The Weekly Dip 11/26

We hope everybody had a safe Thanksgiving but we got some extra food for thought here to stuff your face some more with! A lot of the music in today’s dip includes a lot of meditation & reflection, as I’m sure a lot of us are pretty exhausted from yesterday so we wanted to make sure the music today would be easily digestible.

solace - Whatever, Nevermind

I came across TiRon & Ayomari's IG page earlier in the week, where they shared a small anecdote of their own album progression and their management label, The Cafeteria Line, where they stated they’ve been working with Houston songstress solace recently and introduced us to her latest single titled “Whatever, Nevermind.” The record was released simultaneously with a visual to help give us a proper presentation of her content which kept me intrigued throughout my listening experience. Production is transcendent, just like the scenery set up in the visual where her grandeur vocals serenade throughout the record. We get a comfortable setting of her mysterious ambiance, settling our vibes to pure positivity with majestic feelings in every ounce of her words spoken & sung. We can’t wait to see what the future has in store for his angelic soul, but I’m happy to be getting familiar with her now and hope our viewership does too. 

xBValentine & BELLA - Our Finale

During October, photos appeared on our timeline featuring xBValentine & BELLA, where they were seen with distorted TVs in the background. It was then stated that a collaborative record between the two had been in the works which many fans of the two femcee like myself, we’re anticipating to hear a record which we know would have heartfelt moments with back to back raps of loss & aggression for their emotions to spill out on the record. Sure enough, that’s exactly what we got when they dropped their single & video earlier in the week titled “Our Finale,” that’s been blossoming with views and praise for how strong their strengths are to combined forces in pushing the boundaries. They share their own intimate details of heartbreak and how they have overcome it in life with hopes they find their sanity back once again. What a way to top off the end of the year, especially since they have been influential figures in moving the culture forward in 2021. We can only imagine what they have in store for 2022 and can’t wait to see where their hard work will lead them. 

Fatboyshaun - Timmy Chan

Word got out that FatboyShaun & producer Trox would be linking up for a collaborative project titled “$100 Pasta Plates,” which anticipation grew expeditiously for fans to hear it. The album is slated to drop on 12/7, so to give listeners a preview of what’s to come, they dropped a new single earlier in the week titled “Timmy Chans” that accompanied a visual directed by Thomas G with sharp looks of Fatboyshaun dining with his people over expensive meals. The grittiness of Trox’s production is sitting nicely like marinara on fettuccine which is creating an appetite for us to indulge in at the beginning of December. Grab your forks and napkins, people; dinner will be served on 12/7, so don’t forget to bring your checks to pay for this feast. 

Earl Sweatshirt - 2010

After a year-long hiatus from music, a new single surfaced from Earl Sweatshirt titled “2010” earlier in the month that first appeared as a visual with striking features in the video to showcase the LA native in a more sublime state. His rhymes schemes are still prestigious among his rap peers, especially when dishing them out in his newly bliss demeanor. We could be looking at the start of some new releases from Earl Sweatshirt that could have him start the new year with a series of tracks or possibly a new project. Fans will have to wait until then to see, but of course they have a prominent single to hold them over until then. 

Redveil - 04

Previewed first on his discord channel, Redveil had shared the visual to his upcoming single titled “04” that had the chat raving with how pure the production is over Redveil’s pristine penmanship. The single dropped later that night with the rest of his fanbase following the lead to streaming services by obtaining it before devouring a feast for thanksgiving the next day. Raps on raps without skipping a beat, Redveil is applying pressure so nicely on the record that I’m sure he’s gearing up to something grand for the new year. He’s never been one to disappoint, so why start now? The record indicates he’s on a higher Plato with his music, to be sure to look up when you address his name. 

King Iso - Help Yourself

King Iso is the best addition to Strange Music in a long time, the man just embodies everything we’ve come to love about the label, plus he’s always advocating for mental health on damn near all his records but whereas a lot of those records tend to be poignant, “Help Yourself” is a brazy banger that’ll surely motivate you to get up of your ass & go out & get it, by any means necessary. Just look at Iso, the man has come a long fucking way & is now finally basking in the fruits of his labor & it’s all due to his incessant determination. By the way, I highly recommend Iso’s music be added to your workout playlist cause this is power music!

