Tagged: headphone music

Nice In The Headphones: Whispers In The Dark – Supreme Cuts

I wanted to break this post up into two separate parts. Part I being about the album, Part II about finally getting to see these guys live:

Part I:   Ever since hearing Supreme Cuts‘ Trouble EP about a year ago I’ve been completely infatuated with the sounds this Chicago duo creates. This music encompasses nearly every type of music that I am strongly passionate about at this point in my (career? as a music fan) life and their lush dark, moving, atmospheric and grooving sounds evoke such strong emotions that I absolutely had to include this album in our Nice In The Headphones category.

Listening to this album is a full on sonically emotional experience. It’s like someone took Carl Sagan, Pink Floyd, The Flaming Lips (97-06 mostly), Ray Lynch, the essence of Chicago house music and hip hop/r&b and shot them all into the depths of space on a rocket ship together. Beats, bass, atmosphere, melody, space…It’s like a damn journey!

I’m still a huge fan of listening to albums in full and this is one of those pieces of art that needs to be listened to all the way through, with full attention.

Part II:   Just a few weeks ago I got the honor of finally catching Supreme Cuts live. I hadn’t heard much about their live shows but from being such a big supporter I was just excited to hear and see them chop it up in a live setting. On the evening of the official release of Whispers In The Dark the duo made a trip to Brooklyn NY’s Glasslands Gallery. Joining them were NYC’s Hot Sugar, Chicago’s Sich Mang, and Brookyln/Barbados rapper Haleek Maul (who performed with Sup Cuts on the second half of their set AND ABSOLUTELY KILLED IT) The whole night was awesome all around and Supreme Cuts did not disappoint. The sound system at Glasslands was TURNT UP exactly the way it should be to listen to this group. They sounded just as good as their recordings do and I was extremely satisfied that they can pull it off in a live setting.

I know since the release of Whispers, the duo has been catching a lot more hype and attention and me saying “I’m proud” doesn’t really amount to much but I definitely am, and am also EXTREMELY excited to what the future holds for these guys.  *Look out, August 28th is the release date for their mixtape Chrome Lips with Haleek Maul.*

Check out a few pictures from the show, as well as their dope as glow in the dark vinyl that you can buy HERE.

Supreme Cuts

Haleek Maul + Supreme Cuts

It wouldn’t be right to leave without giving you some jams. Check out two tracks from Whispers in the Dark and the first single from Chrome Lips:

E2 – Supreme Cuts

Epitome - Supreme Cuts

The Dummy (ft. Deniro Ferrar) - Supreme Cuts & Haleek Maul

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Nice In The Headphones: Shrines – Purity Ring

I’m a bit disappointed in myself that I didn’t write about this album right when I fell in love with it about 2 and a half or so weeks ago. Because the G’s over at Pitchfork already beat me to it and donned the album with their “Best New Music” honors. Anyway, I give it the bFunk stamp of approval, which in several underground foreign mystic hipster cult exclusive nonexistent fake inner circles means GALAXIES beyond “Best New Music.”

Honestly though, this album is fantastic and although I know Lindsey has written about them a bit before, for the life of me I had no idea this was Purity Ring‘s first full album. It’s pretty gorgeous and sonically tantalizing. To quote a line or two from the Pitchfork review, the album as a whole really contains: “subtly different versions of a single, near-perfect idea” (Richardson; July 24, 2012). It’s quite a concept album in its overall style and sound; and it works extremely well. Megan James’  beautiful vocals over Corin Roddick’s production are an excellent pairing and well, I like it and felt the need to share.

Throw this album on and get immersed in some wonderful headphone tunes. OR I also feel this would sound fantastic on a BIG sound system.  Take your pick.

Obedear – Purity Ring

Fineshrine – Purity Ring

Nice In The Headphones: XXYYXX

XXYYXX is the name of Orlando, FL’s 16 year old producer, Marcel Everett. Marcel works out of his bedroom creating harmonious music that provokes emotion and transmits vivid images of peace and still sadness.

1. Dude is 16!!!

2. He makes extremely tight, emotion provoking, spacey, post-dub, deep bass, clicky clackey, tss tss, wobbly, fuzzy/clean, quiet bangin’, electronic music (think Burial, The-Drum, Super Cuts-esque).

3. This album is great, seriously. You can really get lost in it.

4. Just put on some headphones and zone.

Here’s a little take away: Breeze – XXYYXX

Listen to and grab the rest below!

Bonus: Diplo produced Climax by Usher XXYYXX remix !

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Rainbow Chan – “Sweet Tooth” (Guerre Remix)

This makes my head feel all wonky (in a good way).

Rainbow Chan – Sweet Tooth (Guerre Remix)

Gurre‘s got some sensual tracks of his own: Guerre “Care 4 Me”

Rainbow Chan, also has some cutsey little tracks by  herself as well. Check out this video of her cover of The Cardigans classic “Lovefool”

Nice In The Headphones: Oliver Tank “Dreams”

I have been completely floored by this EP. It’s fucking beautiful. I even cried a little (no lie).

This gem popped up in my inbox via Melbourne Australia’s Yes Please Records and I went on over and checked it out. As I said, I was floored. From start to finish, each song pulls you right in. Immediately I was engulfed by the the beautiful melodies and textures, the little nuances, the drum sounds, and vocal pans. At parts very minimal and stripped down, but so much attention to production detail. And the lyrics. Oh God. Stab me in the heart!!! Listening to this album is an extremely emotional and engrossing experience.

It’s nice in the headphones, not only because it sounds so beautiful but because listening to it as a whole feels extremely personal (and headphones are personal). Like you are alone, reading a letter that Oliver Tank wrote to you.

Give it a listen, and feel some feelings.

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Nice In The Headphones: Kodak To Graph “Visio’l EP”

Ughhh! Kodak To Graph’s ”Visio’l EP” sounds so damn rich and symphonic and touching and emotional and beautiful.

It’s like you’re in a cold stone church and angels are descending upon you from the heavens in the midst of warm rays of sunlight (what did I just say?).

Please for your own good, put on some headphones, preview a couple tracks below and then download the whole EP right here. 

Zagroz – Kodak To Graph

Express/Cause – Kodak To Graph

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Nice In The Headphones: Krusht “Back to the Forest EP”

Let me introduce to you our newly curated  “Nice in the Headphones” posting!

The idea is pretty simple. I really love all types of music, good sounding recordings and lo-fi crappy sounding recordings alike, but I am definitely a big fan of overall great sounding and well produced music. I don’t have the best set of ears but sometimes there are certain albums, songs, and artists that just deserve a detailed and focused listen. Many producers spend painstaking, countless hours perfecting the sounds and nuances of their music and a lot of the time we don’t really get a chance to hear things the “way they were meant to be heard”. So, I’m introducing this idea (which I’m finally getting to).

Throw on a pair of decent headphones. Go somewhere relatively quiet. Cue up the first song of the album and press Play.

(Headphones + Album + Play)

This spanking new Krusht album that just dropped on the 13th is a nice way to start things off. It sounds fantastic, warm, organic and smooth and just makes my ears feel all nice.

Enjoy.