By This article previously appeared on Crossfader
Bandcamp Picks of the Week, as large and in charge as ever
Afro Sam – ROGUE EP
Genre: Grime
Favorite Tracks: “Green Grass,” “Medusa,” “Right”
ROGUE EP, the seven-track 2016 release from Manchester’s very own Afro Sam, is a nice little treat. Upon first listen, it’s easy to hear Sam garnering influence from some of the godfathers of grime like Dizzee Rascal and Wiley. However, ROGUE EP is an accessible listening experience, with beats ranging from those containing pretty sounds to machine-like noises, a defining characteristic of grime. While a lot of the genre’s artists can be overwhelming and a little difficult to understand for Americans, Afro Sam provides very clear vocals. “Green Grass” is a noteworthy track on the EP, with its catchy, dream-like beat and mesmerizing vocals. “Right” is equally as interesting, with a saxophone hook and synths expertly combining with heavy drums. Sam is facing his demons with the mic on “Moonlight,” rapping, “And when I get it I’m a go and cop a henny and then drown.” Afro Sam is part of the Manchester collective Free Wize Men, and with young artists from England emerging faster than we can keep up with (King Krule, Cosmo Pyke, Rex Orange County, etc), perhaps this is a second wave of the British invasion? Hard to say, but promising acts like Afro Sam are cause for optimism. You can check out ROUGE EP on BandCamp
Jonathan Something – ART SO SMALL YOU CAN HARDLY SEE IT
Genre: Indie Rock
Favorite Tracks: “Heifer In The Heat of Love,” “#1 Dad,” “At The Orgy In The Sky”
Connecticut’s own Jonathan Something provided a very comforting piece with ART SO SMALL YOU CAN HARDLY SEE IT this past June. Hidden beneath the tracks is an unspoken angst that is a defining characteristic of the good ol’ rock and roll that we all know and love. It’s rare for an artist to come out with something that sounds so directly related to a Rolling Stones or Beatles album without feeling like an exact knockoff, but Jonathan Something pulls it off with ease. On “Heifer In The Heat of Love,” Something embodies the head-banging, tongue-wagging oeuvre of Mick Jagger in a unique and comparatively tamed way, providing a refreshing reprieve to generic indie rock through lyrical humor. On “#1 Dad,” he sings, “I think I’ll move up to Albany / Sell the rich kids expensive weed.” The song continues with keys on the upstrokes and interesting, drive-ridden guitar throughout. “Spooky Delight” is structured in a way that ends up sounding a lot like something that could have come from Alabama Shakes circa 2015. The slow-moving chord progressions and melancholic vocals are the staples warranting the comparison. Something is definitely someone who could be popping up in the indie-stream sometime soon, so do yourself a favor and get in while he’s still underground. Check out ART SO SMALL YOU CAN HARDLY SEE IT here.
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