The Kickdrums
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The Kickdrums
Already one of the most in demand producers in Hip Hop, 2013 is giving us a glimpse into the creative growth as a songwriter Alex Fitts (a.k.a The Kickdrums) has experienced since the band’s debut in 2011. His largely instrumental gem of an EP, Inspiration For Conversation, hit the interwebs earlier this month and a full-length album is in the works for later this year.
Inspiration For Conversation sits soundly on a sonic plane between the next level production of Flying Lotus or Clams Cassino and the playfully ethereal soundscape of The Shins. Fitts’ artistic eclecticism is one of the few positive offshoots of our generation’s inability to focus on one thing at a time. Get into it (and his back catalog) now before the full length alerts the entire world that Fitts is more than a hip hop producer.
On The Web: Website | Facebook | Twitter
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NK
A supergroup of sorts, NK features Ryan Hunter (Envy On The Coast) on vocals, Billy Rymer (Dillinger Escape Plan) behind the kit and Billy Sadis (The Rivalry) on bass. They just released their debut full length Nothing To Be Gained Here on Triple Crown Records and its pretty damn close to being a masterpiece.
Opening track “Confessional” is a perfect example of how diverse the album is. Sonically the track sounds like Dillinger making a hip hop beat, a sort of modern take on a track that might have come out of the old Non Phixion/Deftones collabos. Vocally, Hunter conjures Zach De La Rocha on the intro/refrains, his own signature sound on the verses and even a little bit of Scentless Apprentice-esque Kurt Cobain screeches on the outro.
From there the album continues to pleasantly surprise. From the laid back, almost Incubus sounding vibe of “Vacation Days” to the dirty funk bassline and organ of “Television”. This phrase gets thrown out there a lot, but there truly is a little something for everyone on this record.
On The Web: Website | Facebook
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Shone
Think a darker, modern version of the Talking Heads, or a more musically ‘out there’ take on MeWithoutYou. Shone is the brainchild of Brian Lane (Brand New) and Andrew Accardi (of the tragically slept on band Robbers). They made a brief splash at the start of the year with a cryptic social media campaign involving the accounts of Brand New, Thrice, Manchester Orchestra and other similar big name acts of that genre. The campaign also included painted birdhouses and hidden USB drives, digital marketers look into it.
Needless to say if this sort of attention to detail and creatively left-of-center thinking was applied to the album it would be something special. On the other hand, the combination of high profile bands speaking of it and the complete lack of knowledge regarding the band, even who was in it, could have led to the marketing around Heat Thing outshining the record itself.
Thankfully this was not the case. Heat Thing is progressive, it’s catchy and at points it’s downright weird. Challenge yourself and give it a listen.