More Recent Trends in Music

Again after a somewhat large hiatus, I return providing a lot of the music that's been on my mind recently in short succession.

Most recently, two absolutely brilliant mixes just came out within the last few weeks on Diplo's radio show Diplo and Friends. Namely the RL Grime (aka DJ Clockwork), and the Norweigan DJ/Producer Cashmere Cat. Both mixes are superlatives in modern trap music, seamless and expansive, both of which can be found below.




In addition to this, I've been fawning my way through the world of blues, R&B, and soul - as they are all interrelated in such a beautiful way unique to culture from whence they came, and there is so much to be understood about the role emotion plays in music just by listening. I can't really give you a good example of the entirety of the genre, but the best way to get into it is to study the whole lineage, and to just jam out...

Diplo - Mix for SwayinInTheMorning (Trap/New Release)

Diplo does not disappoint yet again with the most recent mix he did for Chicago-based radio show SwayinInTheMorning about two weeks ago. Maybe I haven't been keeping up with Diplo enough, but I'm pretty sure that he just started releasing trap tracks - usually producing moombahton and neato world music mashups. But he has bought into the mainstream at this point, and if I were to analyze this latest mix like it were a book, it would be a brilliant satire. The genre of trap itself is absurd and I believe that it exists only to get people pumped up and encourage sex on the dance floor.

The word trap actually originates from Atlanta, Georgia meaning to acquire wealth in the context of drugs. This on its own is interesting because of course trapping, beyond the slang, refers to laying down traps to catch small game. Specifically I find it interesting that the drug dealing culture would be as whimsical to adopt this term for selling narcotics. From this, it only makes sense that the genre would be very whimsical.

And although the linguistics are interesting, just listen to it and realize that you're not really supposed to think about it.

Joey BadA$$ ft. CJ Fly - Hardknock (Hip Hop)

Instead of trying to fit in the with electro-trap, hipster-hop trends popping up in new hip hop, Joey Badass takes us back to a more old school feel. Featuring production from big names like MF DOOM, Lewis Parker, and J. Dilla, Mr. BadA$$ maintains a 90s and early 2000s feel, and I really dig it. There's no yelling, no growling, no booties, just a beat that sits way back in the pocket and decent lyricism. If you like the song below try his mixtape 1999.


Joey BadA$$ ft. CJ Fly - Hardknock

Diplo - Enter the Beat Portal Mix (Moombahton)

Diplo (Thomas Pentz) is a man in the electronic dance music industry I really respect. He has the brazen tenacity to pump out track after track after track working with people I've never heard of, producing tracks that always have something new, and just generally making his listeners want to get naked. He started his own record label called Mad Decent and has worked with a lot of celebrities with production or mixtape projects, and I'm sure we'll be seeing much more good stuff from him in years to come.

About two weeks ago he released a Beatport exclusive mix, which I will simply link and hope that you check him out - he lists a lot of tracks, and it would be arduous for me to plug them all here, so just shuffle your little butt on over there. He describes his intentions writing, "[For] The first half of this mix I wanted to highlight the lasted and greatest in moombahton while showcasing some of the classics. The second half is all bangers featuring tracks I've been playing to crowds all over the world."

Check out Diplo here: http://mixes.beatport.com/mix/1018

Kitty Pryde (Hip Hop)

No, not the Marvel Kitty Pryde - this is the ex-hipster girl turned rapper. My friend recently showed her to me and I really honestly don't know how to feel about her. Her shows are akin to a poetry slam, and I don't know WHAT Riff-Raff is doing next to her, dick out, raging Skrillex haircut. Her lyrics are just like a teenage girl's diary entry, and I think that's what she's going for. It's like, too cute, or too something, like she just woke up one morning and with a bubbly scree grabbed the nearest cat to her and said "I'm gunna be a rapper mr. hutchkinsons!" Anyway, here's a music video: make of her what you will.

 

Speaking of live shows, I still think one of the most raging live shows is provided by the young men over at OFTWGKTA. The music itself isn't unbelievably brilliant or anything, but I feel like people straight up get naked and contract rabies at these shows. Keep an eye out for the two random dudes who just decide to stage dive like a pair of kings.

If Kitty Pryde had a show like this she'd be in very great danger of sexual intrusion to say the least.