ListenUp
Elvis Costello and the Roots, SBTRKT, Kendrick Lamar and more in our weekly music recap
SBTRKT: IMO
The typically reserved musician Aaron Jerome—better known as UK producer SBTRKT—bared a bit of himself this week with the surprise Twitter revealing of “IMO.” The unmixed and unmastered song is from new album recordings, and was posted in memory of his brother Daniel. In classic SBTRKT form, the video is a mysterious abstract work created by Lorenzo Durantini and the equally incognito design studio A Hidden Place, which is also responsible for designing the tribal mask SBTRKT is known to don during live performances—a facet so dear to his act it delayed his Terminal 5 show in NYC by nearly an hour after it went missing.
Kwes: 36
Originally catching our eye in ’09 when he teamed up with Micachu for an outstanding mixtape (shortly before our video with the experimental artist), young British musician Kwes has been quietly carving out a name for himself with his beautifully soothing vocals, cultivated instrumentation and a unique neurological disorder chromesthesia, which allows him to see colors for different musical notes. “36” is a track off his forthcoming album ‘ilp, out on Warp mid-October, and the label explains the video is inspired by Kwes’ grandparents’ relationship and young love: “When simply locking eyes or sharing headphones could cause a roller-coaster of emotions.”
Pusha T: Nosetalgia (feat. Kendrick Lamar)
Thanks to a haphazard miscommunication during the recent NYFW frenzy, this week’s #PrivateJam comes instead in the form of a #PrivateSnack.
While chatting with Kendrick Lamar, the rapper accidentally revealed his genuine guilty pleasure is none other than Rice Krispies Treats (coincidentally this week was also the US’ national celebration of the childhood favorite). And while there’s no mention of the sugary cereal and marshmallow concoction, Lamar’s feature on the new Pusha T track
“Nosetalgia” divulges a great deal about his childhood and some of the hard times he faced as a 10-year-old. We suspect this highly anticipated single—from the forthcoming Pusha T album My Name Is My Name out 8 October—will keep Lamar off anyone’s #PrivateJam list and well-stocked in Rice Krispies for years to come.
C-Brand: Wired For Games
While in London this week, we caught up with NTS radio host and DJ MarshMeLLo, who put us onto the obscure 1982 soul song “Wired For Games” from Detroit group C-Brand. An ideal Thursday groove, the track has all the makings for winding down the work week while getting ready for the excitement of the weekend with its smooth disco harmonies. The throwback tune has much to love about it but lyrics such as, “like a video game, you don’t need a quarter, I’m already turned on” channel those carefree days of years ago, when lovin’—and technology—was easy.
Elvis Costello and the Roots: Wise Up Ghost
The Guardian gave readers a chance to hear what is likely a future classic with a Soundcloud preview of the newly released album Wise Up Ghost from Elvis Costello and the Roots. The legendary English singer’s croaky voice has been superbly paired with Questlove’s impeccable drum beats and hip-hop flair, undoubtedly leading a new generation to fall in love with Costello and his sagacious words. The entire 12-track recording is well worth a listen, but tracks like “Stick Out Your Tongue” and “(She Might Be A) Grenade” are sure to keep this one on repeat. Hear it all, and learn more about their mutual admiration, in the newspaper’s online posting.
Published every Sunday, ListenUp takes a deeper look at the music we tweeted about that week. Often we’ll include a musician or notable fan’s surprising personal interests—#PrivateJam exposes their musical guilty pleasure.
