March 30, 2005 | Posted by j.p. at 7:21 PM

I know it's not payday yet...

I've been riding the subway a lot this vacation, more than I do during my normal work commute. my commute is typically 3-4 songs on my iPod, whereas the jaunts I'm taking around NYC now are taking a full LP each way. as such, I've been digesting lots of the new music we're awash in these days, and I want to point out some recommendations from the new releases shelf:

1) Boom Bip - Blue Eyed in the Red Room.

I posted a track from this LP previously, but after repeat listens this album consistently knocks me flat, kicks me in front of the A train, picks me up, glues me back together, and shatters me with a hammer. it's that good. Seed to Sun was excellent in its own right, but Bryan Hollon's new LP completely redefines the standards for whatever we're calling instrumental/experimental hip-hop these days. the entire album takes the classic elements of hip/trip/blip-hop and deconstructs them just enough to tease out the essential elements while remaining rhythmic, blissful, and uplifting. everything on this LP constitutes a great deal of personal evolution on his part, but also pulls the entire genre forward along with it. you can preview the entire album on Bleep, and purchase it [digitally at Bleep] or [on CD and vinyl from Insound]. utterly essential. you're still here?

2) Prefuse 73 - Surrounded By Silence.

believe the hype. it's that good. after the first two tracks, you might be concerned (as was I) that this was going to be the dreaded junior-entry-repeat-of-sophomore-LP, but it gets into its own right quick, and floors it hard. in addition to Scott's rock-solid tried-and-true formulas on the production end, the guest spots kill on this LP. Ghostface & El-P (see previous music.for-robots post), Masta Killa & Gza, Aesop, and even Robots favorite Pedro (contributing a collaboration track from his remix EP that we posted a bit ago) all help this album shine brighter than pure sunlight on a hangover morning with no shades. you can [buy the MP3 album on Bleep] or on [CD and vinyl from Insound]. also essential.

3) M.I.A. - Arular

again, believe the hype. if you're not sure what I'm talking about, I'm not sure where on earth you've been. the pint-sized Sri Lankan media darling soundbombs like nothing else you've heard on this album. I mean, come on, put Hombre or 10$ (see previous post on music.for-robots) on your boombox and go outside, and everyone will be dancing. I mean everyone. see those folks over there not dancing? they're zombies. brain-eating, flesh-rotting, slow-lurching zombies. so they don't count. go grab it on [CD or vinyl] and rock your party.

may your subway time be as happy as mine has been.

Comments

As fellow New Yorker and one who takes the MTA a lot I know exactly how feel. Who the hell wants to listen some noisy ass subway and some (but not all) bad subway musicians, when you've got an iPod.

M.I.A. is total hotness. check the hollertronix board, i hear there are unreleased tracks for download.

Posted by: Mr Roboto at March 30, 2005 10:03 PM

3-4 song commute? damn. . . it takes me 3-4 songs just to get to the subway.

and yes, you're right. . . believe the hype.

Posted by: sucka pants at April 1, 2005 3:00 PM

yeah i absolutely love M.I.A. too, but i wouldn't necessarily blast 10$...(it's about child prostitution!!!!) but heck, M.I.A. is just that good, she can make a song about child prostitution danceable. hahaha. her best song, in my opinion, is either Fire Fire, or Hombre

Posted by: Sal at April 3, 2005 9:15 PM
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