Tom Leighton, a superb photographer out of London, U.K, has presented an excellent series in which he explores and brings the beautiful, eye-pleasing architecture of the modern London to its minimalist features.
Find more work by Tom Leighton here.
Album Review: Logic, ‘No Pressure’
When Logic announced his retirement, it was hard not to be at least a little bit sceptical – rappers make these sort of statements all the time only to make a grand comeback just a few years later. But the Maryland rapper sounded both serious and determined: having recently become a dad, he wanted to focus on spending time with his family. Of course, he also struck a seven-figure deal with streaming platform Twitch, where he will be streaming a set amount of hours per week. “I’m not this rapper guy, man,” he said in an interview. “I’m just a nerd. I love video games.”
For anyone who’s been following Logic’s trajectory, this statement doesn’t necessarily come as a surprise. Though most would rather forget it, it was only last year that he put out an entire album of alternative rock songs that were both painfully derivative and completely forgettable. Its follow-up, Confessions of a Dangerous Mind, was another stylistic pivot that didn’t quite pan out. But there’s no denying that Logic – aka Sir Robert Bryson Hall II – loves rap; he proves as much on this album, titled No Pressure and billed as a spiritual successor to his great full-length debut Under Pressure, which is filled to the brim with well-placed nods and tributes to a number of hip-hop artists. Even as far back as 2014, when that album was released, he found himself wrestling with the same kinds of questions: “Do you really wanna be famous?/ Do you really wanna be a superstar?” he asked himself on ‘Buried Alive’.
The way Logic conflates the rap game with rap as an art-form on No Pressure can be seen as somewhat odd; worse still is the veiled implication that there’s no space in hip-hop for fathers or for nerds who love video games. But it doesn’t take much digging to realize these criticisms don’t really hold ground, as Logic convincingly unpacks the effects fame has had on his mental health. Sure, you can’t help but roll your eyes a little when he delivers platitudes like “money don’t complete us” or “money ain’t the key to happiness” considering how much of it he’ll still be making, but when he centers his focus less on the entertainment industry as a whole than on his own mental state, his tone is unmistakably sincere. “Been addicted to money, been addicted to fame/ Addicted to arenas and people screamin’ my name/ But it’s time to let go, it’s time to make a change,” he raps on the hard-hitting ‘Hit My Line’.
But perhaps the most poignant aspect of Logic’s self-reflective lyrics is the way they reveal how fame has affected his creative process: “Nowadays it’s hard to get in the zone/ Writin’ rhymes was easy before the fame/ Now I’m constantly overthinkin’ every line, it’s a shame/ Rap used to fill me with joy, now it’s nothin’ but pain,” he admits on ‘Dark Place’. He sounds genuinely broken, and at this point, you can no longer doubt he’s made the right decision. And yet it’s hard not to point out that despite those insecurities, his flows haven’t been this consistently good in years; same goes for the album’s songwriting and vibrant production. Aided by legendary producer and previous collaborator No I.D., the songs here are infused with the kind of old-school, boom-bap influenced sound that makes them stand out more than any of his trap-inflected efforts.
While the production on No Pressure is far from original, it manages to execute these sounds so well and with such an infectious appreciation for the genre that it doesn’t really matter. Thalia, a fictional character/ computer program dating back to Logic’s The Incredible True Story, makes a return here, and while her references to influences such as Kanye West and MF Doom are pretty redundant at this point, the way Logic tips his hat to other rappers throughout is part of what makes the album so entertaining; from his nod to Erykah Badu on ‘GP4’ to his interpolation of Outkast’s ‘Elevators (Me & You)’ on the very same track or Kanye West’s ‘Heard Them Say’ later in the tracklisting, making for some of its most memorable highlights.
Clocking in at nearly an hour, No Pressure is probably going to be too long for most listeners, but the abundance of Easter Eggs and callbacks to his earlier work renders it the perfect yet bittersweet goodbye for longtime fans. There’s not much of a concept tying things together here, either, but this is also one of the album’s charms; Logic treads through a wide range of topics, his demeanour laid-back and relaxed. The title’s no coincidence – with a lot of that weight off his chest, he sounds comfortable doing just what he does best. “I remember makin’ music alone, just a pen and a microphone,” he reminisces on ‘Dark Place’. If Logic does ever make a comeback, one can only hope that his approach is as back-to-basics as this album, and as untroubled by what the world thinks of him. If it’s half as fun as him rapping about making sure his son eats his greens on ‘DadBod’, it’ll be well worth the suspense. No pressure, though.
Watch Lana Del Rey Recite Her New Poem ‘Salamander’
Earlier this week, Lana Del Rey released her new spoken word album Violet Bent Backwards Over the Grass. Featuring music from producer Jack Antonoff, it serves as the audiobook version of her poetry collection of the same name, which is available for purchase through Google Play and Audible. She previously shared sample track from the album (which is not available on streaming services), and has now posted a vintage-looking, low-quality video of her reciting the poem ‘Salamander’ in her backyard, filmed by her brother Charlie Grant. Check it out below.
“I love you, but you don’t understand me, I’m a real poet!” the poem goes. “My life is my poetry, my love making is my legacy!/ My thoughts are about nothing, and beautiful, and for free.”
