Heavy Rotation: L.A.'s Top 13 of 2013

So alot of people Ive talked to over the last couple of weeks have intimated to me how much of a sucky year they think 2013 has been for music. Their argument? That most if not all of the most anticipated releases of the year (Yeezy, Jay, Katy & Gaga- I'm looking at you) came no where near to expectations. This is more than true although that being said, it was also the year of the Return Of Timberlake (Although I wont even talk about that second disc) & Mr. Aubrey Graham released yet another Drake album that has cemented his dominance as the leader of the newschool even further.

I'll be honest though, a lot of the music that I enjoyed this year, released this year, came as a result of proverbial crate digging but couple that with some of the more mainstream releases and I found 2013 to be quite a good year indeed.

Here's what I listened to:

1. Drake - Nothing Was the Same
Genre: Hip-Hop/ R&B

Essential Track: "Too Much" Ft. Sampha


2. Justin Timberlake - The 20/20 Experience
Genre: Pop/ Soul

Essential Track: "Don't Hold The Wall"


3. Dom Kennedy - Get Home Safely
Genre: Hip-Hop

Essential Track: "Black Bentleys"


4. Party Next Door - PARTYNEXTDOOR
Genre: R&B

Essential Track: "Relax With Me"


5. Kelela - Cut 4 Me
Genre: R&B/ Post Dubstep

Essential Track: "Keep It Cool"


6. Maya Jane Coles - Comfort
Genre: Deep House

Essential Track: "Burning Bright" Ft. Kim Ann Foxman


7. MS MR - Second Hand Rapture
Genre: Electro-Pop

Essential Track: "Dark Doo Wop"


8. James Blake - Overgrown
Genre: Electronic/ Soul

Essential Track: "Retrograde"


9. True Apothecary - I'm Low On Gas And You Need a Jacket
Genre: Alternative Rock

Essential Track: "Chuck Taylor's All-star Dance Factory"


10. Arctic Monkeys - AM
Genre: Alternative Rock

Essential Track: "R U Mine?"


11. Queens of The Stone Age - ...Like Clockwork
Genre: Alternative Rock

Essential Track: "I Appear Missing"


12. Norma Jean - Wrong Doers
Genre: Metal

Essential Track: "Sun dies, Blood Moon"


13. Deaf Heaven - Sunbather
Genre: Metal

Essential Track: "The Pecan Tree"


You can listen to a sampler mix of the essential tracks from each release that I mentioned above HERE. Enjoy!

Ibarah's Favourite Music Of 2013

2013 was the year of the underdog, if the music I listened to is to go by. I was blown away by these new and slept on sounds. From Chance The Rapper, Jacob Banks to Kelela, I had these EPs and albums on heavy rotation for months.I listened to the top dogs as well and I found myself falling in love with Drake again  plus I had terribly missed John Legend. I loved this music so much and I just had to share it! 

1. Acid Rap – Chance The Rapper

Genre: Hip Hop / Rap

Favs: Good Ass Intro, Coco Butter Kisses,  Lost, Everybodys Something, Favorite Song.

2. Esquises – CaramelBrown

 Genre: Soul/Nu Soul

Favs: Taboo, Dearest Me, Whispers, Untitled, So Many Things

 

3. Avalanche – Quadron

Genre: Alternative Soul

Favs. Hey Love, Favourite Star, Better Off, LFT, Neverland

4. Paramore – Paramore

Genre: Alternative Rock

Favs: Grow Up, Ain’t It Fun. Daydreaming, Crazy Girls, Still Into You, I’m Not Angry Anymore

5.  Nothing Was The Same – Drake

Genre: R&B/Hip Hop

Favs:  Hold On We’re Going Home, From Time, Too Much, Connect, The Motion, Worst Behaviour

6. Electric Lady – Janelle Monae

Genre: R&B/Soul

Favs: Q.U.E.E.N, Electric Lady, Primetime, We Were Rock & Roll, Victory

7. The Monologue EP – Jacob Banks

Genre: Soul

Favs: Worthy, YOLO, Dear Simone, Something Beautiful, Home Coming

 

8. Love In The Future – John Legend

Genre: R&B/Soul

Favs: Love In The Future, Made To Love, All Of Me, Open Your Eyes, We Loved It

9. Days Are Gone – Haim

Genre: Alternative Soul

Favs: Falling, Forever, Running  If You Call My Name, The Wire, Days Are Gone

10. The 20/20 Experience – Justin Timberlake

Genre: R&B/Pop

Favs: Pusher Love Girl, Suit & Tie, Mirrors, Tunnel Vision, Strawberry Bubblegum

11.  Echo Boom  - Cris Cab

Genre: R&B/Reggae

Favs: Echo Boom, Rihanna’s Gun, Turn You On, Gypsys On The Boulevard, Going Home

12. Sail Out – Jhene Aiko

Genre:R&B/Hip Hop

Favs: The Vapors, Bed Peace, Stay Ready,WTH, The Worst, Comfort Inn Ending

13. Cut 4 Me – Kelela

Genre: R&B/Nu Soul

Favs: Guns and Synths, Go All Night, Enemy, Do It Again, Keep It Cool, Bank Head

James Franco & Seth Rogen Star in Kanye Parody 'Bound 3'

So there's been a lot of talk about that Kanye video where he has sex on a bike in front of a green screen with a  naked Kim Kardashian. Personally I thought it was ridiculously self indulgent to the point of being just plain ridiculous. Which is  shame too, considering that the video is for a song that many people consider the most accessible off of his extremely inaccessible album Yeezus.

