Queens MC Remy Banks has unveiled his new mixtape, The Phantom of Paradise. Stream and purchase it below via Bandcamp. The Phantom of Paradise comes with 11 blissed-out tracks featuring guest verses from Pink Siifu, Maxo, Wiki, A-Trak, Rome Streetz, eXquire, and Dreamcast. It was recorded and mixed by Leon Kelly, who completed mastering at The Space Pit in New York City. Production was handled by Black Noi$e, Samiyam, Graymatter, Conductor Williams, and more. It’s just the latest imminently listenable effort in an increasingly laudable career. Along with his hip-hop collective World’s Fair, RB was a prominent voice in NYC’s underground rap scene of the early 2010s. While some of his peers have gone on to become bigger names, Banks has remained a favorite of hip-hop heads for his laid-...
If debut album Nightmare Vacation taught us anything, it’s that Rico Nasty is at her best when operating out of the norm. Genres, rules, and expectations — the young rapper relishes in breaking them all, and all while making it look fun as hell. For her latest project, a single and video called “LiL BiTcH”, Rico ditches her recently acquired 18th century ball gown to become… a video game character that takes down evil ducks and bears. Classic Rico move, baby. The release is a collaboration spearheaded by pop producer chillpill and also features Danish singer Soleima, but per usual, Rico steals the show. The Maryland rapper herself is already like a cartoon character personified, and when coupled with wacky and wonderful hyperpop like this, it’s a guaranteed surreal slam dunk. (Also se...
Fraternity featuring Bon Scott (center, with vest), courtesy of Cherry Red Records A box set of late singer Bon Scott’s pre-AC/DC prog-rock band Fraternity has been released via Cherry Red Records. The 3-CD collection, titled Seasons of Change, encompasses Fraternity’s complete recorded output from 1970 to 1974. Along with Fraternity’s two full-length albums, 1971’s Livestock and 1972’s Flaming Galah, the box set includes non-album singles, B-sides, EP tracks, live tracks, and the band’s “lost” third album, Second Chance. “Scott’s tenure with Fraternity has been poorly documented on the reissue market,” reads Cherry Red’s description of the set. “Of the two albums the band had issued at the time, Livestock and Flaming Galah, neither album has been released officially. And their story has n...
Angel Haze has returned to drop the new song “Weight”. Our former Rookie of the Year broke out in 2012 with a trauma-baring cover of Eminem’s “Cleaning Out My Closet”. Haze shared a string of buzzy mixtapes in the early 2010s, came out as nonbinary (though preferring singular he/she pronouns instead of ‘they’), and unleashed the albums Dirty Gold (2013) and Back to the Woods (2015). Afterwards, her pace of songwriting slowed down significantly, which makes “Weight” a welcome surprise. The track channels aggression backed by a lifetime of rage-inducing experiences. “Y’all couldn’t take what I been through,” she raps, adding, “Yeah, silly n****s you was thinking I was buried/ But I soared/ Now y’all gone wish that I died in the psych ward!” Elsewhere, she hints at her tim...
Roger Waters has shared a new recording of “The Gunner’s Dream” alongside a black-and-white video of himself performing it in the studio. The track originally appeared on Pink Floyd‘s 1983 album The Final Cut, which served as Waters’ last record with the band before they parted ways. Lyrically, “The Gunner’s Dream” imagines a post-war life where the world is free from tyranny, terrorism, and cruelty. The new version arrives mere weeks after we watched insurrectionists attack the US Capitol and just two days before their leader exits the White House. According to a statement from Waters, he started to revisit “The Gunner’s Dream” after recently watching a historical movie. “Last night I watched the 2013 documentary film The Man Who Saved The World. The man’s name is Stanislav Petrov,” he sa...
Sheer Mag have shared “Crushed Velvet”, their first new music since 2019’s A Distant Call. The Philadelphia rockers’ latest singles comes from the soundtrack to Hulu’s new original film The Ultimate Playlist of Noise. Out now, the movie finds a teenager (Keean Johnson) traveling to New York City as he tries to experience as many unique sounds as possible before a tumor takes his hearing. That theme is perfect for Sheer Mag’s style, as “Crushed Velvet” trades on soaring guitar riffs, snarled vocals, and some growling background. It’s a smorgasbord of throwback rock sounds, and you can take a listen below. Editors’ Picks The Ultimate Playlist of Noise is streaming now on Hulu. You can sign up for free month of the streaming service here to watch the new movie now. Check out the trailer...
Run The Jewels shared a remix of “ooh la la” by Mexican Institute of Sound with an additional verse by Santa Fe Klan. The single picks up Cumbia and Mariachi influences in the remix. Behind Mexican Institute of Sound is Camilo Lara, a Grammy-nominated artist and producer known for his work with Band of Horses and Norah Jones, along with remixes for Beck, Morrissey, Beastie Boys and more. “Making the global dance floor a united, inclusive, banging space where everyone is welcome is the mission that connects me with RTJ,” Lara said in a statement. “Inviting Santa Fe Klan on this adventure was crucial: his voice brings together Guanajuato, Brooklyn, Ciudad de México, Atlanta. Turn it up and jump right in: ooh lalá, papá … ooh lalá!” Ángel Quezada, aka Sante Fe Klan, is a 21-year-ol...
English pop/R&B singer Zayn has released his new album, just one week after its announcement. Stream Nobody is Listening down below via Apple Music or Spotify. Nobody is the follow-up to 2018’s Icarus Falls. It also serves as Zayn’s third solo LP to date since leaving One Direction in 2015. The 11-track collection features velvety lead single “Better” and the sensual “Vibez”. Additionally, there are collaborations with Syd of The Internet and London rapper Devlin. Editors’ Picks According to a statement, Nobody is Zayn’s “most personal project to date.” The album comes just a few months after the birth of the 28-year-old first child with model Gigi Hadid. Nobody is Listening Artwork: Nobody is Listening Tracklist:01. Calamity02. Better03. Outside05. Vibez06. When Love’s Arou...
Shame have unveiled their new album Drunk Tank Pink. Stream it below via Apple Music and Spotify. The record marks the sophomore release from the UK post-punk band, following the 2018 album Songs of Praise. The 11-track effort was initially announced back in November of last year, and it was preceded by three very strong singles — “Snow Day”, “Alphabet”, and “Water in the Well”. Unlike other loud-mouthed British contemporaries like Sleaford Mods and IDLES, Shame’s take on The Fall-inspired rock is a little less scraggly and a bit more polished. However, these shout-along melodies and taut grooves are balanced by cerebral lyrical concepts and grandiose music videos, so they’re by no means making music that’s devoid of challenging material. Editors’ Picks Drunk Tank Pink was produ...
AFI have unleashed two new songs — “Twisted Tongues” and “Escape From Los Angeles” — ahead of a new album planned for 2021. Both tracks can be heard in the visualizers below. The two new songs mark the veteran California rock act’s first new music since they dropped the five song EP The Missing Man in December 2018. When a new LP arrives, it will be the band’s first since 2017’s AFI (The Blood Album). “Twisted Tongues” explores AFI’s goth-rock side, while “Escape From Los Angeles” gives off more of a punk vibe — both highlighted by singer Davey Havok’s signature haunting vocals. “As I recall, ‘Twisted Tongues’ came of the Blood era and was the first piece of music we explored on the new album,” Havok explained of “Twisted Tongues” in a press release. “The dreaminess of the music lyrically ...