Good music keeps oozing from the pores of the Hip-Hop Heavyweights over at Rhymesayers Entertainment. Aesop Rock just released another stellar album last month; Brother Ali is releasing his new album in September, and now it has been announced that P.O.S. will release his fourth studio album – We Don’t Even Live Here – on October 23rd.
According to the press release I read, We Don’t Even Live Here will favor more futuristic beats influenced by the Euro club scene. Even though P.O.S. is going to keep his Hip-Hop roots grounded by collaborating with regular names like Cecil Otter, Lazerbeak, Mike Mictlan and Sims, We Don’t Even Live Here will feature beats from artists like Boyz Noise & Housemeister – DJs who make dance-oriented music. Fans can also expect to hear Justin Vernon (of Bon Iver) lending his vocals to the album.
This will be Stef’s first album since he released the masterpiece Never Better back in 2009; three years is a long wait, so I’m definitely stoked to hear some new solo material is coming out. I’ve been a huge fan of everything he’s done so far, and I think that his strategy to shake things up could pay off big dividends.
Recently, Stef performed a live version of the lead single from We Don’t Even Live Here – “Bumper” – for Pitchfork City of Music, and if it’s any indication of what the album’s going to sound like, then listeners are in for a very interesting and intense ride. I know I can’t wait to buy my ticket.
music fans should be excited or disappointed in the recent popularity gains in the past few years. Just last year 
Bon Iver’s Sophmore effort, following the magnificent 2008 release “For Emma, Forever Ago” changes pace in certain spots, trading the beautiful vocals for Weezy-esque auto tuning. I know, a big step (forward or back?) for a guy who was so unbelievably harmonic and damn near perfect on his first album. As far as the auto tuning goes, and if those tracks are successful or not, it’s sort of a wash. The scratchy guitar and minimal backup instruments still amaze, despite being slightly repetitive of the first album, but the vocals bring down what would otherwise be an amazing EP. “Woods” and “Babys,” the two tracks the Justin Vernon goes lil wayne on your ass, are the low point of the album, like I mentioned, but the other two tracks, “Blood Bank” and “Beach Baby” pick up exactly where Emma left off. The title and lead track “Blood Bank” is arguably Vernon’s best track to date, drifting along with beautiful vocals, heart-wrenching lyrics, and the usual acoustic minimalism. “Beach Baby” sounds like something from an old Pet Sounds cut, and while it obviously isn’t, it again changes pace a little from the usual back-woods Wisconsin folk. Dropping the vocals and picking up the pace of the song a little bit, Bon Iver takes a short little trip down instrumental lane, if only for two and a half minutes. 
MIND INVERSION 