XLR8R

Brother Ali The Undisputed Truth Rhymesayers
Minnesota’s favorite Islamic MC’s latest record does nothing other than prove that the dude knows how to tell a compelling story. With indie hip-hop vet Ant in charge of production, The Undisputed Truth is one of the hottest Rhymesayers releases to date.

Franz & Shape Acceleration Relish
Relish is faithfully guiding the next wave of future disco. Not unlike contemporaries Lindstrom and Headman, Franz and Shape churn out some dance butter like nobody’s business.

Meanest Man Contest/Languis Split Sneakmove
Quite possibly one of the weirdest splits to come out in a while, Meanest Man Contest and Languis complement each other through an assortment of diverse tracks. While, MMC fuses jazz, hip-hop, and the spirit of rock, Languis takes a more abstract path with synth-driven textures from beyond. This record will keep us guessing for a while.

DJ Mehdi Lucky Boy Ed Banger
If parties could talk, they’d holler with joy at the release of Paris’ new hip-house masterpiece. Lucky Boy sizzles with the heat of all Ed Banger releases, but with a Casio-induced party flair that others can’t match. Solid.

Ghost In Stormy Nights Drag City
Japan’s finest psyche-masters are back with the power of several thoroughly potent hits of acid. After forming in 1984, the composite ghosts have released a series of oddities that have influenced bands across the past two decades. Don’t take our word for it, just listen to the 28-minute track “Hemicyclic Anthelion,” and experience the bliss.

Various White Cock 1-4 Cock Rock Disco
Jason Forrest’s collection of Cock Rock Disco’s White Cock 12-inches (yeah, we get the joke) is the Euro-party mix of the century. With crazed hits from Duran Duran Duran, Sickboy, and Bong-Ra, this is a compilation that could inspire many nights of extreme indulgence and violence.

Dälek Abandoned Language Ipecac
It’s always been evident that Dälek is one of the few hip-hop acts that does not fear incorporating hazy layers of noise into their records. But on Abandoned Language, the boys up the ante with a hazardous amount of distorted atmospherics over their signature ’90s-style East Coast production. This is a fully realized, unique record worthy of continuous listening.

Ultra Milkmaids Pocket Station Ant-Zen
Somewhere in between neo-folk and traditional shoegaze exists a plane that is occupied only by Ultra Milkmaids. Dominated by minimal acoustic chord progressions, layers of feedback, and dissonant harmony, Pocket Station will grip any connoisseur of the epic.

I’m From Barcelona Let Me Introduce My Friends Mute
Composed of Emanuel Lundgren and 28 of his closest friends, I’m from Barcelona is the pastoral pop band for the new year. Let Me Introduce My Friends glows with enough instruments and backing vocals to make any powerhouse choir envious.

Samamidon But This Chicken Proved Falsehearted Plug Research
Following suit with lush acoustic acts like The Mountain Goats, Songs of Green Pheasant, and the like, Samamidon offers a beautiful take on a scene already bloated with extremely talented acts. With an affinity for the banjo and a charmingly discordinant voice, Samamidon is destined to dominate indie rockers’ record players for days to come.

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