Embrace the Flux

Jay-Z and Kanye West: Watch the Throne

// August 13th, 2011 // No Comments » // Music

There’s something familiar about the latest co-album, “Watch the Throne,” by Kanye West and Jay-Z. It’s as though I’ve already heard this style of rap, this tone of voice, before; but never arranged in that sort of way. The first song off it comes out the gate running, though not bucking. It’s the combination of a heady bass riff with a trumpet-like synth which makes it original. Both retro and crisp, the song’s movement is like something you would hear in a movie – a car driving off into a sunset.

To be sure, most of those moments of ingenuity suspended over the album are captured in the lyrics of “No Church in the Wild.” Like a crystal shining under moonlight the song exhibits a kind of sympathy, a vibrant display, at first; its mechanization notwithstanding. And yet the rapper returns with a bleak reminder, a provocative blending of nostalgia with irony, that where desire rules, God is irrelevant; and the sympathy quickly flutters away. Hence, there is no church in the wild.

What’s a mob to a king?
What’s a king to a God?
What’s a God to a non-believer
Who don’t believe in anything?

Certainly the notion of being in the wild could relate to the way human beings are thought to desire. But can it explain the force of a desire of the non-believer? The answer becomes clear, I think, should we take that force to vary with the rungs of a ladder. To be a non-believer is, simply, to sit atop a ladder. Neither fighting dragons, defending Gods, nor enticing women; but protecting oneself, impiously, with an air of indifference – the anti-warrior à la Nasir Jones. Are Kanye West and Jay-Z ushering in a new style to the hip-hop scene? Check out the song “Who Gon Stop Me” and tell us what you think.

Afrojack: The Way We See The World

// July 25th, 2011 // No Comments » // Music

“The Way We See the World (Tomorrowland Anthem Instrumental),” the collective brainchild of Afrojack, Dimitri Vegas, Like Mike, and NERVO, is certainly not lacking in your everyday sound effects, which, thanks to Pineapple Express, and “Money” by Pink Floyd, are so close to our hearts – Flux Welles, they shootin’! Aw, made you look.

In any case, the tune starts with a relatively flat bass line the progression of which I think is a bit flimsy. But, then, like a stoner discovering an underground pot house, the track suddenly strikes that familiar tone of awe and wonder. Its melody taking off before your very ears, you cannot help but complicitly await the next ‘chk-chk.’ That is, until the reverb fades, welcoming you back to the bass line. Overall, a solid song with a funky groove to it.

WTF?

// August 11th, 2010 // No Comments » // Fashion, Movies, Music, Technology

As I sit here, silently pondering the origin of my space within your time, a sense of doubt begins to creep into mind’s eye. That I exist, somehow, is certain to me. For how else could I be reading these very words? But if my space was to suddenly vanish, swiftly erased from your time, then how else might I exist? Oh, how these thoughts strangle me. Thoughts which make me feel like an oblivious fool.

Thankfully, to this eyeball, the web is even wider than the world. And it seems to form all sorts of funny little patterns which simultaneously disturb and enrich the understanding.

The pattern I will speak of today, however, is no mere circle.

A physical substance was clearly there; YouTube said so. And it was clearly a perfect circle. But when another thing was introduced to the circle’s domain, an unbreakable square of sorts, it became altogether certain that I was witnessing a miracle. As if the pixels had a life of their own, the unbreakable square was suddenly sucked into the circle. And so in the center it remained, gone but no lost: invisible. The circle had regained its apparent perfection.

Yet something else happened as I watched this YouTube video. That sense of doubt, slowly creeping into mind’s eye, began to vanish like a drop of water, patiently waiting for a miracle. Have a look for yourself.

They call it “Magnetic Silly Putty.” Now I’m sure any old physics book can explain why a ball of silly putty is able to absorb a cube of metal. That’s not the point. The point is this: a circle hides a square inside its belly. And hell, if this is true, then who’s to say that a two-dimensional eyeball of unknown origin isn’t creeping into your mind’s eye at this very moment?

So before I take my leave, I must first offer my apologies. I am sorry for thinking that your thoughts were strangling me.

What the Flux.

Priceless

// June 28th, 2010 // No Comments » // Music

Tired of hearing about drugs, stealing, and violence? Priceless can relate. Born Terrence Rowe, Priceless is stirring up some new hype in the game with a fresh take on the New York rap scene. That is to say, he connects his music with his own experiences and emotions. Priceless, however, understands a need for bouncy, fun songs. His newest single “Wonder Womanz,” featuring Bobby V, is just that. “Wonder Womanz” and “Believe It,” another song from Priceless’ latest mixtape, are available for download here. To download the mixtape in its entirety, check out PricelessAllDay.com.

Artist of the Week: D-Why

// April 7th, 2010 // 7 Comments » // Fashion, Music

Let me introduce you to a guy who has more style, better flow and sicker rhymes than you. A young rapper from Charleston, WV, D-Why recently moved to the streets of New York City to, as he says, ”spread his wings.” But don’t let his less-than-urban background fool you. D-Why has the ability to write a witty verse in hard-hitting fashion with swaggering delivery. And did we mention that he is a fashion-head? Check out this post on Lateboots.com to see what we mean. But enough is enough. We’ll let the dude speak for himself. For more info go to D-why’s MySpace, become a fan on his Facebook page or follow him on Twitter.

“My friends tell me I’m dope. Girls tell me I’m cute. My mom tells me I’m handsome. My dad tells me I’m talented. My little brother tells me I suck. But, I just tell myself to keep doing it. I’ve learned that life is what YOU make of it. So you have to go out there and get what you want. Reach for the stars–even if you land in the clouds, it’s better than on the ground where you started.”

D-Why has generously provided us with four songs. Download them here. Below is a quick preview: “Turnt Up Freestyle.”

Flux Friday: Week One

// March 18th, 2010 // No Comments » // Fashion, Movies, Music, Technology

In need of some reposé after a long and stressful work week? We hear you. From this point on, every time Friday rolls around you can look forward to something out of this world from the domain of technology, something perceptually enticing from the world of fashion, a moving image that will just blow your mind, and some musical ambiance for your perusing pleasure — just download the week’s Flux Pack. More like it, right?

Relax, it’s Flux Friday.

         Flux Pack One                   Dee Pee Studios                   LMS Killbook                  Design by Humans