Cultures Collide In Los Angeles

In case you were living a totally normal suburban life watching Netflix and/or bawling to the Cory Monteith tribute episode (R.I.P) you may have easily missed Culture Collide, Filter Magazine’s annual international showcase. The three day festival, spanning from October 10^th till the 12^th, presented musical talent from around the globe and lit up the Echo Park community. Whether popping into the United Methodist Church for the sweet crooning of LA’s own Rhye or putting on your raging slippers at the Echoplex with Australia’s Miami Horror, Filter provided a lot in the way of grooves and accents. Now in their fourth year, Culture Collide has steadily been gaining traction and shows real promise.

In fact, the most alluring factor of the fest is its youth.  The demographic ranges from young professionals in the music entertainment media to not-as-young professionals… in the music entertainment media – which is pretty standard for a festival that is presented by a relatively young music publication that kicks off on a Thursday night. Still, everyone was either pushing a product, ‘with the band’ or ‘doing a write-up.’ In other words, a clientele that could only be categorized as ‘Indie-Corporate.’ Although, it could also just be what happens when you attract a fairly large group of people to anywhere in Los Angeles.

Not to say that this affected the music. Everyone was genuinely interested in checking out which groups could make them move and no one was shy to show their adoration. Electronic Dance trio Terry Poison absolutely crushed it with their Saturday show at the TAIX Front Lounge. Front woman Louise Kahn displayed her confidence as both singer and hype-machine with some impressive bar counter acrobatics. Norway’s Soul princess, Maya Vik, had everyone funk stepping with the nearest body. Ghost Wave, New Zealand's psychedelic beach rock revivalists, took the crowd on the hazy 70's pacific coast sunset ride they didn't know they were longing for, weaving a veritable lucid dream of sonic exploration.

As the night came grew the place to be was the Echo and Echoplex. Newcomers Kid Karate had a strong showing, causing many a short lived whiskey fueled mosh pits (their native Ireland must be proud.) Their punk energy came a close second to the full frontal no-fucks-to-give attitude of Denmark’s Iceage. The UK’s Fuck Buttons treated a packed crowd to a fog enveloped Angus Hung and Ben Powers… pressing a whole lot of fucking buttons. But, it was Australia’s Miami Horror who deserve the crown of dance party masters. The entire Echoplex became a hive of funky soul two and three step shuffling during their set. One could even catch the occasional twerk from some of the more lively show goers. Truly representing the Aussie spring that Sneaky Sound System and Tame Impala have so masterfully paved the way for. 

This openness to exploration is mostly due to Filter’s scheduling and savvy selection of headliners. The set times were a festival goers dream. With bands playing for 30 to 40 minutes in perfect succession the weekend had the fewest ‘soup or salad’ type sacrifices of any music showcase this year. It was possible to catch almost all the action; unless you had to make the trek to the uncharted Lot 1 Café. While it was very intimate, Lot 1 was so far from the main strip of TAIX and The Echo that directions on the festival map had a simple arrow pointing down Sunset which read: ‘5 Minute Walk to Lot 1.’ Which wouldn’t be so bad if there was more than just Two Boots Pizza as a food pit stop.

The curators of the event were also very selective with the lineup. While presenting bands hailing from all over the world the groups still maintain a distinct cap on popularity, a lesson the totally irrelevant Sunset Strip Music Festival never seems to learn. The top headliners being the likes of Liars and King Khan & the Shrines allows for a fair playing field of attraction and also ensures that no one band takes all the attention. Rhye being the only exception to this formula; these guys had a line out the door of The Church that I haven’t seen since the last Harry Potter premiere.

Culture Collide has the makings of what could be a truly great LA Music Street Fest. With a few more venues available in a closer area and more food options it could become an important cultural port of global talent. Echo Park certainly wants it, and with the right marketing the greater Los Angeles could want it too. Which direction this experiment goes, though, depends a lot on Filter’s intentions. We may have a vivacious artistic center on our hands, or a more corporate west coast version of SXSW.

