[MP3] Luu Breeze – King Kong

First single, produced by Daniel Worthy, from the forthcoming ThisTimeTomorrow mixtape by Luu Breeze who some of you may know from his cameo on the last Game album. Very “Ni**az in Paris”-style Kanye, no? ThisTimeTomorrow drops July 23rd.

Previously on The Kitchen:

– Luu Breeze – J.O.S.H. (Jealous Ones Still Hope) [Music Video]

– Rochester – Let My Tape Rock feat. Luu Breeze & K. Ryan [MP3]

[via @LuuBreeze via TorontoRappers.com]

New Mixtape: DJ Nef You pres. Berg Beaugé (aka Iceberg Slim) – Miami Dreaming

New mixtape by local MC, Berg Beaugé hosted by other local MC on the rise, Blake Carrington and featuring Rich Kidd and Junia T of Smash Brovas. Solid!

Download: DJ Nef You pres. Berg Beaugé – Miami Dreaming [mediafire link]

[Audio] Lisa Banton – Mirror Mirror Vol​.​ 2 R&B Mixtape

Latest mixtape from local (T.dot) soul singer, Lisa Banton. Some have dismissed her as a poor man’s Mary J. Blige but there’s some talent here. I’d like to to hear her start to do more original music instead of these mixtape style remakes though. Check it out and let me know what you think.

Follow Lisa Banton online: – facebook | website

Previously on The Kitchen: Lisa Banton – Mirror Mirror Vol​.​ 1 R&B Mixtape

A Look at the Polaris Long List: 35. The Slakadeliqs – The Other Side of Tomorrow

Yup, definitely saving the best ’til last. If you read this blog regularly, you already know I’m a major, major supporter of this album. It was #1 on my long list ballot and #1 on my short list ballot and I shout it out every chance I can including at the Long List Salon earlier this month.

Slakah has created an album of sublime yet ambitious, epic beauty. Lead single, “Keep Breathing” feat. Justin Nozuka is just the beginning of the album and of what is going here: soul, rock, psychedelia, pop, hip-hop and reggae have all been mashed up into a delicious stew that is at once vintage & organic yet still modern and fresh-sounding at the same time. Lazy pundits have dismissed this as Lenny Kravitz redux. Yes, that influence can be felt and has been acknowledged by Slakah himself but this feels like far more than just that and I truly feel sorry for those who don’t see/hear that. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again now: no disrespect to 40, Boi-1da, T-Minus or any of the other young producers from Canada that are running the music charts right now, but Slakah is the best, most underrated producer in Canada today, bar none. If I know my business, and at one point I did, that will not stay the case for very much longer though.

The fact that The Slakadeliqs The Other Side of Tomorrow was long-listed was truly a surprise to me despite what i just said and my love & wholehearted endorsement of the album. Now I pray that some new converts to the cause were made during the short list voting period that can carry him through to the next round when the short list is announced tomorrow. Fingers crossed. And speaking of the short list….

A Look at the Polaris Long List: 20. Fucked Up Album – David Comes to Life

This was a frustrating album to listen to for me. Prior Polaris Prize winner, Fucked Up‘s David Comes to Life is a period ‘rock opera’ set in a fictional English town called Byrdesdale Spa in the 1970s/80s. If that’s not already enough to make you say, ‘Huh?’ trying to follow along with the story by simply listening to the album will likely only lead to even more frustration for you. Lead singer, Damian Abraham‘s endless shout-yelling singing style on every track renders any nuance within the narrative or character exploration of this four act musical work kind of moot. I actually thought the album was pretty amazing from a purely musical point of view, possibly on par as a commercial proposition with Green Day‘s mega-hit concept American Idiot album, but the vocals kinda ruined it for me. Damn shame. With some ‘regular’ singing this coulda been a contender….