First announced back in December, the album is one of two spoken word poetry projects the singer is planning to release this year, the second of which is titled behind the iron gates – insights from an institution and has no release date as of yet. del Rey reportedly also has another LP in store, titled White Hot Forever and scheduled for release on September 5th.
— Lana Del Rey (@LanaDelRey) August 1, 2020
Lil Uzi Vert and Future Join Forces on New Songs ‘Over Your Head’ and ‘Patek’
Lil Uzi Vert and Future have shared a pair of new singles, ‘Over Your Head’ and ‘Patek’ (not to be confused with Uzi’s 2018 song ‘New Patek’). Listen to both songs below.
The two rappers first teased their latest collaboration on July 21 by posting a video directed by Hype Williams on social media – 10 days later, it was looking like the new songs might not actually drop, but the pair finally came through, releasing both tracks under the title Pluto X Baby Pluto.
The pair’s last collaboration was ‘All Bad’, a cut from Future’s latest album High Off Life, following ‘Wassup’ from the deluxe edition of Uzi’s Eternal Atake called LUV vs. The World 2. Both rappers have dropped new albums in 2020: Lil Uzi Vert’s Eternal Atake was released in March, while Future’s High Off Life dropped in May.
Artist Spotlight: The Unfit
We don’t usually cover a lot of punk rock on this segment, but this changes today – The Unfit’s ferocious, no-frills approach to the genre, infused with just the right amount of indie and noise rock influences, makes for the perfect antidote to today’s turbulent climate. The band – consisting of Seattle musicians and old high school friends Jake Knuth, Michael Lee, T.J. Johnson, and Tyler Johnson – formed all the way back in 2012, posting scattered tracks online and playing sparse shows here and there. Eight years later, they’ve finally come through with their self-titled debut via Share it Music, and it’s nothing short of thrilling: ‘Caged Rats and Hamster Wheels’ kicks things off with a propulsive rhythm and riotous energy that never quite fades throughout the album, while the anthemic ‘No Culture’ boasts a classic-sounding, 90s-inspired pop punk riff juxtaposed with Jake’s unfettered delivery. The frenzied ‘The Living’ opens up about mental health with unrelenting detail: “They’re always talking/ They’re always judging/ You can’t escape it/ You’re just a loser/ A social failure,” he sings, encapsulating the whole ethos of the band in a fearlessly honest way. “But you remember/ That you’re alive,” he hollers as every instrument bursts alongside him. It’s that sense of catharsis, of raging against the worst that life has to throw at you and proclaiming your own humanity, that makes the Unfit stand out.
We caught up with Jake and T.J. of the Unfit for this edition of our Artist Spotlight series, where we showcase up-and-coming artists and give them a chance to talk about their music.
How did you form the Unfit?
Jake: I met TJ and Tyler in high school when the band that Michael and I were in played a battle of the bands with their punk band. We became friends and later all lived together where we played music pretty much every day. So, about eight years ago or so when I was feeling the need to start a new thing, it made sense to ask these guys if they wanted to join. It was just for fun. It was a means to vent.
What was the inspiration for the band’s name?
Jake: It was the idea that if being the best adapted to survive in the world is to be dishonest, selfish, shameless, and cutthroat, then I’m ok with being unfit.
Are there any influences outside the world of punk that inform your music?
TJ: Family and life. Music-wise anything with raw energy.
Jake: Outside of the world of punk, I guess I would say a lot of alternative music of the 90s influenced me as a kid, and that probably comes through. Collectively our interests are all over the map.
Was there a specific moment where you decided you were going to record a debut album?
TJ: Jake just wanted to record and didn’t know how it would turn out. It turned out pretty good so we kept it going.
Jake: For me that moment was when Cayle (from the label Share It Music) asked me last year if we wanted to do a release. He had a collection of songs that we had shared with friends years ago and was interested in releasing something. We had basically moved on from the idea of making and selling a record, but Share It seemed like a great fit, since Cayle has a relatively easy-going, charity-driven operation.
What were some of the ideas that went into the making of the album?
TJ: The challenges of not being exactly what the world wants you to be and how that fits into existing in it.
Jake: We’ve always intended to keep everything fairly simple, raw, and to the point. Nothing that felt like we were trying too hard. As far as the ideas behind the lyrics, there are some common themes and ideas, but it’s always about catharsis. This whole thing is about catharsis for me.
What was the recording process like?
TJ: Fast. Just a few takes and some were the first one.
Jake: The album is a mix of old and newer tracks recorded over the years when we could squeeze recording time in with our friend Geoff Ott. We tracked almost everything live. Some songs required some fixing, overdubbing, and all that, but a lot of the songs are essentially one live take. And several of the mixes were done the same day as recording.
What’s next for the Unfit?
Jake: No idea. Really.
TJ: Hopefully play shows again one day.
Listen to Hinds Cover The Clash’s Classic ‘Spanish Bombs’
Spanish indie rock outfit Hinds have covered The Clash’s classic tune, ‘Spanish Bombs’. Check it out below.
