BADBADNOTGOOD – Confessions Pt III (Feat. Colin Stetson)
In 2014, when the Toronto jazz outfit BADBADNOTGOOD released III, their first album of entirely original music, they featured a single guest player, the saxophonist Leland Whitty on a song called “Confessions.” They released a sequel to that track last summer on their LP IV, inviting the sax player Colin Stetson to join Whitty in an instrumental exhibition match.
The latest in the series, “Confessions Pt. III,” also features Stetson and Whitey and is the best of the bunch. Like its predecessors it centers on an exercise in saxophone wizardry, starting with a cyclical riff that that’s warm and dextrous. Next to the flurried centerpiece, the second sax line soars elegantly over it in a breathy, elongated flow. Beneath the whir, a simple drum and bass duo provide a heartbeat. After five minutes of the saxophones churning from calm to frenetic, they veer silent, leaving the rhythm section alone, sparse and uneasy. It’s the type of track that bears out BADBADNOTGOOD’s progress as a straight-forward jazz quartet. They’ve always been adept jammers, but now, like the best jazz players, they can turn a few notes into a calculated expanse, poking and prodding at an idea until it’s chiselled into shape.
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Madlib – 10 Summers Old
Earlier this year, the legendary producer Madlib reconnected with past collaborators Blu and Med for March’s joint record “The Turn Up.” Now after spending the better part of 2017 laying low, the West Coast perfectionist is back with more incredible new sounds.
Shifting the focus back to his inimitable solo instrumental work, Madlib digs deep in his crates and serves up a flurry of samples and hard-as-concrete grooves on “10 Summers Old.” Released as part of the 34-year-old’s new 7″ vinyl project, “10 Summers Old” comes to us alongside another composition known as “Barrel Proof.” Since it’s been a few years since Madlib dropped a new solo project, releases like this will definitely be devoured by his fanbase. With 2017 coming to a close, we just need more details concerning the Pinatasequel.
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Wu Tang Clan – People Say
One great thing about the Wu-Tang Clan is that you can never be exactly sure who’s in the group at any given moment. It’s been a while since Redman appeared on a new Wu-Tang song—at least it feels that way, especially in the wake of the absurd Martin Shkreli situation with their last “album,” 2014’s A Better Tomorrow—but he’s back in fine form on a brand new track, “People Say.” The song also features contributions from Method Man, Raekwon, Inspektah Deck and Masta Killa (not to mention a great Patrick Swayze Road House reference).
Even better news: the song will be included on a forthcoming Wu-Tang album called Wu-Tang: The Saga Continues, according to an announcement released by RZA on Friday. The album, slated for an Oct. 13 release, is executive produced by RZA with “creative production” by faithful Wu-Tang compadre DJ Mathematics.
Said RZA: “For years, Math has had the idea of putting together a body of music using modern and legendary equipment such as ASR10 with vocal performances by Wu-Tang Clan members and other prominent MCs. With The Saga Continues he’s created a masterpiece. We at 36 Chambers ALC are honored to work with Mathematics and Wu-Tang Clan to put out a great piece of art.”
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Too Many T’s – Hang Tight
Too Many T’s are ready to share their new track ‘Hang Tight’.
The hip-hop duo – Leon Rhymes and Ross Standaloft – have a clear love for the genre’s golden age, with their production phat and their beats funky.
New track ‘Hang Tight’ boasts production from Flux Pavilion and Odjbox, and it sluices together the old with the new, adding some UK influences into the mix.
The duo grab the mic to spread some positive vibes, and rampaging across the bars with a real sense of something to prove.
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Four Tet – SW9 9SL
The Four Tet we’ve heard from as of late is a man on a mission, and “SW9 9SL” makes clear what his goals are. A week removed from his fantastic single “Planets,” he’s released another nearly perfect dance music machine, capping off his fruitful summer with a song whose sole purpose is to make you move.
“SW9 9SL” isn’t the kind of song that wastes time making polite introductions: it pushes you into a swirling gyre of head-spinning percussion and a fog of intoxicating synths. There’s a quick moment of relaxation when Four Tet introduces a plaintive arpeggio of keys, giving you a second to wipe the sweat off your brow before the song fully blooms with hardcore thumps and a mean bassline. He has always been an inveterate tinkerer and genre explorer, recently showing the world his thought process and listening habits in the form of a massive, public Spotify playlist. He’s traversed what feels like every genre in the electronic music world, but what he’s always been really good at is finding the specific set of notes that gets one wiggling. “SW9 9SL” is the case in point for this very skill.
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