Faraway Reach by Classixx

June 8, 2016 Justin AnastasioClassixx, Faraway ReachLeave a comment

You drift through a dim cavern in a kayak. Droplets fall from stalactites above into the gentle water below, as you gradually near the bright light at the end of the tunnel. You cross the threshold, and blinding warmth caresses your face. You beach the vessel on a nearby sandy shore, and jog towards a massive group of people dancing to a tantalizing beat. The ground beneath the crowd changes colors in response to movement. You join the celebration. . .

It was high time for house music to shed its skin, emerge from its club-centric home, and journey out into the light of day; thus, tropical house was born. Numerous producers have made their names on the whimsical melodies of the sub-genre, but no artist designs sounds that evoke the feeling of warm escape quite like these guys. Faraway Reach is the newest full-length from Los Angeles production/DJ duo Classixx.

Michael David and Tyler Blake have always excelled at enhancing their features with blissful house instrumentals, and this time around they bolster their list of collaborators further with artists like How To Dress Well’s Tom Krell, Passion Pit’s Michael Angelakos, Holy Ghost!’s Alex Frankel, and even T-Pain. It’s the ideal soundtrack for a sultry journey to sun-drenched beaches, complete with colorful melodies and grooves abound.

The immense depth of these songs is unveiled with a closer look at the lyric sheet, filled with world-weary topics like allowing pain to influence life without consuming it entirely (“Just Let Go”), vapid arguments between partners (“In These Fine Times”), and consoling loved ones in the throes of depression (“I Feel Numb”); it’s aural revitalization. If you’re seeking vividly colorful, tropical house-flavored pop, this album is for you.

– stasi (@stasisphere)

Goodness by The Hotelier

June 5, 2016June 6, 2016 Justin AnastasioGoodness, NSFW, The HotelierLeave a comment

“We sit and we talk, not of much but of little. I see the moon, the moon sees me. I would smile but it would be meaningless. I wouldn’t want it to be. But in the landscape of tilted heads, while the sky sheds skin on my body, I feel my voice quiet to a halt, and this is where I am.” You sit beneath a tree’s canopy in a meadow, surrounded by smiling, naked individuals. The sun rises and casts its warmth through the leaves, a band plays, and everyone dances . . .

With only three measly paragraphs, I fear I shan’t have ample space to adequately convey how I feel about this record. I’ve failed until now to locate a collection of songs that bridge the gap between my past and present tastes, and do so in such a graceful way. Goodness is the newest full-length from Massachusetts trio The Hotelier, a band that pours raw feeling into their sounds until they’re on the brink of overflowing.

These songs toe the threshold of emo rock, but they sculpt the emotive elements into refined compositions that resemble progressive anthems. This music invokes something from deep within the listener, like gospel honoring life itself rather than any otherworldly deity. Shout-out-loud choruses, communal harmonies, rollicking drums, and scorching guitar riffs are all included, with a sense of warmth pervading throughout.

Opening with a spoken-word recitation of the lullaby “I See the Moon” and sprinkled with brief interludes of the same piece cast as campfire sing-alongs, Goodness is emblematic of its title and perfectly NSFW cover art; it’s a record that claws through the hurt and preconceptions in order to stare at the inherent beauty of existence, stripped away of everything nonessential. If you’re seeking emotive, anthemic rock, this album is for you.

– stasi (@stasisphere)

Tempo by Olga Bell

June 3, 2016 Justin AnastasioOlga Bell, TempoLeave a comment

Drenched in sweat, your body sways among the mass of undulating flesh that fills an underground club. The room is dim, humid, and overflowing with bass-heavy pulses that shake everything. The sound suddenly cuts out, and a blanket of silence is thrown upon the chamber. The mass of individuals frantically pivot their heads, and slowly create a hole in the crowd. A single woman, dressed discordantly, stands at the center. She starts to sing . . .

Picture this: a classically trained musician develops an infatuation with the tantalizing allures of electronic dance music and 90’s pop. A student till the last, she does her extensive research by becoming a regular at a plethora of club events, always attending alone to avoid unnecessary distractions. She absorbs the sounds, studies them, and makes them her own. Tempo is the newest full-length from Russian artist Olga Bell.

