by Andrew Sacher

After releasing some EPs over the last few years, future bass producer Kastle is finally set to release his full length debut. The self titled album will be out on April 23 via Symbols and its first single, "Red Light," which features guest lead vocals from Ayah Marar, is out now. The second single, "Make You Stay" features guest vocals from Black Hippy collaborator JMSN (who did a lot of the vocals on Kendrick Lamar's good kid, m.A.A.d city) and that one will be out on April 9.

Similarly to XXYYXX, Kastle blends house and future garage in a way that's both delicate and club-ready, and Ayah Marar's vocals on the new single make it as catchy as any of Disclosure's recent collaborations. Stream that one below, along with a just-released non-single, "Work It Out," which prominently samples a Janet Jackson a capella.

Kastle doesn't have a full tour scheduled at the moment, but he does have a few upcoming dates, including one in NYC happening on May 3 at 285 Kent with hip hop producer Knxwledge (who has worked with Blu, Co$$, and others). Tickets for that show are on sale now.

All currently known dates are listed, along with song streams, below...

Continue reading "Kastle releasing debut full length, playing shows (one with Knxwledge) (dates & new track)"

by Andrew Sacher

Ab-Soul at Terminal 5 in 2012 (more by Julie Schabel)

Ab-Soul, who released the excellent Control System and toured with fellow Black Hippy members Kendrick Lamar and Jay Rock last year, is gearing up for a few shows this year. He was recently announced for Washington State festival Sasquatch! and was just confirmed for Austin's SXSW as well. Before SXSW, he'll do a few club dates, including one in NYC on February 27 at SOB's. Tickets for that show are on sale now. All Ab-Soul dates are listed below.

Though Ab-Soul is the only Black Hippy member confirmed for SXSW, we wouldn't be surprised to see the other three guys there too. We already mentioned that Kendrick Lamar is rumored to be there, and Schoolboy Q (who like Ab-Soul, plays Sasquatch) and Jay Rock are free during that time as well.

UPDATE: It's confirmed: Kendrick Lamar, Schoolboy Q, and Jay Rock will all be at SXSW 2013.

Kendrick Lamar took things in the Black Hippy camp to the next level last year with his major label debut, good kid, m.A.A.d city, and at some point this year, Schoolboy Q will become the second Black Hippy member to release a major label album, Oxymoron, which he's in the studio recording now. Somebody tell Jay Rock to get an album out soon too!

Ab-Soul is also working on a collaborative album with producer/singer JMSN, who contributed vocals to good kid, m.A.A.d. city, called Unit 6, which will be out at some point this year. The first single from that album, "You're Gone," is a wacked-out cut which sounds pretty good, and has a chorus which sounds a lot like Ab-Soul is saying he roofied a girl but RapGenius says he's talking about lean. You can listen to it and check out a list of all upcoming dates below...

Continue reading "Ab-Soul playing shows; all of Black Hippy coming to SXSW?"

Frightened Rabbit @ T5, Nov. 2010 (more by Lionel Bergeron)

SXSW has just announced another round of bands for the 2013 edition of the annual music festival that will happen March 12 - 17. This brings the total current number of acts to around 1300. Someome of the highlights include Vampire Weekend, Frightened Rabbit, The Thermals, Black Lips, Camera Obscura, Merchandise, Bleached, Mr. Muthafuckin' eXquire, Eagles of Death Metal, Parenthetical Girls, Indians, Night Beds, IO Echo, KEN Mode, Prince Paul, Pure Bathing Culture, Sepalcure, UK motorik post-punks TOY, Finnish instrumentalists K-X-P, Toronto's Moon King, UK indie rockers Splashh (not Brooklyn Splash with one "h") and loads more. Head to BV Austin for the whole Round 3 list.