Under The Radar: Flying Lotus, "Los Angeles"

Who: Flying Lotus (AKA Steven Ellison) is repping Winnetka, a suburb of L.A.’s San Fernando Valley, and he comes with a serious pedigree: his great-aunt is jazz legend Alice Coltrane. His thick swatches of bottom-heavy instrumental beats are relentlessly abstract and dense with enough musical knowledge to make both Coltranes proud.

What: Los Angeles reflects its titular subject through a blunted haze of harsh juxtapositions. Crush-collision sound collages that invoke early Aphex Twin with hard, metallic rhythms are smoothed over with icy synths and the warm, analog tones Madlib is known for (see “RobertaFlack”). From the jumpy space-jazz of “Comet Course” to the quiet atmospherics of “Auntie’s Lock/Infinitum,” the chaotic sprawl of L.A. is accurately captured in these finely tuned songs.

Made for: Progressive hip-hop heads looking for freaky beats that still have serious bump. Anyone that still treasures Aphex Twin’s Selected Ambient Works 85-92 and in need of something new; subscribers to U.K. music mag the Wire.

X-Factor: “FlyLo,” as he’s known to fans, is also a party-rocking DJ, with his remixes of Lil Wayne and Kelis bangers making the blogosphere rounds.

(Originally published on Metromix.com)

REVIEW: Lil Wayne, "Tha Carter II" (Cash Money/Universal)

Rating: 3.5/5 Stars

Backstory: First hitting the hip-hop scene as part of New Orleans Cash Money crew the Hot Boys in the late ‘90s, Lil Wayne has steadily come up through the rap ranks with popular solo releases and a high-profile cameo on Destiny’s Child hit “Soldier” in 2004. After blowing up the charts in 2005 with full-length album “Tha Carter II,” Wayne has spent the past three years on a determined conquest to become “the best rapper alive,” showcasing his increasingly impressive and abstract lyrical flow on a seemingly endless string of mixtapes and cameo verses on other artists’ records.

Why you should care: Currently the “people’s champion” of hip-hop, Wayne’s in-your-face persona (including a high-profile drug arrest and a penchant for “syrup,” a homemade codeine cocktail) and ability to melt microphones with the hottest metaphors and one-liners this side of prime Eminem and Ghostface have made him the ultimate rock star of 2008. Already owning the pop charts and dance-floors with the mainstream R&B of first single “Lollipop,” “Tha Carter III” has the potential of putting Wayne in line with such hip-hop icons as Tupac, Biggie and his mentor/nemesis, Jay-Z.

Verdict: While this uneven effort is far from the defining Lil Wayne album that he’s obviously capable of, “Tha Carter III” is still loaded with exemplary tracks. Hardcore numbers like “A Mili” and the jazzy swing of the Swizz Beatz-produced “Dr. Carter” show Wayne at his best, displaying a lyrical dexterity that’s undeniably brilliant. Kanye West provides a clutch of radio ready beats, like the smooth R&B of “Comfortable” and Motown mood of “Let The Beat Build” (Wayne should seriously consider making a whole disc with West). Sadly, those gems are cast amidst a slew of half-baked beats and meandering melodies, creating an unfortunate ratio of jams to rejects. Still, Lil Wayne is the most exciting rapper in the world today whose masterwork is ahead of him and can make even the wackest tracks at least listenable.

X-Factor: Wayne’s not afraid to take big chances, from teaming up with crooner Robin Thicke on the acoustic ballad “Tie My Hands” to profanely calling out activist Al Sharpton at the end of the politically conscious “Misunderstood” as “just another Don King.” Recently dissing mixtape DJs resulted in one of them leaking this CD a week before official release.

(Originally published on Metromix.com)

15 Minutes with Pharrell Williams

“We know that our fan base is different than fans of Kanye West, Lupe Fiasco or Rihanna,” admits Pharrell Williams on the phone from New York during a rare break before embarking on this summer’s highly anticipated “Glow in the Dark” tour. “We’re going to introduce ourselves to that audience, even though there is a lot of crossover there. But the N.E.R.D. energy is different. We’re there to literally rock the party.”

