Category: Roundhouse Features

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Blog Roundhouse Features

Mndsgn ate with no crumbs left on new album ‘Snaxxx’

By Hazel Clementine

Are you hungry looking for snaxxxs? Well look no further because prolific musician Mndsgn is serving delicious snaxxxs and they don’t disappoint. Mndsgn is back once again with a brand new album titled ‘Snaxxx’, which demonstrates his signature jazzy, detail-rich sound. From the very moment ‘YUM.ME’ starts, you know from the jump it’s going to be an album that takes you through dozens of pleasurable, vivid memories and experiences.

With album features from the likes of Liv.e, Devin Morrison and Anna Wise, it’s promised to bring back that classic silky rnb and jazz feel. Smooth, romantic beats with serenading vocals and organic, laid-back percussion Mndsgn made it feel like a late night quiet storm segment on a radio station. The sensual tracks ‘Midnitesnaq’ and ‘LUV MIRAGE’ felt as if you were listening to a Sade or Norman Brown song, with a lo-fi hip-hop twist.

Putting this album on repeat is an excellent choice, because whenever you listen to the album you’re guaranteed to hear different sounds, instruments and things you might have missed the first time. It’s expected that this album will make you want to fall in love for the first time (or fall in love over again) while you’re listening. Don’t miss out on this masterpiece from Mndsgn! Listen now on all streaming services or as always, support the artist directly by purchasing from their Bandcamp HERE.

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Stro Elliot shares electrifying new single “Monday’s Generation”

By Hazel Clementine

Musician, producer & DJ Stro Elliot has returned with a new single called “Monday’s Generation”, released ahead of his fourth album La Villa. Elliot is a founding member of The Procussions, an underground group that, prior to the release of their 2003 full-length debut, relocated from their native Colorado Springs to Los Angeles. Elliot also has solo album and beat tape releases dating as far back as 2011, with some of his projects leaning into experimental sonics, and others with more jazzy notes and classic hip-hop elements. His lead single off of his fourth album La Villa is titled “Monday’s Generation”- which is also available for preorder on Bandcamp- is just a taste of what’s to come November 17th.

Listening to “Monday’s Generation” makes you invigorated full of and lively emotions, from the upbeat, infectious drums to the beautiful, ethereal background vocals. Laced with engaging grooves and demonstrating a potent focus in its production choices, “Monday’s Generation” presents a refreshing preview of Elliot’s upcoming album La Villa.

“Monday’s Generation” reflects that Elliot is a member of The Roots, as it exudes a potent live band aura. Maybe it’s just us but couldn’t you imagine Black Thought dropping a verse on this exceptional beat? If you haven’t already checked out this single and pre-ordered this album we highly suggest doing so as it’s going to be a hit. You can support Stro Elliot here by purchasing directly from his Bandcamp HERE and preordering “La Villa” which will release November 17th.

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Elaquent & Ivan Ave bless our ears with a new single “IYKYK”

By Hazel Clementine

With an extensive catalogue full of vibrant kicks & snares, Elaquent’s boom bap style of beats never misses. With the first single of 2023, Elaquent releases “IYKYK” featuring Norwegian emcee Ivan Ave with the alluring melodies of the piano simultaneously joining in with organic, grooving drums. If you aren’t familiar with beat maker Elaquent you must be living under a rock. He has a lot of hit beat tapes including ‘Persona’, ‘The Midnight After’, ‘The Scenic Route’, ‘Bakers Dozen’, ‘After Midnight’ and ‘Komfort Food’, which exhibit a smooth, detailed sound that catches the ear right off the bat.

Rapper Ivan educates the listener on what “IYKYK” means if you happened to not know the meaning. Ivan delivers refreshing lyrics by including a narrative of what his day-to-day activities and encounters consisted of. Signed to Jakarta Records and Fat Beats Records, Ivan is a rapper from Norway with more than ten album releases since 2014. You can find both Elaquent and Ivan Ave on Spotify, Bandcamp, SoundCloud, and YouTube. We recommend you not only listen to their collaboration but their individual work as well. You don’t want to miss the heat!