After familiarizing herself with the components of club music, Bell dismantled the pieces and reassembled them into a fresh breed of pulsating, off-kilter pop. Her stunningly charismatic voice plays ringleader in these versatile, playfully creative compositions, encompassing styles including hip-hop, house, trip-hop, and footwork. The dichotomy between her intricate progressions and frivolous instrumentation is truly astounding.

The record title refers to the semi-improvisational method by which she constructed these songs; for each track, Bell would simply determine a tempo that suited the mood of that particular day, and gradually form the song’s elements around the sound of the metronome. This lends an air of delectable spontaneity to one of the most fun records released this year. If you’re seeking playful, eccentric pop, this album is for you.

– stasi (@stasisphere)

For Good by Fog

June 1, 2016 Justin AnastasioFog, For GoodLeave a comment

A man slumps over a grand piano in a vast, empty concert hall. The walls ring with a residual hum, and all that can be heard is the steady breathing of the crouched pianist. The lights dim until blackness covers everything. All is dark and quiet . . . until a chord explodes through the chamber with a BOOM. The room is cast in blinding light. The piano’s lid flies open, and its mechanical insides float around the hall. Another chord rings out, and the man sings . . .

How does a jack of all trades pour himself into the singular vision mold of an album, reintegrate into the world of music after so many fleeting trends, and do so adorned with a sobriquet that he hasn’t utilized in almost a decade? How can one consolidate the experience and skill gained from stints as an ambient musician, turntablist, vocalist, painter, and handyman? For Good is the newest full-length from Andrew Broder as Fog.

Merging his expertise in traditional songwriting and technological experimentalism, Broder crafts an album filled with theatric, electronic-tinged balladry. The centerpieces are his voice and piano, powerfully charismatic and heart-wrenchingly beautiful, respectively, while multitudes of IDM rhythms and vinyl scratches surround him like a swarm of locusts. It’s melodically stunning and idiosyncratic to the utmost degree.

Rather than hindering his eccentric tendencies to fit within the confines of something that can be regarded as “pop”, he does the exact opposite. For Good is a record that displays the ideal trajectory of an off-kilter artist, a collection of compositions that squeeze refined elements inside of far-out arrangements to marry the harmonious and the cacophonous. If you’re seeking IDM-tinged piano ballads, this album is for you.

– stasi (@stasisphere)

Running Hot by Aera

May 27, 2016 Justin AnastasioAera, Running HotLeave a comment

Hop aboard the Crystalline Express, a mobile club that traverses through the center of this planet’s most impressive crystal mines! Patrons file into the glass chamber, the doors close behind you, and the engines rumble with life. You ride the rail into a massive opening in the mountain’s jagged surface, and you are plunged into darkness. Suddenly, you are surrounded by glistening, colorful crystals, accompanied by a tantalizing beat, bassline, and melody . . .

At its core, house music is formed by varying concoctions of three ingredients: drums to establish underlying rhythms and tempo, synth leads to create character, and basslines to marry the two by bolstering both the beats and melodies. Contorting aspects of these pieces is where we get sub-genres, but greatness comes from careful attention to each of them. Running Hot is the newest release from Berlin producer Ralf Schmidt as Aera.

Consisting of four original tracks (and two stellar remixes from Dutch producer Steve Rachmad), this EP is a prime example of minimal house/techno done oh so right. These compositions focus on slow-burning beauty, complete with buoyantly propulsive beats, enticingly groovy basslines, and vibrantly fluorescent synth melodies that glisten like polished crystals. Although brief, it’s gorgeous, enthralling, and dripping with color.

These arrangements are ripe with instrumental intricacies, but they also sound incredibly playful, and this dichotomy between stringent house music configuration and enthusiastic experimentation is what makes it such a joy to listen to. Running Hot is a wonderful illustration of a seasoned producer reveling in his element without reinventing the wheel. If you’re seeking polished, melodic house, this album is for you.

