Azealia Banks: “Liquorice”
Azealia hasn’t taken long to declare herself as rap’s newest ‘It’ girl. “1991” is her EP, and even though her songs have been around for a while now, it hasn’t gotten old yet.
It’s times like these that you are reminded that she’s barely legal. But just because you might own some sweatshirts that are older than Azealia Banks, doesn’t mean that she’s not a bad-ass bitch. On 1991, she delivers four songs that alert you to the coronation of a new Queen.
If you have a soft spot for buttery deep house bass lines or you are just in search of a genre with that organic/soul/house blend, then you’re going to love this. London bass duo Disclosure recently offered up a solid remix of UK singer Jessie Ware’s “Running”; on June 4, they’ll put out an EP of their own productions, The Face, on June 4 via Greco-Roman.
Here’s a cut from that release, featuring vocalist Sinead Harnett. Disclosure are the new duo to watch. Not only do these two brothers, Guy and Howard Lawrence (aged 17 and 20!), create music that is beyond their years but they have already toured the UK & Europe and joined SBTRKT on his UK tour!
A while ago, the world was introduced to Oxford electro up-and-comer Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs, a stylemashing performer that has created a sweat-soaked, bombastic live persona that includes confetti cannons, flamboyant costumes, stage dancers, and a seizure-inducing light show.
But little of that carries over to his debut record; instead, we are surprisingly gifted with a predominantly bedroom electro album in the vein of Junior Boys and Apparat circa their work with Ellen Allien, with tiny flourishes of the frenzied dance party.
Unlike their debut Conditions, The Temper Traps new album Trembling Hands requires repeated listens and patience before it charms you. But in taking just enough risks while still serving up a safety net in that all-important hit, the Temper Trap should have effectively protected themselves from that dreaded second album syndrome.
The Temper Trap have found a very delicate balance that moves their sound forward without self-sabotaging why the world fell in love with them. Wisely they haven’t just lazily cloned their global calling card Sweet Disposition.
Last month Major Lazer previewed “Get Free,” Diplo and Switch employ Dirty Projectors’ Amber Coffman to provide the vocals, as her voice soars over the loopy, subdued instrumentals. It’s more dub than the dancehall Major Lazer has made its signature sound, but it’s replay-worthy nonetheless.
Get Free’s fuzzy, gloopy, underwater-sounding reggae beat combined with Amber Coffman’s piercing Björk-ish vocal is a sensationally relaxing experience.
