Tag: mavi

Memo’s Monthly Favorites: February 2021

Hello everybody! Happy March! Even though February is the shortest month of the year, this past month was packed with a lot of great music. Especially in the singles department. I added more singles than usual in the honorable mentions, but I did leave two tracks. I did this because Daw has already written two great articles about them. I really recommend reading Daw’s articles on “Gang Signs” by Freddie Gibbs featuring ScHoolboy Q and “So.Incredible.pkg [Robert Glasper Version]” by Denzel Curry, Kenny Beats, Smino, and Robert Glasper. Those two tracks are amazing. Give it a listen. With that being said let’s dive into my monthly favorites.

Song Honorable Mentions:

Cakes Da Killer & Proper Villain – What’s The Word: Let’s start off with some straight-up fire. This hip-house track is very energetic. Cakes Da Killer is coming at you with these speedy flows. I really like how expressive he is when he delivers each bar. Proper Villain kills it on production. It has everything you want from a good hip-house beat. What’s not to love?

Big Freedia – Platinum: This song is by far one of the most fun and entertaining songs I have listened to this month. If it weren’t for the pandemic, I can totally see this song pumping people up at a club. I love how powerful and bold Big Freedia’s voice is. It pairs well with this fast-paced southern hip hop beat. I guarantee this song will have you on your feet, so if you want to have a mini dance party give this song a listen.

Genesis Owusu – Gold Chains: Genesis Owusu is probably my favorite discovery so far this year. This song was so close to becoming my favorite song of the month. This is mostly because of his singing. The chill lowkey production is great, but his voice is incredible. He doesn’t have a crazy singing performance, but everything he says sounds smooth as fuck. Especially when he is melodically rapping. This track is a must-listen.

Tkay Maidza – Kim (with Yung Baby Tate): After releasing my favorite EP of 2020, I became a giant fan of Tkay. So you better believe I am hyped for her upcoming EP. Especially after listening to “Kim”. That shit is crazy. This track is an aggressive, unapologetic, attitude-filled ride. Both Tkay Maidza and Yung Baby Tate sound so badass. They have amazing chemistry. I really love how this song references famous Kim’s including Kim Possible. I genuinely don’t know how someone can hate this song.

Noname – Rainforest: Noname is back with another impressive single. She just continues to amaze me. Her poetic lyricism is packed with a lot, and I mean a lot, of deep content. In the hoof alone she talks about depression, exploitive billionaires, and deforestation. “Because, because a rainforest cries, Everybody dies a little”, is one of my favorite lines I have heard all year. I can’t emphasize enough how well written this song is. Plus the jazzy calm instrumental makes for a perfect backdrop for this song. For crying out loud, NONAME DROP AN ALBUM! I NEED IT!

JID – Skegee: JID really did something special with this track. Like other JID tracks, he goes in a conscious direction. As always his lyrics are well written. What makes this song special in my opinion is what JID actually raps about. He shines a light on the Tuskegee experiments. Before this track, I didn’t know those disgusting and dehumanizing experiments actually happened. I appreciate JID for spreading more awareness to historical moments like these because I for sure did not learn about this in my public high school.

EP Honorable Mentions: 

MAVI – END OF THE EARTH: Although I am not absolutely in love with this EP, I do see its appeal. Mavi shows flashes of potential throughout this entire EP. On the first track, he is rapping with so much emotion. He truly sounds like he in a lot of pain. I love how Mavi raps when the trap drums come through on “METHODS”. His depressing lyricism is on point. I just hope he continues to improve and finds his own sound.

Luna Li – jams EP: There’s no clickbait here. This EP is filled with jams. In this 10 minute and 10 track EP, Luna Li soothes the listener with her talent. It’s crazy how Luna produced every single one of these lushes beats on her own. Every instrument played was done by her. The guitar, bass, violin, keys, and even the fucking harp were all her. What instrument can’t she play? If you want to relax I highly suggest putting this EP on.