Why Coachella 2014 is Going To Be Earth Shattering

This might be a bit too soon. Coachella is like 6 months away? But I had nothing to do today except 3 hours of homework so I had to find some way to blissfully ignore that.

Ladies and gentleman start your rumors!

If the the last 10 months of music are any indicator of what to expect than we are all in for a messianic year of festivals and Coachella is the big bang of the season so here we go!

Daft Punk has still not performed anywhere as of yet. Their glimmering RAM set the bar insanely high for 2013. I will put all of my very very limited funds on Daft Punk starting their world tour at Coachella 2013.

JT and Jay Z have had a huge year and I would be very surprised if they didn't hit the festival circuit. 

Could not have asked for a better showing from these newly Los Angeles residing old friends of mine

Danny Brown is setting off on a tour with A-Trak right now. His already high octane live set will certainly benefit from the drop-heavy big booty bass arrangements of the "5 Time World Champion DJ." If you have given this record any spin interest (SPINTEREST!!!!!!) you've probably already realized the potential of tracks like "Dip" in a festival setting.

  

Not only the best Dance record of the year but also the most confidant and impressive debut since Arctic Monkeys put money on your dance floor abilities. Of course there's Latch and "When A Fire Starts To Burn", which is discussed a bit more in a previous post. But the track I keep finding myself coming back to even after a full 5 months is Help Me Lose My Mind

DRIZZY

These LA Jew girls really know how to rock.

Big year for Ghostwave. And I'm not just saying that because they are super duper dope dudes, but also because they are benevolent with their vodka. 

LORDE has been killing it this year. Watch her covering Kanye below. Seriously gives me goosebumps:

 

Seriously was impressed by the output from Odd Future this year.

Washed Out have really grown into their sound. Ernest Greene's newest effort is full of the sexy textures that have made him your favorite opening theme music for any TV show ever. At the same time they have become a powerful live act. Saw them at FYF couple months ago and witnessed their totally revamped set up. Great lighting, great sound and Ernest himself has become quite the front man.

The Arcade Fire are making a hell of an unraveling for their new album. if you need proof look no further than the Roman Copolla directed video of them debuting 3 incredible songs. Featuring Ben Stiller, Bono Michael Cera and a slew of others.

 Seriously watch it. You are on the internet doing nothing anyway.

And of course:

So there you have it. Clearly their are others that I have not mentioned like Chance the Rapper, The National, Vampire Weekend, Juicy J, Miley Cyrus, Robin Thicke... you get it. 

These are just the ones I am super stoked to see and over 50% certain will show. I am really curious to see how much of this I call. Someone's gonna have to owe me a coke.

So You Want To Based: The Lil B Starter Kit

Before I begin this piece I just want to ask the Based God for his grace and guidance. Upon the flesh of my girlfriend that he fucked I pray that the Based God will bless my efforts in this with much much swag and dopeness. Praise be to the God of Based, bitches be on his and our dicks, amen.

So you want to be Based. It's understandable. Based life helped me get over my ex, and now I fucks with models and shit - on jets, with gold silked condoms, cumming rainbows- and there's gold at the end of those rainbows. Be balls deep in Based all day. Based living is the most positive thing you could ever do to your bank account.

So here it is (okaaaaayy) the Lil B starter kit. The following is just a list of things that convinced me that Lil B is, not only the most important rapper in our generation, but also: God.

Now I'm going to go through the things that convinced ME that Lil B is God but in the effort to remain somewhat professional I will start with a brief introduction:

Lil B first started off in the short lived rap group The Pack with the track Vans. Super great pop-rap track that you have probably heard before.

That's it.

My first real exposure to Lil B was something I saw on the internet about his NYU Lecture. I thought it was pretty amazing that this, as of now, unknown rapper had enough of a fan base to be invited to NYU for an hour long lecture. Footage of that lecture is easy enough to find but I wasn't impressed by it.

