Caged Animals are the ne plus ultra of artistic vulnerability. The band’s sound is therapeutic but their message comes from a place of pensive angst. Caged Animals channels a unique brand of honesty that makes their music relatable and highly infectious. In fact, the band’s name is more than a name, it is human existence defined in two words. Lead …
Facing Your Fears (and Loathing.)
Anthony Cruz has been on a high lately and we’re not talking about “hand-rolled cigarettes.” Cruz is on the cusp of fully unleashing his newest project Fear and Loathing in New York City and the reception so far has been nothing but positive. The buzz is nearing its summit and it seems like Cruz can’t stop smiling–not that he ever …
Due North.
Michigan based producer Sango just released his long awaited LP, North. Creating a Frankensteinish brand of music, Sango incorporates elements soul, R&B, future bass, hip hop and broken beat to make one smooth mixture of sound. Available via digital download on Soulection (with vinyl to follow), North combines the best of Sango over the last few years into one seamless …
Holy, Sunny & Gabe, It’s Sunny & Gabe!
If Virginia is for lovers, then there is no reason why you shouldn’t love VA duo, Sunny & Gabe. Backed by Karbs, their diligent drummer, Sunny & Gabe’s cinematic sound is a warm, entrancing bath of bliss and rhythm. When we first discovered their music, we didn’t know what to make of it. We gave it a thumbs up, but …
Travi$ Scott x Mike Dean Live at SOBs.
Travi$ Scott massacred SOB’s at Hot97’s Who’s Next concert. With the legendary Mike Dean on the boards, Scott proceeded to get trill beyond comparison, and seemed possessed at one point during the performance. His eyes became ghost white just before he surfed the crowd–the energy was incinerating. Download Travi$ Scott’s new mixtape ‘Owl Pharaoh‘ → here. ← Akeem K. Duncan.Akeem is our …
An Open Letter: Caged Animals x Too Much Dark.
Caged Animals released another single from their upcoming effort, In the Land of Giants. “Too Much Dark” is a plaintive but kind-hearted plea. The song is musical therapy relating to a dark place that has become familiar to all of us at one point in our lives. In a candid open letter, lead vocalist, Vincent Cacchione, explains the meaning behind …
Introducing Eugene…
Shwood, an Oregon-based company specializing in handmade eye wear made from sustainable materials, wants to introduce a new friend by the name of Eugene. The Eugene is the latest frame style from Shwood and boasts a sleek silhouette and that classic 1960’s bold look. Each frame is made by hand and is available in both Walnut and Dark Walnut wood. The Eugene is available with either a Grey Carl Zeiss or green G15 polarized lens (which …
The First Act: Solo Sexx.
I have never been so happy to sweat so profusely in a smelly basement as I was last weekend when I saw Solo Sexx, a Massachusetts-based female rap duo, perform at the Cantab Lounge in Central Square in Cambridge. I felt so empowered by their spirited performance that by the end of their set, I was ready to tear off …
Cha$e Gets Influential.
Luxury Rap King, Vinny Cha$e, recently teamed up with New York based clothing line InfluentialNY. The limited edition classic jersey tees became available at high noon today and can be found on InfluentialNY’s site. Get it → here. ← Quiet LunchQuiet Lunch is a grassroot online publication that seeks to promote various aspects of life and culture with a loving, but brute, educational tinge. …
Album Premiere: Anthony Cruz x Fear and Loathing in New York City. (Exclusive Streaming)
Anthony Cruz has officially transcended from b-boy to avant garde colossus. Not that he’s abandoned his roots, boom-bap still courses through his veins, but his newest album Fear and Loathing in New York shows Cruz reaching a new plateau as an artist. When we spoke to Cruz earlier this year, he hinted that the project would be a musical epiphany but …
Party Like an Amethyst Rockstar.
Joey Bada$$ gives us yet another window into his highly anticipated debut album, Summer Knights. Young Bada$$ is under a lot of pressure to deliver a stellar follow up to 1999, but seems to be handling it with absolute ease. Featuring fellow Pro, Kirk Knight, “Amethyst Rockstar” is another simmering cauldron of neo boom-bap–no wonder Complex named Summer Knights one of the most …
Pepperjack Gets An Anthem.
