WHY?: Elephant Eyelash (2005)

::: Where do I begin when trying to explain the style of this Anticon mainstay? It's not very often that an artist's name truly exemplifies the sounds that is created. WHY? (real name Yoni Wolf) is somewhere between hip hop, pop, and folk music, but never leans toward any genre in particular. He is a singer, though his voice is not what most would call exceptional, but it gives him a distinct and endearing musical presence. His first release Oaklandazulasylum was one of chaotic yet mellow sounds, somewhat similar to his collaborations on the cLOUDDEAD projects. But with Elephant Eyelash, the sound became less harsh and unpredictable with the incorporation and accompaniment of a full band. Much of the album comes across as folk or pop, with slight influences of hip hop scattered throughout. Yoni frequently displays his unothodox hip hop delivery along with his unconventional vocal melodies. It is safe to say that Yoni Wolf and WHY? are truly one of a kind. If you are into previous releases from Anticon (i.e. cLOUDDEAD, Themselves, Restiform Bodies, etc.), you will probably enjoy Elephant Eyelash. His new album Alopecia is also a great record, that builds upon the style that Elephant Eyelash established and pushes it further.

MySpace Music

Anticon Records

Jantsen: Gutter Music (2007)

::: So lately I have been getting into a lot of mash-up projects, most of which combine rap/hip-hop and intense electronic music. While browsing through the iTunes radio stations I came across one called "Psyphy Machine" that really caught my ear. The station revolves around this psyphy (psychedelic/hyphy) style of mash-ups and original productions, where hard-hitting electronic synths are combined with hip hop elements. One artist that particularly impressed me was Jantsen, out of Colorado. His work resembles the style of eDIT and Tipper, but he puts his own unique twists on each track. The mix opens up with a dope mash-up of "Still Bigger Than Hip Hop" by Dead Prez and "Ruck" off of Tipper's Tip Hop album. The entire set is an eclectic blend of styles, but overall it has a riotous and glitched-out feel to it. Jantsen also has another mixtape called Whomptronica, where he mixes other glitch-hop, psyphy-style artists. Definitely check both albums out if you are into this genre. Both are available for free download on his Myspace Music page.

MySpace Music

Sage Francis: Human the Death Dance (2007)

::: Back after a couple months hiatus, so I thought I'd do a post on one of my favorite artists in hip hop. For those of you who haven't heard of him, Sage Francis is a master at bringing the raw emotion and intensity of spoken word poetry and incorporating it into music that is undeniably hip hop. A lot of artists who attempt to use spoken word elements in hip hop tend to overemphasize the poetry aspect and, in turn, stray too far from the perennial pulse of hip hop music. Sage, however, is able to blur these lines and approach both forms from the perspective of a seasoned b-boy veteran. While many of his lyrics are powerfully deep and reflective, there is always a lighter side that prevents him from becoming a downer. Basically, he is dead serious and cleverly facetious at the same time. I had the pleasure of seeing him live in Lawrence, KS a few years back and he performed the whole show in a monk's robe. At one point he stopped the music and challenged any member of the audience who was man enough to come up on stage and wrestle him. The outcome was a hilarious half-naked and half-assed wrestling match, which was definitely an interesting spectacle to witness during a hip hop show. But back to the music... Human the Death Dance is Sage's most recent album, and probably my favorite since Personal Journals or his Non-Prophets project with Joe Beats. His lyrics are as sharp and clever as ever, with a mixture of ruminative reflections and upbeat bravado. There is an ever-present theme of death (hence the title), but mainly in reference to a defiance of the fear of death rather than overly morbid overtones. Sage utilizes a lot of great producers, including Alias (Anticon), Ant (Atmosphere), Sixtoo, Buck 65, and a local K.C. producer Miles Bonny (Soundsgood). A few favorites are Clickety Clack, High Step, Keep Moving, Black Out On White Night, and Call Me Francois. If you are a fan of Sage's previous albums, you should definitely check Human the Death Dance.

Verse from Clickety Clack:

You should have known better than to be mingling with rats

Got a lead to your shack from some gypsies in the trash

Cryptic interactions, I asked them to stick to facts

Made a trade and gave them everything that I packed

Now there's a brick through your window, kid, sift through the glass

Notice the note in which the brick was wrapped

Explaining that I know how you're quick to the dash

But it won't be very long before you slip in my trap

Like a moth to the flame with its wings in the wax

It's hard to escape with your limbs in a cast

Your heart will deflate when your wrists both get slashed

And gradually I snap these synapses in half

Magnificent crescendo, the cymbals all crash

You'll pay for your deeds, but we don't accept cash

We will mix and match this for that, tit for tat

Gonna get it, get it back, gonna getcha getcha back.

Tracklist

MySpace Music

Strange Famous Records