Rawkus Records–the legendary label that pulled indie hip-hop from its mid-‘90s slump by championing the careers of Company Flow, Jurassic 5, and Mos Def–is ready to discover the genre's next generation.
A master beatsmith and lover of abstract hip-hop, Eliot Lipp joined the Hefty Records family in 2006 with his second full-length, Tacoma Mockingbird. Much touring and love from the media followed, then last October, Lipp released his 30-minute, 10-track Steel Street Scraps EP, which saw him subtly incorporate rock, electro, soul, funk, and disco into his usual sound.
Three events are planned to honor the late David "Disco D" Shayman, who passed away on January 23, 2007. He was known for his musical innovation, which eventually led him to produce beats for the likes of Trick Daddy, 50 Cent, and others, as well as his own Gringo Louco imprint.
Fans of Atlanta’s discordant pop foursome Deerhunter will delight in the hectic, multi-colored lightshow that is the video for “Strange Lights,” a track from the band’s second full-length (and first on the Kranky imprint), Cryptograms. This video is clearly where all that emotional, physical, and financial strain discussed on the album plays itself out. See it now at XLR8R’s Video Section.
Read more »
With 2005's Such Triumph living up to its name, Chicago’s Jesse Woghin, Sam Axelrod, and James Barron, collectively known as The Narrator, prep their sophomore effort, All That to the Wall. Delve past the album’s title and you’ll find set of blessedly unpretentious, lo-fi tracks that see the guys getting emotional on the vocals and making a distinct break from their previous release.
