Cass McCombs | Humor Risk
For his second album of the year, Cass McCombs moves away from the grim minimalism of Wit’s End and delivers a set that’s a bit easier to digest, even if it’s less cohesive. Right from the beginning, “Love Thine Enemy” is livelier and catchier than anything on its predecessor. Like any prolific singer-songwriter worth listening to, McCombs’ material is strong regardless of whether he decides to plug his guitar in or not. The electric, lengthy “Mystery Mail” rides a basic riff to full effect, while the gorgeous acoustic ballad “Robin Egg Blue” proves to be the album’s highlight. McCombs proves that he is far from settling into conformity and gives listeners yet another fantastic album in less than seven months. Recommended if you like: Girls, Chad VanGaalen By Cameron Meindl
High Highs | High Highs EP
Modern folk faces a difficult dilemma. After a host of youngsters stormed into the mainstream in the early years of the last decade (remember the “Garden State” soundtrack or “I’m Wide Awake and It’s Morning”?), many revivalist folksters have either doomed themselves to releasing the same record over and over (see: Deer Tick) or attempted to reinvent their sound (see: Bright Eyes and the People’s Key). High Highs skillfully dodges these issues on their debut self-titled EP, fastening ethereal, playful melodies over amplified acoustic guitar in a unique style that feels uniquely modern. Heavy yet not overwhelming reverb and airily layered vocals that lend a unique atmospheric element to the genre’s trademark intimacy, a balance that almost lends itself more easily to dream pop than folk. While nothing on the EP truly stuns, High Highs’s artful use of minimal instrumentation and soft hooks definitely warrants interest. RIYL: Asobi Seksu, Gem Club, Grizzly Bear’s Olympic Studios Session By Maxwell Tani
Childish Gambino | Camp EP
Childish Gambino started as a side project by actor Donald Glover, who released a series of free, indie sample-heavy mixtapes online. His latest EP, titled EP, finally put Gambino on the radar back in the spring, netting Glover a record deal. “Camp” is a deviation from his earlier work. He’s not rapping as much about hipsters, getting laid and having a TV show — don’t worry, they’re not completely gone — and instead covering heavier topics like growing up poor, his changing relationship with his parents and whether he “abandoned” his community by going to college and working in TV. After the first few tracks, he drifts back to the familiar territory of clothes, swag and his fondness for Asian women, but the themes of race and class are present throughout. RIYL: Kanye West, Community By Ryan Gaffney
Small Black | Moon Killer
MOON KILLER MIXTAPE by Small Black
Small Black, with this “mixtape,” seems to be flirting with hip-hop, given the album’s featuring of Nicki Minaj and Das Racist free-associator Heems or the fact that “Sunday Son” rides a prominent sample from Nas’ classic “Life’s A Bitch.” However, the hip-hop connection becomes more of a philosophical aspect of the mixtape. The beats here are meant to be prominent, not simply background. Numerous references are made to New York, serving as the first time physical geography has played into chillwave, with a shared locale of only the Internet. Even the use of a mixtape medium to put out new music, rather than free online downloads via Bandcamp, is an indication that perhaps Small Black is heading for the street in order to differentiate from their suburban peers. RIYL: Neon Indian, Pictureplane, Washed Out By Jesse Paller
