Danny Brown has signed to Fool’s Gold Records and dropped a new video.
The Detroit rapper has released the video to the track Guitar Solo which comes from The Hybrid, his album of last year. We don’t really need to tell you why to watch this beyond the fact he has straightened hair and no front tooth. The beat is dope too.
Gwarn and watch it:
DANNY BROWN ‘Guitar Solo’ from Stedfast Media on Vimeo.
Mississippi’s finest, Big K.R.I.T. has released his eagerly awaited mixtape.
ReturnOf4Eva is a free download and features the likes of David Banner, Chamillionaire and even Ludacris and Bun B on a track together. Having stormed his way around the underground with previous releases, the rapper and producer had everyone clamouring for this one, so make sure you grab it by going here.
Have a taster with the video below, given two thumbs up by Crossfire’s Sleekly Lion:
Dallas’ A.Dd+ released their new album When Pigs Fly for free yesterday.
The Texans have put the entire album up on their bandcamp which gives you the option to grab it for nothing or else pay $12 and get the physical copy of the record including a poster and your hand numbered card. There are only 30 odd left so get involved before it’s too late!
If you want a quick introduction, click the video below, it’s a banger. And like they said, if you ain’t ridin’ with us, get yo’ ass on the busssssss.
Minnesota’s Soundset Festival announced their line up for 2011 yesterday and it’s a biggun.
Atmosphere take their usual slot as headliners and this year will be ably supported by Big Boi, De La Soul, the entire Doomtree crew, Dilated Peoples, Slaughterhouse, Brother Ali, Edan, Looptroop, Zion I, Blueprint, DJ Abilities, Exile and many more.
It’s been the highlight of the hip hop calendar for the past three years and is no doubt going to be the same this year. We should be there again so keep those eyes peeled for a review. Check out below for Wiz Khalifa killing it last year.
Rapper Pharoahe Monch will be playing London on April 8th.
The Simon Says MC is playing the Scala in King’s Cross and you can grab your tickets, which are sure to go fast, here. His new album W.A.R. is out now featuring Styles P, Jean Grae, Royce Da 5’9″ and The Wire’s Idris Elba.
In case you forgot what he’s all about, check the video below and do as the man says…
One of our favourite new[ish] producers around is Kito and she’s got a new EP coming out with vocalist Reija Lee on Diplo’s Mad Decent label.
The Sweet Talk EP will feature four tracks – Sweet Talk, Broken Hearts, On The Jam and This City – and is released next Tuesday, April 29th. You can check out previews of all four tracks below.
Kito’s gonna do big things this year and beyond, get involved.
After wowing crowds at the Troxy at the end of last year, Bonobo is back with a full live band to play two dates at Koko.
With Andreya Triana lending her unique vocals to proceedings and the brilliant Anchorsong [who we saw rock the stage opening for Prefuse 73 not long back] as support, it’s set to be a date to remember.
Playing on the 25th and 26th of April, tickets are available from here and here, with early bird tickets priced at £19.50, advance tickets at £24 and tickets on the door priced at £27. Get in quick or else you’ll miss out on what’s sure to be one hell of a show.
XOYO will host the single launch for UK hip hop kingpin Jehst on April 16th.
In addition to Billy Brimstone, the line-up will feature Anchorsong [for his EP launch], Kelpe, Lukid, Kutmah and man of the moment Ghostpoet in a line up that should satisfy all tastes.
Running from 9pm to 3am, tickets are priced at £16 on the door or £12 in advance from www.soundcrashmusic.com and is Over 18s only, so no kiddiewinkies! Get in the zone by reliving this banger from Jehst, it’s a favourite of ours here at Crossfire.
Anna Calvi
Anna Calvi
Domino Records
Bursting at the seams with passion, atmosphere, seduction and beauty, Anna Calvi’s debut is a velvet encased gem delivered straight from dimly lit backstreet burlesque clubs. Seductive guitar tones and surges of wild euphoria drift through ten sexually charged tracks.
