Recommended If You Like thread - January 22, 2022 - HipHop | HipHop Channel

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Recommended If You Like thread - January 22, 2022 - HipHop

Recommended If You Like thread - January 22, 2022 - HipHop

Recommended If You Like thread - January 22, 2022

Posted: 22 Jan 2022 08:00 AM PST

If you're looking for a recommendation give a description/music link/artist so that other people will know what you want.

Example: "I want to hear an artist that sounds like old Kanye production" (you can get more specific but usually enough). And then someone will respond with recommendations X, Y, and Z.

You can also leave a top level comment recommending an artist/project/scene that you think others might like if they like X, Y, and Z.

Example: "You guys should check out DJ Mustard's mixtape Ketchup RIYL (recommended if you like) post-hyphy and minimalistic west coast beats"

Remember, the point of this thread is to share music, try not to post stuff that's already really popular unless it answers someone's question.

The more descriptive you guys are with your posts, the easier it is to help you find what you want. Just stating an artist's name isn't that helpful since you might only like one specific aspect of that artist's music.

​

Previous RIYL posts

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Album of the Year #28: Flying Lotus - Yasuke

Posted: 22 Jan 2022 09:03 AM PST

Artist - Flying Lotus

Album - Yasuke

Date Released - April 30, 2021

Listen

Spotify

Apple Music

Background

Flying Lotus, also known as FlyLo, is an electronic/hip hop producer who was born Steven Ellison on October 7, 1983 in Los Angeles, California. The year and place of his birth would prove to be incredibly important to his career, as they would later become the names of his first and second studio albums, 1983 (2006) and Los Angeles (2008). FlyLo comes from an accomplished musical background, being the grandnephew of jazz pianist and harpist Alice Coltrane, who he constantly references and samples throughout his music. Growing up around such diverse and motivated musicians helped FlyLo develop his eccentric and eclectic musical style which is rooted in various musical genres including IDM, jazz, and most recently on Yasuke (2021), Japanese folk.

Flying Lotus got his start as a producer by submitting bumper music for the Adult Swim programming block. After releasing his debut album 1983 on October 3, 2006, he signed to Warp Records the following year, home to similar techno acts such as Aphex Twin. Shortly after, he released his second studio album Los Angeles on July 9, 2008 at the same time as he began his label Brainfeeder and began to scout talent from artist we know well today such as Thundercat and The Underachievers. Thundercat and FlyLo started working together closely on FlyLo's third studio album Cosmogramma (2010), which is lauded for being a massive change in FlyLo's style by incorporating maximalist, multi-layered nu jazz instrumentation. The album itself was inspired by the death of his mother in 2008 and the late Alice Coltrane, with tracks dedicated to them like "Drips//Auntie's Harp" and "Galaxy in Janaki" being some of FlyLo's finest work to date.

The next FlyLo record proved to fans that he would never do the same thing twice, as he forayed into the realm of psychedelia for his fourth studio album, Until the Quiet Comes (2012). Over the summer of 2012, strange appearances began from a new rapper called Captain Murphy, who was speculated to be connected to the Brainfeeder label. However, even after the release of his first rap mixtape Duality on November 28, 2012, there was little suspicion that FlyLo and Captain Murphy were one and the same. Captain Murphy made several appearances on FlyLo's fifth studio album, You're Dead! (2014) which was notable for being yet another departure from FlyLo's previous style as he forayed into jazz fusion, but also for its feature from Kendrick Lamar on "Never Catch Me". FlyLo gained more notoriety after appearing with Thundercat on Kendrick's To Pimp A Butterfly (2015), on the track "Wesley's Theory."

In response to his growing popularity, FlyLo foreshadowed what he would later do in 2021 by departing from music and directing a horror film titled Kuso, with new music from FlyLo, Captain Murphy, Thundercat, and other Brainfeeder collaborators. Kuso premiered at Sundance Film Festival on January 21, 2017, but didn't have a warm response as many audience members walked out during the screening. His sixth studio album Flamagra (2019) came after a five year hiatus from music, and despite its star-studded feature list and adoption of funk styles, also didn't get a warm critical response and put FlyLo in a strange place when it came to both music and filmography.

By 2021, FlyLo served as an executive producer and part of the creative team for Netflix TV series Yasuke, an anime series based on the historical figure of the same time. Yasuke tells the story of a samurai warrior of African descent in an alternate version of feudal Japan with magic and mechs. On April 30, 2021, FlyLo produced a soundtrack album and original score for the series, including features from his common collaborators like Thundercat and Niki Randa, as well as Denzel Curry.

