature-stuffed, colorful, and somewhat polarizing album Humanz, their legacy continues with their spontaneously released follow up, The Now Now.

Nine Inch Nails - Bad Witch & the EP trilogy Review

Nine Inch Nails - Bad Witch and the EP trilogy Review

Prelude

After Nine Inch Nails's last studio album, 2013's Hesitation Marks, underpinning an even more polished and poised electronic-industrial Trent Reznor, expectations were reasonably high for his eventual follow-up album. However, Reznor had been neck deep in scoring feature films and television shows with multiple time collaborator and director David Fincher, and the eye-opening documentaries Before The Flood and The Vietnam War, essentially fulfilling his lifelong dream of writing musical scores for films, and winning a Grammy while at it. No one could blame Reznor for being so ambitious, but it seemed almost impossible to imagine how he could fit Nine Inch Nails into such a tight schedule. Nevertheless, Reznor announced that 2016 would see new NIN material, and so anticipation ramped up. That same year, Reznor's longtime collaborator, Atticus Ross, was announced as the first official member to join Nine Inch Nails (Reznor would always use repeated and dedicated touring musicians to help him fully realize his primarily solo musical visions on stage). During the final month of the year, Reznor and Ross made good on their promise, finally announcing Not The Actual Events, the first EP in a series of three planned releases to comprise of an EP trilogy to be released right before the end of the year. Although this is a review of their final release of the three, Bad Witch, this is also a retrospective look at all three releases, and how the trilogy fits together as a whole, starting with Not The Actual Events.

Seun Kuti & Egypt 80 - Black Times Review

Seun Kuti and Egypt 80 - Black Times Review

As a fan of the always captivating genre of Afrobeat (African funk, soul, and jazz) and the legendary leader of the social-musical-political movement in said genre, Fela Kuti, I was delighted to learn that his music has lived on in his two musical sons, Femi, and Seun, Kuti. As I confess to not being fully aware of these brothers' catalogues since I was always obsessively digging into Fela's discography, I was filled with joy and wonderment to listen to Seun's brand new 2018 album, Black Times, released in the beginning of March, and notably felt stunned when listening to the uncanny continuation of Fela's legacy. Seun continues to carry the torch with Fela's original live band, Egypt 80, formally known as Nigeria '70, then Africa '70, in what can only be described as a bombastic celebration of revolution and humanity personified through Afrobeat music.