Writing about the band’s decision to record their own rendition of the song, Hinds’ Carlotta Cosials said: “We’ve always loved doing covers. Maybe ’cause it’s the way we started, or maybe because there are so many good songs in the world already that we wish we had written! And we really enjoy hindsifying them heheh.”
She added: “The Clash were my mom’s forever favourite band and ade’s parents also, so it is always beautiful to connect generations through music. As spaniards, we don’t usually get shout outs in songs, like “new york” or “london”, so the clash writing a song about our civil war made us feel honoured. We recorded it the last day of studio, pretty much live, while recording our third album.”
The cover follows the release of the Hinds’ third album, The Prettiest Curse, which dropped back in June. Last month, the band shared the music video for single ‘Burn’.
Spotify CEO: “You Can’t Record Music Every Three Or Four Years And Think That’s Going To Be Enough”
In a recent interview with Music Ally published on Thursday, Spotify CEO Daniel Ek discussed the platform’s economic model, addressing criticisms that artists aren’t receiving enough from streaming by saying that it’s “not enough” for them to release music “every three to four years.”
“Some artists that used to do well in the past may not do well in this future landscape,” Ek said, “where you can’t record music once every three to four years and think that’s going to be enough.” He argued that there is a “narrative fallacy” surrounding the platform and that it is the artists who need to adapt to this new environment by facilitating “continued engagement” with their fans. “It is about putting the work in, about the storytelling around the album, and about keeping a continuous dialogue with your fans,” he said.
As Spotify’s stock value continues to grow, its algorithm, which pays artists based on how many times a song is being streamed compared to the platform’s most popular tracks, has long been the subject of criticism from independent artists. But Ek said artists expressing unhappiness with the way the platform distributes royalties represent a small minority. “It’s quite interesting that while the overall pie is growing, and more and more people can partake in that pie, we tend to focus on a very limited set of artists,” he said. “Even today on our marketplace, there’s literally millions and millions of artists. What tends to be reported are the people that are unhappy.”
He added: “In private they have done that many times, but in public they have no incentive to do it. But unequivocally, from the data, there are more and more artists that are able to live off streaming income in itself.”
A number of artists have taken to social media to respond to Ek’s controversial comments. “it is extremely clear that Spotify billionaire daniel ek has never made music, or art of any kind for that matter,” Zola Jesus wrote. “he refuses to understand there’s a difference between commodities and art. the potential for cultural growth will suffer because of it.”
Robert Plant Shares Previously Unreleased Track ‘Charlie Patton Highway (Turn it Up, Pt. 1)’
Robert Plant has released a previously unreleased track called ‘Charlie Patton Highway (Turn it Up, Pt. 1)’. It’s taken from his upcoming career-spanning anthology Digging Deep: Subterranean, in celebration of the third season of his Digging Deep With Robert Plant podcast and set for release on October 2nd via Es Paranza. Check it out below.
“I spent time in the hill country of north Mississippi around Como, dropping back to Clarksdale, the incredible center of black music talent over the years,” Plant said about the track in a statement. “I weaved my car through the Delta back roads, listening to the remarkable protestations of Mississippi AM radio. I was looking at my world and my times from this unfamiliar place and found myself exposed to a nightmare world of half-truths.”
‘Charlie Patton Highway (Turn it Up, Pt. 1)’ is one of three previously unreleased tracks to appear on the two-disc, 30-track anthology, which features contributions from Patty Griffin, Jimmy Page, Buddy Miller, Phil Collins, Nigel Kennedy, Richard Thompson, and others. The other two are a cover of New Orleans musician Toussaint McCall’s ‘Nothing Takes the Place of You’ and the Patty Griffin collaboration ‘Too Much Alike’.
The Notwist Return with New Song ‘Ship’ Featuring Saya
German indie band The Notwist have returned with their first new song in six years titled ‘Ship’. The track features vocals from Saya, singer of the Japanese band Tenniscoats. Check it out below.
Speaking of the new track, singer Markus Acher explained in a statement: “Just like Saya is saying in the lyrics: ‘I want to go outside, I want to meet people,’ ‘Ship’ is another chapter in what The Notwist always tries to do: redefining itself, exploring something new, integrating different styles of music and collaborating with musicians they admire.”
‘Ship’ will be part of an upcoming EP of the same name, set to drop this August via German label Morr Music. The Notwist are also reportedly working on a new full-length release, which would be their first since their 2014 comeback album Close To The Glass.
Flying Lotus Unveils New Video for ‘Remind U’
Flying Lotus has unveiled a new video for for his song ‘Remind U’, taken from his album Flamagra (Instrumentals). The psychedelic, motion graphics-animated video was directed by Winston Hacking, who also directed a previous visual from the album, ‘Post Requisite’. Check it out below.
The clip is described by a press release as a “stream of consciousness video collage” featuring a “deconstructed, yellow submarine”. Hacking added that the video aims to “recreate the perspective of a curious child”, creating a world “ugly and chaotic but, simultaneously, beautiful and hopeful”.
FlyLo released Flamagra in May of last year, featuring contributions from Solange, Denzel Curry, Thundercat, George Clinton, Little Dragon, and more. The instrumental version of the album dropped a year later.
