Audiophile 021 – Triola EP

soundcloud.com/audiophile021/

With Triola, Cape Town-based DJ/Producer, Audiophile 021, offers a meandering journey full of rich and textured sounds. The EP was released on the 25th of June on the Triplefire Music label.

The XX – ‘Angels’

clashmusic.com

In case you missed it, The XX were the biggest new thing in London when they burst onto the scene back in 2009. Their debut album was all soft beats and groovy melodies over which Romy Madley Croft and Oliver Sim would whisper sweet nothings to each other. Since then the young members have been doing their own thing, most notably beat-master Jamie XX’s remix album of Gil Scott-Heron’s I’m New Here. This new track features the nocturnal lovesickness that was the motif of their debut and precedes the September 10th release of their new album, Coexist.

The Antlers – ‘Drift Drive’

pigeonsandplanes.com

2009’s dark and lo-fi Hospice was the breakout album for the Brooklyn-based trio, which they followed up with Burst Apart, one of the best albums of last year. The new single conveys the feeling of aquatic sedation that seems to be the theme behind their new 4-song EP, Undersea, which will be coming out on the 24th of July.
 
 
 
 

Meursault – ‘Flittin’’

sndcdn.com

‘Flitting’ is the new single from Meursault’s third album. They make the sort of heartbroken melodies leaning towards the folk side of indie rock that makes a lazy comparison to Frightened Rabbit easy and quite accurate. There’s a coarse honesty and melancholy in this song that cuts into you like a hot gulp of of whisky. Their new album, Something For The Weakened, was released on the 16th.
 
 
 
 

Errors – ‘Relics’

aaamusic.co.uk

Have Some Faith In Magic was an early contender for my favourite album of this year and in the months since its January release there hasn’t really been anything to knock it from its perch. Now we have the montivagant ‘Relics’ as a precursor to their new mini-album New Relics, with an ETA scheduled for October.
 
 
 
 

Dirty Projectors – ‘Gun Has No Trigger’

2020k.wordpress.com

The last LP by Brooklyn-based indie band Dirty Projectors, 2009’s Bitte Orca, showcased the band’s eccentric and experimental leanings. After a collaborative EP with Bjork in 2010 their new album, Swing Lo Magellan, is coming out on the 9th. The new LP finds them at their most accessible yet still offering an array of interesting sounds. ‘Gun Has No Trigger’ is the first single.
 
 
 
 

The Stone Roses – ‘I wanna Be Adored’

lyrdb.com

The reformation of Manchester legends The Stone Roses has been big news for nostalgic fans  and backwards-looking music magazines. However, to someone like me who was born in the same year as their famous 1989 debut a big reunion like this looks like more ageing rockstars are willing to kill their legacy and pick its bones clean. Cynicism aside, this reunion is something that means a lot to thousands of fans and makes this as good a time as any to remind ourselves why, more than fifteen years after they first disbanded, they are still adored.
 
 
 
 

Ill Skillz –  Skillz That Pay Da Billz 2

ill-literate-skill.bandcamp.com

Cape Town hip-hop trio Ill Skillz exhibit the ego, pride and partisan attitude of hip-hop, but with an explicitly South African heritage. Their 8-track album Skillz That Pay Da Billz 2 is available as a free download from their bandcamp page.
 
 
 
 

Big Space – Brown Bag E.P

facebook.com/pages/Big-Space

Big Space is from Cape Town. Aside from beats, he also shares some words on his SoundCloud: ‘I could just name drop all the famous people I’ve worked with who are waaay more famous than me but that would just be stupid. I make house music but I don’t make house music. I don’t think a lot of people like my personality but its okay… I love everyone. I also have an adopted cat and an E.P. coming out this summer on BOMBAADA records’ ALSO, I WILL STILL FUCK SHIT UP. CHENIN NON BLANC BABY! BOURGIE BOYZ!’ (Big Space, SoundCloud)
 
 
 
 

The Wave Pictures – ‘Eskimo Kiss’

imgur.com

The Wave Pictures make guitar music that’s familiar yet invigorating. The prolific London three-piece follow up last year’s excellent Beer In The Breakers with their new album Long Black Cars, from which ‘Eskimo Kiss’ is the first single.
 
