Kendrick Lamar- "To Pimp A Butterfly"

Kendrick Lamar achieved a rarity in the world of modern hip hop with the release of 2012's "good kid, M.A.A.D. City"-- he gained a fervent mainstream following without the sacrifice of his ideals or integrity.  His major label debut (a humble and strong elevation from his previous mixtapes and indie releases) was a focused and deliberate examination of the characters and surroundings of the world that birthed him, Compton.  Not since the early 90's of NWA or Public Enemy has a rap artist balanced cathartic self-awaredness with rapidfire, unapologetic lyricism.  Lamar's songs often ring out like short stories, embracing the chaos of his environment and turning it in on itself to inform the listener; transcending genre with each progression.

Lamar's latest offering, the aptly-titled "To Pimp A Butterfly", embraces the catharsis of the previous with the social relevance and confident restrain of a street poet.  Accompanied with minimal studio gloss and the live instrumentation of a subtle jazz trio, the album boasts an immediacy severely lacking in the braggart culture of radio rap.  Throughout the album, Lamar dredges the lake of current events without ever standing on a soapbox- he simply asks the questions, hoping that the listener will vacillate on the myriad of possibilities.

Grab your copy of KENDRICK LAMAR's "To Pimp A Butterfly" by clicking RIGHT HERE!

Twin Shadow- "Eclipse"

Twin Shadow, otherwise known as enigmatic frontman George Lewis Jr., came onto the scene in 2010 with his debut "Forget". Coated in Morrissey-worthy earnesty and textural new wave synths, Lewis established himself as the soft-crooner for the broken-hearted.  His follow-up (2012's "Confess") forged onward through his previous patchworked laptop opuses toward a more cohesive pop-centric full-band execution.  At its strongest moments, "Confess" conjures nostalgia for cheeky 80's radio darlings and new wave leanings- so much so that you'd swear you were listening to a cover band. Which is what makes his latest offering so seductive.

"Eclipse", Twin Shadow's major label-debut is strikingly more contemporary than it's predecessors- embracing the vintage-tinged melodies and retrofitting the production without losing any of its aesthetic.  Boasting confident (and occasionally anthemic) choruses and Lewis' patented bedroom-eyed hooks, the album is arguably the group's strongest and most accessible album.

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Noel Gallagher's High-Flying Birds

Noel Gallagher, rather that guy (gruff brother of Liam Gallagher) from that band (Oasis, in case you don't recall the nineties), has the subtle art of aloof and cool disinterest down to a fine science. Since his days in the Britpop powerhouse Oasis, the elder Gallagher has proven a keen, albeit entertaining view of the music industry and its myriad of benign disfunctionalities- which makes his integral involvement in one of the biggest bands of the last twenty years something of puzzle. This is a man who can play the game, with little to no interest of the outcome- his content comes from shuffling on- which could explain the majority of his work with High Flying Birds.

Formed within a year of the conclusion of Oasis, High Flying Birds became an output for Gallagher to explore his less obvious sensibilities found in the later-day output of the former band and drift toward "more personal" work.  The High Flying Birds' self-titled debut was just that- a confident and direct guitar pop album embellished with strings and horns throughout, a calm reminder that Gallagher wasn't just "that guy" from "that band".  With the 2015 release of the band's second album, the aptly-titled "Chasing Yesterday", Noel provides us with more of the expansive intimacy of the first- but with a little more insight. The songs are lush in scale (thanks to Gallagher self-producing the entire record) and seem to meander through musings of age and relevancy subjectively. While it's hard to deny some of the hookiest leanings of Oasis in their hey-day, Noel's work is strikingly self-conscious when he steps out of the shadow of his former self.

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Purity Ring- "another eternity"

Since the great divide between Top 40 radio and the more nuanced college playlists- there aren't many acts that can straddle the aesthetics of both worlds. Enter Purity Ring- the electronic dream pop duo of Megan James and Corrin Roddick.  Formerly members of the band Born Gold, the two began recording demos soon after Roddick investing his time into formulating electronic compositions.  Within the first couple months of inception, the two had formulated what would inevitably become their debut album "Shrines".  Culling together dance beats with irreverent, minimalist bleeps and bloops as the undercurrent for James' ethereal nightengale croon, Purity Ring's signature sound could easily be the bridge between radio pop and indie darlings.

Their latest endeavor "another eternity", captures the strengths of the duo's debut with a glossier sheen. While not a distinct departure from their initial work, the production does contribute to a fuller, more heavy-hearted album sonically. James' lyrics seemingly carry the weight of the world with the well-intentioned synth backing her elegantly- if this is the future of pop music, we can eagerly anticipate their next move.

Grab your Copy of Purity Ring's "another eternity" RIGHT HERE!