Listen to What You're Missin': Michna, Charles Tree, Greg Laswell, and Telepathe

"Listen to What You're Missin'" takes you through four tracks of the week, giving you an updated look at what's good, so check it--Charles Trees, Greg Laswell, Michna and Telepathe.


Charles Tree: “It’s The”

I wanted to dig in the crates of tracks I've posted that have been lost. “It’s the,” shit—is probably the full title of this song. With an intro that builds into the sample, the song takes off quickly. Charles Tree’s “It’s the” plays like an RJD2 beat, but the sample is chopped and used in a fashion similar to Madlib. Driven by a simple drum pattern, the sample anchors the song. For a man with strong political expression, “It’s the” is void of lyrics, but not of hip hop soul. After listening to Charles Tree’s Myspace page, this track emphasizes a jazzy hip hop, whereas some of his other tracks experiment with electronic and scratching, sounding more like Prince Paul. Take a listen, try to rap over the beat and send me your lyrics, because I’ve been rapping over this track all morning, and my rhymes “are the.”


Greg Laswell: "Days Go On"

"My days go on and on and on without you here," moans Laswell, as the piano picks up where his voice trails. The somber toned song reminds me of Thom Yorke with its dark undertones, fast drum sequence, and dispersed electronic guitar. "Days Go On" was released on his 2008 EP, How The Day Sounds, two years after his divorce. It can be assumed that "Days Go On" is a song about his adjustment after the divorce.



Michna: "Triple Chromed Dipped"

Michna, the Brookyln DJ, producer and former record store clerk, calls his sound "pop." If this is "pop," than why haven't I heard it on the radio. "Triple Chromed Dipped" begins with royal horns ushering in a man ready to claim his throne. As described at Remixmag the DJ and producer has two different agendas: as a DJ he keeps his music dancer-friendly, but as producer, it's about him. In "Triple Chromed Dipped" Michna uses pauses, record drags, and samples to create a listener friendly track that isn't all that "pop" danceable.



Telepathe (Remixed by Gold Panada): "Chrome On It"

This remix by Gold Panda of Telepathe's "Chrome On It" further emphasizes the blurry lines that the group is forging. With several EPs and singles out, the band released their debut album recently, but their sound seems to still be forming. On "Chrome On It" the cascading drum pattern sounds more club hip hop than electro, while the vocals are anything but hip hop. Their debut album Dance Mother was released in mid April.

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