In reality, the album was not made in such captivating circumstances as the sound suggests, but rather as a result of Anna locking herself in a basement in Fulham. The dark sophistication came not from her surroundings but from within an evocatively artistic brain.
Opener ‘Rider to the Sea’ is dripping with rich colour and guitars descending from the Hendrix school of instrumental love making. This flows effortlessly into ‘No More Words’, the first example of Anna’s ability to change the pace and slow a track right down to a serene minimalism, before angelic backing vocals proceed to lift you from your seat.
‘Desire’ builds into a hugely uplifting vocal, which oozes Patti Smith-esque presence as you hang on to her every word. Like the previous track, big fan and unofficial mentor Brian Eno provides backing vocals on ‘Suzanne and I’, a track awash wish dreamy guitar and haunting reverb.
Empty space plays a huge part in the feel of the album. Pockets of near silence give way to Anna’s soft vocals and when she belts it out there is a realisation, a notification that we are listening to a talent to behold. Just as the silence is important, Anna’s ambition to create an orchestral sound from just a guitar, drums and a harmonium, has really come to life on this record. Who needs an orchestra when you have a reverb pedal and a gut instinct for textured sound.
Carefully calculated sound effects and samples play wonderfully on the ears and give the record even more depth and poignancy. One of Anna’s biggest talents is her ability to convey the meaning of a song instrumentally, a trait no more evident than on the lyrically sparse ‘The Devil’ a fittingly morose ballad at the heart of the record.
Right at the death the musical wasteland of ‘Morning Light’ acts as a long intro to the album closer ‘Love Won’t Be Leaving’, five and a half minutes of intense heart pouring into a letter written to a lost love, a heart-wrenching end to an incredible album. Anna’s musical intelligence and sophistication mixed with seductive prowess is there for all to see in this powerful debut, it’ll leave you walking around Soho at midnight reflecting on lost love, either that or looking for a basement in Fulham.
Mark Beckett.
The Forum, London
18.03.11
Opening for Raekwon can never be easy. Let’s face it, everyone is there for the main man and whilst there were plenty of people in the venue, it wouldn’t have been a surprise to see the support acts find it difficult to get motivated infront of a crowd who only had the Wu member on their minds. However, as UK stalwart Verb T stepped to the stage with Fliptrix and Jam Baxter, along with their man behind the decks, DJ Madnice, the energy was top notch from the off. All three rappers gave their all, bouncing around, pumping fists and even bringing the crowd out of their slumber for some call and response – a sterling effort and proof the UK can still do it big.
Then it was time for the main event, though at almost 10.45, Rae had kept people waiting enough for his entrance. Still, all that yawning and feet aching was forgotten when C.R.E.A.M. blasted out over the speakers and the portly, beanie-clad MC appeared from the back to face his adoring fans. He ran through tracks from his recent albums, Cuban Linx 2 [Ten Bricks and House of Flying Daggers were stand-out] and his current release Shaolin v Wu Tang whilst interspersing with classic Wu Tang material, which, of course, got the biggest cheer from the crowd.
Slow to warm up, he was soon in his zone imploring the crowd to look after their mothers and grandmothers whilst telling his fans that he never thought he’d ever get the chance to play in London, let alone keep coming back and enjoying every second. In fact, he said, he was looking forward to going to the nearby Jamaican food spot because the owners love his big belly. A lot more charismatic than most people would think, the Chef then bigged up ODB and Nate Dogg before his DJ dropped a medley of classic old tracks that influenced him and Wu in the early days.
It wasn’t the greatest show ever, but clearly Raekwon is an MC to be admired and respected. Stopping a track after one verse was a bit tiresome but when you’ve got so many bangers, it’s hard to fit everything in. Overall, a good night was had and the amount of Ws in the air was testament to the popularity of the crew – Wu Tang never dies!
Abjekt.