Review

Yasuke has a run time of 43 minutes and 26 seconds with 26 songs, almost exactly the same amount of songs as his previous album Flamagra, only that Flamagra is about twenty minutes longer. That means most of the songs are in the 1-2 minute range, but FlyLo packs a lot into those short periods of time and the songs are filled with plenty of musical concepts. He did about 200 tracks for the whole show and much of the album is inspired by "Blade Runner Blues" by Vangelis using the Yamaha CS-60 synthesizer. He only ate Japanese food and watched samurai movies to immerse himself into the process of the album.

I empathize with Yasuke so much — feeling like an outsider all the time, especially in music and in the electronic-music space that I occupy.

You could say it's my synthesizer album.

From song one you can hear the influences of Vangelis on the album and digital vs. acoustic represents the interplay of the anime itself. Yasuke represents the blending of African and Japanese culture, as well as the mechs in the anime. Instead of going for a more straight forward jazz/hip hop sound like lo-fi beats producer Nujabes who created the soundtrack for the anime Samurai Champloo, FlyLo made Yasuke his most diverse blend of genres to date: downtempo, trap, synthwave, Japanese folk and nu jazz are all found here.

You have to understand that the soundtrack for Yasuke is inherently visual, accompanying swordfights and mech battles, forays into the astral plane, and Yasuke's travels through the Japan landscape. The opening track "War at the Door", for instance, is used in a battle sequence, but it starts off as a very restrained, quiet introduction to the soundtrack. As it builds, it serves as a microcosm for the album, covering all the sounds we're about to hear. Beginning with drumsticks hitting against one another and then transitioning into modern sounds with an electro jazz solo introducing the synth lines on the album, aided by the fast-paced percussion and the march tempo brass blasts. This song does a lot with very little and just as it starts to hit a groove at the end it ends, which is pretty frustrating but the song is just all over the place which is typical of FlyLo's work so you can't really be mad.

The second track on the album, "Black Gold," is the opening theme to the anime itself, with vocals and bass performed by Thundercat. Basically typical anime theme music, typical cheesy lyrics for an anime song. Thundercat has the perfect falsetto voice for an anime theme and it's been every anime fan's dream to hear him sing one.

Don't mistake my kindness for weakness

'Cause I'm strong, you see

Stronger than you'll ever be

Loyal to the end, someone to call a friend

Whenever you need me, I'll be right here

Love and loyalty, trust and honesty

I'll never let go

"Your Lord" creates a tempo where you can imagine yourself walking alongside Yasuke, driven by some more East Asian drumstick percussion. The main melody is composed of cyberpunk synths, but the track develops a playful/exploratory mood with its pretty string embellishments and synth flute.

"Shoreline Sus" is an ambient beat, now this sounds like something straight out of "Blade Runner Blues" by Vangelis. I really feel the outro is the best part of this track though, it's really serene. "Hiding in the Shadows" builds on the meditative vibes of the last track with ethereal vocals from Niki Randa; it's super minimal, with what looks like a koto (Japanese string instrument) being played in the anime.

My shield is the shadow of

The pale Sakura tree

The canopy

The moonlight

Hiding in the shadow

Whispering my dream

"Crust" is driven by a rhythmic flamenco/Latin finger picking bass loop from Thundercat. Definitely the most popular track on the album for some reason. It really reminds me of some of FlyLo's older beat tapes like Los Angeles, though obviously not as gritty, just more polished.

"Fighting Without Honor" is a dramatic explosion from the grooviness of the last track into the soundtrack for samurai standing their ground, tablas and timpanis drive the track on the percussion side of things. The dynamics of this track are crazy, so what I love most is the last half of this track which makes things very atmospheric, just some notes.

"Pain and Blood" is one of my favorites on the record, what a cinematic, epic-sounding theme. I like how FlyLo uses his synths for ambience at first but now starts using them for bangers like this one. It's actually the title of the 5th episode of the anime series. Drastic shift in vibe and creation of tension.

"War Lords" samples "On the Run" by Pink Floyd from their classic album The Dark Side of the Moon (1973), which is very nice to hear as a big Pink Floyd fan. It really helps to build tension, with the modulated arps. Nice example of the synthwave influence on this album and it's actually also used for a battle sequence.

The transition into "Sachi"'s pulsating synths is abrupt and done very well. The track gets its title from the character Saki, the talented daughter in the anime in her trip to a special doctor. Did I mention it's also really good synth work? Rattles come in at around 0:34. This is just a good beat.

"Your Screams" has some more epic synth melodies, actually sounds a lot like the last track to be honest. I appreciate the more modern sounding 808s on this and the brass hits in the lower octaves, pretty rhythmic feel to this one too.

"Using What You Got" is a classic FlyLo head-nodding loop, with a super simple bass line from Thundercat but it's catchy as hell.