Kanye West might be making the web cream its pants with Yeezus, but B-More rap bully, Kane Mayfield is tickling our funny bone with his newest rogue single, “One for Pepperjack”. Currently working on two major projects that are set for release later this year, Mayfield took some time out to pay homage to one of his alter egos with a …
The First Act: Tristan Omand.
Tristan Omand is not just another guy with a guitar. And he is certainly not just another singer-songwriter. Tristan Omand is a folk singer in the purest sense of the term. Driven by a deep understanding of the history as well as his own personal love of the folk genre, Tristan writes and performs music that combines human experiences with …
Tall Tall Trees in Central Park.
When I think of the banjo, I imagine a black and white film of an old man wearing a straw hat, sitting on a porch, chewing on tobacco, strumming a banjo, and singing about how his woman left him, or about heading out west to look for work. The instrument has a rich and lengthy history, but has only been …
Ben & Doug Save the Music.
Pop music has its candy coated stigmas, but underneath the excessive gloss is a core of talent and substance. At that core is duo Ben Lindell and Doug Larson of the EMW Music Group. The two are on a mission, not only to redeem pop music, but to save music in general. Teaming up with VH1 Save the Music Foundation, …
From Absolute Zeros to Bonafide Heroes.
French dream pop duo, Hologram, recently released their debut single, “Absolute Zero“. A synthy jubilee accompanied by ethereally detached vocals, “Absolute Zero” gets a 10 in our book. The duo, Maxime Sokolinski and Clara Luciani, said their debut EP should be on its way this Spring. For now, feel free to rifle through their Soundcloud. Quiet LunchQuiet Lunch is a …
Strictly for My Ninjas.
When you first hear the name Shinobi Ninja, you assume that it’s a title of a Sega Genesis video game or a classic Kung-Fu flick. But after you learn that Shinobi Ninja is indeed a band, an awesome one at that, the name becomes a clear nod to their swift and lethal style. A metaphorical UN of music, you easily …
Art in FLUX Harlem presents HARLEM BEAT at Scratch DJ Academy.
Art in FLUX Harlem and the Scratch DJ Academy recently collaborated for HARLEM BEAT, a pop-up gallery showcasing the work of some talented Harlem based artists like Tyson Hall, Makeba Rainey, Anya Roz and Ibou Ndoye. HARLEM BEAT was an integrative experience, combining musical artistry with that of visual artistry. After taking in some of the groovy tunes being spun …
Moving On Can Be Emotional.
DJ Sad Kanye remixed Giraffage x Jhameel x DWNTWN‘s “Move Me”. A slow grind, the emotional remix doesn’t differ much from Giraffage’s version, a contribution to the Kitsuné America 2 compilation. However Sad Kanye’s version is a little dreamier and a bit more brooding, turning “Move On” into a beautiful nightmare. Quiet LunchQuiet Lunch is a grassroot online publication that seeks to promote various …
Fool Me Twice.
Thumping and ghostly, “Fool Of Me” by Say Lou Lou is one of those song that make us yearn for those lazy summer days. Featuring Chet Faker, “Fool of Me” is a scornful track despite its ethereally breathy stylings. The duo also has another single out titled, “Julian“. Quiet LunchQuiet Lunch is a grassroot online publication that seeks to promote …
On the Road Again.
H1987 just released a new tune. Titled, “Road”, the track is in fact a winding path of musical hypnosis. He also released a new a video to go along with it, wrapping the entire package in a nice neat bow. Quiet LunchQuiet Lunch is a grassroot online publication that seeks to promote various aspects of life and culture with a …
Album Premiere: Native Bells x Falling Into You.
The exceptionally talented Native Bells releases his new album, “Falling Into You” today. I have listened to this epic collection of 18 unique and meticulously composed tracks nearly 10 times in the past 15 hours. Unique does not even begin to describe the sounds Sean has created on this album. Ahead of the curve, before its time–these are the terms …
Chasing Amy.
