Makaya McCraven : In These Times

Makaya McCraven is one of the most important musicians/composers working today. For sure in the world of modern jazz, but for modern music itself. The Chicago-based drummer/studio wizard has blended the worlds of jazz, soul, and hip hop and on his records makes music that feels very much grounded in the classic 60s/70s world of […]

Charles Stepney : Step on Step

Charles Stepney may not be a household name, but the Chicago-based producer, arranger, and composer was an enigmatic musical mind in the 60s and 70s. First as a staff producer at Chess Records in the 1960s where he was the creative force behind artists like Rotary Connection, Minnie Riperton, Marlena Shaw, Muddy Waters, Howlin Wolf, […]

The Budos Band : Long In The Tooth

When I first heard The Budos Band I thought I’d come across some long lost relic from the 70s. Super tight and funky rhythm section, jazz-inflected horns, Latin percussion, and slinky guitar all coming together to give the impression that James Bond could’ve been a lot cooler had he been spying to this soundtrack. Imagine […]

Nevergrand : Things That We Should Fear

Sometimes all the day requires is a little shot of music sunshine. A bright spot to lighten up what feels like a perpetually dark day, and unfortunately those darker moments tend to pop up more than usual as of late. So if you need to shine a little light on your grimly shaded frame of […]

Aaron Space & His Terrestrial Underlings : Fishland

Occasionally you come across someone that possesses talent and creativity which seems to stretch way beyond their years on this earth. One such individual is Portland’s Elihu Knowles. Knowles is a 21-year old composer, jazz drummer, and vocalist, but he carries the confidence of a seasoned artist. Someone that seems to have stepped into the […]

Sudan Archives : Athena

Listening to Sudan Archives debut album Athena you feel as if you’ve discovered something new, something unique. The Ohio-raised violinist/songwriter mixes her influences and inspirations into something quite gorgeous and one-of-a-kind. Her EDM/Soul/R&B/glitch music combines bits of Solange, Oneohtrix Point Never, Andrew Bird, and something not quite of this earth to make a startling, dark, […]

White Denim : Side Effects

White Denim have become this twister of sound from the Lone Star state. They break bread with blues, rock, soul, funk, and madness. From album one back in 2009 to now their sound has morphed and evolved, much like the creature in The Thing. You remember, it could take the shape of whomever it came into […]

White Denim : Performance

White Denim seem like a band that’s been trying to find themselves since the very beginning. The Austin four-piece have traversed in several musical styles, including psych rock, fusion, jazz, blues, soul, and even a bit of country pickin’, too(they are southern boys, after all.) Some of their earlier albums felt as if they were […]

Unknown Mortal Orchestra : Sex & Food

Ruban Nielson, from the beginning of Unknown Mortal Orchestra, has dabbled musically in darker terrain. There’s always a sense of groove and a funky nature to the music he creates, but even on the lightest days the songs sound as if they were aged in a time capsule and then dipped in some kind of […]

Bulletproof Love

Listen up, fools. There’s a new badass in town. His name is Luke Cage. Yeah, if you’re up to no good Cage has got your number, you dig? So don’t be gettin’ up to nasty shenanigans, you hear? Don’t be grabbin’ purses or snatchin’ wallets….don’t be pushin’ that smack or knockin’ up those shops down […]