– stasi (@stasisphere)

Scattered Thoughts 2 by Chubby Jag

May 25, 2016 Justin AnastasioChubby Jag, Scattered Thoughts 2Leave a comment

You step through the front door of large house, and are greeted by a thumping beat billowing down the stairs. You steadily ascend the steps, and peak into open doors to find the sound’s origin. You knock on the only locked door. Someone knocks on the opposite side, and you copy the rhythm of the knock. The door swings open, revealing a musty room filled with people surrounding a DJ and a pair of turntables. A man with glasses grabs the mic . . .

The mixtape has long been regarded as the undisputed format by which listeners can get to know their favorite rappers transparently. Emcees are able to grasp the reins of their favorite beats, and verses often play out like stream-of-consciousness ciphers, but it’s difficult to locate that combination of instrumental and vocal greatness. Scattered Thoughts 2 by South Central’s Chubby Jag has no problem finding that perfect formula.

With an impressive batch of instrumentals from the likes of The Cratez, Mic West, Pampitrou Music and others, plus tasteful collaborations from Dave East, James Fauntleroy, and Suzie Soprano to name a few, Jag reinvigorates the concept of a hip-hop mixtape. Instead of a hodgepodge of tracks, here are 17 lyrically outstanding songs that are as melodic and catchy as they are hard-hitting and hype-inducing.

To call this a heartfelt release would be a vast understatement. The imposing vocalist and the company he surrounds himself with delve into tales of origin, anthems of encouragement, familial ties, homages to fallen comrades, and the raw realities of growing up in harrowing environments, without sacrificing any amount of head-knocking energy. If you’re seeking lyrical, hype-inducing hip-hop, this album is for you.

– stasi (@stasisphere)

Oh No by Jessy Lanza

May 23, 2016 Justin AnastasioJessy Lanza, Oh NoLeave a comment

Strings of colored lights rapidly blink like a fluorescent snake, illuminating the dark room and all the sweat-drenched patrons that inhabit it. The glistening lights are accompanied by swift melodic blips, as an indigo hue steadily fills the space and reveals a hooded woman onstage. She begins to contort and sway her limbs to the sounds in swirls of wispy fabric. The indigo slowly transitions to a deep cerulean, and finally a glimmering gold as she starts to sing . . .

In a world infused with countless contrasting electronic influences, the lines that define exactly what “pop music” is are increasingly blurred. Euphonious vocal melodies may still be the standard, but instrumental palettes can be anything. This freedom allows compelling singers to surround themselves with experimental elements while retaining the “pop sound”. Oh No is the newest full-length from Canadian artist Jessy Lanza.

The seraphic singer teams up again with Junior Boys’ Jeremy Greenspan to craft another album filled with eclectic pop perfection. Greenspan returns with his versatile electronic arrangements for which he’s known, traversing genres including minimalist r&b, house, and footwork. The most prominent divergences from the previous album are Lanza’s highly refined vocal skill and a distinct shift towards a more glistening, buoyant mood.

Although sadness remains a prominent topic in these songs, the way that it’s conveyed is vastly different. Where Pull My Hair Back communicated the sorrowful subject matter in a predominantly icy, subdued tone, Oh No translates it into gorgeous compositions that focus on glowing aspects of vulnerability and triumph. Lanza is redefining what it means to be a pop icon. If you’re seeking eclectic, electronic pop, this album is for you.

– stasi (@stasisphere)

Paradise by White Lung

May 20, 2016May 20, 2016 Justin AnastasioParadise, White LungLeave a comment

An explosion rings through the air, the sky splits open, and fire rains down upon the ground. You jump into the driver’s seat of the nearest vehicle, and slam your foot on the gas pedal, speeding down a crumbling road towards a bridge over a body of water. You swerve to avoid the jagged asphalt and streams of magma. You ascend the rising bridge that steadily splits in two, and launch into the brisk air. You slam down on the other side, and speed away . . .

Let’s talk about feminism; a buzzword, unifier, and divisive term all rolled into one. What does it mean to be a feminist in the world of music? How can artists best utilize their voices to empower women in a male-dominated industry, and promote gender equality in a realm where misogyny runs rampant? Paradise is the newest full-length from Canadian band White Lung, a group that possesses the answers to these questions.

