I've come into a bit of trouble trying to come up with a way to post Ragnarok's music. This is because Rangarok isn't just one person and Ragnarok isn't just a group. Ragnarok is a hip-hop collective consisting of Sole Grunt, Sentry, Jarel Banks, and Me3 (all under the age of 20). I debated whether or not I wanted to spread out a series of posts or just feature a handful of my favorites. I ended up deciding to just do one big feature, covering everything that they've released up until now. Between all of the members of Rangarok, a lot of music is being released, very often. So there will definitely be more features in the future. Ragnarok's goal is to use their skills to take down the current hierarchy of the rap game, and with a name that refers to ancient Norse mythology, describing the last great battle of the reigning gods, Ragnarok is probably the most metal group in hip-hop. I'm down with that. To keep up with Ragnarok's latest release, info, and other random whatnot's, be sure to follow their Tumblr. I have to admit, it's pretty awesome.

Ragnarok: Most Metal Group in Hip-Hop

by Matt

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Ok. I love all of the music that I feature on TheRecordStache. I refuse to post anything that I don't love. Don't ever question that. However, sometimes an album releases that cannot be described as anything but magical. I'm sure the word magical will get tossed around from time to time on this blog, but this is the epitome of the word. Kishi Bashi has created a masterpiece on his debut effort. I was completely floored as I listened to Bashi's 151a. Not since hearing Jónsi's Go for this first time, have I had a listening experience as stunning as the one that I've had with 151a. Kishi Bashi crafts the type of music that makes use of so many sounds. Your ears will be putting in double the work out, listening out for the array of noises layered within 151a. The album is lush, gorgeous, fun, and, best of all, unpredictable. I promise you, that I can't hype this up enough. I could type a lengthy essay picking out each intricate piece of 151a, but I'd rather you just sit, listen, and experience. Thank you, Kishi Bashi for creating 151a. It is destined to get a countless amount of listens out of me.

Kishi Bashi - 151a

by Matt

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Hey friends! Joebags here, with a band that is going to wrap your ears in a nice thick quilt of warm tunes. I was just hanging out on the internet, like most nights, looking up some noteworthy bands to talk about, and I came across The Heart Strings. The Heart Strings are calm, orchestral, groovy, and simply brilliant. The instrumentation is just about perfect with the mixing of their songs. Nothing is overpowered or goes unheard. Also, The Heart Strings' music has many little intricate parts, that even though are small, need your full attention, because those little things add up to something big. These big things that The Heart Strings are putting out are some amazing songs! Try Fly Blue Sky is their 2008 album, and they have released a second album earlier this year titled, Flap Your Crazy Wings. Both outputs are very awesome, and I highly recommend increasing the worth of your music collection with anything that The Heart Strings have created.

The Intricate Parts of The Heart Strings

by Joebags

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It's always nice to hear from people who really know how to make proper hip-hop. The Other Guys, is a duo consisting of Mighty Joe and Insanate, and they are in touch with one of the classic rules of golden age hip-hop. There's a magical electricity created when the right producer and emcee join forces. Some musicians just fit together perfectly. This is the case with The Other Guys. Producer, Mighty Joe, really sets the mood with a nice variety of samples, creating instrumentals that perfectly match Insanate's story telling abilities. Mighty Joe and Insanate really do a good job of complementing each other. Mighty Joe's beats stray from overpowering Insanate's lyrics, while Insanate keeps a steady flow, successfully keeping Mighty Joe's production far from boring. The Other Guys make hip-hop in the same vein as the likes of Little Brother, Panacea, and Blu & Exile's Bellow the Heavens. Mighty Joe and Insanate properly gives a nod to the greats that came before them, all while paving their own unique sound. The Other Guys, recently released their second album, Joe & Insanate's Excellent LP. They've kindly offered their work for free, and it is definitely deserving of the space on your iTunes or whatever else people use to listen to music on their computers (Windows Media Player?). Tracks to look out for are the strong album opener, Nice; the relationship reflecting, Which One; and the extremely hungry for success, Drum For Me.