 
 
 

Joey Bada$$ – 1999

pigeonsandplanes.com

1999 is the debut project from Brooklyn’s 17-yr-old Joey Bada$$. This 15-track mixtape features members of his Pro Era crew – a collective of 18 rappers, producers, graphic designers and studio engineers – such as Capital STEEZ, who makes an appearance on track four – ‘Survival Tactics’. From A$AP to BadASS, NYC keeps rolling out that old school hip-hop grit
 
 

Killer Mike – ‘Big Beast’ (Feat. Bun B, T.I., and Trouble)

musicya.net

The rapper Killer Mike (born Michael Render) released his sixth studio album called R.A.P. Music, produced by Definitive Jux’s El-P (Jaime Meline) and released by William Street Records. Spin mag’s Christopher Weingarten says it perfectly: ‘A child of the ’80s and a student of the Internet, Killer Mike is as exciting and wildly unclassifiable as hip-hop gets: New York noise and country shit, nods to when rap was punk and crunk was pop, Ice Cube before he needed hooks, David Banner before he needed to whisper, and Willie D before he needed anybody.’

Images from: soundcloud.com/audiophile021/; facebook.com/pages/Big-Space; aaamusic.co.uk; sndcdn.com; clashmusic.com; pigeonsandplanes.com; wordpress.com; lyrdb.com; imgur.com; ill-literate-skill.bandcamp.com; pigeonsandplanes.com; musicya.net

Who is Buddy Chellan, how do you define yourself in the world?

I’m a boy that had a dream, and just began to follow it.

What’s the one thing your friends and family say about you that’s not true?

Everyone seems to thinks that I’m always a happy, with no negative vibes. It’s very untrue. These are just people that are in my good books

Tell us something about yourself that hasn’t been published before and that you think is worth knowing.

I am a big animal lover – especially cats. I had five and now I am down to three.

Name 3 things you can’t live without.

Earphones, tooth brush and a destination to travel to.

You’re a professional BMX rider who started his own fashion label, how do you find balance in the two extremes?

It just works out. I try to prioritise my time when it comes to designing, especially when that’s what needs to get done. When I need to ride then I focus on that. Ultimately, when I’m out riding I get to see fashion styles as well, so technically I’m working all the time.

Is it important for you to be fashionable when out riding?

No, but it is important to be comfortable.

Have you always been interested in Fashion?

Yes, I had two strong female influences in my life, my mother and older sister. This definitely made me more fashion conscious.

How did the Dufraś – Buddy Chellan collaboration start out?

When I first had the idea for the label, it was very difficult to find suitable skinny jeans that weren’t only made for women. It was at that point that I decided to put my own design together. I approached my mother and we worked out something that suited me comfortably and was of great quality. It is now a part of the Dufraś label. I had a lot of ideas, and at the time, was lucky enough to have met people that listened to me and were very interested in what I had to say.

What are the criteria for the garments you’re designing?

It should be a slim fit skinny jean for males that can be worn formally, in a chilled environment, for skating, riding, or whatever sport. It’s a jean for every occasion.

What’s more important in your garments, quality or look and feel?

I would say quality above the look, but maybe that’s more of a personal preference. The feel is essential as well. Ultimately all three are important and that’s what I try to showcase in my designs.

A portion of each sale will go towards charity. What charity have you decided on and why?

I haven’t decided on a specific charity yet, it’s so difficult because there are so many people in need. I do plan on donating something, not necessarily money, but something that will improve underprivileged lives

What are your plans for the future?

To accomplish whatever is on my bucket list and to stop procrastinating. Live happily and spread positive vibes. Wish myself good luck for whatever hurdles comes my way.

What do you hope to achieve with your label?

I would like to make garments that people like and are into. To create and design items that is outside the bubble. To try new things and to learn through experimentation.

What is the worst thing that you’ve ever done and gotten away with?

I used to go shopping with my mother and I would eat everything I wanted, but I would hide the wrappers so that we didn’t have to pay for it. Eventually my mother realized what I was doing and started paying for the empty wrappers. If she didn’t, I would have eaten for free everywhere I went.