Stereolab. One of the most consistently inventive bands ever(?) have a new album coming out soon. For now, they have an MP3 of “Three Women.” Listen here.

The new album comes out August 19 on 4AD.

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Milk Machine, the subject of this week’s One Track Mind column, has just announced that they’re headlining the Rock and Roll Hotel on August 6. Also on the bill is Sean McArdle, who performed for Black Plastic Bag as part of our short-lived “Live From Our Pretty Much Empty Second-Floor Production Room” series in February.

MP3: Milk Machine, “Whiskey Flows Downhill”

“D. Dot” - Dimensions (Produced by Theory)
Free MP3 Download courtesy of the artist.

Dimensions (aka One2, aka Dimes) is a veteran D.C. hip-hop artist best known for his work with the Infinite Loop—a powerhouse collective that defined D.C. hip-hop in the mid to late ’90s. Currently on his grind with The Package—a hip hop trio featuring himself, Noyeek The Grizzly Bear and Theory—Dimes also has a wealth of solo material for his forthcoming album, Slanguage, including this standout track, “D.Dot,” his ode to the Diamond District, Washington D.C., Chocolate City USA.

Rhyming over a sparse, eerie beat that is equal parts boom-bap and swinging in-the-pocket drums, Dimes articulates a unique perspective on life in the District. Don’t get it twisted young’n, this is not the work of some fresh-to-the-scene hip-hopper waving the stars and bars now that the local scene is in the spotlight. This cautionary tale of life in D.C. is based upon a lifetime of experience and the insight of a true veteran. His rhymes illuminate the traps and tricks waiting in back alleys and around corners all while giving fair warning (and a even few tips) to the transients and tourists who find themselves in the D.

D. Dot is certainly a strong candidate for all-city hip hop anthem, although Dimes defers to the people to eventually make that call. Asked about the current state of D.C. hip hop, he replies “it’s a buried jewel, and over time, me and my brethren have been forced to turn our hands into shovels to bring it to the surface. We are one of its many facets, that’s why it is a diamond.”

More info and additional music from Dimensions can be found on his MySpace page and at NewGoldenEra.com

(Illustration by Aniekan)

Amir “Oddisee” Mohamed is one of the region’s standout hip-hop talents. A foundation of the Low Budget Crew, Oddisee’s resume reads like a who’s-who of modern hip hop: DJ Jazzy Jeff, Talib Kweli, J-Live, Asheru, Little Brother and many others.

His newest track, “Gentrification,” (produced by Kev Brown) speaks to a familiar issue—the (un)intended consequences of development and a bursting housing bubble. Hailing from Largo, Oddisee brings his perspective to gentrification and the radical change that the real estate market has manufactured from U Street to Aspen Hill.

Oddisee is breaking it down, and he’s right:

It’s something to see when the
authenticity of a city is
replaced by college kids and high sadiddyness
urban decay, making way for Ikeas,
luxury lofts
replacing what I see is a history lost

He ties together the gentrification here in the DMV to similar situations in Harlem, Chicago, Atlanta, and New Orleans. He really shows his strength as an MC on this track, with dope rhymes on a topic that needs them over a solid beat.

MP3: Oddisee, “Gentrification” (Linked with artist’s permission.)

Hip-hop super-blogger Eskay over at NahRight.com is linking to a leaked track from the forthcoming album by The Roots featuring up and coming R&B star Chrisette Michele and D.C.’s Wale over a crankin’ go-go via Philly backbeat courtesy of QuestLove. (Looks like all those shows in DC finally rubbed off on him!)

In the past, Wale has credited the Roots’ Black Thought as one of his influences as an MC, and the admiration is definitely mutual–Black Thought has stated that “Wale is the only new artist he is feeling.” The execs at Def Jam are lining this up to be the lead single for the new Roots album and Wale’s buzz may give them the boost they need. Not to mention that go-go influenced songs by non-DC artists have a great track record. (See Jill Scott, Beyonce, Jay-Z, Salt N Pepa, Heavy-D, LL Cool J…)

Wale layers his in-the-pocket flow about nothing to Quest’s go-go influenced drumming with a tight 16 bar verse that compliments the vocal work of Black Thought and Ms. Michele. Like many a great song by the Roots, Rising Up seems to lament the mainstream hip hop media’s refusal to support their brand of good music and their efforts to correct that.

Here’s to the Roots finally achieving the multi-platinum records sales and radio success that they have been angling for their whole career. Only time will tell, but they may have just lucked up on one of this summer’s D.C. anthems - at least once it gets covered by a real go-go band or two.

Muxtapes! Everyone’s making ‘em! I made a totally awesome one, which I’ve decided to share with you, our loyal readers. Muxtape doesn’t let you annotate your mixtapes, so I’m gonna do that here, after the jump.
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A month or so ago, Soundway released an afro-pop/funk/soul comp called Nigeria Special. It is not the first such compilation from Soundway. They’re responsible for a lot of amazing Africa-based stuff. I mean records like this.

With the Nigeria Special comp., Soundway may not have topped themselves. But they come damn close. The album even has an amazing fansite that includes sound and video clips. You can listen to one tune. You can watch this awesome clip here:

[But please visit the fansite and buy the damn album].

This town needs a real music festival. We have tons of various film festivals. But no real week-long blow out ala SXSW. Someone needs to start organizing a music fest that showcases District-Baltimore talent. Wouldn’t it be cool to see the Evens alongside BackYard alongside Dan Deacon alongside Head-Roc?

This show–from last night–comes close. Or this D.C. band showcase which DCist writes up. In the meantime, the Lullabyes blog has pretty awesome MP3s of Beach House live at SXSW. [Note: you have to scroll down the site to find it]. Or you can just go here.

–photo courtesy of Lullabyes.

This just came into my inbox: a new MP3 from John Reis‘ new band the Night Marchers. Reis is most famous as the captain of the mighty Rocket From the Crypt.

Here’s some of the p.r.:

Hot off the release of ROCKET FROM THE CRYPT’S R.I.P. CD/DVD, John “Speedo” Reis has announced THE NIGHT MARCHERS plans for the road that include a trip to SXSW just before their maiden tour around the band’s debut of See You In Magic on April 22nd via Swami Records/Vagrant Records. The Night Marchers is John Reis on guitar and vocals (Rocket From The Crypt, Hot Snakes, Drive Like Jehu), Gar Wood on guitar (Hot Snakes, Beehive & the Barracudas), Jason Kourkounis on drums (Hot Snakes, Mule, Delta 72), and Tommy Kitsos on bass (CPC Gangbangs).

The freebie–”Who’s Lady R U?“–is a burner. Enjoy.

For your pleasure, a new Notwist MP3 direct from the publicist. Here’s a bit of the p.r.:

St. Nicholas has come early this year. Or is he just very late? It’s best not to dwell too long on questions such as these when it pertains to The Notwist and just be thankful when these moments come to pass. And what, pray tell, are you to be thankful for exactly? The Devil, You + Me, the brand new eleven-track album from the enigmatic German trio.

The Notwist recorded portions of the album with the ANDROMEDA MEGA EXPRESS ORCHESTRA, a way out, 20+ headed classical orchestra that specializes in exciting and sometimes bizarre avant classic interpretations of modern jazz, which compliments perfectly the album’s themes of love, loss, alienation, planetary alignment, the positive side to deception, death, refusal and the titular Devil.

The MP3 is actually better than all the six-years-in-the-making hype, recalling prime Hood and all sorts of desolate, sad, earnest things. Totally worth the download. I forgot how much I missed these kinds of songs.