Praise be to riffs that tear the sky asunder, the ones dripping with liquid fire, the kind that this record is chock full of. Here are ten blistering punk rock songs clocking in at under thirty minutes, crafted by the trifecta of Anne-Marie Vassiliou on drums, Kenneth William on guitar, and one of the most intensely charismatic frontwomen in Mish Barber-Way. The extreme energy never lets up, and there are catchy melodies abound.

Previous White Lung albums displayed the trio’s unmatched ability to spit poison all over an oppressive system, but Paradise is quite different. These are songs about grasping life by the balls, about taking control of an existence unhindered by suppression, about stepping into the minds of individuals (including Barber-Way herself) who live life fully and fiercely. If you’re seeking blistering, riff-heavy punk rock, this album is for you.

– stasi (@stasisphere)

Infrared by Dawn Richard

May 18, 2016 Justin AnastasioDawn Richard, InfraredLeave a comment

You stand within a dim chamber, adorned with minuscule hatches along the walls. A single bar stool rises from an opening in the center of the room. The hatches surrounding you open simultaneously, followed by a faint metallic sound that rings in your ears. Suddenly, countless microscopic organisms fly from the tiny openings, convening upon the stool. They fly back to their homes, leaving a solitary naked woman in their place. She raises her head, and sings . . .

The story is as old as time: artist stands out from her group as the supremely talented component; artist departs from said group to pursue a solo career; artist finds equally talented personnel with which to collaborate; artist shifts gears and crafts her most impressive creation thus far. The collaborative personnel in this case? Kingdom. The group? Danity Kane. Infrared is the newest release from singer Dawn Richard.

Across four stunning tracks, producer Kingdom shows off his unparalleled ability to construct spaciously captivating instrumentals, while Richard fills those spaces with one of the most soulful, awe-inspiring voices in r&b. The striking cover art is emblematic of the record’s overall “nakedness”, with Kingdom reveling in sparse, genre-fluid arrangements and Richard soaring above them with powerfully raw vocal melodies.

Ever since she escaped the pop confines of Danity Kane, Richard has had a string of spectacular releases with various collaborators, but none achieve quite the level of sonic perfection found on Infrared. Richard lays her soul bare for all to witness, complete with personal confessions, biblical imagery, and the perils of dancing upon the threshold between hate and love. If you’re seeking powerful, soulful r&b, this album is for you.

– stasi (@stasisphere)

Kindness For Weakness by Homeboy Sandman

May 16, 2016 Justin AnastasioHomeboy Sandman, Kindness For WeaknessLeave a comment

You knock twice upon the door in front of you. A small panel slides to the side, revealing a pair of purple eyes. You knock three times upon the door, and it swings open. You step through the billow of smoke pouring from the opening, and into a leather-clad lounge filled with patrons of all sizes and species. A jazz quintet performs on a small stage in the far corner of the room. A hood figure jumps on the stage, grabs the microphone, and speaks . . .

Possessing a fresh style is integral to obtaining success in the hip-hop world, and many artists skirt this requirement by subscribing to the collective style(s) of cultural regions, whether it’s the West’s rhythmic musicality, East’s boom-bap lyricism, South’s bouncy funk, or some mixture. However, this particular MC is a jack of all trades. Kindness For Weakness is the newest full-length from Queens rapper Homeboy Sandman.

Armed with a slew of versatile instrumentals and collaborations from RJD2, Eric Lau, Edan, Until The Ribbon Breaks, Aesop Rock, Kurious, and Stones Throw heavyweight Jonwayne, Sandman puts on a clinic that runs the gamut of flexible hip-hop methodology. Rather than stuffing as many word-heavy phrases into his verses as possible, the sagacious MC specializes in small morsels of wisdom that hit like bombs.

Sandman owns a distinctive technique that’s nigh impossible to pin down, and he utilizes his compelling flexibility to craft emotive hard-hitters (“Seam by Seam”, “It’s Cold”), rapid-fire lyrical exercises (“Real New York”, “Keep It Real”), collaborative cipher sessions (“Earth, Wind, Fire, Water”, “Speak Truth”), and spoken-word oddities (“Talking (Bleep)”, “Sly Fox”). If you’re seeking versatile, intelligent hip-hop, this album is for you.

– stasi (@stasisphere)