The mark of a great album is always a balance between cohesion and contrasts. This natural push and pull between unity and diversity draws a listener closer and more articulately paints the big picture. Artists who have mastered the strategy behind music-making, production, promotion, and release often see their work celebrated for more than their…
Detroit’s boundless creativity meant there was a surfeit of memorable releases in 2015. It’s a good predicament to be in, but when compiling our publication’s choices for the top 10 albums of the year, we had to leave many solid records off the table. The following list highlights works that our staff members feel stood…
Everyone knows that Detroit has an unparalleled musical tradition. From Motown soul and pulsing techno to unapologetically loud garage rock and everything in between, we have been the starting point for multiple genres and the benchmark for many more. We are a historically musical city and have maintained that well into the twenty-first century. Our…
Nothing stops Detroit, as is evident by the plethora of amazing musical offerings from the city this past year. The city has always had a reputation as an industrial behemoth, its successes and failures dependent on notions of innovation and toughness. This drive bleeds into the arts and culture as well, with the rise of…
Detroit has always been a mecca for live music. Whether we were checking out old-timers trade blues licks at Campus Martius, getting our fix at the venerable Masonic Temple, bobbing our heads to hip-hop showcases at The Majestic Theatre or Paycheck’s Lounge, leaving it all on the dance floor of Two James Spirits’ Annex, or…
Since his days as Phreshy Duzit, Brooklyn-via-Detroit rapper Amir Obè has upped his game with every release. Along with the name change, Obè refined his bars and production style, releasing Detrooklyn last year to critical acclaim. He worked with OVO producer Vinylz on a track from that project, which led to a producing credit…
November has been a big month for Detroit homecomings. Big Sean graced Joe Louis Arena for his largest hometown concert to date, Jack White christened Third Man Records’ highly-anticipated Cass Corridor grand opening, and, on the busiest party night of the year, Danny Brown returned to the Majestic for his second-annual Thanksgiving…
“Put another lime in the Robitussin,” because it’s time to take a trip with the Barter Boys. On the song-as-travelogue “Barter Mainland / Barter Island,” Doc Waffles and Goldzilla lay down their relaxed brand of Detroit hip-hop over some woozy beats courtesy of Sheefy McFly and Crate Digga. As the last track and lead…
Tunde Olaniran’s ascent as an artist parallels bigger trends both in music and society at large. He got his start collaborating with the Berlin-based duo Chris De Luca vs. Phon.o, who discovered a track of his on MySpace in 2008. A European tour followed, with stops in the cities Olaniran lived in as a…