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Rigel Crux, JUNE!, and Nglewood Ali. connect for new song “Inglewood Slide”

Rigel Crux has connected with JUNE! and Nglewood Ali. for a new song called “Inglewood Slide”. Crux, originating from Inglewood, California, brings a genre-bending fusion of R&B and trap soul to the table, crafting seductive, lush symphonies that provide an authentic perspective on love, sex, and relationships. For his latest song, he connects with prolific I’ll Nevah Die rapper and producer JUNE! and Nglewood Ali. for a balmy, groove-heavy cut that tantalizes the senses.

Produced by JUNE!, “Inglewood Slide” creates an irresistible, emotive groove with watery keys, expansive bass, and bouncy percussion. Accentuated by warm backing vocal flourishes, “Inglewood Slide” is an immersive joint that creates the perfect backdrop for Crux’s dynamic, versatile vocals. Splitting the line between hip-hop and R&B, he weaves together a series of smooth, potent lines that keep the listener on their toes throughout, while adding much replay value to the cut. Give “Inglewood Slide” a listen below.

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Bryson the Alien and Tezmanian share otherworldly song “Faces”

By Jacob Ezra

Bryson the Alien has dropped off a new song called “Faces”, featuring Tezmanian and produced by Ghowste. Based in Portland, the prolific Bryson the Alien is the co-founder of SUMALIENZ with Just Alfa and Tezmanian, who appears on his latest cut, as well as outfit Unexplained Aerial Phenomenon. Following up the eclectic single “Shepherd” with Fatboi Sharif, “Faces” takes on a similarly hypnotic, lo-fi atmosphere laced with a surreal mood and vibrant lyricism.

Murky, raw bass and space-age synths blend into a hypnotic groove on “Faces”, while creating an otherworldly soundscape. The production creates a “sheets of sound” effect that pairs cohesively with the emcees’ off-the-wall flows and outside-the-box lyricism. They display a natural chemistry while delivering head-spinning rhyme patterns in a hushed yet contained delivery, giving “Faces” a mesmerizing feel.

Take a listen to “Faces” here now.

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Unwind to the hypnotic rhythms of ‘Mushroom Funk’ by beatmaker Es-K

By Hazel Clementine

Es-K is no novice when it comes to beats. He has over 50 releases on Bandcamp, with most of his releases being soulful, organic instrumental hip hop beats & beat tapes. His most recent release is a brief but intricately detailed tape titled, Mushroom Funk. His latest projcet Mushroom Funk engagingly blends exhilarating components that sound somewhat retro, taking influence from the 1970’s funk era, soul, and jazz.

Es-K displays a boundless versatility and ear for character-rich sounds, with songs like the title track opener providing hypnotic, crunchy rhythms paired with ornate sonics. The fourth track, “Hot Butter”, is sonically more abstract than the rest of the tape, setting itself apart in the track-list. With it’s rich, syrupy textures, it’s as if you’re gazing at an abstract painting taking in all of the elements and movements throughout the piece. The artist says he almost didn’t include this track on the beat tape because it was the weirdest one out of the other tracks, but it happens to be Es-K’s favorite out of the bunch and we couldn’t agree more.

Support the artist directly by purchasing this beat tape and more of his work on his bandcamp here. You can also take a look at his website which displays not only his music but his artwork as well. Hope you enjoy the beat tape as much as we did!

Listen to Mushroom Funk on Bandcamp HERE.

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Toronto’s Eric Ryan shares potent single “Loose” (ft. Ley Vara)

By Mark Generous

Hailing from the vibrant city of Toronto, Canada, Eric Ryan emerges as a captivating independent artist, but it’s his voice that truly steals the spotlight. Eric’s vocals are like a velvet cascade of emotion, effortlessly navigating the intricate landscapes of R&B, neo-soul, lo-fi, and alternative influences. With roots in the school choir and a profound affection for R&B, soul, pop, and alternative sounds, his voice resonates with a depth that captivates listeners’ hearts.

His latest offering, “Loose” featuring Ley Vara, showcases not just his remarkable vocal prowess but also his exceptional songwriting skills, painting vivid stories of love and passion. In every note, Eric Ryan unveils a world where his voice is the guiding star, and his music is an enchanting journey of the soul, destined for the highest ventures of success in the music industry. One of my favourite artists of 2023.

