XLR8R

David Ramos' extraordinary drum skills have led him to projects like making beats for Aceyalone and Busdriver and touring with the free-folk artist Little Wings. It didn't hurt, of course, when Modern Drummer named him in "Top 10 Progressive Drummers of Today." So Ramos' solo debut, This Up Here, doesn't even seem that odd if you know where he's coming from. The psychedelic pop album is full of Casio synths, catchy hooks, tight beats, and Ramos's surprisingly versatile rap vocals. Kyle Field, the Little Wings' songwriter-turned-contemporary-artist, contributed some of his mind-blowing drawings for the album, which should be released next month. Wyatt Williams