It wasn't until I read FanBased , courtesy of Pitchfork, before I realized the magnitude of Lil B's influence. Among the things you will find in this piece include; stories of couples that have sparked and burned because of Lil B, a notable amount of Based God inspired tattoos and an incredible fan made music video for Lil B's track "White House" courtesy of 'Lil Bs biggest fan over 60": Task Force Chip.

 

Honestly it was this video more than anything that made me reconsider Lil B's place among us mere

mortals. The video is easily the most Based thing I have ever seen, and remains my favorite Lil B song.

But in the event that you are still uncertain, if you still find yourself asking (quite heretically, I may add) " Lil B could probably fuck my bitch, but why would I want him too?" Do yourself a favor and watch The Needle Drop's very own Anthony Fantano's revealing review of Lil B's steller I'm Gay (I'm Happy) 

Extra Credit:

Atlas' Heavy Shoulders - Remembering Coldplay

           After hearing Coldplay's new song Atlas  for the Hunger Games I was moved to relisten to their earlier stuff. I remember listening to Rush of Blood to the Head a bagillion times when I was younger. My starkest memory whenever I hear it? Playing Warcraft 3 in the last place I truly called home for months and months and months of ninth grade. It was a strange ritual and a reminder of a time when I listened to music because I liked music and when the music I liked was somehow mine. Before the good people of the internet categorized and selected and dissected ever bit of sound I ended up hearing. More than anything Rush of Blood to the Head was pure to me. As time went on my relationship to music changed over and over, but that's for another piece. Somehow though, through it all, Coldplay remained unscathed. Until their ambiguously titled sellout record Mylo Xyloto nothing could touch them.

                

           I started with Parachutes and once Don't Panic's carefree guitar started mesmerizing me, a dozen memories bombarded through my sentimental cortex. I remembered watching Garden State and listening to the subsequent soundtrack. Of course I fell in love with the Shins like every other 15 year old who felt like Garden State was a sneak peek into the grandiose mediocrity that awaited our post-adolescent lives. But Don't Panic was this secret song on that compilation for me. Back then I had never listened to Parachutes in full and had no idea that it was the powerful opener of said record until years later. To me it encapsulated so much of Garden State's theme and became a rallying cry for the brutal high school years ahead of me.

                                

                                We live in a beautiful world

                                Yea we do, yea we do.

                

              The real kicker, though, and the reason I found myself compelled to write about this sentimental bullshit was the second track; Shiver. Even as I type those words my synapses are popping and trembling (and shivering #killself) with nostalgia.

                

              In the summer following my senior year of High School I started an Ice Cream distribution business. I would fill up a 40 gallon Styrofoam cooler with ice cream and dry ice and walk up and down the beach selling ice cream. Till this day it was the best job I ever had and I did it for 3 summers until I found a real job.

               

             In the beginning of those very beautiful years of naivety I fell in love. She was a girl I had none for a long time and for whatever reason I found myself driving up to the beach with her to make money nearly every day in the summer. And for whatever reason this song came up 7 times out of 10 on my iPod Shuffle  as we were jumping on the 101 from her house and driving up. I haven't given any significant thought to this person in years, just like I haven't given any real thought to Coldplay in what feels like ever (Mylo Xyloto are you really only 2 years old?) And I can't help but feel this sort of rekindling of this moment in history. In my shitty Buick Century '95 in all its beige glory, driving up the 101 with a cooler full of profit and a down ass bitch to share it with.  

            

            When I would hear the refrain back then I naturally applied to my lady friend. But nowadays when I hear it I think back to my foolish, brazen, lovesick mess of my younger self. He is so full of half truths and beady eyed stupidity. And yet, I wish I could speak to him again. I feel like there is a lot he could teach me.

                                I will always be waiting for you

                                I will always be waiting for you.

                                 

                  

                  

Track of the Week

Kanye West - Bound 2

After listening to Yeezus a few times this track stuck out because it is the most old school Kanye track on the whole album. I think this is a great record so far and I am all for artists moving forward and trying new things. I wouldn't be surprised if this album gets a lot of smack, though since it is certainly the most outré project he has done.

