Albums/Mixtapes of the Week

Odd Future – The OF Tape Vol. 2, Radical/Tyler, The Creator – Bastard, Goblin - This week was definitely an Odd Future week for me. With the release of The OF Tape Vol. 2, I started listening to a lot of the group’s music, mainly that of Earl Sweatshirt and frontman Tyler, The Creator. You can never wrong with a good dose of OFWGKTA.

Ace Hood – Starvation – Another great mixtape from Mr. Hood. Solid production from The Renegades and The Runners, definitely worth a listen.

Iggy Azalea – Ignorant Art – This girl can spit. With the release of her first single under Grand Hustle, “Murda Business” (which features her Grand Hustle boss, T.I.), I decided to check out some of her older work, and I was extremely impressed. Check it out.

Songs of the Week

5) DJ Drama – “We In This Bitch (feat. Future, Young Jeezy, T.I. & Ludacris)” – Awesome posse cut, but T.I. shines. Definitely good to hear from Luda, though.

4) Wale – “Miami Nights” – A nightlife anthem off Wale’s Ambition.

3) Trey Songz – “Heart Attack” – The first single off Trigga Trey’s upcoming album. Fantastic R&B track, with amazing vocals from Trey, as usual.

2) Iggy Azalea – “Pu$$Y” – In my opinion, best track off Ignorant Art.

To begin with, this is not a reflection of the collective opinion here at PSA; this is a collection of my (Sameed) favourite releases of 2011. I hope you enjoy.

20

Kool Vibe – Deep Inside (Brawther’s 7inch dub)

This 7inch, released on My Love Is Underground, was limited to only 150 copies maintaining the labels elusive ethos. Paying homage to the classic house sample, the dub never left the record bag.

19

The Odd Trio – The Medley (Bastard, Lemonade, AssMilk)

Covering Odd Future the Jazz trio, now under their new alias BADBADNOTGOOD, reworked much of the collectives work. This edit of Tyler the Creators ‘Bastard’ provided a fantastic teaser to the mixtape.

18

Hype Williams –  Your Girl Smells Chung When She Wears Dior – One Nation

The strange duo produced some of the strangest music of 2011, and not to everyone’s taste. Your Girl Smells Chung samples Cassie’s vocal from ‘Addiction’, reworking with vintage chords a shuffling percussion and excessive tape delay. The eccentric pair are one of the most original artists to break through 2011.

17

Julio Bashmore – Battle for Middle You – from Everyone Needs a Theme Tune EP

This monster house track was a staple for most DJ’s in 2011, and was dropped by everyone across dance spectrums. Not much more has to be said.

16

Michael Kiwanuka – Tell Me a Tale

Since our review back in May, the soulful Londoner has done it all: Numerous appearances on Giles Peterson’s show, toured with Adele and a slot before Red Hot Chillies on Jools Holland. His sound has been dubbed as vintage soul and comparisons to Bill Withers are rife, making it a massive breakthrough year for the 23 year old, sure to blow in 2012.

 15

Gang Colours –Fireworks in Pocket – from In Your Gut Like a Knife EP

The latest talent to get gobbled up by Giles Peterson’s Brownswood label, Gang Colours debut four track EP falls into that ambiguous electronica/post-post category. Playing with psychedelic and futuristic instrumentation the EP provides perfect 5am listening, one to watch out for again in 2012.

14

Tyler the Creator – Yonkers

Need i say anymore?

 13

Boddika – Warehouse – from Back & Fourth

Boddika aka Instra:mental was a huge figure in 2011. It proved difficult to select one track to sum up his year, with ‘Acid Jackson’/’Soul What’ also huge; however, this track was a central feature of his acidic sets in 2011 and fully went off.

12

Space Dimesion Controller – Flight of Escaped Vessels – from The Pathway To Tiraquon 6

Another of the huge breakthrough act of 2011, Space Dimension’s psychedelic sounds provided the soundtrack to some amazing R & S records nights.

11

Shlohmo – Places – from Bad Vibes

LA Hip-Hop’s latest son produced some outstanding music in 2011; this is my pick from his EPs etc.

