Staley Sharples – Page 40

Watch Conor Maynard’s Supersized “Controlla” Mashup

Brighton vocalist Conor Maynard takes on Drizzy‘s sleeper hit, “Controlla”, and infuses it with covers of some of modern R&B’s finest offerings in his latest video. Maynard’s breathy timbre revives staples like Blu Cantrell‘s “Breathe” and R. Kelly‘s “Ignition (Remix)”, and brings back some potentially forgotten favorites by Mario and Ne-Yo as he fits as many songs [continued]
Celebrate Chicago Talent at Pitchfork Music Festival

After being acquired by media giant Conde Nast, I was curious to see if the decision would impact Pitchfork Music Festival, now in its’ 11th year. It did – improving an already superb festival with even more talent and sponsors. Pitchfork’s stellar 2016 lineup features an array of artists from around the world, such as Britain’s [continued]
Festival Report: Mamby on the Beach

Falling between the EDM-focused Spring Awakening and Chicago fest staples Pitchfork and Lollapalooza, Mamby on the Beach carves out a notable space for itself in the summer festival lineup with its own special charm. It’s not strictly limited to electronic music, nor is it totally indie-centric—like the dichotomous venue the second-annual fest calls home, Mamby on [continued]
Essentials: “Pull Up” – Gunkst and Sightlow

You know the endless “AUX cord” memes that you see? Well, if those memes had an official soundtrack, it would be “Pull Up”. Denver-based Gunkst experiments with sound in a way that’s appealingly undefinable. It’s heavy and complex and goes down great at a party. Isn’t that how all music should be? The producer’s collab [continued]
PressPlaylist: Dot Gives Us Some “Breathing Room”

As the founder and CEO of all-female record label Unspeakable Records, vocalist, and producer, TeamSupreme collective member Dot has a lot to balance. In between her many roles and a recent EP release, the Los Angeles based producer finds time to practice meditation. Here, she shares her PressPlaylist, titled “Breathing Room”, for her practice – read on for [continued]
Screen Sounds: Popstar’s Music Editor, Will Kaplan

For our latest Screen Sounds, we jumped to the big screen and talked to Will Kaplan, music editor. His latest project is The Lonely Island’s feature film, Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping. Read on for more about Kaplan’s incredible work! Hey Will! Your career as a music editor is extensive, having worked on Birdman, Guardians of the [continued]
Essentials: “Andre” – Samuel Proffitt and Josh Jacobson

NYC’s churning out some great music right now – earlier this month, we saw new releases from Aire Atlantica and Nick AM, and now it’s time to bring your attention to the incredibly talented Samuel Proffitt and Josh Jacobson. While only Josh resides in New York, the pairing of Russian producer Proffitt and producer/vocalist Jacobson emphasizes both [continued]
Essentials: “All That’s Left (Nick AM Remix)” – Manila Killa feat. Joni Fatora

“Sparse” is a word that’s all too often overused when describing techno music. So is “minimal”. The way I’d characterize Nick AM‘s production is… selective. No sound is used without a purpose in his music, and when you listen to his remix of Manila Killa‘s “All That’s Left”, you can hear the way that his [continued]
Essentials: “May” – Aire Atlantica

Despite its allusion to the breezier climates of this month, don’t let the title of Aire Atlantica‘s “May” fool you – warm percussion and Motown-tinged vocals belie the sassy exasperation within the lyrics. That lyrical indigence is thanks to the sampling of “I Just Found Out”, the 1972 Freddie Hughes and The Chevelles track that gives off a bite similar to Beyonce‘s [continued]
Behind The Beats: Get To Know Chance The Rapper’s Coloring Book Producers

Revolutionary, joyous, enigmatic, brilliant – all are apt descriptions for Chance the Rapper‘s mixtape Coloring Book. I can wax poetic about Chance’s contributions to both rap music and our shared hometown of Chicago, but you’ve most likely read about fifteen thinkpieces over the weekend on the rapper’s socially conscious, enthusiastic artistry. Part of Coloring Book‘s magic [continued]