Like so many kids growing up poor in the NYC projects, two clear options were laid before Miguel Cespedes, better known as TruRebel Migs. Pursue a life of crime in the streets, or plan an escape route through music. And it was the latter which brought this brilliant young rapper out to Los Angeles to record his EP “Lust, Love & War – Detox & Quarantine | Part 1”. From the very first hit of the opening track “Needs” you immediately get drawn into a dark, swirling vortex with a bit of a menacing vibe. With lyrical themes of sex, drugs, violence and street life, it’s very much what you’d expect from a rap record. But Migs delivers real emotion in his voice that you can really feel. His elevated sense of phrasing, melody, wordplay and imagery set him apart from most rappers. The production on the record is notable […]
“In And Through The Body”, the brilliant new record by Trevor Hall invokes self-examination by exploring themes such as struggle, growth, and redemption. Produced by Brad Cook (Bon Iver, the War on Drugs, Hiss Golden Messenger) this album sees him taking bold chances with his music while staying true to his core values. Hall uses a palette of genres that span from folk, roots-rock and electronic, all with a consistent wash of authentic far-Eastern influence. “As an artist I’ve always received songs about abstract things. One of the reasons that I love music so much is that I can enter any world, and sometimes I’d write about things that I couldn’t explain in words but were a feeling. I would tend to push away human emotions because I thought they weren’t as worthy as these abstract states. But this album is called “In And Through The Body”. It’s about entering […]