Apparently, I am not alone in my assumptions because yesterday a hilarious parody video starring James Franco as Kanye West and a hairy backed Seth Rogen as the baby mama popped up on the internet.

Check it out below:

Let's Keep Daisy & Kojjo in the game; Let's Vote!

Uganda's own Daisy Ejang, who has been dubbed in this year's Tusker Project Fame competition as 'the voice to beat' is on the chopping block this week along with Kojjo, Uganda's other contestant as well as with the rest of the academy. The infamous judge Ian was unhappy with last night's performances overall saying that at this point none of them deserved to be there. Let's keep our peeps in the game people so that one of them can bring home that money! Let's VOTE!

To save DAISY send TUSKER 7 to 8338

To save KOJJO send TUSKER 5  to 8338

You can also vote online at: http://tuskerprojectfame.tv/ . The voting prompt is in the bottom right corner.

and also at http://tusker.mobi if you are on your phone.

Like the Tusker Project Fame Uganda page at: https://www.facebook.com/tuskerprojectfameuganda

Numbers on The Boards (Track by Pusha T)

I heard this shit on Channel O last week. I'm so bossy--bitch get off me is a line from Jay-Z's American Gangster album. Not that I know that album, or the song 'Ignorant Shit', but this kid is in school. Properly. He's been studying Jay-Z. I do not have the term for Jay-Z scholars, Yale doesn't have a program dedicated to Sean Carter. This kid makes me proud. Because not only does he quote Jay-Z, he adds an actual vocal sample from Jay-Z's In My Lifetime ... Vol 1.



Critical bias:

- Hip Hop does have children and grandchildren.

5 Albums I've Had on Heavy Rotation This Week

1. The 1975 - The 1975 (2013)

This British outfit may call themselves The 1975 but they sound like something straight out of the 1980's. Their self titled debut is a party ready record that serves as an apt soundtrack for the young, hot, hip and happening.

Essential Track (s): "Settle Down" , "She Way Out"


2. Cut 4 Me - Kelela (2013)

The L.A. based singer of Ethiopian descent serves up a mixtape which is equal measure post-dubstep synths and warbles and mid to late 90's R&B. The result of a collaboration with UK based producers Nguzunguzu & Kingdom is stunning.

Essential Track (s): "Keep it Cool" , "Send Me Out"


3. Nothing Was The Same - Drake (2013)

With his third major label release, Toronto's very own cements his title as a hip-hop superstar which is quite interesting considering that Mr. Graham is, in all honesty, more R&B than he is hip-hop. When he does rap though, he sounds restless and invigorated. The look works for him.

Essential Track (s): "Furthest Thing" , "The Language"


4. Saint Heron - Various Artists (2013)

Mrs. Carter's little sister, Solange, has carved out quite the career for herself. She continually proves that she is worth more than the shrug than people often used to give her. To commemorate the next stage of her career, the launching of her own label Saint Records, Solange Knowles has released a compilation of music she deems notable in the rise of nu-r&b. If this collection is anything to go by, there is a lot to look forward to.

Essential Track (s): "Faded " Jade J , "Relax" Starchild


5. Sunbather - Deafheaven (2013)

I used to wonder how people could sit through 10 minute + songs...and then I met Deafheaven. They are all thrashing guitars, rolling drums and throaty screams...and I love it. They often offset these loud moments however with more quiet and tender ones which only adds power to the songs. At first I couldn't understand a single thing the front man was saying (screaming), and the truth is sometimes I still cant but when I listened to the album while reading the lyrics I realized that the angst, pain, frustration and wistfulness of the lyrics are mirrored perfectly in the soundscapes the band creates. And it is beautiful.

Essential Track (s): "Dream House" , "Vertigo" 

New Music: Know Bout Me - Timbaland Ft. Jay Z, Drake & James Fauntleroy

After a big year working on three of the biggest albums of the year (Jay Z's MCHG, both of Justin Timberlake's Experiences) that dude they call Timbo has decided that you really don't know jack 'bout him after all and thought it was time that he reminded you...and hence the new single that boasts features from Jay-Z (a 10 second intro), Drizzy (an aight verse) and James Fauntleroy (on crooning outro duty). What you do know bout Big Tim by the end of the song is that homie needs to stick to what he does best- producing.

The song is the lead of single off of his 2014 LP Textbook Timbo.

Listen to the song below:

Thoughts?