"African Samurai" is another collab between FlyLo and fellow anime fan Denzel Curry after "Black Balloons Reprise" on FlyLo's last album. It's a battle cry for Yasuke, the african samurai that lends the album and show its name. It features Denzel Curry doing some interesting vocal chants. And wow this is a minimal electronic beat without synths but I really like it. Denzel has also been working with a lot of great producers lately so I'll use this moment to say how hyped I am for Melt My Eyez, he really stepped out of his comfort zone for this collab.

Blood-stained katanas, black man from Ghana

I battle over my honor and guided by Nobunaga

The power in every kata has channeled most of my Oni

Yeah, you can tell this guy really likes anime.

"Where's the Girl?" is the shortest track on the record, with a mere forty seconds of runtime. I don't know why it's so short, the album really suffers from some of those pacing issues and it's yet another reason why I wonder if Yasuke can even be considered a real entry in FlyLo's discography. Another downtempo lo-fi beat with some piano.

"Kurosaka Strikes!" is a trap beat which fits perfectly for the anime in which it soundtracks a fight scene between Kurosaka and Yasuke. You can get that straight from the title to be honest, with its blatant declaration of action. If I'm not mistaken, this is the first time we've heard FlyLo doing trap. It's also the first trap beat on the album which is kinda weird as it comes more than halfway through the album, the record is still introducing new genres.

"This Cursed Life" is lo-fi, more of a traditional FlyLo electronic beat, female vocal samples with heavy bass. Some organ. I can see hip hop heads liking this one.

"RoBomb" also has what sounds like African percussion and also vocal chants. It makes you think you're about to settle down with some flute and then BANGER ALERT. Who knew FlyLo could make so many dope trap beats? But my question is why they're all showing up now halfway through the record.

"Taiko Time//Sacrifice", like its name, literally starts off with some taiko drum hits and it's pretty much a purely percussive track with brass blasts. I know it has two names so this is pretty expected, but this track is pretty seamlessly divided into two parts with the addition of synthesizer motifs over taiko drums at about 0:54. If there ever was a more obvious way to demonstrate the interplay of the album, this is it.

Fans of "Shoreline Sus" will like "Your Day Off", because you can definitely hear the "Blade Runner Blues" influence in this track as well. I really like the piano triads repeated throughout this track, it's like I'm slipping off into a dream.

"Your Armour" grabs your attention instantly with a pretty off-kilter percussive beat and then these dope aggressive synths come in, so this track really builds. It sort of reminds me of Minecraft music in a way. And the chord progression climaxing at the end... god damn, this is one of the best on the record.

"Enchanted" is a definite cool down from the awesomeness of the last track. Beautiful vocal harmonies.

"Mind Flight" transforms into a trap beat before our very eyes. Some bare claps. When the trap drums come in, it really comes out of nowhere too.

"Survivors" is another really chill lo-fi beat, kind of stands alone on the record as a more traditional boom bap beat. It's hard to say how it fits into the electro/folk themes of the record but at least it's here and the record is better for it.

"Your Head//We Won" has this kind of washed-out guitar at the start, I've never really heard anything like this on the record. It has a super nostalgic mood to it. "The Eyes of Vengeance" seamlessly transitions from the previous track. It's also the longest track on the record, clocks in at just under three minutes, I don't know if it deserves it though, really nice motif though. Definitely more brass blasts. I'd probably consider this the real closing track to the record.

"Between Memories" changes the mood to a more trip hop setting, is the closing track for the anime performed by Niki Randa. Really good vibes.

A warning, no waiting

We're off to leave now

Don't worry 'bout the weather, we're setting off together

My one issue with this album would be the sequencing. The songs stand alone, but don't do much to blend into each other. The tracks that do have good transitions I took care to point out. Also it's not as progressive as FlyLo's other albums, like a Cosmogramma or You're Dead. But whatever it's still really good work and you have to judge it by FlyLo standards. And as a soundtrack it serves its purpose for bringing you into the world of Yasuke.

Discussion Questions

  • Is Yasuke better than Flamagra, even though it's a soundtrack album?

  • How does the wide array of new genres FlyLo tackles on this album help make it one of his most unique albums to date?

  • Favorite track?

  • Did you like Denzel Curry's performance? (I did)

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Denzel Curry announces single dropping tomorrow

Posted: 23 Jan 2022 06:38 PM PST

Cardi B to pay funeral expenses for Bronx fire victims

Posted: 23 Jan 2022 03:56 PM PST

[LEAK] Kanye West - Keep My Spirit Alive (2 Scrapped Kanye Verses) (feat. Westside Gunn, Conway The Machine, Royce Da 5'9" & Keedron Bryant)

Posted: 23 Jan 2022 01:13 PM PST

[FRESH ALBUM] Na-Kel Smith - SKULLFACE BONEHEAD

Posted: 23 Jan 2022 09:32 PM PST

XXXTENTACION'S team announces the release of older music to be put up on streaming services + Trailer

Posted: 23 Jan 2022 08:06 AM PST

XXXTENTACION - RETURN TO MAKEOUTHILL

​

Message from his team:

To Jahseh's Supporters Across The World: We continue to be amazed at the love and support that X's fans show on a daily basis. We know how much his music means to all of you, and his impact continues to be as powerful as it's ever been. It is important to us to continue to honor Jah's legacy, and in that spirit we are planning an exciting 2022.

