Fine Art Friday: Kazuki Takamatsu

Japanese sculptor and painter Kazuki Takamatsu has been developing a style of gouache painting that uses a technique known as depth-mapping imagery to create a 3D look to his work. The concept of depth map painting fills each individual pixel with a shade of grey, each shade proportional to the distance from which the viewer sees it, in a combination that provides a surrealistic view of the medium. The bulk of Takamatsu's subject matter consist of figures in various compositions that use the deep contrast and tonal values of the human form to emphasize the depth of the scenes. The results seem like 3D x-ray scans of scenes from everyday life, but in a "dreamlike, dimensional, fantasy haze".

Video: Bonobo - "First Fires" ft. Grey Reverend

This is kind of a left field post for us, but there is something very experimental and still hop hop-ish about Simon Green’s fifth album as Bonobo. His single "First Fires" is an ode to lost love that you rarely hear in hip hop anymore, but seems buried in the synth and moody work of fellow producers like Clams Casino and Flying Lotus. The track features Cinematic Orchestra affiliate Grey Reverend and weaves in a very Portishead vibe that resonates with the more chill crowd in hip hop. Check it out and learn something about some of hip hops darker corners of music production.

Video: Trek Life - "Just The Music"

Glad to see the visuals for one of my favorite tracks from Trek Life, off his recent album "Hometown Foreigner". The hazy track has Trek speaking on life and making the music that the world can appreciate, not just night club and trap folks. This track stays on repeat in my ipod and helps me get to work every morning without slapping strangers on the NYC subway.

Listen: P-Money - "Gratitude" Album

Leave it to America to have to learn how to properly mix hip hop, soul and more universal music from a musician from New Zealand. Further proving not to judge a book by it's cover, NZ producer P-Money recently dropped his 15 track album "Gratitude" showcasing his range of production and properly pairing artists vocalists and MCs from across the globe.

Upon first glances, the somewhat generic name and plain album cover may raise doubts about the contents, but P drops classy joints all over this album that should put American producers to shame and links with stars of the underground like Skyzoo, Havoc, M.O.P, Freddie Gibbs, Fashawn, Aaradhna, Talib Kweli, Pac Div, Buckshot, Roc Marciano and many more. Flipping some great soul samples and mixing the sounds of tough talk, lyrical MCs, soul singing and chill vibes throughout, P already has the#1 rap album on iTunes in New Zealand and Australia, and linked with Duck Down Music to bring the album to America. Listen and be proud at the reach of REAL hip hop across the globe.

DOWNLOAD LINK
http://www.djbooth.net/index/albums/review/p-money-gratitude

Listen: Reef The Lost Cause X Dumhi - "Sirens on Snyder" EP

After meeting back in 2008, Dumhi linked with Reef the Lost Cauze for the first time on a track called "Squeeze" that same night. Needless to say, with such solid chemistry, the two have recorded tons of material since. Check out the results of South Philly crew as they bring the mix of humor, fun, and life issues to the table of some underground giants.

DOWNLOAD LINK
http://music.dumhi.com/album/sirens-on-snyder-ep

Video: First Light - "Los Lobos"

Hieroglyphics Imperium crew members Pep Love and Opio have teamed up as a duo, calling themselves First Light and recently dropped the music video for the single "Los Lobos". The video is a trippy set of visuals that compliment the spaced out beat and showcase the more chill rhymes of the Hiero alumni. Firtst Lights debut album "Fallacy Fantasy" is coming soon so stay tuned for more form the left coast vets.