[MUSIC] Avery LR - "Never Surrender"

If it's said that an MC's lyrics are the sum total of what 
the artist has experienced, then what Avery LR speaks 
about can arguably consist of the experiences of two 
other people in addition to his own. Avery LR has been 
involved heavily in the underground rap scene for over 
six years as a result of being a witness to a seemingly
unrelenting swath of drug-related violence and poverty
that crushed many from his early years in Landover,
Maryland and in Baltimore. Thanks to the influence of 
his grandmother and then his mother, Avery saw the 
perils and made the decision to move to Salt Lake City,
Utah. It was there where he launched his rap career to
solid appeal.


Avery LR - "Never Surrender"

With "Never Surrender", the latest single from the 
MC's mixtape Surviving, Avery LR weaves a tale of 
defiant determination no matter the circumstances.
It's a steady flow that he displays, with a backdrop
that is slightly operatic but not in an overpowering 
way. This production gives Avery's lyrics a weighty
but conversational feel, letting the listener get a 
calm sense of assurance. With comparisons to notable
vets like Beanie Sigel in terms of his prowess, Avery
LR is poised to be a fixture on the list of names to 
watch out for in the near future.

https://twitter.com/avery_lr

https://www.facebook.com/officialAverylr/

[ART] Kaitlyn Mikayla

Photo Credit: Kaitlyn Mikayla

Kaitlyn Mikayla is a photographer who splits time between
both the East and West coast and has a flair for capturing
her subjects in a striking but subdued manner. You can get a
glimpse of more of her work on her website and in this new
Juxtapoz profile.

Photo Credit: Kaitlyn Mikayla

[MUSIC] Jacob Didas - "Lucid"

A person's mind can become a battlefield in some of
the most subtle ways. That fact is more and more
apparent these days as mental health issues take
center stage in the national discussion. As this happens,
music has become a vital way to both discuss and
try to resolve these issues in an empowering way.
With this in mind, Jacob Didas has created a musical
project that details not only his own journey in
confronting these issues but also how he sees the
struggles of others entitled Lucid.

Lucid is a ten-track album that can be defined by the
word "mashup" without it being derisive because that
is what embodies every track. Didas takes jazz, rock,
hip-hop and classical music to knit together songs
that display a message of positivity amid exploration
of the anguish and pain. This is also reinforced by his
other profession of being a psychiatric nurse. The first
track, "Drumroll" evokes a call to arms, with ska tinges
driving the consistent beat along with Didas' lyrics.
"Flight"sounds like the serene moments that may be
found after the terror of being high up with nothing
beneath but air. What Lucid does is put forth another
canvas of self-exploration painted by those who've gone
to areas some can't fathom. The album is available now
through Didas' website. 

JacobDidasMusic.com
facebook.com/JacobDidasMusic

[MUSIC] KASH - "Feel Like"

A major point behind any artistic endeavor should be
if it will make the listener connect through how good
the project makes them feel. This point can be lost in
the midst of the need to make a “hit”. For KASH, a
rapper who hails from just outside of Durham, North
Carolina(Ayden to be exact), it’s a point he’s determined
to not lose sight of. This can be seen in his latest single,
“Feel Like”. The track starts off with a steady rise that
tingles, and KASH lays down smooth bars with a flow
that takes some influence from Bone Thugs N’ Harmony.
This isn’t lost on many once the chorus kicks in as well.
KASH conveys a picture of his environment that’s devoid
of pretentiousness but doesn’t glamourize, striking a 
fine median that lets listeners settle in for the journey.
For someone up and coming, KASH is delivering himself
like a seasoned pro. Check out the single on his
social media feeds. 

https://twitter.com/BoomerKa5h
https://www.instagram.com/ka5h_bl/ 

[MUSIC] Kese - "On Me"

Some stick with coffee to give them a shot of energy
for the day. Others gravitate towards the particular
energy drink that’s trending the most. And for others,
the reliable boost can be found in music. One artist
hoping to add to that latter category is Kese, who
hails from Orlando, Florida.

Kese has always been drawn to rap music from a
young age and has demonstrated a unique ear to
create his own style which is a shade more upbeat
than other contemporaries. This stands out on his
debut single, “On Me”. The opening notes crackle
like the first sparks one sees plugging an adapter
into a surge protector, then Kese delivers a series
of lyrics in a mellow tone. What “On Me” does is
convey the usual braggadocio that comes with the
territory of verbal combat in rap, but it does so
with the air of smooth confidence that harkens
back to the days where R&B and rap were fleeting
but rising tag-team partners on the charts. Kese is
set to release his first EP this April, and the single is
available now on iTunes.

 

https://www.facebook.com/Therealkese/
https://twitter.com/thereal_kese
https://www.instagram.com/thereal_kese/

[MUSIC] Mr. Stee - "Searching"

The act of searching is part and parcel of the human experience.
This is a fact that’s undeniable and applies to everything we do,
and expressing it can take on many forms. For Mr. Stee, it is
beginning to be best reflected in his music. And it’s also the title
of his second album. For Mr. Stee, this is the first stretch of a
journey in music making that the Vancouver, British Columbia
native began as a guitarist. He often played with his brother, a
bass guitarist, working in the genres of jazz and R&B and funk.
Hip-hop was an interest, but an untimely accident while on
holiday in Indonesia helped him delve deeper into the genre and
commit to making music in that vein. It led to an EP, All Nighter
that scored some buzz and fueled this instrumental project’s 
creation.

