You know what time it is. Another week of picks from my inbox.

RedBaren907 ft Skyzoo – W.A.W.G.(allwegot)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QvpI66_pk8o&feature=youtu.be

Fresh track from RedBaren907 featuring Skyzoo titled W.A.W.G. I see Homeboy Sandman chillin’ in the video, what’s good?!

Connect with RedBaren on Twitter or IG.

Matt Rouch – This Side of Paradise

Hailing from Virginia and growing up near Washington, D.C., Matt Rouch has now landed in Denver, CO and is diligently working his way into the music scene. A long-time member of several bands on the east coast, Matt is taking on a new challenge – performing solo as a folk and country singer,

“I think entertaining and captivating an entire room solo is one of the most difficult things to do in music.”

Mike Marlin – Gravity Lies

Mike Marlin’s new album The Secret Of My Success (see what he did there?) is the follow up to 2013’s widely lauded Grand Reveal and probably the strangest record you will hear all year. I say “probably” because 2016 is still young and we don’t know yet what Marlin has planned for the rest of the year. Marlin has suggested before that he believes in “making cathedrals out of matchsticks” and perhaps The Secret Of My Success is the fruition of this ultimately rather terrifying and abstract concept; with this record Mike has built the cathedral and burnt it down. Sardonically self-mocking, enigmatic and yet engaging, the album is full of darkly strategic reminiscences on a wide spectrum of topics dealing with compromise, disappointment and stifled ambition (Like A Photograph), descent into dementia (Avalanche), the vast scale of the universe and the meaning of a single life (Whale Hill and Missing Piece), the constant war between the false gods of science and religion (Gravity Lies), and the complex emotional webs that entangle and define us (The Secret and Caroline). Ultimately, it’s a collaboration between Marlin and celebrated Scottish collage artist and Aspect art prizewinner Colin Brown (www.colinbrown.eu) who has created paintings to accompany each song on the album; the paintings developed after long conversations during which Marlin would discuss the songs and supply photographs and art clippings whilst Brown took notes and sketched ideas. The resultant combination is an art project featuring both the aural aspects of Mike’s songs and the visual components of Colin’s interpretations of the songs.

Dear Genre – Move

Fearless. Energetic. Passionate. These are just a few hallmarks that define the music of Dear Genre. Dear Genre is more than just the stage name of artist Andre Cataldo, it’s a statement about the freedom that is possible inside a great melody. It’s about following the inspiration wherever it goes – even if that crosses the barriers of genre and stereotypes. It’s about sharing the moment in a song with the listener.

Isaac Chase – Come Up (Live Performance)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Li7hEc3UY18&feature=youtu.be

Memphis artist Isaac Chase recently dropped his first EP titled Natured.

ShaManic – Mindless

Born and raised in the heart of American musical culture, ShaManic’s Nashville, Tennessee upbringing provided him with the diverse influences and inspiration that would eventually give birth to his rich, poetic alternative hip hop sound.

Live Looping with Amy Obenski

Amy Obenski is back with an awesome new project that she has created on her own. I’ll let Amy tell you about it…

After the French adventure ended, I found myself back in San Francisco again, and a solo artist again. No band, no gigs… just Amy. So I went on a completely different tangent and bought myself a looper. I’d never used a looper before but got myself one of the most deluxe loop stations (boss RC-300). I then spent an entire winter learning how to use it and converting many of my songs into a looped format. By Spring I emerged from my cave with enough looped songs for a live set. And that’s when it all began. I played concerts through the Summer in this way, constantly being asked if I had an album that reflected what I was doing. I didn’t. So by Fall I found myself in my own home recording studio, recreating what I was doing with the looper yet in a studio environment.

I have never recorded 100% of my own album before. I’ve also never played and sung all the instruments and vocals. This was a big undertaking and I was inspired. This album, An Emptiness to Fill, is a looping project that was performed, recorded and mixed by me, myself and I.

Kyle Reynolds – Hold You Tighter

“Hold You Tighter” from Kyle Reynolds was written with and produced by Sam Ellis (Hunter Hayes, The Band Perry) in a studio at Universal Music Nashville, the song is from an upcoming EP, scheduled for release in 2016.

Prison Escapee – The Lake Drowned Itself

Prison Escapee is the moniker of Los Angeles based Erik David Hidde. His music is inspired by equal parts post-rock, electronica, lo-fi field recordings, and film soundtracks. “The Lake Drowned Itself” showcases Hidde’s soulful songwriting and velvety vocals. This song speaks to what we can expect on the rest of Disappearing Mountaintop, which will be released Spring 2016 via Independent Release.

Kris J – Airplane Mode

Following the release of his sophomore album, The A.R.T. Project (All Real Thoughts) Atlanta artist Kris Jhas been working on creating visuals to accompany many of the singles from the album. With today, April 20th, being what some consider a sacred holiday, he releases “Airplane Mode” produced by Avery McRae for all of his fellow smokers.
Directed by brothers Ryan Jenkins and Dwayne Jenkins, the video features actress Amber Moore and uses scenic views of Pasadena, California as a backdrop.