Mixtape Love: Violens Summer Mixtape

Ok, so technically it's not summer (unless of course you're in the Southern Hemisphere in which case it is almost summer) here in DC, but seeing as it's getting a whole lot on the brrr chilly side, I thought today was the perfect day to get all loved up on warmer climes.

Happily, I stumbled across this mixtape so thoughtfully and lovingly put together by LET faves Violens. Simply enter in your email address in the appropriate blanks and get not one but two mixtape links in return, full of goodies to help you retain some summer warmth featuring Dead Can Dance, Nite Jewel, and others. Oh, and Violens, of course.

mp3: Violent Sensation Descends (Violens from Amoral)

Mixtape Love Across the Board

The term "mixtape" is misleading these days. For all practical purposes, the term has become interchangeable with "non-studio release album," more often than not put out by hip hop artists . Of course, the original was far more meaningful. Gather round, children, while your Uncle Terrible relates how it was back in the day, before mp3s and iPods, when if you wanted to listen to a bunch of your favorite tracks in a row, you had to fucking make an LP yourself, for all practical purposes.

Fuck that, you don't care, and i don't feel like explaining to those of you who weren't there anyway. It's already been proven that i'm the master at the old skool version of said mixtapes, and that's enough. Fortunately, though, today we have examples of both, so listen up and take notes. There will be a blue book quiz later.

Straight out of the OFWGKTA camp, Domo Genesis just dropped Rolling Papers. Featuring more incredible production by Tyler, the Creator (who, along with his co-conspirators from OFWGKTA, shares some guest rap duties), these kids are the next wave, i tell you what. This one is a slight departure from their usual, "don't call us horrorcore," violent fare by focusing far more on the most glorious of weeds, as the title suggests. Good call, that.

mp3: Kickin' It (Domo Genesis from Rolling Papers)

mp3: Super Market ft. Ace Creator (Domo Genesis from Rolling Papers)

Remember when i posted that Andreya Triana mix the other day? Well, turns out the DJ in charge also records under the Bobby Quine Experiment moniker, and turns out some nice, chilled instrumentals in the process. His Lucid Dreams EP is "inspired by" the movie "Inception." Pretty decent flick, but this is a far less confusing way to spend your time.

mp3: Architects (The Bobby Quine Experiment from Lucid Dreams)

The Morning Benders must be a lot older than i thought they were when i saw them open for the Black Keys a while back. Either that, or there must be some older siblings related to that band, as they've just dropped their second mixtape. No, not like their past covers album, but an honest-to-Dolemite, old skool, half-hour mix of what i'm guessing are some of lead singer Chris Chu's favorites these days, ranging from Nino Rota to Harry Nilsson, with a Paul McCartney cover by the MB themselves to keep things going. In Chu's words, "I think it's more of an Autumn mix this time." Regardless, it's a groover.

mp3: Echomix2 (The Morning Benders from ECHOMIXES Series)

More Mixtape Love: Tyler, the Creator and the OFWGKTA Crew

Did i tell you that the We Did It Collective brings the noise or did i tell you the We Did It Collective brings the noise? Damn right, i did.

Hell, even when it's apparently not one of their own, they're still pointing readers in the direction of some of the dopest underground shit out there today.

Which brings me to Tyler, the Creator and his crew, Odd Future Wolf Gang Kill Them All (OFWKTA, for short). Melonious Drunk over at We Did It recently posted the clip for "French," and i was immediately captivated. Who the hell was this young'un with all that bass and gravel in his voice? Fortunately, the end of the clip points one towards the Odd Future website, and guess what i found? Multiple mixtapes, videos, singles, pictures and more swagger than you could shake a pimp at.

i've got to be honest, i'm still getting through a lot of this so-far-excellent material, but i can tell you this. These homeboys have skills, plain and simple. Sure, the lyrics are dark, often homophobic, sometimes childish, but the delivery is crisp, and i hear an underlying sense of humor that's three dope. It's largely what you'd expect from some L.A. native teens from possibly the not best section of town. i read an excellent review comparing Tyler to some other dimensional bastard offspring of DOOM, and i'd say that's a pretty fair cop. Young boy isn't wearing a mask just yet, but that doesn't mean he can't hold his own. Much respect.

mp3: French (ft. Hodgy Beats) (Tyler, the Creator from Bastard)

mp3: Splatter (ft. Tyler, the Creator) (OFWGKTA from Radical)

Taco Thursday Mixtape Love

OK, today's mixtapes have absolutely nothing to do with tacos, but i've clearly got them on my mind, so make of that what you will. Me, i'm thinking dinner. i know what you were thinking, though. Sinner.

Rapidly becoming LET faves, the Glitch Mob just dropped a new mixtape, Drink the Sea Part II: The Mixtape. They teamed up with the folks at MiskhaNYC to produce it, so there's that. i seem to recall recently seeing some article decrying all this recent corporate sponsorship of music, but i've got to say, the stuff coming from the fashion industry camps (Levi's Pioneer Sessions, Converse) seems to be pretty money. Hell, Red Bull Academy's stuff alone is worth the price of admission, and you couldn't make me drink that horse piss. (Yes, i realize they're not fashion, but they are corporate, which was my ill made point.) Before i digress any further, though, this mix essentially is smooth groove sailing from start to finish.

mp3: Drink the Sea Part II: The Mixtape (The Glitch Mob from Drink the Sea Part II: The Mixtape)

Speaking of sponsored mixtapes, the folks over at Heart Music Group have put together a doozy for a warehouse party they held earlier this week in L.A. The mixtape has unreleased tracks by each of the acts that played. i snagged it based on the inclusion of LET man-crush Baths (no homo), but the entire thing is pretty dope. Blissed out beats and spacey jams here, kiddos.

mp3: Nordic Laurel (Baths from Heart Symbol (freaking blogspot won't let me do the actual symbol because it keeps trying to read it as source code; uf dah))

mp3: Magic Kingdoms Kick My Teeth In (Light Pollution from Heart Symbol)