Fans of avant-garde music have had much to celebrate recently in Detroit, with the continued success of collectives like New Music Detroit and their annual Strange Beautiful Music marathon, MOCAD’s and Trinosophes’ diverse sonic programming, and the announcement of the first Trip Metal Fest, which will offer a left-field alternative to Memorial Day weekend’s…
In the 28th and latest installation of Third Man Records’ Vault series, label boss and Detroit native Jack White has released Live in Idaho, a double LP of solo, White Stripes, and Raconteurs songs he recorded in Boise, Idaho, as part of his first-ever all-acoustic tour. The box set also includes Live in…
In the universe of Detroit hip-hop, the orbit of Slum Village swings wide. Made up in its prime of the late producer J Dilla and the heavy-hitting rappers Baatin (d. 2009) and T3, this incarnation of the group released two albums — Fan-Tas-Tic, Vol. 1 (1996) and Fantastic, Vol. 2 (2000) — to broad…
Like the ’80s starlets of yore through a broken looking glass, Valley Hush’s first single “Iris” from their upcoming debut full-length is a synth-heavy roller coaster. Producer/multi-instrumentalist Alex Kaye and singer/lyricist/percussionist Lianna Vanicelli released a teaser for the song last week with visuals from artists Clinton Sinder & Tony Katai. The group puts it…
Detroit’s Cadillac Square is about to get musical. As part of a Montreal-based design firm’s traveling installation, Detroit will welcome the arrival of a “musical swing set” that allows users to create music as they swing. The 10-swing set creates real instrument sounds (such as guitar, piano, and mallet instruments) with different notes, which can…
Rapidly adding to his already immense collection of original material, Detroit techno pioneer Jeff Mills has recently announced an audiophile offshoot of his own label Axis Records. The project is called the Axis Audiophile Series, which will be “mastered for high-fidelity sounds” and specifically cut to 180 gram virgin vinyl at 32-bit/48kHz. The…
Though it may not feel like it, spring is upon us, and what better way to celebrate than with a hot new mixtape from Dej Loaf? Luckily for listeners everywhere, this week on Instagram the rapper announced All Jokes Aside, which is expected to drop on April 6. [UPDATE: The mixtape has been released and is…
Approaching the highly anticipated release of J Dilla’s The Diary on April 15, the track “Gangsta Boogie” dropped this week on Dr. Dre’s weekly Beats 1 radio program, The Pharmacy. The track not only features verses from Jay Dee himself, but also guest spots from Snoop Dogg and Kokane. “Gangsta Boogie” welcomes you to…
Sure to make his musical mark on the world with multiple impending releases, Detroit hip-hop icon Royce 5″9″ (formerly Royce da 5’9″) recently dropped a new mixtape on March 29 entitled Tabernacle: Trust the Shooter. The free tape comprises twelve tracks with lyrical features from Conway, Styles P, Smoke DZA, and more. Royce…
Chicago-based band Zaramela combine jazz, funk, and rock for a sound that’s as innovative as it is technically proficient. Their newly released track, “Sober Up,” gets a healthy dose of soul from Detroit-born Eryn Allen Kane, and the results are vibrant, to say the least. “Sober Up” is lush and dynamic, prominently featuring…