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Joe & Insanate's Excellent LP

by Matt

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The Dø (pronounced D'oh) is a French/Finnish duo, consisting of Olivia Merilahti and Dan Levy, who make some very exciting, genre blending music. The video posted above, is The Dø's single, Gonna Be Sick! I am really digging the concept and the art direction of this video. Being a film school graduate, I never get tired of seeing how creative music videos can get. Incorporating the silent film plot line and combining the styling reminiscent of classic Ingmar Bergman films is pure genius. Gonne Be Sick! is so fun to listen to, yet extremely haunting. I'm sure the visuals definitely add to the haunting factor.

The Dø's sophomore album, Both Ways Open Jaws, released a little over a year ago in France, the rest of the world following in the Fall of 2011, and has since gained rave reviews, internationally. The album is really quite eclectic, filled to the brim with sounds upon sounds, that are ever changing. At times, it is almost impossible to pick out all of the instruments you're hearing. I personally love the forever layered sounds. It's like a puzzle, trying to pick out every noise.

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Video: The Dø - Gonna Be Sick!

by Matt

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It's not too often you hear of a band's bassist going out on his/her own and putting out an excellent solo work. Turns out, Cut Copy's bassist, Ben Browning, did just that. Browning has been working on his solo effort since before Cut Copy began work on their most recent album, Zonoscope. Being a big Cut Copy fan, I figured I'd check out Ben Browning's new EP, Lover Motion. Holy smokes, it's spectacular! Lover Motion throws a gigantic variety of influences at you, all within 5 songs. At one point your enjoying a nice, futuristic tropical vibe, and the next moment, you're entwined in a moody, retro atmosphere. Follow all of that up with some super dance-able synth work, and you've got yourself a well rounded EP. There's even hints of 60's pop sprinkled throughout. Seriously, what more could you possibly ask to hear from Lover Motion? You can get a hold of Ben Browning's Lover Motion at pretty much any music site, so go forth and download your copy.

Ben Browning - Lover Motion

by Matt

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Brisbane, Australia's Yale is cooking up some dance grooves that are downright fantastic. Yale consists of Mark Maxwell and Stefan Emslie, and they are all about creating music that represents being young. Yale's music touches on both the good times and the bad times that come with young love, but no matter the topic, the upbeat sounds never let up. The pulsing synths and sunny disco vibes will surely have you doing more than simply tapping a foot. Yale, is currently putting together a 5 track EP that they expect to be ready for the world's ears sometime in the second half of May. If you happen to be conveniently reading this post from Brisbane, be sure to head over to the Black Bear Lodge on the 19th of April for the Lost in the Crowd single launch (check out the event info, here).

The Sun Soaked Vibes of Yale

by Matt

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How this sax infused jam has slipped through the cracks for so long, when it came to choosing the Smooth Sax of the Week, amazes me. This week's feature is The City off of Patrick Wolf's most recent album, Lupercalia. The City, is the opening track to Lupercalia, and it totally sets up the mood of the entire album. Lupercalia is Patrick Wolf's most upbeat, hopeful piece of work yet. The saxophone heard in The City standouts from the rest of the instruments layered within the song so much, and it's so, so smooth. The City is a downright feel good song that'll surely make any day better. Plus, I dare you to not sing "...top, top, top, top of the mornin'" every time it rolls around.

Smooth Sax of the Week

by Matt

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My Coast is a gorgeous piece of lo-fi pop. This is the kind of music that I could get completely lost in for hours upon hours. My Coast's creators, Ifwe, is a duo of two brothers who call Saint Petersburg, Russia home. They say that My Coast represents the forthcoming Summer, and I can definitely see what they're getting at. My Coast feels bright and hopeful, even though it sounds like a hazy memory. Ifwe's debut album is expected to release sometime toward the end of May. Expect it to be filled with more of My Coast's warm, dreamy nostalgia.

