Word Around the Sound is… 10 Thousand Rats is finally out! An effort years in the making, the duo of Jesse Desean and Andy Savoie hit a homerun with this album once they finally stepped up to the plate to bat. I’ve already talked about a couple of their singles, “Premonition,” and “Deer God,” in previous editions of WATS, praising the sound that they’ve developed. The experimental blend of rap, house, hip-hop, and electronic music creates a unique sound that sits comfortably in the eardrums.
The third single that they released before the album dropped included some of the only features on the project. TezaTalks and Chima the Stubborn join Jesse and Andy on the effervescent “Limoncello” track. The light and bubbly name is reflected in Teza’s vocals on the hook. Meanwhile, the verses from Jesse and Chima carry darker undertones to them, balancing out the track wonderfully.
As the project continues the energy of the tracks continue to weave in between punchy, high-octane beats to floaty, weightless moments that take you on a trip within the 20-minute runtime. Overall, this project is truly such a good collaboration between two individually talented artists. Check out the music video for their lead single, “Premonition,” then head over to their Bandcamp page and cop the whole 10 Thousand Rats album.
Gifted Gab G-Body Music
Gifted Gab starts off her album G-Body Music by saying, “I’m an analog bitch. I like old school shit, smoking my weed in an old school whip, knocking out the T-top old school hits.” Those first lyrics set the tone for the entire album. In an homage to the old school, Gab includes some hilarious skits within the project that literally made me laugh out loud. If you’re familiar with Gifted Gab at all, then you know how funny she is, and this album is full of her humor.
Now, I don’t want to speak for Gab, but knowing what she’s about, I’m pretty sure it’s safe to say she can finally die happy knowing that she got a feature from the one and only, Suga Free, on, what I feel, is her best album to date. Beyond the stacked list of featured artists, Gifted Gab gives us a range of vocals from hard-hitting bars to sultry singing backed by clever lyrics and a refined mixdown. In Gab’s words, “you’re about to fuck around and find out.”
Rell Be Free “Woodz” Music Video
Rell Be Free hasn’t slowed down with his releases, recently giving us the visuals to his song “Woodz” off the critically acclaimed album Sow What? (Phase 3). Not only are the shots visually stunning but the special effects will make you think that you just put an eighth in a wood and just ate you some shrooms. Making an entertaining music video is much more difficult than people may think; Rell’s personality translates well on camera as he, himself and him all give stellar performances throughout. Shout out to the whole Hrvst House team for producing a great video.
Allen Stone “Magic” Music Video
Allen Stone has a magical voice. When he uses that magical voice to sing about the magic of the right relationship, it only makes sense to get the most magical director to make the capture that feeling in a music video – the one and only Justin Frick. I’ve always been vocal about how talented I believe he is, so it makes me happy to not just see him working consistently but to also be collaborating with artists of Allen Stone’s caliber.
These two were clearly a match made in heaven as the catchy song lends to the light-hearted nature of Frick’s directing. In the video, Stone hosts an impressive magic show that stuns his audience. The use of props, costumes, and clever editing make for a highly entertaining music video.
Scarlet Parke “369” Music Video
Scarlet Parke‘s music video for the song “369” is what it looks like to come into your sound as an artist and be able to fully embrace yourself as you are. Tired of relying on other people (most often men) to produce her songs, Scarlet took it upon herself to learn how to produce for herself. She even created her own portable production studio that comes in a travel bag so she could make music literally anywhere she went. I’m such a big fan of Scarlet Parke and this video is definitely a big moment in her career so far.
Oblé Reed “SK[I]NCARE” Music Video
I’m thoroughly impressed with this cat, Oblé Reed. He has the look; he has the lyrics and delivery styles to go toe to toe with seasoned vets, and he has a talented team behind him that believe in him. The new music video for “SK[I]NCARE” showcases the energy that Oblé pours into his artistry, as well as his own mind, body and soul. When the soul is full, your quality of life improves allowing the things you do to flourish in the best ways possible. That philosophy is seen and heard throughout the video. He’s on the bill for night two of the third annual Seattle World Tour and I’m excited to see what he brings to his set.
Daizha “Silk Sheets” Music Video
Fresh-faced R&B songstress Daizha just released the music video for her song “Silk Sheets.” The romantic track got a romantic cinematic treatment for the video shot by swimteam. Even though she just stepped on to the scene, she’s already doing big things. Daizha announced that she’d be performing this year at Capitol Hill Block Party before she’s even performed her first headlining show which is on Saturday, April 29 at Barboza. Talk about making an entrance…
Blake Anthony “Give It Up” Music Video
Blake Anthony’s new video for “Give It Up” plays out like a shroom trip as him and Wffls smoke about their day. Lyrically, Blake smashes it, rapping at 60 MPH as he flies down I-5. For the video, Blake took the footage shot by his brother Ashley Quarterman, and he edited it himself to create a lo-fi, DIY ‘til I die type vibe. This is the first single off of his and Wffls upcoming EP, Must Be God. I’m loving this era of Blake Anthony because it feels like he’s been working on learning new skills, getting his power level up and unlocking some truly dope pockets of his creativity that we have still yet to see.
Upcoming Shows Around the Sound
Thursday, May 4th: rum.gold and Dsrt Flwr will be performing at Madame Lou’s in Seattle. Doors will open at 7:30pm, the show is all ages, and the tickets are $17 in advance.
Thursday, May 4th: Takeover at the Temple will be happening at the Spanish Ballroom in Tacoma. Lots of opportunities to hear something dope, Greg Cypher will perform with Bryce Bowden, alongside Mat Randol, NMC and special guests Savelle The Native and BlkSknn. For the all-ages show, doors will open at 7pm with tickets going for $15 in advance and $20 at the door.
Sunday, May 7th: The High Dive presents Trap House Jazz with Jordan Salazar, Jaziré, Sync Tanc and more. The doors will open at 8pm for those 21 and up and tickets are $10 in advance, $15 at the door.
