Meaghann Korbel

Death Grips

Review: Death Grips’ The Money Store

Death Grips: The Money StoreDeath Grips: The Money Store (Epic)

“I’ve Seen Footage”

[audio:http://alarm-magazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/06-Ive-Seen-Footage.mp3|titles=Death Grips: “I’ve Seen Footage”]

This February, Epic Records signed Sacramento-based aggro-rap trio Death Grips in a WTF? move that caused an industry-wide double-take. As if fearing for its own major-label life span, the trio subsequently announced two new albums to be released within the year, the first of which — The Money Store — drops today. As Death Grips’ follow-up to last year’s acclaimed mixtape Exmilitary, its first official debut finds MC Ride, Hella drummer Zach Hill, and producer Andy Morin once again crafting one of the most out-there, if not polarizing, hip-hop releases of the year.

Jel

Review: Jel’s Greenball 3.5

Jel: Greenball 3.5Jel: Greenball 3.5 (Fieldwerk, 4/17/12)

“Ignition Key”

[audio:http://alarm-magazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/11-Ignition-Key.mp3|titles=Jel: “Ignition Key”]

Knowing nothing about his sleeping patterns, Just looking at his discography, one would get the sense that producer / rapper Jel – born Jeffrey Logan — lives and breathes on beats alone; that for him, rest is but an afterthought. Ever since the 1997 formation of hip-hop duo Themselves, in which he appeared alongside Adam “Doseone” Drucker, the ever-prolific artist has been putting out multiple releases every year both under his own name and with other projects such as Subtle and 13 & God. Oh, and he co-founded LA-based indie hip-hop label Anticon. No big deal.

Cut Chemist

Cut Chemist rocks the UN

Cut Chemist: Outro (Revisited)Cut Chemist: Outro (Revisited) (A Stable Sound, 4/10/12)

Earlier this month, Jurassic 5 producer/DJ Cut Chemist released “Outro (Revisited) f. Blackbird,” his first single in six years.

Following its release, the United Nations called upon the turntablist to perform in New York in support of One Day on Earth, a video series that captures individuals and musicians from every country across the globe performing their own indigenous instruments — all on the very same day, October 10, 2010.

The film was screened globally on Sunday, coinciding with Earth Day. Below, you can see an original piece that Cut Chemist created for the video series, rendered from thousands of hours of recordings.

Vieo Abiungo

Review: Vieo Abiungo’s Thunder May Have Ruined the Moment

Vieo Abiungo: Thunder May Have Ruined the MomentVieo Abiungo: Thunder May Have Ruined the Moment (Lost Tribe Sound, 4/17/12)

“With Its Slow Decay”

[audio:http://alarm-magazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/Vieo_Abiungo_Pete_Monro_with_its_slow_decay.mp3|titles=Vieo Abiungo: “With Its Slow Decay”]

Multi-multi-multi-instrumentalist, composer, and all-around whiz kid William Ryan Fritch has lent his musical dexterity to a number of film scores, as well as underground rapper Sole and his Skyrider Band. He also has recently begun making a name for himself under the pseudonym Vieo Abiungo, having released two albums in addition to his latest, Thunder May Have Ruined the Moment.