Weekly updates:

Music

Bars: all the music we’re listening to right now

Featuring Major Lazer, 21 Savage, Kllo, Toro Y Moi and more

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Weekly updates


Bars is Acclaim’s weekly wrap up of all the music we want you to get in on. Whether it’s new albums, mixtapes, tracks, or videos, we’re here wading through the noise to bring you only the finest happenings in the world of music. Hit the list below to see what we’ve been bumping this week.


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01. Dizzee Rascal – 'Wot U Gonna Do?'

 

Dizzee Rascal is back with the single ‘Wot U Gonna Do?’ dropping ahead of his imminent album Raskit, due for release July 21. This will be Rascal’s first album release since 2013 when he dropped The Fifth. It appears the bassline junkie is far from ready to kick his addiction, with the godfather of grime music returning with a fast paced, bonkers banger. Unlike some of his more renowned tracks, ‘What U Gonna Do?’ contains an element of genuine self-reflection, yet not devoid of the signature humorous side that personifies Rascal. The track appears to be a monologue addressed to himself, questioning how he can counteract the trajectory of his life. “Wot u  gonna do, when you know MC’s keep cattin’ your flow but you can’t get signed?” The fiend for a big day bassline accompanies his latest track with a video clip that couples well with the intense and somewhat creepy music. The highly edited clip is as electronically erratic as the track itself, with a pixelated version of Dizzee in red, black and white spitting bars. Whether this album will site the return of a legend or not, time will tell, but either way, how can you not love this way out of order bloke?

02. DJ Shadow – 'The Mountain Has Fallen'

DJ Shadow has been on people’s radar since his debut full-length work, Endtroducing….. changed the production game and went on to make the Guinness World Records for “First Completely Sampled Album”. This week DJ Shadow pleasantly surprised with the drop of The Mountain Has Fallen EP, an apt follow-up to last year’s release, The Mountain Will Fall. Released via Mass Appeal Records, in just four tracks DJ Shadow manages to fit in collaborations with Nas, Danny Brown, and composer Steven Price. In a statement, DJ Shadow described the EP as his “version of a victory lap” as he finds himself in a more positive space in his career. The Mountain Has Fallen kicks off the DJ’s summer tour and yet again demonstrates a talent who is both creative and bold in his decisions, willing to make music that crosses lines, tests boundaries and combines unexpected elements. The four track EP is available to stream below.


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03. Toro Y Moi – 'Boo Boo'

 

Over his short yet action-packed career, we have seen Toro y Moi’s tackle numerous genres and make them intrinsically his own. His first album is often being associated with the chillwave subgenre, his second album (Underneath the Pine) contained no sampling and beats entirely from live instrumentation, whilst Freaking Out was evidently influenced by R&B and ’80s post-disco style. 2013 saw Toro y Moi influenced by house music, 90’s dance, and R&B combining elements from his first two starkly different albums to create a new one. What For? even saw Toro y Moi delve into the rock music world, releasing the album with heavy guitar use in the production.

If you’ve been on the journey that is Chaz Bear’s discography it should come as no shock that he doesn’t stick to the book on Boo Boo either. The album is poignant yet bleak, with Toro y Moi’s taking the listener on a journey through his emotional despondency. His ever-improving ambient lyricism is accompanied by a range of characteristically (seemingly) mismatched music, heavily relying on synthesised toms. A full stream of the album was dropped a day early via Carpark Records and features the already-released tracks, ‘Girl Like You’ and ‘You and I’, check it above.


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04. 21 Savage – 'Issa'

 

Atlanta rapper, 21 Savage dropped his debut studio last Friday, 7/7/17 which seeing as 3×7 is 21, may be no coincidence. Issa, is named for the viral sound clip of 21 Savage saying “issa knife” in an interview last year which arguably helped boost the emerging trapper’s career.  This album features some the best production the hip hop game has to offer, including old mate Metro Boomin as well as Southside, DJ Mustard, Pi’erre Bourne, Zaytoven, Wheezy, and Jake One. With over ten different producers putting their individual spin on Issa Album, The Slaughter King put the limelight on himself for lyrics. There is only one track that features vocals from someone other than 21 Savage. The song ‘Whole Lot’ features vocals from none other than Young Thugger, a fellow Atlanta rapper who inspires almost as much criticism as 21 Savage. It’s a pretty bold move from Savage to release his first studio album without the extra boost of getting some big names to collaborate. Perhaps the rapper is aiming to have people take his music style more seriously as his lyrics certainly take a step up. In the track ‘Thug Life’ Savage raps; “Scrape the corner, buy a Rover/Crack inside my grandmas sofa/Sunday, family coming over, Move the crack behind the toaster/Carry pistols with no holsters/Trying not to be a poster/You was listening to your coaches/ I was listening to the vultures”. The track itself is an ode to Tupac and features the to-the-point, staccato lyricism Savage is beginning to be known for.


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05. Kllo – 'Virtue'

 

Dynamic duo Kllo are preparing to deliver their debut album and are prepping fans with the release of their latest single, ‘Virtue’. Kllo is made up of cousins Simon Lam and Chloe Kaul and whether it’s the blood relationship or not, these two have an undeniable musical connection. Lam is in charge of the flawless production, again exemplifying himself as a beat-maker capable of conveying an endless range of emotion through exquisite instrumentals. The ethereal voice of Chloe Kaul lends a bewitching atmosphere to the duo’s music, seeming to almost melt into the beat and become one. The duo continues to evolve as both individuals as a collective, and are just an example of some of the incredible talent coming out of Melbourne.

The album in its entirety is set to drop on October 20 via Good Manners, just ahead of a world tour (peep the Australian dates below).

Kllo Aus Tour Dates 17:
8/12 – Sydney, Oxford Arts Factory
9/12 – Perth, Jack Rabbit Slim’s
14/12 – Brisbane, Woolly Mammoth
15/12 – Melbourne, Corner Hotel
16/12 – Adelaide, Fat Controller16/12 – Adelaide, Fat Controller


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06. Major Lazer – 'Know No Better'

 

If its visuals you’re after this week then you’re in luck. Major Lazer just dropped a video to accompany ‘Know No Better’, the track featuring Travis Scott, Camila Cabello, and Quavo. The track itself dropped last month and has since garnered over 100 million listens. The video clip portrays the everyday life of a school kid who aspires to be a backup dancer for Major Lazer. The clip alternates between showing the dancer’s bland suburban existence and showing his daydreams for a different life. When he’s copping swirlies in the school toilets, he dreams of being in the studio with Travis Scott and Camila Cabello. The Philip Andelman directed film clip culminates in the backup dancer kissing the girl of his dreams in a diner whilst Diplo watches on from a nearby table.


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07. Cartae – 'Long Time'

 

‘Long Time’ is the new single from independent South-London singer Cartae and features the cheeriest film clip. The track was produced by Ragz Originale, the man behind Skepta’s “Shutdown” production.  Skepta called Cartae “the future” on Twitter following her vocals in the grime Kings track ‘Text Me Back’. Cartae is creating her own version of bass-heavy pop that places synth beside her beguiling voice. The accompanying film clip captures the colour and mayhem that was the 90s and 2000s. The trippy visuals, multitudes of flowers, girl-group-esque dance moves, and grainy imagery combine to create an awesome clip that is sure to make Cartae hard to forget and get you looking forward to what’s next from her.