By 2023, Eric’s music had transcended boundaries, thanks to its mesmerizing qualities, gaining recognition from TikTok influencers and earning a place in the spotlight on renowned music media platforms like Early Rising, Lyrical Lemonade, and CBC Music Toyota Searchlight. Check out Ryan’s latest song “Loose” below and further familiarize yourself with this rising Toronto artist.

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Talib Kweli & Madlib debut cinematic animated music video for “Riches Part Two”

By Hazel Clementine

The music video for “Riches Part Two”, directed and animated by Unjust, starts with the turning on of a television- and as the beat drops, an animated man shoots his gun, while the camera follows the bullet into a third person view. The viewer is then able to see the lyrics come to life in a vividly cinematic experience.

Seminal lyricist Roc Marciano starts the song off verbalizing ‘there’s too many washed rappers the market is crashing’- while the animation exhibits crashing objects outside of a high rise building. The animation then zooms in on another high rise building and briefly shows Roc Marciano on a podcast with Talib Kweli. Then with each verse, the animation transforms into something different matching the rest of the verses from Roc Marciano.

Continuing the animations alongside verses, Westside Gunn starts off the next verse with one of his infamous adlibs which mimics a gun shooting multiple rounds. Two guns appear in the animation shooting bullets in the air identical to his adlibs. When Westside Gunn mentions dreams, an illusion of an empty field with birds flying in sky shows on the screen.

The third verse transcends so effortlessly as Talib Kweli starts to flow over the hypnotizing beat. The fluid animations perfectly illustrate how Kweli’s metaphors are intertwined into his rhymes. From showing birds, fish and New York City to a rare vicious animal over the city; The animation flowed flawlessly over his verse.

The video then ends with the same person who turns on the television at the beginning of the video now sleeping in front of the screen. Concluding that he he fell asleep while watching the music video. A vivid, cinematic new offering from Talib Kweli and Madlib featuring Roc Marciano and Westside Gunn, “Richies Part Two” captivates with its engaging animated visuals and enticing storyline.

Watch the new video for “Richies Part Two” here:

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Paul Cherry releases celestial ambience on new jazzy R&B album ‘Pure Grooves Vol. 1’

By Hazel Clementine

One word to sum up the latest album from Paul Cherry, would be divine. From the windy city of Chicago, DJ and acoustic guitar player Paul Cherry releases a R&B & jazzy fusion titled Pure Grooves Vol. 1.

In 2018, Cherry released his very first LP Flavor which sonically differs from his new release, which gives more of a groovy R&B sound- whereas his first LP gave more of an indie rock feel. The album cover for his new body of work displays the warmth and love that his music exudes. From the sun, moon and ocean all the way to the stars, it’s as if you’re on a magical vacation dancing under the setting sun to the beat of the drum. Speaking of drums, drummer and percussionist Roy Arsenault played extraordinarily beautifully on the third track of Pure Grooves Vol. 1, titled “Don’t You Wish”, angelically sung by Mica Tenenbaum and Matthew Lewin. Tenenbaum, who’s an Argentinian singer is known for being one half of the electronic duo Magdalena Bay. The rest of the album proceeds with a multitude of rnb & jazzy elements from smooth jazz to eloquent soulful rhythms.

Be sure to check out Pure Grooves Vol. 1 on all streaming services or you can support the artist by purchasing directly from Paul Cherry’s Bandcamp HERE.

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Lord Sko drops off smoky single “James Worthy Goggles”

By Jacob Ezra

New York artist Lord Sko has shared a new single called “James Worthy Goggles”. At only 19 years-old, the Washington Heights native has positioned himself as a true school hip-hop revivalist, proof that classic hip-hop is not lost in the new generation. With an ever-expanding catalogue that demonstrate his potent, refreshing take on classic NY sounds, Sko continues to build momentum within his city and beyond. Following up his recent singles “Finder’s Fee” and “Yellow Tape”, “James Worthy Goggles” emanates with a nonchalant charisma that captivates from the get-go.

Sko delivers silky flows atop smoky guitars, winding flutes, and warm bass that conjure a hazy, laid-back soundscape. He sounds comfortable in his lane and in the pocket- delivering detailed, observational verses atop the relaxed production. Dropping some quintessentially NY lines and shouting out Stack Bundles, he paints a vivid picture of his life in his city on “James Worthy Goggles”, drawing the listener into the track’s atmosphere in the process.

Give “James Worthy Goggles” a listen here now.