Album of the Day: May 11th, 2011

Del the Funky Homosapien - Both Sides of the Brain
Release Date: April 11th, 2000
Label: Hieroglyphics Imperium



Download Link: http://www.mediafire.com/?zwyytmkqmtk
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Both-Sides-Brain-Funkee-Homosapien/dp/B00002MDOC/
iTunes: http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/both-sides-of-the-brain/id6562076

Tracklisting:

1. Time is Too Expensive
2. If You Must
3. Jaw Gymnastics (ft. Casual)
4. Pet Peeves
5. Press Rewind
6. Offspring (ft. El-P)
7. Style Police
8. Fake as Fuck
9. BM
10. Skulls & Crossbones
11. Soopa Feen
12. Disastrous
13. Signature Slogans
14. Catch All This
15. Phoney Phranchise
16. Proto Culture (ft. Khaos Unique)
17. Stay On Your Toes (ft. A-Plus)

 "Both Sides of the Brain" is the fourth release from Oakland native Del The Funky Homosapien. Released in 2000, this has got to be the album which defines the funky homosapien in his prime. The album features cameos from fellow Def Jux rapper El-P and fellow Hieroglyphic members A-Plus and Casual. The album sticks with Del's perspective of including "funkiness" in his rap and continues to separate his rhyming from typical rappers, maintaining overly intelligent lyrics which seem to hit you with an unexpected left hook. 
  There are no complaints I have about this album, every song on this album appears as it's own personal masterpiece and there are no filler tracks.

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Album of the Day: May 10th, 2011

Battles - Gloss Drop (2011)
Release Date: June 7th, 2011
Label: Warp


Download Link: http://www.mediafire.com/?mbsvoq29yozz75h
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Gloss-Drop-Battles/dp/B004S526PK/
BLEEP: http://bleep.com/index.php?page=release_details&releaseid=28582

Tracklisting:

1. Africastle
2. Ice Cream (Featuring Matias Aguayo)
3. Futura
4. Inchworm
5. Wall Street
6. My Machines (Featuring Gary Numan)
7. Dominican Fade
8. Sweetie & Shag (Featuring Kazu Makino)
9. Toddler
10. Rolls Bayce
11. White Electric
12. Sundome (Featuring Yamantaka Eye)

 Ever since their first release "EP C/B EP" Battles has been making their name known for their original take on Math Rock. With the loss of Tyondai Braxton many Battles fans were wondering if their latest release "Gloss Drop" would carry the Battles footprint farther without losing it's shape. Thankfully, the mud is dry and the footprint is as sharp as it could be. "Gloss Drop" is completely filled with both articulate and simple melodies, such as in the track Inchworm or my personal favorite My Machines which features Gary Numan on vocals. The collaboration between Battles and the various guest vocalists that appear on "Gloss Drop" fills Braxton's void with the many other sides of the vocal dice. Even though it's been four years since their last album, in my opinion it's been well worth the wait.

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Album of the Day: May 9th, 2011

Danger Mouse & Daniele Luppi - Rome (2011)
Release Date: May 16th, 2011
Label: Parlophone



Download Link: http://www.megaupload.com/?d=G2QS1BU0
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Rome-Danger-Mouse/dp/B004E0Z4XK/
iTunes: http://itunes.apple.com/ca/preorder/rome/id431178659

Tracklisting:

1. "Theme of Rome"
2. "The Rose with the Broken Neck"
3. "Morning Fog (interlude)"
4. "Season's Trees"
5. "Her Hollow Ways (interlude)"
6. "Roman Blue"
7. "Two Against One"
8. "The Gambling Priest"
9. "The World (interlude)"
10. "Black"
11. "The Matador Has Fallen"
12. "Morning Fog"
13. "Problem Queen"
14. "Her Hollow Ways"
15. "The World" 

 'Rome', the latest creation between Danger Mouse and italian composer Daniele Laupi, pinpoints a unique force not currently mainstream among the music industry. When placing this album in my ears, my first impression was how sixties-esque this sounded too me. Perhaps it's the post-production placed on by Parlophone, which was the music label where the Beatles released their first six albums. 
But with the injection of sixties there is also a modern vibrance put in place by the vocal performances painted by both Jack White and Norah Jones. While their vocal styles both differ in great variances, their voices both find their own way to compliment the instrumental tracks to paint an even coat of musical bliss. 
And while the albums atmosphere gains it's inspiration from spaghetti western music, it seems to be only one color on the palette for this album. Like how one musician inspires another, the inspiration doesn't consume their originality; and it's relieving to see that in 'Rome'.

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