Album Honorable Mention:

Luke Banter – Pucker Up: In this album, Luke provides several love-sick, yet upbeat pop tracks that are perfect for this past Valentine’s day. Luke does an impressive job at making catchy hooks. With tracks like “Nelly Bly”, “Pucker Up”, “Allergic”, and “Witchcraft” I can see the potential in what Luke is doing. This album is far from perfect. There are definitely several flaws and duds in the tracklist. With that said I am genuinely excited to see what Luke does moving forward.

Conway The Machine & Big Ghost Ltd – If It Bleeds It Can Be Killed: Man, Conway continues to amaze me. Conway has single-handedly turned me into a bigger Griselda fan. Don’t get me wrong Benny and Westside Gunn are cool, but Conway is on another level. Just like From King to a God, If It Bleeds It Can Be Killed differentiate himself from his contemporaries with his pen game. I absolutely love how badass Conway can be, but he can also be very vulnerable. Big Ghost Ltd kills it with the gritty production. Although this is not my favorite Conway album, I think this album is awesome. Don’t sleep on this album!

slowthai – TYRON: It was a tough choice putting TYRON on the honorable mentions list. Although this isn’t my favorite album of the month, so far this is definitely my favorite hip hop album of the year. Slowthai really impressed me with this album. The reason why I am a fan of slowthai is because of his aggressive bangers. In the first disc, we get those bangers, but the second disc is depressing and moody. Again I love those bangers, but slowthai really shined like he never has before on the second disc. Slowthai proves once again why he is one of the best rappers in the UK.

Favorite Song of The Month:

Kero Kero Bonito – The Princess and the Clock: As mentioned earlier, there were a lot of great singles released this month. It was honestly very hard to choose my favorite song of the month. I ended up picking this song because of how extravagant it is. This song sounds like an evolution of a track from Bonito Generation. It’s cute and upbeat, but they experiment a bit more on the production. This track has several different phases. It can be explosive and crazy, but then turn soothing in a blink of an eye. I am so hyped for the upcoming EP!

Favorite EP of the Month:

JPEGMAFIA – EP2!: In a short time span, JPEGMAFIA drops another installment of his EP series. Last year, he dropped an EP filled with entertaining experimental mostly rap songs. In this EP he is going into it with a different approach. This EP is darker. It is moodier. Peggy is a lot angrier than he was in EP!. Peggy has been angry in past projects, but he is usually rapping and shouting. In EP2!, he goes into a melodic approach. I wouldn’t even consider this rap. This is an angry experimental R&B project. Even though he is singing, his lyrics is still unapologetically cutthroat. I am not disappointed. 

Favorite Album of the Month:

Black Country, New Road – For the first time: I did not expect to like this album as much as I did. I consider myself a hip-hop fan. Although I do give other genres a chance, hip hop is my bread and butter. This experimental rock album is not something I usually would gravitate to, but I am in love with it. The biggest reason why is because of the production. This album has some of the best production I have listened to in a while. I also really love the dramatic singing performances throughout the album. This album has a lot of great qualities that help keep the listener’s attention. This is good because this album has a risky tracklist. It is only 6 songs with each song spanning from 5 to 10 minutes long. Black Country, New Road does an excellent job at keeping the listener engage even with a funky tracklist. If this album is just the beginning, then I can’t wait to see what they do next!

These are my monthly favorites! Let me know what you have been listening to!

Memo’s Monthly Favorites: November 2020

Hello everybody! Happy first day of December! We are one month away from 2020. HALLELUJAH!!! So I am back with another monthly favorites. November was kind of interesting because I was actually struggling with finding some good music. Luckily good music started rolling in around the halfway point. Let’s talk about some of that good music, starting with the honorable mentions.

Singles Honorable Mentions

Your Old Droog – Pravda: If you’re a fan of lyrical rap check out this posse cut. Your Old Droog got a combination of great underground artists and some legends on this joint. This track has Mach-Hommy, The God Fahim, El-P from Run The Jewels, and Black Thought from the Roots. There was no way this song was going to be bad with this insane line up. Each person has a great verse. I really like the beat as well. It is very chill and classy. Give this track a listen.v

MAVI – SMH: To be honest I am not the biggest MAVI fan, but this single really impressed me. My biggest complaint about MAVI’s music is that he doesn’t differentiate himself from his influences. He usually sounds a lot like Earl Sweatshirt or MIKE, but MAVI switches things up on “SMH”. He sounds very lively. His flows are insane. This man is just rapping his ass off on a soulful beat. I have always been a fan of the beats he raps over. I really hope MAVI can rap like this for an entire project. If he can, then that project will for sure be amazing.

