[Chill / Soul] Khai – Do You Go Up

KHAI
Do You Go Up

In the modern music landscape, savvy artists have been able to identify the need for – and changing preferences towards – certain sounds. Niche artists who rose to fame from seemingly out of nowhere are commonplace;  just look at the career arcs of artists like Skrillex revolutionizing dubstep or Thomas Jack in the tropical house realm. For burgeoning musicians, coming to understand one’s own “style” is a creative process of trial and error. As styles fade out of favor, others will rise in popularity. Music fans often don’t realize the void that exists until its filled by the next great sound.

Filling that void in the Future R&B world is a new Missouri-based producer by the name of Khai. With two tracks and less than 1,500 followers to his name, Khai is poised for a monumental rise in late 2015, anchored by his latest release “Do You Go Up”.

This new release, the first single on an upcoming EP, is a bubbly, minimalistic tune that relies heavily on the talented vocals of its creator. What sets Khai’s early masterpiece apart however, is how the instrumentals and production quality equal the impressive vocal aspects. “Do You Go Up” is the epitome of mood music; with a catchy hook and a simple beat structure, it is a tune the listener will want to play on repeat in the company of friends, or alone while lost in thought.

If “Do You Go Up” is any indication of what listeners can expect from Khai in the near future, If You has the potential to be the most impressive debut EP of 2015. Listeners can keep up to date on Khai’s new works on his soundcloud page, while his EP will be released via Octal Sound on October 16th.

Related items:

[Future R&B] Vanessa Elisha – Latency (Feat. CVIRO) (Prod. By GXNXVS)

Vanessa Elisha feat. CVIRO
Latency (Prod. By GXNXVS)

Vanessa Elisha has been on our radar for well over a year now, but if you’re still late to the party, it’s time you took notice of the Australian songstress. For her latest effort, Vanessa teams up with frequent collaborator GXNXVS and older brother CVIRO to craft yet another wavy R&B gem. Although this is only the first outing from the talented brother-sister duo, the chemistry is undeniable as their vocals sync together in perfect harmony.

“Latency” serves as the lead single from Vanessa’s upcoming Good Ones EP, set to drop later this year. In the meantime, vibe out to the tune above and make sure to grab yourself a copy from iTunes.

Related items:

[Dreamy] Lolaby & Cosmic Quest – Tidal Space

Lolaby & Cosmic Quest
Tidal Space

Once again, vocalist Lolaby teams up with producer Cosmic Quest for yet another spellbinding release built on soulful and soothing sounds. “Tidal Space” embraces listeners with ambient vibes derived from its layers of subtle piano notes and twinkling synths, which are connected by the celestial voice of Lolaby. Fusing melodic elements of jazz with scattered percussive pulses, the light-weight textures transcend you into a dream of being on a cloud. The track is musical therapy for the mind as it releases listeners from all stresses and worries, providing them with ultimate serenity. Go ahead, sit back and relax, and rejuvenate yourself with the beautiful sounds of “Tidal Space.”

Related items:

[Hip-Hop] Chance The Rapper & Noname Gypsy – Israel (Sparring)

Chance The Rapper & Noname Gypsy
Israel (Sparring)

A week after releasing his surprise mixtape with Lil B, Chance The Rapper is back again with some dope new material. Produced by Cam O’bi, “Israel (Sparring)” is a relatively low-key tune that features Channo kicking a few laid-back bars alongside frequent collaborator, Noname Gypsy. Don’t let the mellow vibes fool you though, as the introspective cut boasts some of the sharpest rhymes we’ve heard all year. There’s no clues yet on the status of Chance’s next solo project, but with his Family Matters tour set to begin later this fall, we hope that means even bigger things are in store for the future.

Related items:

[Electronic] Gallant – Weight In Gold (Louis Futon Remix)

Gallant
Weight In Gold (Louis Futon Remix)

Gallant‘s “Weight in Gold,” and all his music thus far for that matter, has been hitting the Internet with waves of emotion in recent months inspiring top producers to take a stab at remixing his heart-wrenching sound. Philly-bred producer and TMN favorite Louis Futon is the latest to take on the instant classic but, rather than try to completely change the original’s vibe, he accentuates and elevates its most powerful moments taking it to new heights. Injecting his enormous sound, Louis Futon makes probably our favorite flip yet of the hit single. Try this one out for getting you over the mid-week hump.

Related items:

[Future] Free n Losh – Rose (ft. Bethea)

Free n Losh
Rose (ft. Bethea)

Perhaps the most soulful future track we’ve heard “Rose” is the new single from the Free n Losh boys. They enlisted Bethea of Toronto to bring her exquisite vocal work to the track, along with Nick Ferraro of Busty and The Bass who dropped some hot sax on the production. It’s almost too dreamy to handle. It makes you feel as though you are above cloud nine. I can’t think of a track this beautiful off the top of my head that has came out this year. “Rose” will captivate audiences both within and outside electronic music as it has strong crossover qualities. Free n Losh have put out some amazing records, but this one is on a whole new level. Do yourself a favor and throw this on repeat for a super solid start to the week.

Related items:

Lollapalooza 2015: Our Top Takeaways [Event Review]

Lollapalooza-2015

As with any music festival, after Lollapalooza is over, it always takes us a few days to digest everything and snap back to reality. For locals, the festival serves as a three day escape within our own city. For outsiders, it provides them with a completely unique way to experience Chicago. The magic of Lollapalooza is simply unmatched, and despite a weather scare on the final day, Lollapalooza 2015 turned out to be just as memorable as years past. On the next few pages we’ve broken down some of our lasting impressions from Lolla.

Continue reading

Related items: