Gracie is a dog walker from Philadelphia. He’s a jokester, picking fun with those he loves. He’s modest, afraid to brag in the most appropriate of situations. He’s pensive, diving deep in thought when valued opinions are desired.
His music is a bleeding version of R&B. A general feeling of uneasiness creeps under a more saturated layer of comfort carried by smooth and warm vibes. It’s haunting at times, but brilliantly satisfying.
Listening is not intended to merely pass time, rather his music demands attention. Colorful subtleties are rampant and the sonics are mystifying. At its worst, his music is captivating. At its best, his music is otherworldly.
Hit the jump for LFTF’s exclusive interview with Gracie:
Good stuff here from Brooklyn outfit Conveyor. “Mukraker” starts of a little hesitantly, but once it picks up, the chugging doesn’t hold back with great harmonies and horn parts.
This tune is a lo-fi gem. The beginning of this Plaitum tune transports one to a familiar past, where mystery covers a general feeling of hope. Then out of nowhere “Diamondii” blares with deep bass and powerful synth. It swirlingly grinds along with hazy and distorted vocals and marked transitions. Check it out.
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Baltimore-based and former-guitarist Matthew Papich is making some of the most interesting avant-rock and reggae beat-inspired tunes out there at the moment. Papich goes by the name of Co La. Some of his tunes just make you want to grab him by the throat and shake him like a British nanny shakes a baby, asking “HOW THE EFF DO YOU COME UP WITH SOME OF THIS STUFF?!” If you want to learn more, check out his great interview with Pitchfork.
The most striking aspect of Swedish singer-songwriter Jens Lekman has to be his haunting and soothing voice. He has been coming out with some beautiful new tunes recently. The one below is reminiscent of the upcoming season – a wintery affair referencing loneliness, Christmas, and snow.
Jens Lekman- I Don’t Know What To Do With This Information (Live)
So we’re getting the feeling that the Australian music invasion is really starting to pick up. Some groups, like Sydney’s Convaire, are borrowing heavily from 90s’ synth-pop mentality and it’s an absolute delight. They sound a little like GIVERS (who we wrote about months ago but who are now just beginning to bask in the indie sunlight). It feels like the genre has been so absent from all the modern electronica that we’ve pretty much moved on to bigger and better things. Happy go lucky and carefree synth-pop… is there any other way to do it? Maybe, but nothing feels as good.
We posted a killer tune off this mixtape a few weeks ago in which Brooklyn’s Small Black collabs with Das Racist MC Heems. That’s just the tip of the iceberg with this mixtape though. Small Black is a reverb-loving group that is not at all considered in the realm of hip-hop, but this mixtape makes you think twice. They mix their dreamy and hazy influence that’s all about setting the mood with a deeply rooted art form that’s beat-sensitive. It results in something very cool that you can download for free.
