BRIGHTON, MA Brighton, MA | Loose Tooth Records
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With a slew of guests drawn from the ranks of jazz musicians and backpacker-approved indie rappers, WYLA?, the sophomore album from local hip-hop producer Copperpot, has all the earmarks of a self-important mess, but surprisingly it actually bumps. The erstwhile Daniel Kuypers uses his instrumentalists–a jazzer-approved lineup including Frank Rosaly, Josh Abrams, and Tortoise members Jeff Parker and Dan Bitney–to flesh out soul-inflected beats built from greasy bass lines and J Dilla-ishly diced guitars. A bit too boho for the club, probably, but custom-cut for backyard barbecues. And while KRS-One is as didactic as usual, most of the other guests–Prince Po, Psalm One, Masta Ace–give even their preachier bits an appropriately good-time delivery. A personal fave: “Demo,” where British rapper Braintax slams amateur demos for their low-end CD mailers and half-assed artist bios, once again confirming that England produces the funniest rappers in the world.
WARHAMMER 48K An Ethereal Oracle | Permanent Records
Between “Chicken Noodle Soup” and “Aunt Jackie,” the resurgence of hip-hop songs with associated dance moves have been centered in Harlem for the past year and then some. The local duo Dude ‘N Nem (known individually as Upmost and Tragic) are trying to move the country’s focus to Chicago with their single, “Watch My Feet,” with lyrics and–even better–a video showcasing footwork, a turbo-speed dance style that came out of the city’s juke scene. The song is a bipolar blend, with verses rolling over a lazy, seat-back groove that doubles up into a four-on-the-floor juke beat for the chorus. The sampled “Watch my feet / w-watch my feet” that stutters over the fast parts could be the hook that draws in listeners from out of town, but Dude ‘N Nem’s fuck-it charm and the mind-boggling dance moves in the video are what might make them a sensation.
For more on music, see our blogs Crickets and Post No Bills at chicagoreader.com.
