If maniacs and old, long-been extinct civilizations are thought to be correct, The End Of The World is penciled in to happen sometime around the 21st December. Thus meaning this could quite possibly be MTHRFNKR’S one and only ‘Big Things For…’ list. Rather eerie don’t you think? But nah seriously, if this is the first/last year we get to hyperbolically recommend new artists, then what a year to go out on. Below are the people we think you should spend your last year alive listening to:
Azealia Banks
Her music has made everyone from Kelly Rowland to Gwyneth Paltrow to Mumford & Sons (an incongruous bunch, no?) lose their shit. And rightfully so, make no mistake Azealia Banks is amazing. While most would wallow in self-pity if a contract with XL went nowhere. Banks instead decided to release a big fuck you, and record one of the songs of the year - ‘212’. It’s bubbling-over pent-up ferocity needed no press release. The irresistible, needle-in-the-red, ascending sonic partnered with explicit lyrics that expressed a love for oral sex didn’t ask but commanded attention. Needless to say the music industry came a’ knocking.
However, not to rest on the laurels of one Internet smash, she recently dropped pro interracial dating follow-up ‘Liquorice’. Lone’s ‘Pineapple Crush’ acts as the backdrop to another rapid-fire rap and a mellifluous hook proving that girl can actually hold a note (she’s an ex theatre geek from Manhattan’s La Guardia school of performing arts). While it may lack the aggressive bite of its predecessor, levels of addiction remain just as high, and it’s sure to feature on many club playlists.
With this all being said, understandably people already want a piece of the Azealia pie; Kanye recently met up with her, a collaboration in the works…maybe? And with a Paul Epworth produced debut due out early next year, Banks looks set to carry on commandeering our attention with her dirty-as-pig-shit lyrics and irrepressible flows until further notice. And here’s hoping she never stops doing so, we love us a girl who talks dirty and has the music to back it up with.
Lana Del Rey
Fake collagen-plumped lips or silicone-enhanced big tits – does it all really matter? Well according to the blogosphere the answer would be a resounding yes. Ever since Lana Del Rey stepped into the spotlight with her beautifully arresting ‘Video Games’ talk of whether or not her looks were God-given almost overshadowed her music. Accusations of her being el unnatural only intensified when her first attempt at being a musician under her real name Lizzie Grant came to light - genuine artistic reinvention or big-wig-constructed aesthetic? Whatever you think, like it or not she’s here to stay.
‘Video Games’ was stunning and all, but it’s her next single ‘Born To Die’ that looks set to officially affirm her as a bonafide P.O.P.S.T.A.R. Lana pleading with her lover: ‘don’t make me sad, don’t make me cry…we were born to die’ over a bare-boned hip-hop instrumental that’s complimented with some rather lovely strings. The video also sees her finally get that big budget treatment she’s no doubt spent ages dreaming about while splicing her own videos - sat on a throne, flanked by two tigers, dressed in virginal white and wearing a crown made out of flowers - it almost feels like a future glimpse into her imminent coronation as the Queen of Dark Pop. Whether that happens, depends on the merits of her debut, which is also titled Born To Die and out January 30th in the UK. But judging by what we’ve seen already it’s pretty much a dead cert.
Frank Ocean
9 months ago it was head honcho Tyler, The Creator who looked set to be the breakout star of hip-hop collective Odd Future. But after a disappointing first major release, fellow member Frank Ocean straight up snatched that title out of his controversy-provoking, Bruno Mars-hating hands, with the release of his mixtape Nostalgia, Ultra. Over the 14 tracks we saw Ocean breathe a much-needed waft of fresh air into the genre of R&B, with some killer songwriting and well-crafted pop songs. Oddly enough, Ocean’s music couldn’t sound further away from the over-hyped tripe that appeared on Tyler’s album. Where Tyler’s music was downright offensive and was smothered in cheap-sounding, barely-functioning synths, Ocean’s songs discussed topics like gay rights, abortion and suicide, all while using out-of-the-box samples like Coldplay and The Eagles.