The iconic producer, fashion designer and cultural flash point is excited to talk about the forthcoming third album from his eclectic rock outfit, N.E.R.D., titled “Seeing Sounds” and tentatively scheduled for a June 10 release.

“The title is in reference to a phenomenon called synesthesia, which is when one of your senses sends electric impulses to unintended parts of the brain,” he explains in his raspy drawl. “So for some people, when they hear music, it also stimulates them visually. We wanted people to recognize that and see the sounds of this album.”

“We’ve always had a hybrid sound, so there are a lot of different things going on,” he says of the band’s new record. Williams speaks of drum-and-bass influences, citing the mosh-pit-ready tune “Spazz” as an example. He continues: “The album is definitely hard, guitar-driven and angst-ridden. We recorded the record with the live show in mind. We want people to be up and having a good time at our concerts. If you interview any of the kids that were at any of our warm-up shows in secondary markets like Pittsburgh, they’ll tell you how crazy it’s been. I’d bet those parking lots are littered with empty Red Bull and Monster energy-drink cans everywhere. The shows have been filled with intelligent kids letting go and having fun.”

N.E.R.D. made a huge splash at this year’s SXSW festival in Austin, playing high-profile shows such as the controversial Perez Hilton showcase.

“It was incredible,” Williams raves about the trip. “Our fan base has really grown. It’s wonderful to see how culturally diverse our crowd has become. Our fans are intelligent, have a strong individuality and distinctive opinions about life. At our shows, the skaters don’t mind hanging with the hipsters, who don’t mind hanging with the fashion students, who are cool with the b-boys and the punks. They’re all there, and it’s all love. It’s this patchwork army of kids that are all on a similar wavelength. It’s incredible the energy they send us onstage. I promise not to abuse this position that they’ve put me in.”

That position includes helming the Star Trak record label, which recently signed R&B upstart Tayanna Taylor and preppy pop outfit Chester French.

“I think Chester French are geniuses. To me, they sound like Brian Wilson singing over Motown tracks,” Williams enthuses about the recent Harvard graduates. “We’re so lucky to have them on our label.”

There’s also his successful run in the fashion industry, with Williams behind the Billionaire Boys Club and Ice Cream clothing lines, creating limited editions that command top dollar from obsessive streetwear collectors around the globe.

“The fashion has been fun,” he says casually. “I’ve been studying under Marc Jacobs over at Louis Vuitton for the past couple of years, which has been invaluable.

“It’s all about establishing a relationship with our audience,” he stresses finally. “I want to give them things they really want, be it a pair of shoes, a sweatshirt or a record.”

(Originally published on Metromix.com)

STONE TEMPLE PILOTS REUNION KICKOFF @ HARRY HOUDINI MANSION

SXSW 2008: Peace, TX

SXSW 2008: KATY PERRY @ PEREZ HILTON

SXSW 2008: CHESTER FRENCH @ PEREZ HILTON

SXSW 2008: N.E.R.D. @ PEREZ HILTON

Grizzly Bear: Brooklyn indie orchestra

Quietly cool quartet makes classical concert safe for hipsters

With hauntingly familiar melodies and vocal dexterity akin to TV on the Radio multiplied by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, Brooklyn’s Grizzly Bear leads a one-band revolution of quiet cool. Sounding like the Beach Boys produced by a really stoned David Sitek, their 2006 magnum opus, “Yellow House,” propelled Daniel Rossen, Ed Droste, Chris Taylor and Christopher Bear (hey!) to the upper reaches of the digital stratosphere. But not without good reason, as their dreamy, atmospheric compositions still seethe with a simmering tension and are as meticulously constructed as the finest pop songs.

