Sun Ra featuring Yochanan – Message to Earthman from Strange Worlds In My Mind

C’MON MAN, CLOSE THE DOOR!!
AAGHHHHHH!!!

Ancient Fish from the Northwest – Kay the Aquanaut and Kitz Willman (2020)
Hello.L.A. (France)
Hip-hop/Rap/Experimental Hip-hop

1. A Tangerine Sunset at the Pine River Dam
2. Pussywillows & Cattails
3. IceAge Galleria
4. Cascadia Cicada
5. The Government Street Gallows
6. Ancient Fish
7. Ooh… They Want Young Blood
8. Watch Out for the Sharkman
9. Versace Teargas
10. Chokeholds & Chicken Wings
11. Stockholm Freestyle

 

The first collaboration between rapper Kay the Aquanaut and producer Kitz Willman. Ancient Fish from the Northwest features Kay’s ubiquitous flows over Kitz’s dynamic production. Kay in particular is fired up on this release, spitting some of his most fiery bars like on “Stockholm Freestyle” when he says “there were never any ‘good old’ days!” or the anthemic refrain of “DIY til I DIE!” in “IceAge Galleria.” These 11-tracks are weird, feisty, and raw. The album is for anarchist minded hip-hop fans that favor underground and experimental approaches to the music. Forward-thinking and present-minded. This is the Ancient Fish. Cassettes were issued by French label Hello.L.A. but tapes are sold out.

胎児の夢 by Sai Yoshiko (1977)

 

Hip-hop legends Freestyle Fellowship (Myka 9, Aceyalone, Self Jupiter, P.E.A.C.E. backed by DJ Kilu) at the top of their game at the Whisky a Go Go in Los Angeles on July 16th, 1998. The way the crowd is going off finishing bars and even shouting full verses… goosebumps! An electric atmosphere like none other. I also love how many people are clambering sidestage to the point of being on it. Looks more like Code Orange playing This Is Hardcore than any hip-hop shows I’ve personally been to. Mark this video as aspirational!

“Who is the crew that brought you misery!?”

bob’s son: R.A.P. Ferreira in the garden level cafe of the scallops hotel – R.A.P. Ferreira (2021)
Ruby Yacht (USA)
Hip-hop/Jazz

1. battle report ft Pink Navel
2. the cough bomber’s return
3. yamships, flaxscript
4. diogenes on the auction block
5. redguard snipers ft SB the Moor
6. sips of ripple wine (no stemware)
7. skrenth
8. bobby digital’s little wings
9. listening
10. high rise in newark
11. rejoice ft Eldon Somers
12. abomunist manifesto

From bandcamp:
this album is an ode to the poet bob kaufman
the inventor of frink and beat
the progenitor of abomunism
the chief bomkoff
connoisseur of oatmeal cookies

take a quick trip to the coffeeshop
cafe.rubyyacht.com

ciphersnappers&wordbenders only

released January 1, 2021

all rhymes courtesy r.a.p. ferreira
all sounds courtesy your friends at the scallops hotel
recorded at soulfolks think tank & menagerie, Biddeford, ME august 2019
mixed at kenny’s house by scallops hotel, LA october 2019
mastered at cosmic zoo studios by daddy kev, LA october 2019
bob’s son art by angel carpenter

men do not know how that which is drawn in different directions harmonizes with itself. the harmonious structure of the world depends upon opposite tension like that of the bow and the lyre.
heraclitus, fragment 51

Commentary:
An absolutely stunning collection of rap songs. The combo of R.A.P. on his own scallops hotel production is as delicious as always. It was a magical experience taking this album for a headphoned winter walk in Winnipeg and, having visited the bob’s son cafe pre-release, I already had spatial memories attached to the album. One particular part I want to highlight comes at the end of the intro track. In the song, “battle report” featuring Pink Navel, Navel belts out the good news of the cough bombers return. “The cough bomber has returned to us my friend!” That part always gets stuck in my head and it sounds like it’s a sample, so cool. This is a special work by R.A.P. Ferreira and a beautiful tribute to and dialogue with Bob Kaufman. “frinky little emcees must get dissed!”