Congratulations. You all survived the winter. Now we’ve
entered Spring, the season of rebirth. The leaves and the bees and wild Kanyes are
all re-emerging and everyone’s happy and frolicking in the streets because 2015’s
going to be the best year since 2014. I CAN JUST FEEL IT.
THE BEST:
'Baby Blue' - Action Bronson ft. Chance the Rapper
Jumping on top of a soulful Mark Ronson produced beat,
rappers Action Bronson and Chance deliver this ode to bitchy girlfriends. It’s
spiteful but done in humour evident through Chance’s petty lamentations on the
last verse: ‘I hope the zipper on your
jacket gets stuck’. Anyone who’s had a partner they grew to hate will
relate.
'Call It' - Wrong
This sludgy beast of a track immediately had me donning my metal face in appreciation. The riffs that this Miami band lay down sound like they’re drenched in slime. It’s like wading through a swamp. Afterwards, you’ll need a bath.
'Buffalo' - Toro y Moi
Last year, the chillwave producer started making house under
the pseudonym Les Sins. Now, he’s branching out into another genre - funk. With
its synth swells and greater use of guitars, ‘Buffalo’ suggests new exciting
territory for his upcoming album.
'Silver Sun' - Clark
There’s nothing quite as frighteningly beautiful as watching a storm roll in. UK producer, Clark, drops this latest effort which starts with some trippy raindrop-like synths and slowly builds up into a mighty breakbeat typhoon. The transition is intense.
'How Long' - Go Freek
The drop in this creative electronic instrumental sounds
vaguely Death Grips (do tracks with chopped up vocals in still count as
instrumentals?). Apparently, the cool kids are calling this style of music
Gutter Tech. All you Witch House and Vaporwave fans better remember it.
THE WORST:
'All Day' - Kanye West
As always, Kanye delivers a killer beat, but I’m far too
white to feel comfortable with the amount of n-bombs being dropped on this
track. It’s also a shame Yeezy’s abandoning his softer Macca-accompanied side
so soon – I was just starting to empathise with Kanye. Now we’re back to his
boastful ‘I am a God’ persona it would seem. Pass me a sickbag.
Listen to the full track over at Pitchfork and determine for yourself.
Listen to the full track over at Pitchfork and determine for yourself.