-
Es-K - "TAPEHEADED"
Posted by Justin Boland on Apr 30, 2023 | 0 Comments
I’ve been calling Vermont artist Es-K a “superproducer” in print for years now. Hyperbole is a proud part of music journalism, of course, but I do think I’m just offering an objective description of where he’s at. Like so many terms of trade, producer has been shattered into a kaleidoscope of different meanings and contexts.
Es-K’s diverse skillsets and immense accomplishments encompass all of them.
-
El Michels Affair x Black Thought - "Glorious Game"
Posted by Justin Boland on Apr 26, 2023 | 0 Comments
This project was not at all what I expected, and better for it. As much as I wanted a huge, ornate monolith of full-band library music tribute funk, what I needed was a weird, idiosyncratic & unapologetic art rap project from one of the single greatest rappers breathing. This is very much that.
-
August Fanon - "Possibilities Of The Humble"
Posted by Justin Boland on Apr 16, 2023 | 0 Comments
August Fanon is something special. The man is perhaps best known as an occasional contributor of standout beats to the Backwoodz Studioz family; he’s surely stolen the show on an Armand Hammer LP or three. But he is an absolutely shamanic force of nature in his own right, amassing a catalog of collaborations and beat tapes that, to my redneck ears, place him quite comfortably in the top tier. One of the best doing it, in other words.
-
Chuck N Lock - "SEE XL"
Posted by Justin Boland on Apr 15, 2023 | 0 Comments
I’ve been digging everything I’ve heard from Delaware duo Chuck N Lock. Their taste in beats is both exemplary & filthy, and they construct some meticulous bars to match. Their latest release, “SEE XL,” feels like a breakthrough. They just work too hard to stay underground for much longer, and this nine song set is pure murder.
-
Jason Griff & Alaska - "Pop Songs for the Apocalypse"
Posted by Justin Boland on Apr 14, 2023 | 0 Comments
Jason Griff is a Chicago producer who has been building an impressive catalog and Alaska is a rap legend who keeps getting better with age. “Pop Songs for the Apocalypse” is, impossibly, pretty much exactly what it sounds like: an urgent blast of bonkers ideas, all delivered at unsafe speeds. All of which is to say, pretty fuckin’ great, bud.
-
Fear of Death and the Need to Reproduce
Posted by Justin Boland on May 18, 2014 | 0 Comments
“FDR” represents the worldwide debut of a revolutionary new concept for the music industry: the “online album,” a wholly patented innovation from World Around Records that delivers multiple songs to your computer almost simultaneously! That’s not all, either: there’s more.
-
"Thieves With Good Taste" - Wrecking Crew x Premrock
Posted by Justin Boland on Oct 28, 2013 | 0 Comments
A new release from a gang of our favorite rappers…really changes the tone of a Monday morning. As the Wrecking Crew prepares to launch their West Coast mission, The Roland Bishop Memorial Tour, they’ve released a vicious mixtape, Thieves With Good Taste. You can order this on actual cassette, too…because what fun is a mix without tape? Really, though.
-
"The Fire Next Time" - ANTHM
Posted by Justin Boland on Oct 17, 2013 | 0 Comments
Even by the high standards we’re trying to maintain here at Audible Hype, ANTHM is exceptional. He has been quietly killing everything he touches for years now and building a reputation for nearly super-human quality control. This latest EP is a flawless victory and I’ve had this in rotation for months now.
-
"Galaxy in Niafunke" - Algorhythms
Posted by Justin Boland on Oct 09, 2013 | 0 Comments
For the first time in (many) years, a new release from Algorhythms. “Galaxy in Niafunke” was ritual piece we did live for the Love Supreme Tour, and it is being released today as a prelude for an upcoming album. Desert blues & acid philosophy.
-
"Lift Off" - Potholes Music
Posted by Justin Boland on Oct 07, 2013 | 0 Comments
A welcome surprise on a Monday morning: Potholes Music has released a new (and free) compilation showcasing their ever-growing roster of space cadets. Label compilations are usually a mixed bag at best, but Lift Off manages to sound like a coherent album. The big news here for World Around fans is a brand new Man Mantis track, but this is a strong roster and the project is full of gems. Enjoy.