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Ifwe - My Coast

by Matt

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The last I heard Fossil Collective, was their phenomenal Honey Slides EP back in 2010. Well... I've listened to the Honey Slides EP several times since then. I suppose it's more proper to say, the last time I heard any new material from Fossil Collective, was back in 2010. Now, Fossil Collective finds themselves gearing up for the release of a new EP. They have released the title track, Let It Go, and it is a magical journey of tender, folk-driven harmonies. I've featured the video for Let It Go, instead of just streaming the song, because it is such a gorgeous piece of stop motion. Also, the story told in the video is, for lack of a better word, sweet. Just sit back for the next 4:26, and enjoy a feel-good tale of love. Pre-ordering for the Let It Go EP begins on April 9th, over at Fossil Collective's website. The official release is slated for June 11th.

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Video: Fossil Collective - Let It Go

by Matt

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Hold on... Robert Akins III is from Daphne, Alabama? That's literally a solid 40 minutes from where I'm located in Pensacola, Florida. Small world. Last week, I featured Pensacola's Kid Kodak, and now I find out about Robert Akins III! I guess there really is hope for Gulf Coast hip-hop. Anywho, Robert Akins III is an extremely talented rapper with so, so much confidence. His delivery of lyrics is phenomenal and simply attention grabbing. I'm all over these sample choices he has chosen to use for his tracks. Such a wide variety of head bobbing beats. Robert Akins III recently got himself signed on producer/rapper 88 Keys' new label, Locksmith Music. Do yourself a favor and download Exeunt for the low, low price of FREE.

Robert Akins III - Exeunt

by Matt

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First and foremost, Mr. Little Jeans is not actually a Mr. Her name is Monica Birkenes, a songstress with a lush set of vocals who's made her way from Norway to Los Angeles. Mr. Little Jeans has gained some attention over the past year or so by doing some superb covers of Beyonce's - Single Ladies and Arcade Fire's - The Suburbs. Now, she is slated to release her debut album through Sony in August, later this year. Expect Runaway to pick up steam and push Mr. Little Jeans' career forward on the fast track, building up some heavy momentum until the album releases.

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Video: Mr. Little Jeans - Runaway

by Matt

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Earlier today, Invoke released their debut EP, Edge of Virtue. It's a handful of tracks that teeter-totter a fine line between hard, alternative rock and dark 80's pop. It sounds like a combination that shouldn't work, but somehow it does. Imagine a band that's a less apocalyptic version of Muse meshed with some Depeche Mode. That's pretty much the best way to describe Invoke's sound. Here's what I really like about Invoke, the bass guitar clearly stands out in all of their songs. It isn't too often nowadays that the bass guitar is a relevant instrument in the line-up. Sure, it's usually always there, but you rarely can pick it out from the rest of the sounds going on. Invoke, also has a very live sound. With a decent pair of speakers, it's as if they're right there playing in your presence. It's a nice little touch. Stream the Edge of Virtue EP bellow, and if you're liking what you hear, go ahead and purchase it.

Invoke - Edge of Virtue

by Matt

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Strange Talk never fails to bring the energy. I did a huge post back in February confessing my infatuation with Strange Talk's EP (here). I'm constantly on the look out for anything they do, and I'm getting extremely antsy waiting for their full length debut that's slated to release sometime this year. Last month, they threw together a superb playlist for Grant Smillie's show on Novanation. With mixes ranging from Foster the People to Q-Tip to The Rapture, you know you're in for a good time. With the entire mix topping out at a little over half an hour, plan on being exhausted from the nonstop dance-fest you're about to embark on. Go ahead. Press play and thoroughly enjoy the next 30+ minutes thanks to this Strange Talk megamix.

Strange Talk Mixtape

by Matt

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