In The Mix: DIY Or Die
This week had a lot to offer, but the focus has leaned into DIY and independent artists. Check out the best from the last seven days below.
Single Of The Week
Mia Gladstone feat. Ciscero, “GEEKIN”
Gladstone and Ciscero team up for her new single, “GEEKIN”. Both put their unabashedly happy-go-lucky energy on display, lending complementary talents to each others’ skillset. Ciscero raps over looped vocals, and Gladstone swoops in for the chorus. They both emphasize the pitfalls of life, and encourage themselves and the listener to not “...give a f--k what people say.” The bassline and piano kick in halfway through the song to further up the energy, and Gladstone adds signature, quirky effects sprinkled throughout; pops, trills, and woops combine to form the holy trinity that make up her adlibs.
Videos Of The Week
Drelli, “Hidden Hills”
Drelli’s new video takes the viewer on a wild police chase through LA, as the cops witness a deal go down between Drelli and an unknown affiliate. Backed by the booming 808s of his new single, Drelli goes against his own lyrics, running from and evading danger only to get robbed by others at the end. The conclusion teases the story isn’t over, so hopefully we’ll find out what happens next to Drelli soon.
03 Greedo & Kenny Beats, “Disco Shit”
One of the best cuts from their new collab album, “Disco Shit” depicts 03 Greedo and Kenny Beats as drug kingpins, running their own drug business in 1970s California. The entire narrative is depicted via claymation, a technique used for films and music videos alike. 03 Greedo lives vicariously, both selling and using his product, only to wrap the video with a career-ending arrest. Freddie Gibbs makes an appearance too, if there wasn’t already enough reason to watch this.
LITTLE BIG, “GO BANANAS”
Russian pop supergroup LITTLE BIG may have just stolen the award for most surreal/WTF video of the year. Lyrically sparse save for the repeating refrain, “I’m banana man,” LITTLE BIG continually forces to ask the viewer, “What?” It’s hard to describe the context of the video without directly spoiling its absurd juxtapositions, like a giant pigeon throwing bread to the band members using its human arms, or the drummer playing on a drum set literally made of food, including a very messy watermelon. The rest needs to be seen to be believed.
Mix Of The Week
Kamaal Williams & WBEEZA @ The Lot Radio
British jazz pianist Kamaal Williams was in New York this week for a concert, so he stopped by The Lot Radio in Brooklyn to do a guest mix. The result was an eclectic mix of soul, jazz, electronic, and house music.
The set begins with a smooth soul tune, complete with a synth led melody and silky vocals. As the song fades out it’s immediately replaced by the classic breakbeat pattern of house music. Unlike other house songs, the percussion is from an actual drum set, as opposed to the typical beeps and bloops of digital production.
The set continues and Williams brings forth his “wu funk”, a genre defined by his signature fusion of electronic and jazz. Bongos drive the beat forward, as Williams slowly drops in additional layers to the song; piano melody, synth melody, triangle accent, and various types of percussion enter the fray to complete the groove.
Later on Williams has brought back the soul, playing a stripped back vocal track, only accompanied by an acoustic bass and ting of the cymbal. A few minutes later, the mix has transitioned to all out jazz; a duo of trumpets has replaced the soul vocals, complete with individual solos too.
The mix concludes with Williams actually hopping on the piano and freestyling on his own. It begins as a completely solo movement, only to accompany a looping percussion beat a few minutes later. His solo on the keyboard proves to be the climax and best part of the mix. Just when you thought it was over, the mix only gets better. He soloed for a solid ten minutes before stepping off the keys and turntable. Thanks to Williams for an exceptional and rare type of mix, and congrats to those who get to see him live.