10

James Blake – Whilhelms Scream – from James Blake

At first, I was cynical; I didn’t like his whining voice and his nervous aesthetics. In short, he annoyed me. I will be first to admit I was wrong, as his almost apocalyptic singing grew on me I was converted after seeing his band live. Much like Nicolas Jaar, he took electronic music to a visceral level, returning to live instrumentation.

9

Deadboy – Here for You – Here

Glasgow based NMBRS has established itself as a front runner in UK electronic music, and with releases like this its easy to see how. Following 2010’s sellout ‘If U Want Me’, Deadboy returned from his US tour with a fresh house orientation.

8

Joy O – Sicko Cell

As stated, 2011 was a huge year for Swamp81. This ambiguous release was kept under wraps for much of the year, before Mr Orbison claimed responsibility. A camp favourite at Outlook, in the tent not the gay sense, I was subjected to this one on a daily basis.

7

Unknown Artist – B1 – from Music Institute 20th Anniversary (Part 1 of 3)

- B2 , not B1

The first of three limited edition vinyl’s released on Detroit’s Kai Alce’s NDATL imprint as part of the 20^th anniversary of the world famous Detroit Music Institute. Hailed as the epicentre of Detroit’s epic rise to electronic folk law, the institute played host to a who’s who of Techno/House. The release, although not made in 2011, is unreal. Salvaged from DAT’s tapes/CD’s, in a series of ultra rare and lost tracks, this release blew my mind! Unfortunately i couldn’t find B2, so heres B1.

6

Brawther – Do it Yourself – from Do it Yourself EP

A focal point of my sets for much of the year, this is a pure darncefloor groove. Straight up house grooves from a standout player in my 2011.

5

Daphni aka Caribou – Yes I Know – from Yes I Know/Jiao EP

2010 gave birth to Caribou; 2011 gave birth to Daphni, his evil twin. ‘Yes I Know’ was a feature of his outstanding RA podcast, and completely throws dance floors every time.

4

Wendy Rene – After Laughter Come Tears (Nicolas Jaar Edit)

It would be easy to harp on. So I wont. His album was sick; live sets, also sick; and mixes, again sick. This track was never released, being part of his mix for XLR8R magazine; however, the edit of Wendy Rene’s original, which can also be heard in Wu-Tang’s classic, is epic and hard to come by.

3

FaltyDL – Brazil – from You Stand Uncertain

A standout track from one of my favourite albums of the year.

2

Bugge Wesseltoft and Henrick Schwarz – Kammermusik – from Duo

German house mogul Schwarz needs no intro, remixing from MJ to Bill Withers; however, 2011 saw him turn his attention away to live shows, and away his house roots. With the progression of both musicians coinciding, Schwarz towards live music and Bugge towards electronic, a project seemed fitting. The collaboration merged live Jazz improvisation with carefully orchestrated compositions, making a beautiful record. ‘Kammermusik’ is underpinned with a Piazolla esc piano line and evocative percussion, making a remarkably original record.

1

Thundercat – For Love I Come – from The Golden Age Of Apocalypse

Thundercat is best known for his extraordinary basswork for the likes of FlyLo, Erykah Badu and Shafiq Husayn, including the bass on Cosmogrammas “MmmHmm”.Produced by FlyL and featuring Grammy award-winning drummer/brother Ronald Bruner Jnr the album included an amazing re-interpretation of George Duke’s classic “For Love I Come”, quintessential listening.

