Nobody feat. Ikey Owens - Girls Alone

Fresh off the heels of his May-released full length, And Everything Else…, Cali-based producer Elvin Estela (aka Nobody) burgeons further into downbeat, indie-approved instrumental hip-hop territories with this crafty collaboration. Estela curated and helped compile The Now Sound Redesigned, which is a remix/tribute compilation for ’60s soft psych champions The Free Design. (Read our review here.) This curation involved fashioning short interludes and continuously mixing the track list. “Girls Alone” is actually a rehash of the Free Design track of the same name. The Mars Volta’s Ikey Owens lends his keyboard proficiency to the mix.

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Part 2 feat. Sandra Melody - Will It Ever

Conjuring up notions such as grime, bashment and dancehall, UK producer Part 2 first broke onto the British urban music scene as a member of New Flesh (formerly New Flesh for Old) in the mid ’90s. He set many standards in production that would eventually be taken up by 2-step and garage types. After two New Flesh full lengths, Part 2 is apparently ready for some solo action, as his debut, Live From the Breadline, dropped at the end of August. On “Will It Ever,” Diplo colleague Sandra Melody steps up to the mic, delivering some fashionably neo-dancehall prattle. Part 2 has no scheduled US tour dates as of yet, but if you’re one of those snooty foreigners, knock yourself out:

15/09 Paris , France - Le Tryptique (w/ Juice Aleem, Sandra Melody & Lotek Hi-Fi)
29/09 York , England - Kennedy’s (w/ Sandra Melody & LSK)
05/10 London , England - T Bar (w/ Juice Aleem, Sandra Melody & Lotek Hi-Fi)
27/10 York , England - Kennedy’s
24/11 York , England - Kennedy’s

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Pumpkinhead feat. Jean Grae and Chas - Anthem for the End of the World

“Anthem for the End of the World” has one of the most unlikely choruses for such an otherwise straightforward hip-hop cut. The indie rock croon of Dylan Margerum of Chas somehow feels at home and unobtrusive against Pumpkinhead’s thunderous NY flow: “The Pope died / Jesus cried / Tsunamis take lives…” As you could have probably guessed, the lyrical content dealt with in this track is all about end times, and hip-hop’s reigning depressive siren Jean Grae has no trouble with the task at hand. Her glum-but-brilliant-as-always lyricism is sharp as a tack, and we’re reminded that she’s one of the last true wordsmiths in the genre and popular music in general. “Anthem for the End of the World” appears on Pumpkinhead’s latest LP, Orange Moon Over Brooklyn. By the way, if anyone can ID the string sample featured here, I might just Pay Pal you a dollar (or pound, whatever the case may be).

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