Category: Roundhouse Features

By Hazel Clementine

SpaceGhostPurrp has done it once again! If you’re not familiar with the underground experimental hip hop legend then you have a lot of catching up to do. Years worth of catching up- to be exact- and we suggest you start catching up by listening to his older works on YouTube. Although this album isn’t necessarily new, we wanted to bring to your attention that SpaceGhostPurrp has released a remastered classic.

The classic that he has so graciously remastered for our ears is ‘BLVCKLVND RVDIX 66.6’. Inspired by the Memphis rap sound of the 1990’s when rap group Three Six Mafia made this sound notorious in the hip hop game, SpaceGhostPurrp fused multiple beats and rhythms to create the work of genius work of art we are now listening to today. SpaceGhostPurrp orchestrated trap, phonk, memphis rap and experimental music to conceptualize ‘BLVCKLVND RVDIX 66.6’. If you still haven’t heard this album, I recommend you listen to it now to catch up on SpaceGhostPurrp and his classics which you can listen to on bandcamp or on spotify and youtube.

Get the album on Bandcamp HERE.

By Hazel Clementine

Time Rival is exciting new fans as he releases his new album ‘Reaction Vol. 1’. Rival is a beat maker, cross-genre electronic and experimental musician from the Chi Town suburbs. The new chemistry and physics based beat tape titled ‘Reaction Vol. 1’ is a very cutting-edge beat tape as it contains atmospheres of ambient, IDM and downtempo genres to add to the breathtaking instrumental hip hop beats. With very calming and tranquil tracks, Rival took from his meditation projects named ‘Inaction’ and combined it with his knowledge of chemical reactions.

The song titles are mostly about different types of reactions in the science field such as the song ‘Kinetics’ makes sense as the first song on the album as it is the branch of chemistry and studying the rates of reactions. ‘Colorimetry’ is about measurements of colors and how it is used to quantify & describe physically the human color perception. If you happen to love instrumental beats and beat tapes then be sure to check out this new album because not only is it soothing and relaxing, it’s also very informative and educational if you happen to look beyond the beats of the songs and really get behind the meanings and definitions. Be sure to check this album out on Bandcamp today!

Support Time Rival directly on Bandcamp HERE.

By Todd Anderson

Lagos-born, LA-based artist Marllie has dropped off a fresh visual for his song “Lifestyle”, featuring Kaylo. Marllie’s love for music stretches all the way back to when he was 12 years old, when he would rap on gospel songs. Growing up in both Lagos and Los Angeles, Marllie’s music is influenced by an international background, as he engagingly blends influences from hip-hop, Afropop, highlife, and alternative R&B into an idiosyncratic cocktail of sounds. His latest offering, “Lifestyle”, continues his streak of dynamic, versatile tracks with a sleek, stylish melodious joint paired with a refreshing visual shot in Los Angeles.

“Lifestyle” opens with expansive, warm guitar strumming laid atop bouncy, infectious percussion, as Marllie himself shines as a vocalist with sleek, silvery vocal lines that split the line between hip-hop and R&B, followed up by Kaylo’s engaging baritone vocals. The video enhances the song’s balmy, laid-back energy, with charismatic performances set to a California beachside dusk- an apt backdrop for the track’s emanating warmth.

Watch the video for “Lifestyle” here:

Connect with Marllie: Spotify | Instagram | Twitter

Waterr and BhramaBull have shared a new single, titled “Shop A Deal”. Following up a prolific streak of recent work from both artists respectively, “Shop A Deal” presents a cohesive, engaging collaboration between emcee Waterr and producer BhramaBull that demonstrates their signature raw, gritty sounds.

Atop crunchy, sturdy percussion, rich bass, and winding, nocturnal flutes laid by BhramaBull, Waterr delivers cutting, focused verses that suit the subtly menacing feel of the instrumentation. The darkly jazzy soundscape on “Shop A Deal” conjures smoky sonics, paired with the laid-back yet assured, grimy flows of Waterr for a potent listen.

Take a listen to “Shop A Deal” here:

By Hazel Clementine

Tis’ the season to be filled with cozy head-nodding christmas joints by the legendary producer and beat maker himself, Funky DL. Hailing from East London, Funky DL has worked with countless musicians such as teaming up with legendary Japanese producer Nujabes. Not only can Funky DL make fire beats- but he can also rap. Some amazing albums you should check out, where he not only makes the beats but also shows his lyricism skills are: ‘Funky DL – The Ultimate Collection’, Blackcurrent Jazz Instrumentals and an instrumental album titled ‘Nights In Nippon’.

Aside from his older projects, this new album is warm, cozy and full of holiday cheer. Funky DL wanted this album to be more about the music and emotions connected to Christmas instead of the materialistic meanings that a lot of people care about during the holiday season.

Funky DL successfully managed to turn classic Christmas music into joyous, soulful and memorable beats that you can play and enjoy with family, friends and loved ones. To listen to this album, check it out on YouTube as he has special visuals for this album! Or you can jam to this on Bandcamp, Spotify and Apple Music.

Support Funky DL directly on his Bandcamp HERE.

By Hazel Clementine

When you pair mind-expanding production with potent, rich lyricism what are you bound to get? Smoke DZA and Flying Lotus‘ collaboration EP ‘Flying Objects’. With this being Flying Lotus’ first release since 2021, he’s sure made himself a comeback after two years, with an electrifying new project that tantalizes with each track alongside DZA. This EP seems to echo elements of some of his throwback collaborative work, in particular his Declaime joint EP ‘Whole Wide World’.

‘Flying Objects’ contains a few EP features such as Conway The Machine, Black Thought and Estelle- with each track organically echoing the afrofuturistic spacey beats that are Flying Lotus’s signature sound. The track “Painted Houses” truly delivers, as the rhythmic flows of Smoke DZA and Conway the Machine gave us those underground grimey, raw sonics. Smoke DZA shines on track “Harlem World 97” giving an old school 00’s hip hop type of vibe while Estelle sings the chorus so beautifully to the melody of the song. Check out this dazzling, spacey new EP below now.

By Hazel Clementine

Beautiful notes of spoken word, slow jams with sultry and soulful voices- these are all the hallmarks of Ta-ku‘s latest record Songs To Come Home To. The first two projects he released as part of his ‘Songs To’ series were engaging, vibrant beat tapes- whereas ‘Songs To Come Home To’ is a infectious R&B album with more vocals included alongside eloquent lyrics. Some of the standout songs on Songs To Come Home To ranged from upbeat and fun, to passionate and romantic, interwoven with eclectic songwriting that makes them all the more memorable.

The best upbeat tracks were ‘HARD2SAY’ and ‘HOPES & DREAMS’. Listening to these electrifying tracks made you want to dance and made you want to have the best time of your life. They’re stylistically similar to throwback SOULECTION future R&B sounding songs that are upbeat but still very groovy. More of the downtempo tracks like ‘SMILE’, ‘KNOW ME’ and ‘THINKING OF YOU’ cascades warm, stirring emotions across detailed instrumentation. It’s ‘HARD2SAY’ which tracks were our favorites because they were beautiful and likeable in every way. Songs To Come Home To makes you do just that while you listen- you yearn for that special someone to come home to.

Go to Ta-ku’s Bandcamp to support directly HERE.

Give Songs To Come Home To a listen here now.