ListenUp

From The Flaming Lips' "Turning Violent" to Jesse Woods' "Lazerburn," our look at music this week

The Flaming Lips: Turning Violent One of the Flaming Lips’ darkest works yet; the lyrics, instrumentation and video for “Turning Violent” are uncharacteristically reserved. Steven Drozd’s falsetto vocals and an oscillating bass synth lead you into a deceptive sense of lull, until the peace is shattered by noise feedback and bright flashing lights three minutes in, and Coyne—dressed in an electric blue alien-like suit with …

99 Problems by Ali Graham

An illustrated journey through Jay-Z's numerable troubles

Inspired by Jay-Z’s track “99 Problems,” British artist Ali Graham has been creating an illustration every day since the first of June this year that imagines a problem the world-famous rapper might (or might not) face. As well as a host of First World problems many city-dwellers also face—such as running out of phone battery or toilet paper—there are plenty of Jay-Zisms that fans of …

Marques Toliver: Land of CanAan

A classically trained violinist's path to a soulful R&B release

A debut album set in motion by busking from New York to Belgium, many factors play into the soulful joy of Marques Toliver‘s Land of CanAan. Chance, talent, a voice and a violin have mingled, coalescing into a new sub-genre of rhythm and blues and an album that celebrates its roots and their flexibility. Toliver has gracefully introduced Motown-inflected contemporary R&B to classical violin and, …