Music
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Brandy Shanice – Eclection
The first I heard of Brandy Shanice was her Mos Def-sampling collaboration with Danny Watts, who happens to have been the subject of my first music-related post here on the Frolic this past January. Like Watts and his other collaborators, she caught my ear tension (see what I did..) immediately. The same song that introduced me to her jazzy vocals now has a spot amongst the beautiful sounds on the debut project she recently released, Eclection. Brandy Shanice has the sort of voice which pulls you to where she is in an instant. There is so much strength in her delivery that you feel her every word, regardless of your…
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Cub-J – Love Abuse
The music I am receiving leaves me energized, like clean, nutritious food. I cannot stress how magical the divine timing is when art reflects what I am experiencing in my own life. We love that, don’t we? The flow continues with this freshness I pass to you today. Love Abuse is some destined collaboration between Chicago rapper Cub-J and up-coming producer Adam Rubman, known as Rubz. The mixtape is Cub-J’s premiere project. In its entirety, I feel it to serve us a story for every form of love, touching on a bit of everything while dwelling on the the common romantic idea the word “love” prompts. This is a creative…
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Mick Jenkins – The Water[s]
Water’s more important than the gold. If you have not yet heard Mick Jenkins, here is your glass. His second release since last year’s Trees and Truths mixtape caught me. I let this one marinate for over a week and there are still too many words that come to mind for me to comfortably summarize its importance. I will express that Mick Jenkins has managed to draw the attention of many while seeming to appear out of space with a theme of what we need more of. That is the beauty of his latest labor of love, The Waters! It is smart and so necessary while being full of blissful…
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Val DaGrain – 2 Cents EP
This is one of the best things I have heard since summer began! Released those few months ago, New Jersey native Val DaGrain’s 2 Cents finally drums against my ears and I’m in love with the sound. It successfully struck my heart in an instant. The blow was soft, though. A few of my favorites are Be Free, Easy, and 1ove. The EP embodies much of what intrigues and continues to excite about music, hip hop music, current hip hop music, and the generation’s use of their individual voice. I like the dateless feel while it references the 90’s through much of the production. I also really enjoy unique samples,…
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Dumplings én China – Subtleties EP
Good music has the ability to guide us into self healing and connects us, in addition to moving us and serving as a soundtrack to our existence. However I come across gems like what I’m presenting today, I always feel a sense of gratefulness to be able to take in something generated entirely from the perspective of another creative. I could not stop moving when I first heard this fresh EP by upcoming New York based artist, Dumplings én China. The production features some clean, classically jazzed hip hop beats and bass which cradles an interesting flow. It is impossible to not bob my head from beginning to end! After…
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Meeting Jhené & Souled Out
Jhené Aiko might be a new artist to many of the people I stood in line with yesterday, but for me, she’s as influential as any other older artist who debuted in the early 2000’s. I didn’t plan on doing a post for Souled Out because you can hear about it just about all over. I then heard the album and decided that regardless of it already being exposed for the people to grab and find on their own, it is an important project to me as an individual and to all music, current r&b, and consciousness. And so, this belongs on the frolic. While I’m at it, I’ll also…
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Junglepussy Video – Nah
I woke this morning feeling like today would be a great one and the universe proves me right with all of the amazing energy coming my way. Also, the world has been blessed with a new visual from the “brown hottie with a body” herself, JP! Junglepussy is the current artist who I find myself continuously sharing with friends and acquaintances, itching to turn people on to her movement. Every time I do mention her to someone new, I get a similar reaction. They’re all shocked by the name and a comical discussion about it follows. Personally, I think her name is pure genius and the beautiful thing is that…
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Greighwolfe – Black EP
The first song that I heard from the latest and what I mustered up as the very first EP from Greighwolfe had me HOT! No, I don’t mean that I was angry. I mean that in the same way that most of the music from Sade or The Weeknd makes me feel. That song was Hurt Me and it lead me to the rest of this brilliant project called the Black EP. Listening to this only a few times has lead me to put Greighwolfe in line with other great modern artists, such as Gary Clark Jr, who bring back the feel of good soul with elements of rock and…
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a k u a – One’s Company EP
I should have shared this discovery months ago, but it’s never too late to have your world rocked by some stellar vibes. This is one of the most overlooked EPs of the year and I just don’t understand why this is, so, here I am with another ultra special musical delivery. Akua’s sound gives me a sense of some heavy other-worldly vibes, which we adore here on the froliC. Many of the visuals I found to go with this EP are just as ethereal, dark, and metaphoric as the songs themselves. I hope she gets to glow for more people soon, including myself, such as on a stage here in…
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Canine Teeth – Thunderstorms ft. Dominic Robinson
Since The Weeknd first dropped, you might have noticed the consciousness of darker r&b rise up. Spooky Black is another amazing example of this. I’ve recently been introduced to yet another perspective with this beautiful project started by Canine Teeth’s Erik Anderson. The first single from this collaborative project, Thunderstorm suits its title with some MUST hear production. Thunderstorm is a hypnotic blend of electronic sounds with some smooth and classic, yet brooding r&B vocals provided by Dominic Robinson. It’s a perfect showcase to the rest of the first project by Canine Teeth, Leviathan, which will be available digitally on DRKArts, August 5, 2014. Follow the links for more on…
