If Washington, DC is going to be a next wave indie powerhouse, it is absolutely necessary that Sockets Records be a dominant label. If an attendee at Saturday night’s Sockets Records showcase, there was significant sonic evidence to prove that the label’s acts  may quickly be making this the case. A nearly filled to capacity Black Cat approved of the performances of local bands Protect-U, Imperial China, Buildings and Cigarette. But a mere inkling of the talent released from DC resident Sean Peoples’ imprint, it was sound and fury that signified a desire for a whole lot more.

Headliners were live electronic duo Protect-U. 2011 single “Double Rainbow” is a sneaky surprise, funky, atmospheric techno that doesn’t break a sweat, but explores the recesses of the mind. The duo doesn’t record on the label, but both members,  Aaron Leitko and Mike Petillo have released individual projects with Sockets, so the connection makes sense. The heaviest hitters of the night? Quite literally the local trio Buildings, whose sound is best described by rock scribes as math rock. Unaware of what that means? Imagine an all-instrumental groove that alternates between exploratory and persistent melodies and is sometimes led by the pocket drumming of David Rjich. The latter is quite impressive, analogous to a man drilling you into blissful awe with a jackhammer.

Imperial China? The local darlings with the most anticipated set of the night, their latest album How We Connect a brighter and heavier take on the garage rock style defining so much of the post-punk movement. Latest single “Limbs” in the live element really stands out, each breakdown more impressive than before. Openers Cigarette? A whisper to a whisper, a nine-piece orchestral rock outfit that, as bunches of flowers adorned microphone stands, peaceably meandered through a delightfully ambient opening set.

For more information on Sockets Records, visit SocketsRecords.com.

I believe that new is boring and that history is inspirational. These opinions are not necessarily the views of the Couch Sessions. “Marcus Dowling appreciates…” celebrates the memories that define the future. Enjoy.

Hip hop loves a golden god. However, as time has worn on in this history of the genre, the ability of heavily bejewled emcees to entertain through stories has paled in comparison to their out-sized presentations. While rappers like Gucci Mane, Waka Flocka Flame and Soulja Boy have achieved significant mainstream acclaim, their lyrical dexterity has often been doubted. However, in blending a (literally) golden presentation with extreme displays of lyrical style, Slick Rick, as he was then, and as he always will be, the bling bling ruler of ribald rap entertainment, and deserving of our appreciation.

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London bred and New York raised, Ricky Walters seemingly was always destined to be Slick Rick, aka Rick the Ruler. A childhood accident involving a shard of glass being lodged in his eyeball added more unique appeal, as a crafty storyteller draped in jewels, satin, fur and a diamond-encrusted eye patch he was made for hip hop’s first mainstream push. Also ready for the push was his style. Neighborhood tales of excess were commonplace in the game. Top rappers like Kurtis Blow paved the way for Def Jam artists like LL Cool J, The Fat Boys, the Beastie Boys and Run DMC to gain crossover appeal by being performers with whom pop crowds could easily relate. Slick Rick? Somewhere in his heavily accented British tone and X-rated stories like pre-Def Jam collaboration with Doug E. Fresh on “La-Di-Da-Di,” he added an ersatz aspirational standard to common existences that separated him from all contenders.

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1988′s The Great Adventures of Slick Rick is a legendary album. Producer Hank Shocklee added eminently dance ready sounds to Ricky’s absurd everyman tales and created an instantaneous superstar. Grooving banger “Children’s Story” was the highlight, the tale of a misguided child stick-up artist so lyrically vivid with a sing song cadence that the words immediately attach to the lister’s psyche. Filled with such heavyweight moments as “Teenage Love, hopeful ode to youth worldwide “Hey Young World,” plus the deplorably filthy yet entirely catchy “Indian Girl,” Great Adventures… is an all out pleasure assault on the brain’s frontal lobe.