Listening to Searching, you are immediately brought into a 
state of calm beginning with the first track, “Solstice”. There’s
a keen timing behind each of these tracks, a rhythmic balance
that truly fits in well with whatever one is doing. “Perfume” is
a funky track that pounds against the eardrum thanks to a 
silky bassline. “Flying” is just that - a stirring song that cuts 
through any clouds one might have. Searching overall is a fresh
and enveloping ambient album that is good for anyone’s chosen
journeys in this life. Mr. Stee is making himself out to be a quite
masterful guide and soundtrack creator in this respect. The album
is available now through the artist’s Bandcamp page.

http://mrstee.bandcamp.com
https://www.facebook.com/mrsteemusic/
https://www.instagram.com/stefanraupach/ 

[MUSIC] Michael Van & The Movers - "A Little More Country"

For some, it is still amazing that good and robust bluegrass
and country music can be found above the Mason-Dixon Line.
To that end, the efforts of Michael Van & The Movers keep
making that amazement evolve into true appreciation. The
five man group fronted by Van make San Francisco, California
home and have enjoyed a steady flow of success and admiration
for their music as they’re done numerous dates around the
country.

Their latest album, A Little More Country, sets out to let
listeners sink deeper into their sound as one would do in
a tranquil pool on a sweltering day. Van’s singing and acoustic
skills display a malleable knack, one that shines through
on a track like “Skedaddle Mountain Lullaby”. The song
is wistful, with traces of the same solemnity you’d get from
a Waylon Jennings number. The other members have
ample moments where their contributions enhance the
overall feel of the album. For example, Bob Skye on
harmonica gives a rousing performance on the ode “Pretty
Penny”. On this album, the band does show a measure
of flexibility, with “Juanita” being one of those tracks
one can easily hear blaring through the speakers of a
tropical bar. A Little More Country, as expressed by Van,
was meant to be a return more to the positive and simple
roots that made music be that much more of a connecting
spirit. One can say that this effort is a big step towards
that. The album can be found on their Bandcamp page.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvucjDocdrmulRbxzrw0WZQ
https://www.reverbnation.com/michaelvanband
https://www.facebook.com/MichaelVanAndTheMovers/

[MUSIC] 3ipleA - "Water Diamonds"

There are some moments that it becomes more
apparent that water can bring us together more
than we realize. In the cae of 3iple A, they bring
that point home with their single, “Water Diamonds.”
It’s a culmination of the past few years of work
between ImKidKid, A-Tre, Speechless, Ak-Heat
and Goofball. The motivation behind these rappers
repping the Houston, Texas area was to provide
really good and timely music on their own terms
and also to, as ImKidKid says, “keep it PG for the
kids.”

 

“Water Diamonds” is meant to be an upbeat party
song, with production that snaps. Both MCs convey
a steady flow, but not too middle-of-the-road to make
a listener get turned off. It fits the H-Town sound but
has enough tinges of influence from the scene in
Chi-town and some Floridian bounce to appeal to
everyone as a fun track to ride to. This single is the
first out of a trilogy of tracks the group has released,
which are available on their Soundcloud. “Water Diamonds”
can be purchased via iTunes.

https://twitter.com/3iplea
https://www.facebook.com/3iplea

[MUSIC] Erich Mrak - "Float"

In some respects, floating can be a means of survival
but it can also mean the beginning of being so detached
that you don’t know where to begin. It’s a feeling that
gets captured nicely on the latest single from Erich Mrak.
The Toronto, Ontario, Canada native has seen a decent
amount of success based off of the release of his previous
EP, Retrospect with a style that reflects a blend of fresh
pop and contemporary rap that doesn’t grate on the ears.
“Float” begins with an atmospheric bounce that interprets
the sensation of floating well, thanks to the production by
Bento. Mrak’s lyrical flow comes in, more like the breeze
off of a pond in the fall as he depicts the uneven stance
of being involved with someone and not seeming as if it
will get anywhere. With “Float”, Mrak seems to be on a 
good path leading into the anticipation for his next EP.
“Float” can be purchased on iTunes, and heard on Spotify. 

https://soundcloud.com/erichmrakmusic
https://twitter.com/ErichMrakMusic
https://www.facebook.com/ErichMrakMusic/
https://www.instagram.com/erichmrakmusic/

[MUSIC] Space Cadets - "Self-Titled"

Fusing musical genres is not an easy task, not 
even for the skilled artists. It requires timing, a
connection to all the genres involved and most
importantly, a unique expression of the results.
It’s something that is the concrete aim of the
Space Cadets, hailing from Los Angeles, California.
The trio of Zachary Wexelman, Dan Creed and 
John Cocco went out to merge their talents
mainly as a way to channel their frustration at
the way things have become and to make music
that isn’t easily defined except by one thing - is
it good or not? Their self-titled EP is the second
venture towards answering that question.

 

Space Cadets is an EP that sounds like what 
you would imagine your favorite shot at the
bar would be like if in audio form - sharp, initially
fiery with a particularly robust conclusion. The
group’s honed certain rough edges from their
first EP with help from veteran producer James
Ingram(Tyler The Creator, Mike Posner) here
but it’s ultimately the comfort found in blurring
the boundaries that ties it all together. “Kissing”
is snappy, Wexelman’s flow the right note of
hope & frustration in every lyric. Creed’s bass
work brings tinges of flavor not heard since
Blink 182 & Limp Bizkit’s early successes. On
“Fam”, the group careens from raucous to
reflective like bumper cars and its a solid ride.
Space Cadets is a good stepping stone for a
group looking to pave their own interesting way
forward. The EP is available now through their
website.  

www.spacecadetsband.com
www.facebook.com/spacecadetsmusic
Instagram: @spacecadetsband
Twitter: @spacecadetsband
www.soundcloud.com/spacecadetsband