Mixtape Monday: Clear Soul Forces, Elaquent, The Stuyvesants + More
New music from Clear Soul Forces, Elaquent, The Stuyvesants and more make the cut this Mixtape Monday.
Clear Soul Forces are up first with Still, Elaquent gives us a Blessing In Disguise and The Stuyvesants are back with WRMX Remix Radio. Deep Black Society drops Origins Pt. 1: The Remixes, B.Cool-Aid serves up Syrup and IAMDDB follows with Swervvvvv.5.
James Gardin drops Sweet Jesus, Duffel Bag Hottie follows with Ghost of Rick and rising experimental duo BROWNI keeps the tunes coming with Highlife, Low Expectations. Souleance is back with French Cassette, Mykele Deville represents Chicago with Maintain, bugseed drops ENRAWS and Sal Dulu’s on deck with a self-titled EP. Jackie Spade anchors with Aurafication and Heno. closes things out with Sumn Slight.
Elaquent - Blessing In Disguise
Toronto’s own Elaquent drops a clinic in resilience and perseverance with the arrival of the fifteen-track album Blessing In Disguise.
Blessing in Disguise, the new album from the Guelph-bred producer Elaquent, merges the digital with the physical in a way that makes each seem new, and each seem very alive. It’s technically innovative music that reminds you, at every turn, that it’s been crafted by a living, breathing, upright human. It’s beat music informed by the past with an eye toward the future. And as its title implies, Blessing in Disguise also grapples with one of life’s central questions: how do you recover from your lowest moments to not only move forward, but to become stronger?
Clear Soul Forces - Still
Detroit’s Clear Soul Forces are back in action with the arrival of their eleven-track album Still produced by DJ Ilajide with features from Nameless and DJ Odilon.
The Stuyvesants - WRMX Remix Radio
The Stuyvesants are back behind the boards at the top of 2019 with the arrival of the ten-track compilation WRMX Remix Radio, featuring flips of a bunch of your faves.
Deep Black Society - Origins Pt. 1: The Remixes
Producer D. Black and executive producer DJ Junior join forces as Deep Black Society. Together they explore the sounds of the African Diaspora across Origins Pt.1: The Remixes.
B.Cool-Aid - Syrup
Over a year removed from the release of BRWN, Ahwlee and Pink Siifu return as B.Cool-Aid with their new seven-track offering Syrup.
"Black be the god, black woman is god, black man is god, thank u" - B. Cool-Aid
IAMDDB - Swervvvvv.5
Manchester’s own IAMDDB follows Flightmode Vol. 4 with Swervvvvv.5. Her latest expertly combines r&b, soul and downtempo grooves with the fundamentals of grime.
James Gardin - Sweet Jesus
The World’s Most Encouraging Rapper, James Gardin drops a gem with the arrival of Sweet Jesus, produced by TheyCallMeHeat. Features include Ozay Moore and the almighty Add-2.
Duffel Bag Hottie - Ghost of Rick
Following the Max 2: I Been A Devil mixtape Duffel Bag Hottie returns with Ghost of Rick, which expertly conjures the colorful spirit of boogie-funk and soul music firebrand Rick James.
BROWNI - Highlife, Low Expectations
Rising experimental duo BROWNI follow 2016’s Back In Winter with the expansive, grunge-inflected Highlife, Low Expectations EP.
Souleance - French Cassette
Souleance follows their tribute to Galt MacDermot with new music in the form of French Cassette.
'French Cassette' is comprised of an array of noises from various French composers; from boogie, to jazz, to sound libraries, to chansons. Cinematically sultry sounds, with a lot of funk; where Brigitte Fontaine meets François de Roubaix in a back alley somewhere near the film set of Calmos, whilst pumping out the soundtrack to La Haine. A little moody, a little sexy, a little rough around the edges.
Mykele DeVille - Maintain
Chicago poet and spitter Mykele Deville follows “Type Love” and “Free Soul” with the introspective, seven-track release Maintain.
bugseed - ENRAWS EP
Okinawa’s own bugseed drops a collection of beats crafted between 2012 and 2014 with the arrival of the ENRAWS EP.
Sal Dulu - Sal Dulu
Dublin’s own Sal Dulu follows standout singles “Tyko” and “Xompulse” with the self-titled, four-track Sal Dulu EP influenced by the sounds of classical, jazz and ambient music.
Jackie Spade - Aurafication
BET Cypher alum Jackie Spade follows the Lute-assisted single “Section 8” with his debut album Aurafication featuring Pumaxay, Talidan Redd, DamarTheEmcee, Petey Pablo and Monet.
Heno. - Sumn Slight
Takoma Park’s own Heno. drops Sumn Slight. The seven-track extended play finds him moving deftly between rapping and singing over expansive beats. Features include Ciscero, Waxroof, Matt McGhee and Svnti.
—
Karas Lamb writes and digs for tunes you haven’t heard yet. She actually wants to listen to your mixtape. Follow her on Twitter @karaslamb.