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If not an obsequious fan of hip hop, Slick Rick is a one-album wonder. A 1990 shooting placed the emcee behind bars until 1996, a period in which Rick’s style became a surefire route to hip hop credibility. Whether Snoop Dogg covering “La Di Da Di” on 1993 debut album Doggystyle, Def Jam signee Montell Jordan riding a “Children’s Story” sample to the top on 1995′s “This Is How We Do It,” or a plethora of other examples, his pop excellence was undeniable. 1998′s “Da Art of Storytellin’” from Outkast’s Aquemini release? Likely Rick’s best moment. Restoring his legend with trademark ease, when placed alongside top griots of a new era, MC Ricky D proves a timeless member of hip hop’s enduring legacy.

It’s important for today’s rappers to remember that wearing gold chains and sitting at the top of the game is a demanding task. Slick Rick wore the gaudiest of medals but responded with the most ostentatious of flows. Letting the jewels of success weigh down one’s style? A lazy reminder of the many inherent flaws of hip hop’s latest era of pop domination. Regarding this future, only one ponderous open-ended statement applies. “Hey young world…the world is yours…”

All good things must come to an end, and we have now reached that of season 3. The ghost of old characters have returned in the finale to handle some unfinished business. Tony, the very first probation worker to bite the dust, returns to apologize for trying to kill the gang. Sally, who was an old love interest with Simon during his awkward phase, has returned to profess her love for him.

And finally Rachel, the brainwashing religious-nut who was killed by Nathan, denounces her faith and enjoys the pleasures of sex, drugs and alcohol.

But all the ghosts’ intentions aren’t completely genuine. Sally tries to destroy one relationship as a way of seeking revenge for the heartache and death of her boyfriend, Tony, and Rachel realizes denouncing her faith isn’t what it’s all cracked out to be. Never straying away from the norm, the ending of this episode will leave you shocked and full of mixed emotions. There are so many questions left unanswered and multiple rumors surfacing about who will and will not return for a fourth season.

Misfits has delivered one hell of a finale with much anticipation for next year. Hats off to you Misfits/E4 for another brilliant season.

Lia Ices is an artist that I completely fell in love with last year. I remember seeing her at Joe’s Pub and being enthralled in her voice. Thankfully, she’s coming back in 2012, however her label, Jagjaguwar decided to drop a video for a track from her last album, Grown Unknown. “Little Marriage” is a gem that you must hear live. Check it. (via TMC)

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“Music made with love. Honoring the spirit of the great musician, J Dilla. Listen with your heart. Enjoy all you hear!”

If you are a fan of the Couch Sessions then you know that Florida’s Brandon* is one of my favorite producers. The dude is responsible for some of the best beats you will hear this side of the Atlantic. His Anime Buffet EP drops in March, but he decided to give us a preview of what’s in store with this special sneak peak. Check it.

Tracklisting

1. Anime Buffet
2. Eye of Tomorrow
3. Gummi Bear Scare
4. Made In China
5. Julia In June
6. Peculiar Places
7. Tokyo Streets: 7:22 p.m.

Sam Sparro’s Black and Gold was a banger back in the day. Unfortunately his label didn’t know how to promote him in the States and he became a UK phenomenon. His follow up, “The Shallow End,” dosen’t have the punch of “Black and Gold,” unfortunately but I’m glad to see this dude back on the scene. Check it.

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Since the culture of music has changed, would Apparatjik be considered a supergroup? It does contain Guy Berryman from Coldplay, guitarist/keyboardist Magne Furuholmen from A-ha, singer/guitarist Jonas Bjerre of Mew.

Anyway, the group has been around since 2008, but it’s their collabo with Pharrell that has caught my ear. Unlike some Skateboard P collabos, this one actually compliments his vocal stylings to a tee. Check it.