GRIP - Chicken N Dumplins

Atlanta’s GRIP had been putting in work for a minute before catching the ear of Eminem & just before landing the deal with Shady Records, as well as the release of his impeccable debut “IDFT!?” under the label, which if you haven’t heard yet, what rock are you living under? Before that album dropped though, GRIP blessed us with 3 singles who’s artwork all have the Notes aesthetic to it. All 3 singles are great but the standout is clearly this soulful little number here. I mean, the nostalgic sound of this record is what really grabs you, just that sweet Neo-Soul esque production, courtesy of Tu! & then GRIP’s introspective pen just taking you deep into his reflective thoughts for a concisely serene listening experience, intended to be kept on loop.

Shylio Graves - She Won’t be Happy till I’m Dead

Shylio has easily become one of the more exciting artists to creep into my daily soundtrack, the records he’s been dropping lately all have this sense of poignancy to them, his lyricism & vocals are just raw as ever, especially on his latest dirge here. It’s clear that the split between these two lost souls wasn’t as amicable as they could’ve anticipated. He’s clearly regretting some of the choices he made during their relationship, tell me about it brother, I too feel like I’m just wasting my life away waiting for that special someone to come back, although the cause is honestly more lost than my soul is. Anyhow, we appreciate your brutal honesty on these records, regardless if some of the things he’s saying can come off as sorta manipulative, at least to the other party, just speaking from the experience of being in this same position far too many times. It’s nice to know I’m not alone in feeling these same self deprecating thoughts cause I spent a long time thinking like this, I won’t be happy if you’re dead though Graves.

The Mvng Cmpny - Stick & Poke

The Mvng Cmpny has been putting in work this year, a slew of singles, a gorgeous EP in “Regiment Drive Tapes”, even a 3 track Live EP recorded straight from his bedroom, all of these are highly recommended before jumping into this subtly melancholy new single. It’s a bonafide tearjerker, just those light strums of the acoustics coupled with his softly poignant lyricism which gently lulls you into a maladaptive daydream of sorts, at least for me. I love the use of the audio recording just blended into the mix, it makes it all the more bittersweet as he pines over all the love that has been lost. This record is a beauty in its own respect but reminds me of “Spirit Ditch” by Sparklehorse, I don’t know if they gained inspiration from it but it just made me wanna revisit that tune but like I said, this is it’s own beauty & I suggest having some Kleenex beside you as you listen.

Jennylee - Newtopia / Clinique

We got any fans of the band Warpaint here? If so, you were as excited as I was upon hearing she had some new solo music out & apparently, may be prepping a sophomore effort, judging from the two singles released thus far! Her solo efforts are as gorgeous as anything I’ve heard from her as part of the band, who make an appearance on “Clinique”, which is a warped little number & another excellent addition to their archive but it’s the single “Newtopia” that’s making feel all giddy! It’s just such a serenely concise record that just screams Sunday morning for me. Her lyricism is dense but still extremely infectious, I can definitely add this to my morning section of my playlist as I wait for even more subtle bops from this legend!

Snail Mail - Valentine (Album)

After including them in several of our Dips leading up to this release, we are thrilled to finally include this album in it’s entirety on one! It’s always beautiful when an artist/group/band comes out with an impeccable debut & doesn’t slow down when it comes to their sophomore effort & that’s the case with Snail Mail. “Lush” is still an opus in its own right but what Lindsey crafted here with “Valentine” HAS to be her magnum opus, just the introspection throughout, her melancholy, pain tinged vocals & that poignant lyricism will get you in the heartstrings repeatedly, whether you’re blowing a fuse to “Ben Franklin”, smashing flowers on “Valentine”, suffocating in that “Headlock” love can trap us in, my favorite number on this album by the way, such a sad song, there’s a lot to appreciate here but mostly, it’s Lindsey’s brutal honesty that will bring the emotion out of you for the entire duration. Other standouts include “Forever (Sailing)” & the tearjerking “Mia”, who’s name is mentioned on several occasions throughout & honestly, had to be so painful to write, it’s a record that forces you to let go of what needs to be let go of ever so gently.