Rina Sawayama – LUCID: So the day after Rina Sawayama got snubbed from a Grammy nomination, she decides to drop a single reminding everybody why she deserves a Grammy. This pop banger has a great danceable beat. I love the bouncy production. I think the lyrics are very cool. Rina lucid dreaming just to see her dream girl is pretty endearing. Although Rina didn’t show off her vocal prowess, her singing is always great. Rina seems to never disappoint. 

Album Honorable Mentions

Ligier Countach – Flying Cars: Indie Pong’s very own George Folz made a collaborative album with Sean Lunch called Flying Cars. This is Ligier Countach’s debut album and it’s honestly pretty good. I am a huge fan of aggressive sounding production. We get plenty of that on this album. This instrumental album is very trippy. I love how loud and abrasive each track is. I know that they are currently working on the next album, so I can’t wait to check it out. Go give this album some love. It is worth checking out!

Goodie Mob – Survival Kit: This album is for anybody who misses late 90’s/early 2000’s southern hip hop. It’s been a minute, but Goodie Mob is finally back. In this album, Goodie Mob reflects on America’s political climate at the moment. They rap about serious issues like racism, police brutality, and social injustice. Of course, they sound very mad on every track. The production has that classic southern hip hop feel. They even got Chuck D from Public Enemy and Outkast on the album. Well Andre 3000 and Big Boi are on different tracks, but at least they are on the same album. This all results in some amazing hip hop music. Don’t sleep on this album.

Kali Uchis – Sin Miedo (del Amor y Otros Demonios): This might not be my album of the month, but it is most certainly the sexiest album of the month. Hell, it might be the sexiest album of the year. Kali continues to prove how versatile she is by dropping her first mostly spanish album. On this album we not only get some of Kali’s best songs, but we also get to listen to some of her best singing in her career. I really like how diverse the track list is. You might get an alternative R&B song on one track and reggaetón on the next track. She is very talented. I honestly think I am falling in love. This is amazing!

Favorite Song of the Month

System Of A Down – Genocidal Humanoidz: I chose this song as my favorite song of the month mostly because of nostalgia. What can I say, I really love this band. I discovered their music after they broke up, so I never thought I would experience new SOAD music. Luckily that is not the case because they dropped two tracks in hopes to bring awareness to the horrible situation going on in Armenia. Even though I liked their other single, “Protect The Land”, I chose “Genocidal Humanoidz” because they deliver their message in an angrier way. This track sounds like a classic SOAD record. They didn’t lose their touch. If you miss SOAD as much as I have, go enjoy their new singles.

Favorite EP of the Month

JPEGMAFIA – EP!: JPEGMAFIA is one of my favorite experimental rappers at the moment. Peggy has been blessing us all year by dropping several singles. After dropping “LAST DANCE!”, which didn’t end up on the EP for some reason, on streaming services, he decided to turn these singles into a short EP. Each track has weird and kooky production. I really like how diverse each song is. There are some mellow tracks and there are also some aggressive cuts. He could be rapping his ass off on a track and singing his ass off on the next track. This EP is currently only on bandcamp, but every song is on every streaming service. Also, every track has a music video, so there is no excuse to not listen to this EP!

Favorite Album of the Month

Aesop Rock – Spirit World Field Guide: I have already reviewed this album on Indie Pong, so check out my article if you want a more thorough explanation on why I love this album. I will say this, there is a reason why people consider Aesop Rock as one of the best lyricists of all time. This album is lyrically dense. I love this album’s concept. I think especially in 2020 we all need a survival guide. Let me not forget to mention that the production off of this album is out of this world. This album has it all! Great album! I recommend it.

These are my monthly favorites! Let me know what you have been listening to!