With closer "Bound 2" Kanye ends things off on a familiar note. He lets everyone know that, even though this album is full of pushing the envelope experimentation, he is still more than capable of pulling off vintage Yeezy in his sleep.

Track of Last Week

So much going on this week before heading to NY. Sorry for missing a week!!

Lil Dicky Ex-Boyfriend

Last week I was introduced to Lil Dicky and I was fucking blown away. Besides the hilarious raps and hysterical music videos, this guy has a relentless flow. He keeps it real and is trying to change the game. In the same way that Lil B is taking the rap game model and chucking it out the coup, Lil Dicky is doing the same; minus the Based Living. Still, I think if Lil B and Lil D went on tour together it would be the most Based thing ever.

The above video is the best intro to Lil Dicky's style and message but honestly everything this guy has is golden. Whether he is rapping about how great it is to Stay In on a Friday night. Or if he is glorifying being a White Dude, he is on point every time.

I do have one complaint, though. Lil Dicky raps about being a Jewish, like, A LOT. Which is totally fine and awesome that he is one of my tribe. Mad Respect for the 6 pointed. but his use of the term "Kike", a derogatory term for Jews, is a bit unsetteling. Pretty much it's the Jewish "N-Word". Now, since he is Jewish the pervading logic would be that he can use the term but if anyone be calling he momma a Kike best believe "Ima fuck her accounting up!" (we're Jewish after all. Don't be afraid of our muscles,but our brains could seriously inconvenience your life.)

But the truth is, the logic of "N-Word" usage doesn't feel like it should hold up here. For one thing "Kike" was never a very popular word to begin with. We didn't get called "Kikes" for 200+ years so it seems almost, like, disparaging to a race that, in a weird way, has "earned" the right to use a derogatory term among their own kind.

Then again the "N-Word" is not an accepted term across the board even among Black people. The NAACP condemns the use of both terms "Nigga" and "Nigger". Their have been numerous articles written condemning the use of the term. Many prominent Black leaders (Oprah Winfrey, Maya Angelou, Cornel West, Etc..)  have called for the end of the word or themselves refrain from using it. Considering the limbo state of the "N-Word" why would we, as the Jewish People, want to start using an insulting slur as a term of endearment? I believe it would sound very "Ignant" for a Jew to call another Jew "Kike". In this instance it would be an enormous backtrack for everything we Jews have accomplished in America, and the oppression we have overcome in our 4000 year history.  Also, it just doesn't roll off the tongue the same way.

"Sup Kike!"
"Where you is Kike?"
"Is dat yo Side Kike, Kike?"
"Nah, dis my Main Kike, my Kike."

Not really feelin' it.

I totally understand the envy of having "YOUR VERY OWN WORD!!" Not to mention the myriad of technical uses the "N-Word" has given to rap (it is the perfect 2 syllable filler word for anything, a serious aid when creating stanzas, or "rhymes my N-Word") so having a word like Kike would be helpful. But, I figure if Eminem got this far without using any sort of magical stanza-filler-word than Lil Dicky can figure something out.

Track of the Week

Disclosure - When a Fire Starts to Burn

With all of the comment arena bickering going on about brothers Guy and Howard Lawrence's project ("They are Future Garage!" "They are Deep House!") Disclosure has perfectly slated this track, the opener to their highly anticipated debut Settle (out June 3), as a statement to end all the uncertainty. The track opens with a preacher explaining "How do you get into your zone?" and "Everyone loves to watch the fire burn." The thesis being: as long as you are feeling this shit who cares what you call it?

The preacher continues. "One thing I have learned in my life? ... Everything changes!" As if to say, the genre doesn't matter. The Deep House sound that Disclosure takes influence from doesn't discount the Future Garage feel of these jams. The world needed to be reminded not to have any preconceptions about what these guys are trying to do, and with this track they have made it perfectly clear: They just want to rock your body!

The labeling is inevitable and bound to happen. The arguments can keep spinning around. But one thing is for sure,

"When the fire starts to burn
And it starts to spread
They gonna take that shit home"