Instead of diving right into the inevitable stress of following up “Yellow House,” the members of Grizzly Bear have been enjoying the fruits of their labor. After last spring’s rapturously received tour with Feist, they released the “Friend” EP, an intriguing compilation featuring everything from Deerhunter’s Bradford Cox (in his Atlas Sound guise) reconstructing “Knife” to GB applying their delicate reverence to a version of “He Hit Me” by the Crystals.

While their jaunt last fall with Maryland’s equally dreamy Beach House sadly never touched down in L.A., Grizzly Bear will bring us something even more special with a one-off performance pairing them with the L.A. Philharmonic at Downtown’s Walt Disney Concert Hall . The L.A. Phil open the show with a selection of music in part picked by Grizzly Bear, who are sure to make the most of the ornate space’s dynamic acoustics. We caught up with GB songwriter/guitarist Daniel Rossen for some thoughts behind the collaborative concert.

How did you go about picking the classical pieces that you wanted the LA Phil to perform at the show?
The LA Phil chose the music in conversation with the band, but I wouldn't say we are curating the concert exactly. The director of the Phil listened to our records and came to us with some suggestions of what he thought would fit, and we gave them a couple of our favorite pieces as a starting point. Mostly we chose pieces that we don't know but sounded interesting. I hardly ever get to go to a symphony so it seemed more exciting to ask them to introduce us to a couple new things.

How has classical music influenced Grizzly Bear's sound?
We have pretty varied taste in this band. Composers are in there somewhere. We use a lot of instruments and layer a lot in recording, which is kind of like creating parts for an orchestra except that it's much more textural and intuitive and a lot less deliberate.

Do you have any particular expectations and/or aspirations for the evening as a whole?
I'm looking forward to hearing the orchestra play through the amazing acoustics of Disney Hall, and I hoping we don't sound like complete amateurs when we play right after them.

Who are a couple of your favorite composers and why?
For years I've been a fan of Olivier Messiaen, a French composer with a duel obsession with exotic birdsong and Catholicism. He’s a pretty timeless character. I also like Shostakovich and Penderecki. For the most part I just find their music incredibly affecting, and that's enough reason for me.

Grizzly Bear and the L.A. Phil regale the Disney Concert Hall on Saturday, March 1

The Watch: Casxio

L.A. quartet channels Nile Rodgers, Nick Rhodes and dance the night away

What’s their sound? Funky dance-pop with a sexy scent of yacht rock

What the hell does that mean? Think lots of snappy, New Wave-inspired tunes with melodic, walking bass lines reminiscent of classic Duran Duran and even Level 42 (bass players will know what I’m talking about).

Like both of those bands, Casxio’s primary objective is to make people move. It’s not often a live band can whip up as healthy as dance floor (especially in Los Angeles) as they did at their Metromix showcase at Spaceland.

Is their game tight? They really won me over by handing out free copies of their album “Inside Out” for anyone that wanted to take one. They’re the five best songs I’ve gotten for free in a very long time. In fact, they leap-frog over Duran Duran and go straight for a classic Chic-styled disco groove on “Seventeen.” The quirky afro-funk of “Dance” features keyboards that swirl like Nick Rhodes fronting the Neptunes. Straight up, these guys are the right producer away from being Hall & Oates: The Next Generation. Casxio has got it going on.

X-Factor: I know a band is good when I want their T-shirt. I really want a Casxio T-shirt.

Steve Aoki: living well is the best revenge

As much as his countless detractors hate to admit it, Steve Aoki is a star. He’s a globe-trotting DJ who hobnobs with everyone from Lindsay Lohan to Justice. His record label, Dim Mak, is among the most influential indie imprints in the world, boasting releases from U.K. post-punks Bloc Party and local anthem-rock heroes Foreign Born.

Still, hating on Steve Aoki is on the verge of becoming an Olympic sport. Music bloggers and journalists roast him regularly, with snarky sites taking every opportunity to diss him. His former partner and current nightlife nemesis, Franki Chan, recently accused Aoki of professional backstabbing via an e-mail blast. His heritage as the son of Benihana founder Rocky Aoki is a constant source of critical fodder, not to mention a splashy, multi-page exposé on the Aoki family (including his model/actress sister, Devon) in New York magazine a few years ago. He's even being sued by a blogger that goes by "The Arab Parrot" for allegedly stage-diving onto his head at the HARD New Year's Eve party--twice.

