After a busy few months of heading to festivals, going to Budapest, and trying to get our shit together before we start Uni, it has come to our attention that we haven't done particularly well at keeping up with all the latest music and fashion releases that have wetted our appetite since July. The summer has been very eventful, so we thought a little rundown of everything we've been rating, and have failed miserably to put on here earlier, was in order. Kicking off with albums...
Albums
Headie One - Music X Road
Whilst we were at Lost Village, Headie One released his highly anticipated debut album/mixtape ‘Music X Road’. Giving the campsite a break from the excessive techno that whirred around the forests of Lincoln that weekend, we blasted out the LP on the Friday morning, and it truly got us in the mood for a day of festivalling. The singles that dropped prior to the record’s full release had been promising, bar rubbery bands, it was evident Headie had the credentials to take drill beyond the typical tremoring bass lines it’s known for. RATING: 8.5/10
Brockhampton - Ginger
Ginger sees Brockhampton reverting back to a sonic more similar to the Saturation Trilogy, which won over an army of teenage hiphop and indie fanatics. I loved the experimental nature of Iridescence, but this LP feels more coherent compared to the Abbey Road produced predecessor. Don’t go into the project expecting bangers, the boys are evidently still mourning over their individual anxieties and depressions, including the parting with former member Ameer. RATING: 7.7/10
Kano - Hoodies All Summer
On a cultural level, in terms of albums that have come out of the capital in 2019, this is the most important record of the year. Touching on topics of demonisation, the narrative sees Kano mixing tales of the past with views on the present, creating a vivid representation on how London is at the moment. The multi-talented rapper and actor, who stars in Drake’s newly endorsed Top Boy, is (musically) the best he’s ever been, whilst continuing to incorporate genres like dancehall and afrobeat effortlessly into the sonics of his projects. RATING: 8.8/10
Channel Tres - Black Moses EP
Godmode records have released some pretty amazing music since it started in 2017, but none as good as Channel Tres’ second official EP. Featuring JPEGMAFIA, the project stays true to his Chicago influenced sound; in 'Raw Power' he maintains the house vibes that made his debut EP so special, but tunes like ‘Sexy Black Timberlake’ are more R&B inclined. With peng weather, this EP is very hard to skip past when you’re scrolling aimlessly through your Spotify library, give it a listen below. RATING: 8/10
A2 - All Spill
A2 needs to come up in more conversations when talking about true originals ascending out of England. There really aren’t many rappers as underrated as him, who can articulate such a unique sound, and thus gain the respect of overseas stars like ‘6lack’. ‘All Spill’ is a moody, genre-bending project, one that mopes between trappy eloquence and introspective psychedelia. This is all a credit to his individualism, and is ready for your consumption on all streaming sites. RATING: 8.3/10
Tracks
Kam-Bu - Moments 001
It’s yet another banger from Kam-Bu and Pullen, who continue to prove they are here to fuck up England’s saturated rap scene. It’s incredible how the lyricism and beat in ‘Moments 001’ are made by different people, they match each other flawlessly, proving an impeccable chemistry between both artists.
Blasé - Bounce
For Benji B’s radio 1 show, a few weeks ago, Toronto DJ Bambii performed a guest mix - and this song really stood out. Whether you’re gearing up for a night out, or find yourself home alone with access to a thumping set of speakers, Paris Producer Blasé combines elements of afrobeat and old school bassline to make a sonic perfect for the European club circuit.
FLOHIO - WAY2
The combination of Splurgeboys and Flohio was always a frightening prospect; both artist’s relish the abrasive attitude that so naturally comes out of the concrete walls of London, and unsurprisingly, ‘WAY2’ bangs. Working with Clams Casino, Mike Skinner and Modeselektor would phase most rappers, but Flo Flo just keeps the rhymes coming, and the Splurgeboys produced single may just be her best yet.
Novelist - Different Shoes
The square gang member has been quietly dropping a string of singles and EPs since his mercury nominated ‘Novelist Guy’. ‘Different Shoes’ possesses that braggadocios energy we all love the Londoner for, whilst expressing his versatility and ability to hop on a drill beat, as well as all the other genres he has fused over the years.
Garms
Assid FW19
The Londoners are back with another stellar collection, using humour to devise a lookbook filled with stunning graphic tees and hoodies. Our favourite pic has to be LeBron James holding the brand’s ‘Drugs’ t-shirt, instead of the famous Cleveland Cavaliers Jersey conveyed in the original photo. The bowler shirts are a nice addition to the label’s catalogue of garms, both of which are print heavy and perfect for next year’s festivals… you’ve got to plan these things early.
New noon goons (FW19)
One of the strongest lookbooks for FW19 came from LA based brand Noon Goons. In Streetwear, It’s not often you see the use of luxury fabrics, even from the most prestigious of brands. However, Noon Goons continue to blur the lines between street style and luxury fashion, interpreting leather jackets, fur cardigans and silk shirts for an incredibly strong winter collection.
Skepta Shox
Skep’s 4th nike rework was teased in his video for ‘Bullet From A Gun’; the trainer throws you straight back to the 2000s, where the Shox technology ruled the road. Back then, it was very difficult to find the silhouette out of your eyeline, but since a bunch of airmax reissues and nike's ‘Free’ running line, they’d vanished from the shelves of shoe shops… until 2019. The conflicting colours Skepta has opted for relish in the darker undertones of his latest album, with the red springs venting a venomous look for the whole shoe.
Patta’s Clark’s collab
Inspired by reggae culture, Patta’s latest shoe collaboration sees the brand reworking Clarks’ iconic ‘Dessert Trek’ silhouette, which Jamaican’s used to call ‘the bank robber’ due to the trekman logo on the inside sole. An ode to the 70s, the footwear embraces 2 tone and ska style, whilst championing contrasting leathers, and a silky sheen across the upper.
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