So you’ve unwrapped all your presents, checked out your credit card bills online and you’re starting to feel those post-holiday blues. Well, mope no more! It’s Monday, and that means we’ve got more presents for you on Steal This Track. This week, we’ve got grimy hip-hop from , a lush comedown track from and a minimalist beauty from . Get your stealing fingers ready.
On Jan 8, BLKHRTS (formerly known as Blackhearts) — the all-start hip-hop trio that features , , and ‘s (now known simply as Yo) — will release its debut EP, “BLK S BTFL” with a party at GLOB (3551 Brighton Blvd). The EP will feature six hard-hitting hip-hop tracks, all produced by Abraham. Unfortunately, the tracks are still in progress, but we’ve got a little sneak preview here. This track was released online only and won’t be included on the EP, but it gives you a good idea of what BLKHRTS are all about. Steal “Bloodlines of that Gangsta Shhhh” right now, and stay tuned for more from this threesome.
Turn the page for new tracks from Houses and Still Light.
Denver’s favorite 70s throwback collective, Houses, has been promising a new EP for a very long time. The group now promises that the “Winter” EP — a followup to “Spring,” “Summer” and “Fall” — will finally see daylight early in 2011. To bolster our faith in the record’s imminent release, and company have dropped “Your Ghost.”
An all-star cast — including Hamilton and his wife, Kinsey, on bass, on drums, and of on backing vocals and our Crawford Philleo on vibraphone — comes together to create the lush vocal harmonies, plaintive melody and a spare, piano-driven arrangement that explodes into a horn-and-organ-dappled climax. There’s no trace of the Allmans-meet-Avetts sound of a track like “Fairweather” (from the “Summer” EP). If this is any indication of the direction Houses is taking, we’re more excited for “Winter” than ever.
Turn to page 3 for a free track from Still Light.
Still Light is the brainchild of singer-songwriter-producer Kirill Nikolai, who is also part of . In collaboration with Scottish singer-songwriter Lucy Hague (a.k.a. ) and London-based experimentalist , Nikolai released the album “Lything” in 2009. Last month, the record saw international re-release via ‘s , and it’s a good thing too. The collection of ambient, vaguely psychedelic and scintillating tunes is worth a second look. Unlike many other artists in the genre, Still Light relies heavily on melodies and solid song structures to provide an experience that manages to keep its feet on the ground and its teeth in the meat, even while it floats off into the stars. Steal “A Remedy” to hear what we mean, then pop over to iTunes to grab the full album.
If you like Steal This Track, you’re gonna love Steal This Track: A Reverb Dance Party at the Hi-Dive. Starting this Thursday, Dec 30, we’ll be taking over the South Broadway indie rock institution with special guests, giveaways, drink specials and more. Guest DJs this month will include Backyard Thicket (a.k.a. Reverb managing editor . In the later hours, DJ Savior Breath (a.k.a. Reverb’s own Eryc Eyl) will turn the shindig into a pants-dropping dance party. And just like Steal This Track, itap absolutely free. You won’t want to miss it.
Please note that downloads offered via Steal This Track are intended to whet your appetite, and are NOT CD-quality recordings. If you want those, please support the artists by buying their music and/or seeing them live.
If you’re a band or musician ready to expose your fresh sounds to the readers of Reverb, email your tracks — along with any interesting facts about them, as well as a photo or album art — to Eryc Eyl for consideration.
Eryc Eyl is a veteran music journalist, critic and Colorado native who has been neck-deep in local music for many years. Check out every Monday for local music you can HEAR, and the every Friday. Against his mother’s advice, Eryc has also been known to . You can also follow Sorry, Mom.