Download: Jonti – Shine and Moon

We’ve been following rising Stone’s Throw artist Jonti for a while now. The South African/Australian signee has been making some rather amazing atmospheric music of late, and this free album is just a collection of some tracks he made before his debut Twirligig. I’m loving what I’m hearing here, but my favorite is the rework of Nightshift in Blue. Check it. (via Dipped)

01. Saturday Night Songs
02. Red On Green
03. Confused Birds
04. Nagoya Train Station 3AM
05. Nightshift in Blue (Alternate Version)
06. Koi Moon’s Daughter Pt II
07. By This Shore
08. Flesh Of Morning
09. Lost Machines
10. Young Wildebeest
11. Nagoya Interlude
12. Moon Goddess
13. Sugar High
14. Lovers Stone (Alternate Passaros)
15. Vendas Newly Won Dream (Bonus Track)

It seems like the trend of using those bright 80′s synth sounds in electronic music is in full swing and Photek picks some “totally rad” (sorry, had to) synth-heavy tracks to go on this compilation but mixes them in with some great dance tracks as well; the trance-like “Say Something” being one of them.

The sexy Hot Toddy track (featuring Ron Basejam) “I Need Love” is a great example of that 80′s type of feel.  The track has a driving deep bass beat but adds oodles of synth waves and runs which I thought was reminiscent of something from Daft Punk’s efforts on the “Tron Legacy” soundtrack.  That great sound continues into most of the next track which is a mix of DLX‘s “Modern Man.”  DJG’s “Bare” has a similar style to it as well and is appropriately titled due to its minimalistic opening, but then builds into a stunningly beautiful track using lots of those synth runs and that deep bass accompaniment which is a central theme throughout the compilation.

I loved the other track on the compilation from DJG, ”Here Come the Dark Lights” which had more of those beautiful synth waves but was a more of a trippy, uptempo track and had a great and almost underlying deep bass melody.

There is a certain bit of dark intensity to this compilation, which I believe matches Photek’s bass heavy dubstep-leaning music perfectly, evidenced by his own glitchy and bass heavy “Azymuth.”  Overall there are a number of different styles of music represented on this DJ-Kicks compilation and he makes it work tremendously and puts it together in a very accessible package.

-Chris

Tracklisting (by Artist & Title)-

1. Photek- Azymuth
2. Kromestar- In 2 Minds
3. Hot Toddy feat. Ron Basejam- I Need Love (Morgan Geist’s Love Dub)
4. DLX- Modern Man
5. DJG- Here Come The Dark Lights
6. Dustmite & Kuru- Bare
7. Photek & Pinch- M25FM
8. Photek- No Agenda
9. Baby Ford + Eon- Dead Eye (Original Version)
10. Marco- Effe Sexgas (Arnaud Le Texier Remix)
11. DJG- Say Something
12. Guy J & Miriam Vaga- No Under But You
13. Daze Maxim- Tomorrow Universe
14. Sepalcure- Taking You Back
15. Photek- Levitation
16. Photek & Kuru- Fountainhead (DJ-Kicks)
17. Synkro- Look At Yourself
18. Photek- 101 (Boddika’s Drum Machine Remix)
19. Parxe & Grincheux- The Art Of Nothing pt. 1

I remember hanging out with Sonnymoon two years ago. Then, they were ambitious college students who had suddenly stumbled into Internet fame with their rendition of Drake’s Houstonlantavegas. Fast-forward to the present, and it looks like the group is ready to take on the world. With a tour set for the spring and a new album in May via Plug Research. Their track “Just Before Dawn,” was just released today and it’s a banger. But I’m enjoying the re-work by Miguel Atwood Ferguson even more. Check it.

With Gary Clark Jr, Alabama Shakes, and now Willis Earl Beal, roots, blues and R&B music are making a comeback in a huge way. The under-30 crowd has taken a shine to the long-forgotten artform in a big way. With an XL signing we’re sure to hear more from Beal in 2012. Check it.

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We’ve been fans of Kevin Smith on the couch for such a long time. It seems like his movies Clerks and Mallrats were staples of our High School and College viewing habits. As a director, Smith has been very engaging with his fans, so I’m actually kind of excited to see this one man show, Kevin Smith – Burn In Hell which drops on EPIX on February 11th. The show is part biography, part Q&A, and part standup and it looks like a must for fans of the director. Check it.

Groupies

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Batman Movie

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