2 Live Crew: Banned in the USA

Fresh Kid Ice aka Chris Wong Won of hardcore rap outfit 2 Live Crew has passed away. The Miami-based group drew plenty of controversy for their wild, sexually explicit lyrics—many of which were remarkably misogynistic—but this also made them poster children for freedom of speech. (Their most successful record 1989’s As Nasty As They Wanna Be was the first to be classified as legally obscene.) …

Mount Kimbie feat. King Krule: Blue Train Lines

From their third studio album Love What Survives (set for release 8 September via Warp Records), Mount Kimbie’s “Blue Train Lines” is a minimal, Kraurock-tinged tune with support from King Krule. Spacious but distorted, the dynamic musical layering underlines King Krule’s vibrant vocals. Mount Kimbie is embarking on a UK and European tour this month, through November.

Mahalia: Sober

Produced by Maths Time Joy, “Sober” is Leicester-born, Birmingham-based singer/songwriter Mahalia’s most recent release and it’s beautifully sleek and fluid. A little more R&B and boom-bap than her previous releases, it’s a smooth and sultry track—despite it being about a relationship gone wrong. Just 19 years old, Mahalia has already released an impressive body of work, and will be embarking on a UK/Euro tour later …