GREY EP

 

“My music might not fit anywhere but if you listen close enough, you can see how it can fit everywhere.”

20 year old rapper and producer Kweku Collins is another character blooming among the talented youth in hip-hop born and based in Chicago.

Up to this point he has subsisted in shades of grey. His music slides between abstract poetry and melodic rap over production that extracts elements from several genres; he’s biracial, and he’s from Evanston, Ill., a town that almost lets you say you’re from Chicago. His latest project, the self-produced and aptly titled Grey EP, is actually more metallic, reflecting back an artist on the precipice of something great.

“The mulatto/mutt cliche thing—too white for the black kids, too black for the white kids—and doing white boy shit like skateboarding, but then I say “nigga,” so white people get uncomfortable. But I found that not belonging in one place helped me feel like I could belong in any place.”

Kweku’s tracks are ethereal and honest. At their best they feel like private confessions that are only being relayed to you individually.Grey is rap on its own terms, its name an acknowledgment of Collins’ own self-awareness and further evidence that the misfits can be some of the most liberated among us.

Grey also sees guest features from the likes of Allan Kingdom, Sylvie Grace, and Kipp Stone, who join the Chicago producer on a musical journey that was strongly influenced by his 2016 European tour and the hype that followed after his debut release.

“I can get love from everyone but I’m still going to be here if you hate me. You can’t strive for acceptance. You either like it or you don’t.”

 

The album contains nine new tracks:

1. “Lucky Ones”

2. “Aya” Feat. Allan Kingdom

3. “jump.i”

4. “International Business Trip”

5. “Youaintshit (Shine On)” Feat. Sylvie Grace

6. “Oasis2: Maps”

7. “Things I Know” Feat. Kipp Stone

8. “Dec. 25th”

9. “The Continuation”

 

Give It To Me

HOMESHAKE is the pseudonym and solo project of Montreal-based musician Peter Sagar, mostly recognized as the former guitarist and keyboardist for Mac DeMarco.

As follow up to his 2014 debut In the Shower, Homeshake released a new album, Midnight Snack last fall with Sinderlyn Records. Like his previous album, most songs follow a recurring theme of love- Midnight Snack is a representation of the simple pleasure of a midnight snack before curling up in bed next to the person you love. “With previous projects, I felt pretty limited in what kind of stuff I could make, like I was going for one sound in particular or something,” Sagar says of the new, progressive sound. “Now, I don’t care about that and do whatever I want.”

Give it to me has to be my favorite track on the record- a big change from what we’ve heard from HOMESHAKE in his last album. The guitar melodies become less prominent and his slow and dreamy vocals take main stage. We hear a lot more of vocal looping and electronic instrumentation this time around.

The music video features Peter Sagar himself enjoying a day at the beach pier with Salina, his girlfriend. We see the simple and sometimes goofy Sagar, seemingly unfazed by any troubles, and exuberayting strong chill vibes that we love his music for.

 

I wish you could climb inside my head
 So you could see what it means
 When I'm so cold
 Feeling so low
 Horrible

Give it to me,
 Give it to me baby,
 Now show me your love

I wish I could live in your heart
 So I could see what it means
 When you're so hot
 You seem so far
 Away

Give it to me, 
 Give it to me baby,
 Now show me some love

 (Please, baby)