Gift of Gab
The Next Logical Progression
Quannum Projects
Street: 03.27
Gift of Gab = KRS-One + Brother Ali
Uplifting, honest and sun-soaked, this new release from former Blackalicious emcee Gift of Gab is a musical conversation on the daily hustle. Gift of Gab’s flow is quick, multisyllabic and undeniably skilled. The veteran’s songs are positive, inspiring and unpretentious in their subject matter. Gab explores the human experience, spiritual warfare and stories of his neighborhood and his roots. On the track “Rise,” when Gab asks, “Through the trifling times/Hail Mary to the world, can we heal with rhymes?” among the guitar riffs, there is explicit musical maturity. The album features funk legend George Clinton on the track “Everything is Fine,” adding to the old-school grind. Gift of Gab’s most recent work is a paradisiacal addition to a spring day for a dose of positivity and organic hip hop. –Meera Masud

Gypsyphonic Disko
NOLAphonic Volume Two
Self-Released
Street: 04.02
Gypsyphonic Disko = Girl Talk x (Galactic + Matisyahu)
A mixtape project by Ben Ellman, saxophonist and producer for Galactic, Gypsyphonic Disko combines a mashup mentality with klezmer music, eastern European rhythms and generally dirty hip hop. The result is just as spastic as that sounds, but even better. The off-kilter rhythms and samples from unfamiliar instrumentation evoke some underground dance club you found while traveling in some faraway country whose name you can’t pronounce. Accordion, violin, shrill horn and thump tuba combine with lyrics by Juvenile, Mos Def, Mystikal, and a lot more. This second of two volumes features some original performances by Big Freedia, Katey Red, and Emynd. While not the kind of thing I could really listen to alone in my spare time, given this as the soundtrack to a raucous party, I would shake it hard to the funk of this unique release. I don’t think this will be the last effort from Ellman, which is great—he’s adding some much-needed variety to the palette of the bounce genre. Stand still, I dare you. –Rio Connelly

Hollow Earth
We Are Not Humanity
Panic
Street: 04.24
Hollow Earth = Turmoil + Buried Alive + Most Precious Blood
Punishing hardcore that'll stray from the paradigm. The phrase rings as moldy as "straight up, no-holds-barred," but the action proves refreshing. Detroit usually gets its HC due via Earthmover, Cold as Life (plenty of vocal homages to the latter here) and sketchy stories involving white-power breeding colonies (wait, was that Buffalo?), but Hollow Earth stays off the cutthroat dick-riding with thick washes of ambience and a knack for melodic leads. The formula makes "90s worship" an imminent term, but grates when left to its own devices for too long ("The Great Remembering" draws an agonizing pace only compounded by the soul-deadening vocals). Somehow managing to paint by the numbers in the ether of metal and hardcore, We Are Not Humanity will strike relevant for true fans of impassioned hardcore with a non-traditional bent, but might alienate (or bore) those with a rabid taste for mosh. Welcome to the Terror zone. –Dylan Chadwick

JBM
Stray Ashes
Western Vinyl
Street: 05.22
JBM = Damien Jurado + Earth’s calmer moments
I was almost expecting Stray Ashes to be a “modern folk” album, based on the moody black and white cover art. Thankfully, the music completely defied my cynical expectations. The guitars are warm and electric. Reverb is plentiful, though not overbearing. Jesse Marchant’s (the man behind JBM) vocals are ideal for the songs. “Thames” makes emotionally effective use of a piano lead line. The following track, “Moonwatcher,” contains some of my favorite guitar work on the record. In addition to Marchant, bassist McKenzie Smith and drummer Macey Taylor’s performances on Stray Ashes serve the songs. John Congleton’s production never gets in the way of a good take. I began listening to this record barely wanting to hear it, but Stray Ashes quickly drew me in before the first track had even finished, and left me interested to find what was coming next. –T.H.

Junior Toots
A Little Bit of Love
Crown Of Fire
Street: 03.06
Junior Toots = Toots and The Maytals + Buju Banton
When you’re the son of Toots Hibbert (Toots and The Maytals), it’s guaranteed the reggae genetics will be passed along. Clayton Hibbert, a.k.a. Junior Toots, is a perfect example—although he has the reggae gene, he stepped out of his father’s shadow, creating his own style and energy, combining the sounds of roots reggae, hip-hop, ska, dancehall and R&B. For his fourth album, A Little Bit of Love, a Kickstarter Project was put together to raise funds for production. The goal was exceeded and the result is straightforward reggae. Tracks like “Call On Jah” and “Physically Spiritually” stay true to roots reggae and the message of Rastafari while “Puss and Dog” and “I Believe In You” have a hip-hop modern twist, showing Junior Toots’ diversity. The highlight, “Seek The Truth,” featuring Sol Atash, is so smooth, it's a shame the track clocks in at just under three minutes. –Courtney Blair