Ladies & Gentlemen | Lagmag

That’s how long it has been since my last post. Normally, I’d be totally ashamed about that, but all manner of crazy shit has been going on since we last spoke. I quit my job, moved to Minneapolis, started a new job, and bought a house–I even had a second (arguably) vestigial organ removed from my body, emergency-style.

I realize that 85% of blogs on the internet end with a post that starts: “Sorry, I haven’t posted in a while…”, so I was tempted to pick up like nothing had changed. I was prepared to ask you to pretend the last 251 days never occurred, and to suggest we’d both feel better about things that way. But the reality is, I’m now two organs short of a full body, and you deserve better.

Therefore, to get us back in gear, I decided to cull together a compendium of six random things I probably would have posted about had I been better at my not-job.

5. Wugazi

Another Chessboxin’ Argument by WUGAZI

I can already hear you. “Yeah, yeah, another mashup project.” Seriously though, it’s worth your time. Swiss Andy and Doomtree’s Cecil Otter spent a year sorting through Fugazi slices to find the perfect chunks for these Wu-Tang acapellas. Any project that gets the nod from both Dischord and Wu-Tang management, should get the nod from you. Download the full 13-track record straight away.

4. A Splendiferous Array of Culinary Tools

Thanks to my friend Christine, I ended up blowing almost $100 at Pop Chart Lab. First, I had to have the above-pictured beauty of a print. But how could I possibly pass up The Grand Taxonomy of Rap Names or The Illustrious Omnibus of Superpowers. Visit them at your own risk.

3. Ford/Lopatin – Channel Pressure

Break Inside by Ford & Lopatin

Last seen 251 days ago in my year-end records post, Ford/Lopatin (then known as Games), dropped Strawberry Skies, my second favorite track of the year. Channel Pressure is their debut full-length, and it also rules. Oh, and it was record in Jann Hammer’s studio. What more could you possibly need to know.

2. The Weeknd Thursday Mixtape

I think I maybe missed out on talking about BOTH mixtapes from The Weeknd (251 days is a long time), but Thursday is the newest, so I’ll talk about that. It’s lush, soulful, downbeat, AND Drake guests on a track. Also, it’s free. Get to it.

1. Demdike Stare

Demdike Stare is a newish project from DJ MLZ (Miles Whittaker) and Finders Keepers cohort Sean Canty. In February, they finalized a triptych of releases (including Voices of Dust, pictured above). It’s three full slabs of dark and heavy, sample-based atmospherics. Plus the artwork is rad. You need to own it on vinyl, so track it down before it goes out of print.