National Poetry Month came and went, but during the month we sought out one of our favorite poets to ever construct a prose, Amy Lawless. Armed with her trusty voice recorder and genuine intrigue, our Editor at Large, Matia Guardabascio, met up with Lawless at Select Cafe in Roslindale where they discussed her origins, her writing process, and her new …
Come Through Anytime.
We spent much of the weekend listening to Yuna’s new tune, “Let Love Come Through” with Kyle. It’s a steady boom bap made ethereal by Yuna’s sweet, dainty vocals. The song can be found on her forthcoming EP, Sixth Street. Yuna says of the upcoming project: “‘Sixth Street’ is probably a new chapter for me. All of the songs were written in …
GZA & Devo Make History.
GZA will be performing at the Natural History Museum‘s (Los Angeles) 100th birthday bash. Headlining the Centennial Celebration with new wavers Devo, the Wu-Tang general will be part of a musical performance that will accompany the grand unveiling of the Otis Booth Pavilion. Celebrators will be treated to a cocktail reception and an exclusive menu designed by celebrity chefs, Vinny Dotolo and …
Dusting Off the Tambourine.
We stumbled across a moderately dusty gem by Allen Laseter. Created for Dave Armstrong‘s single, “Tambourine,” off of his album Your Voice; A Violin. Your Tongue; A Tambourine, the year-old video follows a homesick astronaut on journey to reunite with his family. Quiet LunchQuiet Lunch is a grassroot online publication that seeks to promote various aspects of life and culture with …
Baths & Ironworks.
Will Wiesenfeld, better known as Baths, just recently a new track from the forthcoming Obsidian. “Ironworks”, the third track off the album, is said to be the best both of creative worlds, containing some staple traces of Baths’ sound and revealing some expansion. Obsidian is set to be released on 5/28. Quiet LunchQuiet Lunch is a grassroot online publication that seeks to promote various aspects of …
Feel Me?
Bleeding Knees Club just released a thumping stand alone single titled, “Feel”. The track was produced, mixed and mastered by Lindsay Gravina at Birdland in Melbourne. The duo will be playing at The Zoo in Brisbane this Saturday and will embark on a headline tour later this year. Quiet LunchQuiet Lunch is a grassroot online publication that seeks to promote various aspects of life and …
Piece of Cake.
Rap, and hip-hop in general, has undergone a series of makeovers throughout its young life span. It is an antsy genre, never quite comfortable with being complacent or staying still. It often gets an itch that can only be scratched by reinventing itself or taking on a new meaning–sometimes to the detriment of its audience. For the earlier part of the …
In The Clouds.
This Easter, we will all get to enjoy a little vacation from the doldrums of work life. While I am not excited about the over marketing of peeps marshmallows and adults in creepy bunny suits, it is a much needed break from the grind. Speaking of the grind, it often makes you yearn for freedom, something that would allow your …
Walking on a Highwire.
Tall Tall Trees, a.k.a. Mike Savino, has great taste in bow ties, as evidenced by his smiley new music video, “Highwire”. The talent and spirited nature of this young folk artist is on full display in this video, and we cannot wait to see what more he has to offer. Quiet LunchQuiet Lunch is a grassroot online publication that seeks …
Champion God Flow.
Yet again, we have been found guilty being selfish with our spoils. We got our hands on this track from MeLo-X a few days ago, but between palancing to it on a Friday and getting jiggy with it over the weekend, we just didn’t find time to post it. Off his forth coming EP GOD:LoFi, “GOD MAGIC” features MeLo’s signature …
We See Now.
Have you listened to the Shout Out Louds‘ latest album, Optica? Being that the album was released at the tail end of February, we aren’t going to deny that we were caught sleeping. But now that we’re awake, you can’t get us to turn this album off–no way, no how. The Swedish band’s fourth album, Optica is gloriously feel good float into a …
Floating On Air.
