Kendrick Lamar - The Jig is Up

Word play all day. Bars over everything. Fuck Shyne.

Alt-J and Moutain Man "Buffalo"

I am here 
after 
swallowing 
up surprise

Don Trip - Help is on the Way

About a year or so ago ( i dunno, mind slips me) I downloaded Don Trip and Starlito's Stepbrothers mixtape and found a couple of southern stars-in-the-making. Much like that mixtape, Don Trip's newest output  Help is on the Way makes up for its lows by having nosebleed-inducing highs.

While there are far, far too many R & B/ gangsta-emo tracks, they are made up for by tracks like "All On Me", where Don Trip uses his scorched earth vocals to bridge the gap between the introspectively tender lyrics and the irascible Boi 1da beat.

Keep an eye out (like aye aye captain) for Monsieur Trip in the future. Check the mixtape below, or download it for yourself wherever fine mixtapes are hosted.

The Babies "Get Lost"

So, that Kanye remix was a little disappointing.

Luckily, I found a pleasant surprise with The Babies.  Comprised of one member each of Woods and Vivian Girls, respectively, The Babies pumped out a nice new-age, nostalgia-tinged, blog-tastic americana gem with "Get Lost".  Hopefully, the rest of the album is just as good.

Rihanna "Diamonds Remix" by Kanye West

Full disclosure: I didn't even listen to this track before posting. This is how confident I am in the genius of Kanye West. When I see a Pitchfork headline imploring me to listen to a 'Ye remix of  Rihanna track, I immediately say "Yes, please" and post the link for posterity purposes. This is just one of the rules of my life. You're welcome, I'm sure.

Sebastian Schuller "Nightlife"

Good song. Better video. Shouts to Emily Kai Bock and Evan Profosky for making another gem.
 

Memory Tapes "Neighborhood Watch"

So hold your breath
no more use in saving face
What did you say?
This isn't life
at least its not our own
so wear me down till there's nothing at all