DJ Amir Is Fighting for Detroit’s Musical Underdogs with Jazzanova
Jazzanova’s DJ Amir has fought for the musical underdog, and with the Strata Records catalog now readily available, Detroit soul and jazz are getting a glow-up.
Kyle Cochrun
Kyle Cochrun is a writer from Akron, Ohio.
Homeboy Sandman Stays Fly and Authentic on ‘There in Spirit’
Homeboy Sandman represents the hip-hop ethos with a sound that’s not in the contemporary mainstream but not a nostalgic throwback either. He’s pure hip-hop.
KPM Music Opens the Vault for the Crate Diggers Series and DJs and Producers Dig In
Damu the Fudgemunk, Deca, DJ Credit One, Jared Boxx, and EMI’s Peter Clarke take PopMatters along in their deep dig into KPM Music’s Crate Diggers series.
Dâm-Funk’s Endless Quest for the Perfect Groove
Using old-school analog tech, Dâm-Funk is using his unique ear for a deeply-felt funk groove to give us a hint at what dance music’s dirty future might be.
Nobody Loves You Like Chillwave’s Small Black
Chillwave pioneers Small Black return after an extended hiatus for Cheap Dreams‘ melancholic pop that you can still dance (or run) to and they tell us about it.
Clap Your Hands Say Yeah Confronts a Nation Full of Hesitation
Over a decade-and-a-half into his Clap Your Hands Say Yeah project, Alec Ounsworth has moved from lyrical surrealism to more direct messaging, with his new album tackling gun violence and a divided America.
Cut Copy Trade in Accessibility for Expansion on ‘Freeze, Melt’
On Freeze, Melt, Cut Copy trade in accessibility for expansion and make their pop a touch more cerebral by imbuing it with elements of IDM and ambient music.
Phil Elverum Sings His Memoir on ‘Microphones in 2020’
On his first studio album under the Microphones moniker since 2003, Phil Elverum shows he has been recording the same song since he was a teenager in the mid-1990s. Microphones in 2020 might be his apex as a songwriter.
Considering the Legacy of Deerhoof with Greg Saunier
Working in different cities, recording parts as MP3s, and stitching them together, Deerhoof once again show total disregard for the very concept of genre with their latest, Future Teenage Cave Artists.
Art Feynman Creates Refreshing Worldbeat Pop on ‘Half Price at 3:30’
On Half Price at 3:30, Art Feynman again proves himself adept at building colorful worlds from unexpected and well-placed aural flourishes.
Bring That Beat Back: A Course in Hip-Hop Sampling 101
In Bring That Beat Back, critic Nate Patrin argues that hip-hop is essentially a forward-looking evolution of black American music with a deep reverence for its predecessors.
Jade Hairpins’ Eclectic Indie Pop/Rock Delivers a Stellar Debut with ‘Harmony Avenue’
Jade Hairpins' Harmony Avenue exudes the free-spirited exuberance of a side project, jam-packed with ideas and vivid tone colors, and aimed for both the melodic and harmonic sweet tooth.