Rhymes borne of Zeus’ semen. The back and force raps on top of back and forth beats going from light for Earl and dark for Tyler is fucking beautiful. It sounds almost like the Call and Response jazz of the 1930′s. If Louis Armstrong had been born in 1992 in Los Angeles, he would have been either in or a fan of Golf Wang. (OFWGKTADGAFLSLLBS) I love music. I love Rap. I love finding current music and currently, not much out there can even compare to the musical majesty that is Odd Future. Its not just their music that is so fantastic. Being a collective of skaters, musicians, rappers, friends, photographers, etc., they have taken a talent vacuum over Los Angeles County and sucked up the both the most talented but the most charismatic people from all fields of skill. The 60+ members are all critical in their own ways. Earl Sweatshirt’s absence has been a travesty on their ability to keep the quality of their collective music up but not enough to prevent them from redirecting everything. Tyler’s redirection from AssMilk to songs such as he is hinting will be on Wolf (2012), which will be more instrumental and more piano and less rap, is a huge statement to the adverse talents of the group’s most famous face and assumed leader. The true leader of OF is teenage angst, they are the mosaic Jackson Pollock skid mark the 80′s punk movement has left on society and I encourage anyone and everyone who gives any shit whatsoever about the current and future states of music, listen to Odd Future Wolf Gang Kill Them All. They make almost all other newer artists from the current pool of music seem minuscule in nature and in importance. I am a devoted fan, so this is admittedly biased, but I am a fan for the same reason many many children and teens and young adults like me are also cult-fans; each and every one of the Gang come off as real. They are your every-kid + major talents. They range from 14 to 24, and contained within are 60+ people who will be regarded as the Led Zeppelin or the Rolling Stones of the 2008-? musical era. I go to every LA show they have, starting in June at the House of Blues, the best concert I have ever been to (out of 8), and I will be going to their Hollywood Palladium show on Sept. 29th. If Any of you are going, let me know, and we’ll mosh. Swag the Golf Wang the fuck out. 666

                                                      Condone this shit—all the way, every day.

              Imagine if BTBAM did something like this?

                                                                       I could see it…

                                                 Also, I read somewhere today that Tyler, the Creator – GOBLIN has leaked…

                                                 If you have a big heart or are just so lazy,                  get it legit May 10.

                                                      Click and pre-order me now.

                                                                                R.

Tyler the Creator

At 20, Tyler and his brother Earl Sweatshirt, along with their crew, OFWGKTA, have been making a name for themselves releasing tracks out of their hometown of Los Angeles. Tyler’s previous album, Bastard, is pretty good, and on DatPiff. It’s worth a listen before checking out his next release, due to drop in April, Goblin.

Lyrically, he is graphic, misogynistic and surreal. While his subject matter might turn some off, the way he ties the lines of his verses together with intricate and wordplay and imagery is amazing. Besides that, one only has to hear the beats, which consist of a laid back, scratchy feel about as surreal as his lyrics, are fitting and catchy.

I Follow You (Tyler the Creator Mix) – Lykke Li Download

Here’s the song that has been receiving so much attention lately, “Yonkers”:

Yonkers – Tyler the Creator

AssMilk ft. Earl Sweatshirt – Tyler the Creator

One of the most heartbreaking moments of my life was coming to terms with the realisation that Eminem may never again produce an album as perfect as ’The Slim Shady LP’ or it’s predecessor ‘The Marshall Mathers LP’. Although I still beleive he is an incredibly talented rapper, his “I just don’t give a fuck” attitude is getting harder and harder to beleive, especially through his newly found alliances with pop musicians he would have once made a mockery of.

I have recently began to find solace however in a hip hop collective from L.A. that goes under the less than snappy name of Odd Future Wolf Gang Kill Them All or OFWGKTA. The two most prominent members appear to be Tyler The Creator and Earl Sweatshirt, a rapper that is best described through a lyric on his track ‘AssMilk’ – “i’m the reincarnation of 98 Eminem”. Both Tyler and Earl’s style remind me of early Eminem which is precisely why I am so excited that there is finally some fresh faces in hip hop that aren’t in it to sell ringtones or start a dance craze for simpletons.

It will be interesting to see how much publicity OFWGKTA aquire in 2011 as they definitely aren’t for the faint hearted. You only have to be 10 seconds deep into tracks such as ‘Earl’ to realise this – “Sent to earth to poke Catholics in the ass with saws and knock blunt ashes into their caskets and laugh it off”. Despite their lyrical content preventing them from getting any commercial exposure the collective have built up a considerable cult following, and at such young ages there can only be better things to come. Don’t expect a track featuring Rihanna any time soon however.

Watch the sinister new video for ringleader Tyler The Creator’s ‘Yonkers’ above – a track that will feature on his ‘Goblin’ LP which is due out in April. If you want to hear more below is the video for Earl Sweatshirt’s ‘Earl’, or head over to the OFWGKTA site to download some free mixtapes – http://oddfuture.tumblr.com/