All the while, his high-energy DJ sets, which border on full-on performances given Aoki’s penchant for rock-star moves like head-banging and the aforementioned stage-diving, attract larger and larger crowds of party people amped on his bombastic blend of underground electro hits and social celebrity. Add photographer Mark “Cobrasnake” Hunter and any number of Aoki’s extended family of cool-kid friends, and the resulting scene is like nightlife crack to his growing legion of neon-clad fans.

I spoke to a jet-lagged Aoki on a crackling cell phone somewhere in Nova Scotia, Canada, a few days before his Pillowface mix officially hit stores. His haters will be bummed to know that through it all, he’s still having the time of his life. And with the potential mass-market popularity of his mix CD, the rocket ride might just be getting started.

Pillowface and the Airplane Chronicles has been finished for months now. How does it feel to finally have it in stores?
I’m so happy. We just had a bunch of retail meetings, and I’m so impressed at how many huge chains are picking it up. It’s so hard to sell CDs now, given the downfall of the music industry. I’ve been running Dim Mak for 10 years, and the mom-and-pop shops have always been my bread and butter. But to ship thousands of CDs to stores like Best Buy and Target for those kids that don’t have access points besides online is so cool.

Are you still happy with the mix?
I love how it came out, from the artwork to working with all of the great artists that guest on it. This mix to me is more of an introduction to a lot of the kids that have just found electro. There has always been a gap between the culture of DJs like Paul Oakenfold and Tiesto to the culture of electro. It’s like two different worlds. It’s an exciting time, with what acts like Justice and MSTRKRFT have been producing. I picked the most obvious and popular tracks on purpose. Having people like Amanda Blank and Naeem from Spank Rock rapping over “We Are Rockstars” is a pretty cool concept if you ask me.

Why do you think your Cinespace Tuesday parties are still so popular after almost four years?
I think it’s just the consistency of quality. We’ve always had great artists come play, and we maintain strong relationships. We got to a point where it became the global satellite for many of the new international acts that want to play L.A. for their first time. It’s been a great home for our scene. The scene has changed a lot, though. Those changes come from the artists, though, like Justice. Those guys are the image of what this culture is right now. Without them, there wouldn’t have been as much of a change.

So for you, it always comes back to the music
Absolutely. But the sound has changed. Three or four years ago, we were more excited to have someone like Nick Zinner of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs and Carlos D of Interpol come DJ. I’m sure that in a couple of years, it’ll evolve from where it is now.

Do you have any response to the recent diatribe Franki Chan issued about you in his IHEARTCOMIX e-mail blast?
No, I don’t. It doesn’t really affect me. People are going to have their opinions. I have no reason to backlash or talk negatively on him or what he’s doing. I don’t care to put the energy or time into something like that.

People seem to really enjoy hating on you. Does it ever get to you?
It used to affect me. But for the most part, the stuff would be untrue. It’s easier for people to assume that rumors and gossip are true when you don’t know the person they’re about. I’m not trying to put myself anywhere near her fame, but it’s a lot like how the press treats Britney Spears. You read in Us Weekly that she has mental illness or whatever, when maybe she just had a really bad day. What can you do? I just want to continue doing the work I’m doing with the label, clothing line and DJing.


Pictures of you DJing with Lindsay Lohan are all over the Internet. Have her skills improved due to your coaching?
Her main job is not being a DJ, so it’s not really relevant. But the most important thing about anyone playing records at a party is what songs they choose. To me, Lindsay has some of the most eclectic tastes out of anyone I know. She’d be a great DJ if she really wanted to be.

What advice can you give to aspiring superstar DJs who want to do what you do?
Have fun. I’m serious--just enjoy what you’re doing. After that, the rest is just icing on the cake.