“New God Flow”
Kanye West, Pusha T and Ghostface Killah
Music crew GOOD Music’s new collective album, “Cruel Summer,” has Kanye West’s fingerprints – or at the very least, production credits – on every song. A standout track on the album, “New God Flow,” plays off a classic Wu Tang Clan song called “Mighty Healthy” and features Wu Tang member Ghostface Killah as a guest rapper. West and his new protégé Pusha T speak on top of the tense beat, invoking God as a comparison for their positions in hip hop. The first words Pusha T utters set the tone for the entire cut, as he boasts, “I believe there’s a God above me, I’m just the God of everything else.” The rappers compare their achievements in the rap world to events of Biblical and historical proportions. “Did Moses not part water with the cane?” Kanye asks us. “Did Yeezy not get signed by Hov and Dame?” These gentlemen are on top, and “New God Flow” epitomizes their supreme status in the kingdom of hip hop.
“Who”
David Byrne & St. Vincent
Current indie sweetheart St. Vincent (Annie Clark) and David Byrne, the new wave legend of the Talking Heads, have collaborated on one of the year’s most intriguing albums, “Love this Giant.” The album’s first track, “Who,” best exemplifies the sonic fusion these two musicians have crafted. The chemistry between Clark and Bryne appears peculiar, and at times a bit awkward, but when the two trade vocals, the arrangement is flawless. Byrne’s engaging inflection and St. Vincent’s wispy, melodic vocals combine for a one-of-a-kind duet. Part of the tune’s magic lies in the extensive and well-implemented use of brass and saxophone throughout the track. Above all else, it simply sounds like the duo thoroughly enjoys their musical partnership in this thoughtfully composed and refreshing track.
“Windshield Smasher”
Black Moth Super Rainbow
If you’ve never experienced Black Moth Super Rainbow before, the band’s newest single, “Windshield Smasher,” one of their most accessible tracks in years, serves as a strong introduction to the obscure band’s catalog. Led by the mysterious frontman Tobacco, BMSR creates psychedelic experimental music, with heavy use of vocoder – an electronic musical instrument which imitates the human voice – and multiple synths. “Windshield Smasher” has a fuzzy kick with Tobacco’s dreamy and detached vocoder. The varied, unorthodox instruments featured on the track never detract from the song’s tone, successfully introducing listeners to the eccentric and experimental style of BMSR.
