THUMP helps you get through the hump day with a round-up of the hottest singles of the week. This week features Kelela, Shabazz Palaces, Diego Krause, Hade, Bassnectar and Kim Brown.Kelela and Tink: "Want It" (Produced by DJ Dahai) [Yours Truly Songs from Scratch Series]
Have you ever listened to a song so perfect, so obviously made just for you that your muscles tense up when you hear it? That is the experience of "Want It" for me—this song goes straight to my gut. From the natural windy forest sounds and birds chirping that bring the listener into a different, more pleasant space, to the empowering lyrics and the literally perfect musical match of Kelela's futuristic R&B with Tink's Drake-esque singing-meets-rap style. I'm swelling with emotion just writing about it—Lauren Schwartzberg (@LaurSchwar)Shabazz Palaces - "They Come In Gold" [Sub Pop]
The last person on earth you'd think would be into experimental hip-hop—a middle-aged professor at Columbia University—once told me that Shabazz Palaces were her "gods." Which tells you everything you need to know about the Seattle-based collective's scene-defying allure. On this first cut off their forthcoming album (out in July), their linguistic virtuosity, militantly confident flow, and exotic weirdness are on full display. Academics and super-stoners alike are going to lap this up.—Michelle Lhooq (@michellelhooq)Diego Krause - "Unison Wax 01" [Unison Wax]
Between Italo Johnson's eighth release and this heater from Diego Krause, it's safe to say that this is a particularly strong week for jacking house tunes made by Berliners. This week, German producer and boss of the Beste Modus outpost inaugurated his new Unison Wax label with a three-track EP that is bursting with posi vibes, fluttering synth stabs, and hissing percussion. There's nothing like a solid batch of irresistible house DJ tools to welcome spring.—Elissa StolmanHade - "R A S H A D" [Melting Pot Music]
The underground is still reeling from the death of one of its heroes, footwork and juke pioneer DJ Rashad. There have been a handful of musical tributes to the late Chicago DJ and producer but few as poignant as Hade's "R A S H A D," which slides sound bytes from Rashad's lecture at Red Bull Music Academy Madrid into a creamy, weightless footwork jam that seems to hover in mid-air. RIP Rashad, Teklife forever.—Max Pearl (@maxpearl)Bassnectar featuring Rye Rye - "Now" [Amorphous Music]
Legend has it that Achilles was dipped in a magical puddle of goo that provided him with an impenetrable aurora, minus where his ma-dukes was foolishly dangling him from. The same goes for Bassnectar, except I'm pretty sure his entire body is coated in an unstoppable magic energy field. After a lengthy production hiatus, the longhaired madman is back with "Now," the first cut from his forthcoming LP NVSB, and the tune plays in perfect form with a massive clusterfuck of rattlesnake snare riddims, oozy vocal breakdowns via Rye Rye, and enough wobble to give half of the country tinnitus.—David Garber (@DLGarber)Kim Brown - "Rubies, Riches & Crowns" [Permanent Vacation]
You know how you plan those perfect mornings that you rarely follow through on? It's like running six miles, writing a few haikius on the waterfront, not burning the bacon and dropping off your Mother's Day package (on time) finished with a toe spin and around-the-back hi-five with your neighbors golden retriever. For me it rarely, or never, happens—but this would be playing if it did.—Joel Fowler (@freemagic)BANKS - "Bedroom Wall" (CRNKN Remix) [Harvest]
"Bedroom Wall" is not a standout of BANKS oeuvre, but only because there are so many other tunes that are. Los Angeles-based CRNKN takes this wistful lover's wail from the boudoir to the warehouse where we can close our eyes and dance the heartbreak away with bass as our guide and our girl BANKS as our witness.
-Zel McCarthy (@zelmccarthy)
Have you ever listened to a song so perfect, so obviously made just for you that your muscles tense up when you hear it? That is the experience of "Want It" for me—this song goes straight to my gut. From the natural windy forest sounds and birds chirping that bring the listener into a different, more pleasant space, to the empowering lyrics and the literally perfect musical match of Kelela's futuristic R&B with Tink's Drake-esque singing-meets-rap style. I'm swelling with emotion just writing about it—Lauren Schwartzberg (@LaurSchwar)
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The last person on earth you'd think would be into experimental hip-hop—a middle-aged professor at Columbia University—once told me that Shabazz Palaces were her "gods." Which tells you everything you need to know about the Seattle-based collective's scene-defying allure. On this first cut off their forthcoming album (out in July), their linguistic virtuosity, militantly confident flow, and exotic weirdness are on full display. Academics and super-stoners alike are going to lap this up.—Michelle Lhooq (@michellelhooq)Diego Krause - "Unison Wax 01" [Unison Wax]
Between Italo Johnson's eighth release and this heater from Diego Krause, it's safe to say that this is a particularly strong week for jacking house tunes made by Berliners. This week, German producer and boss of the Beste Modus outpost inaugurated his new Unison Wax label with a three-track EP that is bursting with posi vibes, fluttering synth stabs, and hissing percussion. There's nothing like a solid batch of irresistible house DJ tools to welcome spring.—Elissa StolmanHade - "R A S H A D" [Melting Pot Music]
The underground is still reeling from the death of one of its heroes, footwork and juke pioneer DJ Rashad. There have been a handful of musical tributes to the late Chicago DJ and producer but few as poignant as Hade's "R A S H A D," which slides sound bytes from Rashad's lecture at Red Bull Music Academy Madrid into a creamy, weightless footwork jam that seems to hover in mid-air. RIP Rashad, Teklife forever.—Max Pearl (@maxpearl)Bassnectar featuring Rye Rye - "Now" [Amorphous Music]
Legend has it that Achilles was dipped in a magical puddle of goo that provided him with an impenetrable aurora, minus where his ma-dukes was foolishly dangling him from. The same goes for Bassnectar, except I'm pretty sure his entire body is coated in an unstoppable magic energy field. After a lengthy production hiatus, the longhaired madman is back with "Now," the first cut from his forthcoming LP NVSB, and the tune plays in perfect form with a massive clusterfuck of rattlesnake snare riddims, oozy vocal breakdowns via Rye Rye, and enough wobble to give half of the country tinnitus.—David Garber (@DLGarber)Kim Brown - "Rubies, Riches & Crowns" [Permanent Vacation]
You know how you plan those perfect mornings that you rarely follow through on? It's like running six miles, writing a few haikius on the waterfront, not burning the bacon and dropping off your Mother's Day package (on time) finished with a toe spin and around-the-back hi-five with your neighbors golden retriever. For me it rarely, or never, happens—but this would be playing if it did.—Joel Fowler (@freemagic)BANKS - "Bedroom Wall" (CRNKN Remix) [Harvest]
"Bedroom Wall" is not a standout of BANKS oeuvre, but only because there are so many other tunes that are. Los Angeles-based CRNKN takes this wistful lover's wail from the boudoir to the warehouse where we can close our eyes and dance the heartbreak away with bass as our guide and our girl BANKS as our witness.
-Zel McCarthy (@zelmccarthy)