Wrapping up their run with Ra Ra Riot, Pacific Air recently announced that they will be playing at The Governor’s Ball in June. We’re still digging “Float“. Directed by Anders Rostad, the visuals for the song are as cool the duo’s namesake. But enough about cool videos, if you can’t wait to see Pacific Air at The Governor’s Ball, catch them …
May the Gigs Be with You.
Believe it or not, when Darth Vader is isn’t using the Force for evil, he’s using it to help fans save 8 GBs worth of pictures, music, and Word documents. Made by Tribe, this adorable Darth Vader USB stands at just 3″, and, as we mentioned earlier, holds up to 8 GBs of memory. Darth Vader is apart of a …
The First Act: Native Bells.
Have you ever listened to a song that made you feel like you could be either raging it, or sitting quietly pondering life, the universe and everything? “Lost in the Sky” by Native Bells is such a song. It’s the kind of song I blast in my headphones without regard for the health of my ears or the musical taste …
Cruz Control.
Anthony Cruz is quite the character–the Puerto Rican Larry David to be exact. Stopping short of having his own show on HBO, Cruz is certainly the odd man out. Growing up in Manhattan, the rhyme slinger is nothing like his counterparts. A beloved concoction of boom-bap and abstract progressivism, Cruz is more than willing to take his craft outside of …
Middle Class Citizen.
Kane Mayfield is scorching the web with his latest single, “Middle Class”. “A eulogy for hope,” the song is perhaps Mayfield’s most hard hitting tune to date. Mayfield spends his time on the song reopening barely healed wounds, leaving his art to gracefully bleed out on life’s stage. From the chilling Glengarry Glen Ross sample to Mayfield’s severely candid wordplay, …
Katachi x Tokumaru.
Take a look at this beautiful music video for “Katachi” by Shugo Tokumaru. It uses stop motion animation with colored cutouts, but unlike most animations that use the technique, the cutout used in the previous frame isn’t removed. Instead, each cutout is placed against the last to form what looks like a shockingly long row of dominoes. Watching the …
Like Clockwork.
Rapper YONAS recently released visuals for his single, “Clockwork”. Directed by Jakob Owens, the video is gritty, breakneck tour through New York, New York. You can’t help but feel a little amped after watching it. “Clockwork” can be found on YONAS’ latest effort, The Black Canvas. Quiet LunchQuiet Lunch is a grassroot online publication that seeks to promote various aspects of …
Ocular Depression.
Crystal Castles recently released visuals for their single, “Sad Eyes”. Directed by Rob Hawkins and Marc Pannozzo, the video features a glitchy motif that is accompanied by a creepy vibe that is damn near unshakable. “Sad Eyes” can be found on their latest album, (III). Quiet LunchQuiet Lunch is a grassroot online publication that seeks to promote various aspects of …
Dymes by the Dozens.
DyMe-A-DuZiN is one of those kids you would see on the block in Brooklyn, NY–except DyMe is a little different. At first glance he may seem coy, but when he begins to rap, his moxy blows through the speakers like all the greats before him. This Phony Ppl lyricist is about to make his mark in the music industry. Don’t …
In the Diver’s Seat.
We can’t stop listening AlunaGeorge’s new single, “Diver”. It is a rhythmic melody that is simultaneously intimate and distant. The song will be included on their forthcoming album, Body Music. Quiet LunchQuiet Lunch is a grassroot online publication that seeks to promote various aspects of life and culture with a loving, but brute, educational tinge. When we say, “Creative Sustenance …
The First Act: Midnight Poncho.
On the night of December 21st, while most were preparing for the end of time, I was driving to rural Connecticut for a solstice gathering at the home of Midnight Poncho. After a long journey on various obscure county roads, I arrived at the home base of Luke Benjamin, the main man behind Midnight Poncho. Photo by Matia Gaurdabascio. …
Surviving the aPROcalypse.
In wake of all the hoopla and yellow bellied antics, the world did not end on December 21st, and those who decided to forgo Christmas shopping were forced to face their friends and families empty-handed. I, for one, am especially glad that the Mother Earth didn’t meet her demise, because I would have had little time to listen to Peep …