Author Archives: Baseer Ahmad

FYFE – Polythene Love [TMN PREMIERE]

Posted by Baseer Ahmad - March 6, 2015

FYFE
Polythene Love

All week long, FYFE has been generously sharing new material in preparation for his upcoming album, Control. Today however, we have the esteemed pleasure of sharing perhaps our favorite of the new releases, “Polythene Love.” If you’ve been following FYFE for as long as we have, the subject matter should come as no surprise to you, centering around the concept of disposable relationships; temporary connections or flings we engage in as a way to combat loneliness rather than pursuing something more meaningful.

Upon first listen, “Polythene Love” is easily one of the most vibrant and unique tracks on the project. Assisted by an uncredited female vocalist who goes by Mai, the pair navigate their way through an intricate mesh of striking synths and bubbling guitar riffs. Meanwhile, Fyfe unsuccessfully tries to court the young woman, leaving him asking the crucial question, “Is this ‘Polythene Love’ again?” We were curious about the inspiration behind this new tune, so we asked the Londoner himself to provide a little insight of his own on the number:

School disco cringe played out in the adult world. A playful observation of the relentless and the often not just acknowledged, but celebrated pursuit of flimsy, throw-away or plastic (polythene) ‘love’. I find it amusing, visualising my own school disco experiences of boys lined up one side and girls the other and overlaying it onto memories of university nights out, but wondering how well aligned the two might be if those in the latter scene were not completely wasted.

It’s hard to believe it’s been 2 years since we first discovered FYFE, which makes this project long overdue. The wait will finally come to an end on Tuesday, when Control finally hits shelves, however you still have time to order yourself a copy before March 9th through either iTunes or Rough Trade.

[Hip-Hop] IshDARR – Old Soul, Young Spirit

Posted by Baseer Ahmad - March 5, 2015

We’ve made our praise of Milwaukee native IshDARR pretty open so far, but if you didn’t get the message the first few times, let us be clear right now: DO NOT sleep on this guy. Although still only eighteen years old, his age shouldn’t fool you; IshDARR is the real deal, and Old Soul, Young Spirit is his way of putting his stamp on the game.

Old Soul, Young Spirit is a solid project through and through, representing the strides the burgeoning talent has made in just a few months since the release of The Better Life EP. What’s most remarkable is the way he approaches each track, as he brings with him a melodic cadence and astute lyricism that in many ways builds on the best qualities of Chance The Rapper & GoldLink. Rapping with a youthful ferocity that’s balanced by a mature composure, IshDARR could not have chosen a more appropriate name for his project.

You can preview some of our favorite selections from the mixtape below, but if you’d like the full experience, head over to IshDARR’s official SoundCloud page and also make sure to download a copy for yourself.

DOWNLOAD: IshDARR – Old Soul, Young Spirit

’IshDARR
Hol’UP Ft Saba (Prod. Odd Couple)’

Download

’IshDARR
Only You (Prod. MG)’

Download

’IshDARR
Remember (Prod. Krs. & Arthur Mcarthur)’

Download

’IshDARR
Right Now (Prod. Millz Douglas)’

Download

Hip/Hop

[Chill] Gravez – Where We From

Posted by Baseer Ahmad - March 4, 2015

Gravez
Where We From

Soundcloud

Gravez can do no wrong. We’ve known that to be true for a little while now, but we just wanted to make sure we made that statement official. His latest single, “Where We From,” is only further testimony to that fact. Inspired by fellow production whiz Sango (who also designed the above artwork), Gravez’s latest single demonstrates his versatility behind the boards. Flipping a sample of Enur‘s 2007 hit “Calabria,” this new tune has an irresistible bounce to it that is sure to get your head bopping, but the adept piano works helps mellow the track out, making this a perfect listen for just about any occasion.

Future
Trap

[NEW] Cashmere Cat – Adore (Feat. Ariana Grande)

Posted by Baseer Ahmad - March 3, 2015

cashmere cat
Adore feat. Ariana Grande

Soundcloud

If producing a track with Kanye West wasn’t evidence enough that the Cashmere Cat takeover is real, this new single with Ariana Grande will most certainly erase any doubts in your mind. It’s impossible to believe this pairing would result in anything less than gold, as Ariana’s heavenly vocals absolutely thrive over Cashmere’s lush soundscape. By the end we guarantee you’ll be screaming “my my my” right along with the addicting chorus. Stream the single above, and then head over to iTunes to snag yourself a copy.

[Video] Tory Lanez – Henny In Hand

Posted by Baseer Ahmad - March 2, 2015

Tory Lanez
Henny In Hand (Prod. Noah Breakfast + Matti Free)

Soundcloud

When Tory Lanez first dropped “Henny In Hand” last fall, it was an instant favorite here at TMN. Now a few months later, we finally have equally stunning visuals for the mesmerizing single. Directed by Andrew Hines (who also helmed the visuals for “The Godfather“), the video opens with Tory seated in the VIP area of a club eyeing a female from afar. The woman accepts payment from another gentleman who offers to take her home, and the rest of the story unfolds with Tory following closely behind. We don’t want to reveal too many details though, as there’s certainly a few exciting twists near the end.

Peep the visuals below, and make sure to check out his most recent collaboration with Snakehips on “Dimelo.” Now that he’s wrapped up his second Lost Cause tour, expect even more music from Tory on the way. In the meantime, feel free to read what he had to say to us about the experience last month.

Hip/Hop
Soul

[Hip-Hop] Action Bronson – Baby Blue (Feat. Chance The Rapper) (Prod. Mark Ronson)

Posted by Baseer Ahmad - March 2, 2015

ACTION BRONSON
Baby Blue ft. Chance The Rapper (Prod. Mark Ronson)

Soundcloud

With Action Bronson‘s Mr. Wonderful LP due out later this month, the Queens native has decided to share yet another outstanding track from the highly anticipated project. After recently hopping on the remix for Mark Ronson‘s smash hit, “Uptown Funk,” Bronson has teamed up with the veteran producer one more time for “Baby Blue,” with Chance The Rapper taking over duties on the ~~somewhat~~ hilarious chorus. Although “Baby Blue” is all about dealing with relationship woes, the song remains playful in tone. Already the fourth single from Bronson’s upcoming album, this might be our favorite record from the project yet. If this one doesn’t inspire a pre-order for the album we’re not sure what will.

Mr. Wonderful is set to hit shelves on March 24th. Stream the track above, and hit the jump to catch Bronson’s ridiculous video for “Actin’ Crazy”

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Hip/Hop

[NEW] Kanye West – All Day (Feat. Allan Kingdom & Theophilus London)

Posted by Baseer Ahmad - March 2, 2015

Kanye West
All Day (feat. Allan Kingdom & Theophilus London)

Soundcloud

Yeezy season is officially upon us. If you need any proof, look no further than Kanye’s performance at last week’s BRIT Awards. After tearing the house down in the UK, fans were clamoring to get their hands on Ye’s new surprise team-up with Theophilus London & Allan Kingdom. Well, the wait is finally over, as we now have our hands on the CDQ version of the new track.

“All Day” is already the fourth single we’ve heard from Ye’s upcoming album, So Help Me God, following “Only One,” “FourFiveSeconds” and “Wolves.” Though we thought we had some kind of idea of what direction the album was heading in sonically, this latest single throws a wrench in all of our expectations. But then again, Kanye is not known as one to follow expectations. We guess the only way to truly find out is when the album drops later this year. Chances are it’s coming sooner than you think.

Hip/Hop