Needless to say, it didn’t take long for people to move their bets from Tyler to Ocean and months later he appears to be now playing in the Big Boys League. This summer his vocals were used on two tracks (‘No Church In The Wild and ‘Made In America’) of rap super duo The Throne’s debut. And he also managed to squeeze out a song called ‘Miss You’ for Beyoncé’s critically overlooked album ‘4’. While originally ignored by his label, Ocean has gone on to say his relationship with Def Jam has strengthened since the success of Nostalgia, Ultra…surprise, surprise.
Expect Ocean to be invited to suck on the milky lucrative bosom of commercial success when he releases his first proper album sometime during 2012.
Kreayshawn
Is she for real though? Is a question you’ll find yourself asking over and over again whilst listening to Oakland rapper Kreayshawn (a spin on the word creation) real name Natassia Gail Zolot. After listening to her mixtape Kitty x Choppas several times all the way through, I’m still struggling to come to a conclusion. Which is exciting really, where an artist normally spoon-feeds us their aesthetic and sound, Kreayshawn is having fun making us figure it out for ourselves.
The aforementioned mixtape is a collection of freestyles recorded with her friends while chilling out. This frivolity comes across in the music, the raps are nonsensical, and the beats coast along gently but don’t really go anywhere. However when the ex Berkeley Film School student, actually sits and thinks about what’s she’s writing and picks out a killer backing beat there’s potential for her to be massive.
Take ‘Gucci Gucci’s’ nursery rhyme, childish but captivating melody mixed with it’s anti-materialistic trend following attitude and you’ve got something special. So special it secured her a rumoured million-dollar contract with Colombia Records this summer. Next single ‘Left Eye’ looks set to prove it wasn’t all a fluke when it’s released sometime in the next few months, along with a debut allegedly titled ‘Life With Loopy’ that’ll be released if not in conjunction with the single then sometime soon after.
A$AP Rocky
ASAP Rocky a.k.a Pretty Motherfucker from Harlem, NY, looks set to be Hip-Hop’s next big superstar. He hails from Harlem, NY yet his music has a distinct Houston, Dirty South vibe buried deep within. To cut to the chase, his beats are catchy, his raps are braggadocios – what’s not to love? ‘Purple Swag’ was the song that made people turn their heads, but it was knockout punch ‘Peso’ from his critically acclaimed mixtape LiveLoveA$AP that kept them firmly affixed upon Rocky.
He’s worked with a mixture of producers, but it’s his affiliation with up-and-coming beat maker Clams Casino that’s the most gripping, Casino’s beats are hip-hop based yet contain an otherworldly atmosphere - allowing Rocky to create his own unique musical world– ‘Wassup’ is astounding and sounds like nothing currently out there.
People have started to take notice, the usual endorsements have been made from more established rappers and a 3 million dollar contract with RCA has been signed. Now all we need is a amazing debut, soley produced by Clams Casino peppered with a few radio hits, Drake and Noah ‘40’ Shebid style.
The Weeknd
In a world where Gaga is treating the countdown to her album as if it’s the countdown to a world-changing event, with non-stop tweeting and single release after single release, it’s no wonder our brains are yearning for a return of mystery within music – enter Abel Tesfaye a.k.a The Weeknd. A twenty-something Toronto singer/songwriter who managed to get a massive buzz around his mixtape House of Balloons when he released it back in March with no interviews and complete anonymity – no one knew the guy’s real name until a few months ago.
Like his image, his music also feels like it resides in the shadows. At a time where R&B was and still is stuck on a heinous euro-pop plateau, Tesfaye’s music is a experimental, slightly-indie, yet hook-heavy alternative. The songs melodies have a hypnagogic effect on the brain – anyone who can resist the hazy, velvet-like sway that’s ‘The Morning’ should be a drug counselor. No Joke.
Lyrically, his words match the druggy morning-after aesthetic of his songs, you can often hear Tesfaye discussing promiscuous, one-night stands and over consumption of drugs and alcohols amidst this slick, hazed art house R&B. Unsurprising, him and fellow man-in-touch-with-his-feelings and Torontonian have a strong friendship resulting in a few collaborations.
His next mixtape, ‘Echoes Of Silence’ is due out in days completing a mixtape trilogy (another mixtape ‘Thursday’ as released in August’), and after recently turning down a 7 million recording contract, while his music suggests otherwise, the future looks bright for The Weeknd.
By Antonio Rowe