One of our first initiatives is to get as much of X's music from his earliest days as an artist up on all DSPs. We have been working diligently to clear as much of it as possible, and we are excited to announce our first release this Friday with "vice city" hitting all streaming services for the first time. We will continue to release music as we clear it, and are making sure we do it in a way that stays true to how X released each song originally. Visit makeouthill.com now to sign up and stay up to date with X-related news, and be the first to be notified as the site evolves. Follow @makeouthill on Twitter for more updates.

Beyond the music, we know X's fans have been waiting patiently for the documentary and we will be sharing updates on it soon. Thank you again for your support and for continuing to honor and celebrate the life of Jah.

The Estate of Jahseh Onfroy, aka XXXTENTACION

"vice city" comes out on all platforms - 01/28/21

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Dominic Fike - 3 Nights [2018]

Posted: 23 Jan 2022 02:59 PM PST

Cannibal Ox ‎– Raspberry Fields

Posted: 23 Jan 2022 07:47 PM PST

The Pharcyde - Passin' Me By (1992)

Posted: 23 Jan 2022 09:34 AM PST

Eminem - She Loves Me

Posted: 24 Jan 2022 07:09 AM PST

[FRESH] Wiki - 2022 INTRO

Posted: 23 Jan 2022 06:41 PM PST

22 Rising Artists to Watch in 2022 (Complex + Pigeons & Planes)

Posted: 24 Jan 2022 05:45 AM PST

[FRESH] Ralfy The Plug - Tabernacle (Official Music Video)

Posted: 24 Jan 2022 06:16 AM PST

Faith - Lords Of The Underground

Posted: 24 Jan 2022 07:15 AM PST

NIGO's album "I Know NIGO" receives official release date: March 25th

Posted: 23 Jan 2022 06:25 AM PST

Fam-Lay - Skrung Owt (produced by the Neptunes)

Posted: 24 Jan 2022 03:21 AM PST

Philadelphia Rapper Shortie No Mass Introduces Herself to a New Generation on “Here Goes Nothing”: Nearly 30 years after her original start the hip-hop artist releases her debut album.

Posted: 23 Jan 2022 01:26 PM PST

[FRESH] Pause The Day - FOLLOW

Posted: 24 Jan 2022 05:38 AM PST

[FRESH] Kayvo - Sleep (Official Music Video)

Posted: 24 Jan 2022 04:58 AM PST

Young Stoner Life, Young Thug, Gunna - Slam The Door

Posted: 23 Jan 2022 08:33 PM PST

[FRESH ALBUM] DJ CANDLESTICK X THE CHOPSTARS - PURPLE DAWN FM (CHOPNOTSLOP REMIX)

Posted: 24 Jan 2022 02:51 AM PST

How J Dilla Reinvented Rhythm

Posted: 23 Jan 2022 10:00 AM PST

MIKE - shardz

Posted: 24 Jan 2022 07:20 AM PST

Long and Hard - Three 6 Mafia

Posted: 24 Jan 2022 07:19 AM PST

Rap songs where rappers went crazy on an electronic/unconventional beat?

Posted: 22 Jan 2022 06:54 PM PST

What are some songs where rappers flowed over unconventional beats? Stuff like Flume's collaborations, attak with Danny Brown, and wild for the night by A$AP Rocky

I love both Rap and Electronic music so the crossover of genres is ear-candy

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Sunday General Discussion Thread - January 23rd 2022

Posted: 23 Jan 2022 09:40 AM PST

Rest of January Drops

24th:

26th:

  • BlocBoy JB & Tay Keith - Bacc 2 Da Bloc [Memphis Trap, CMG]
  • Doe Boy - Oh Really [Trap, Cleveland, Freeband / Epic]

27th: glaive - old dog, new tricks [Hyperpop, Interscope]

28th:

31st: Lord Jah-Monte Ogbon & Sadhugold - The Black Möbius [East Coast Hip Hop, Vinyl Exclusive, Copenhagen Crates]

"January":

  • 2 Chainz - DOPE DON'T SELL ITSELF (featuring 42 Dugg + more) [Trap, ATL, Def Jam]
  • Yeat - 2 Alivë [Plugg, WLR-core, Interscope]
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