If you're desperately hanging on to the last vestiges of your summer vibe, look no further than the fourth album from D Gookin, Spiral Style, a shiny, happy kaleidoscope of electropop sure to put a spring back in your step. The record is so relentlessly upbeat and nearly rave-like in its intensity that it could easily act as a coffee substitute! Mr. Gookin likes his pop messy, though, so don't expect anything too clean as he shreds a breakbeat on "Unbraid the Knot", pushes his synths into overdrive on massively smiley album opener "Way 2 Grow" or filters his voice through all manner of disguises. Let this album worm its way into your brain when you need a boost - you'll be bouncing around the room in no time!
Label: Demigodz/Dirty Version
Album: Honkey Kong
Artist: Apathy
Genre: Hip Hop
If bumping jeep beats through large car audio systems is more your summer steez, you'd do well to check Honkey Kong, the newest missive from Apathy. The Connecticut-born emcee has been around the block a few times - since his first raps on Jedi Mind Tricks' underground-classic debut in 1997, through his partnerships with downlow legends like Celph Titled and 7L & Esoteric as Demigodz and enough major label BS to make him an indie rap warrior, Apathy has remained steadfastly dedicated to his craft. Over hot production from the likes of DJ Premier, Evidence, DJ Muggs (Cypress Hill), and Da Beatminerz, Apathy's burly raps hurl themselves out of the speakers with inventive wordplay and a forceful attitude. Who needs sun & fun when you can mean-mug down the boulevard blasting these raw joints?
Label: SmartGuy Records
EP: Rat Columns
Artist: Rat Columns
Genre: Pop
Finally, if you're cynical and prone to brooding during summer (like me), this spectacular new EP from Rat Columns might be more up your alley. You know that scene in most John Hughes movies where our humble protagonist sees his dream girl across the room and has his moment of epiphany? "I Wonder" is the soundtrack to that moment.
Delightfully lo-fi, recalling the best of the 80's "college rock" scene, Rat Columns' new EP will satiate your desire for something strange and familiar simultaneously. Sounding like Joy Division as covered by a gamelan orchestra at times ("Glass Coffin"), atmospheric without sounding overly polished at others ("Darkness"), This EP delves deeper than your average indie pop band and comes up with the stuff of summers spent inside, like so many of my own…
