THE REPORT: 5/29/26
NEVER STOP BLOGGING
ST6 JodyBoof, Dragnutz “TEN 23”
There is no doubt that I sound like an annoying contemporary music blogger when I say that the beat here, produced by Xaviersobased, could be a Bassvictim song. The energetic District of Columbia reality raps that skim the top of this trance’d-out track have nothing to do with London, though. Or Denver, for that matter.
Gloorp “Jeggings”
A Philly drummer lifer hits the electronic pads for a blast of tricky rhythmic technology somewhere between DJ Nate and SOPHIE. The kind of business that would probably work in a field somewhere in Europe, where German men with dreadlocks do skanking dances, arms outstretched wide, colaweizen flowing through their veins.
Big Freedia x SOPHIE “BLAZE THAT ASS”
Speaking of: this week saw a deep archival release, a lost 2016 collaboration between SOPHIE and New Orleans bounce ambassador Big Freedia. It’s not half bad, actually, in the scheme of things, with SOPHIE’s world-changing sound palette anchoring a tune that sounds more hip-house than anything else. We are in borderline “Cha-Cha Slide” territory here, people!
My friend Madeline put me on to Mr. Proxy some time ago; he’s the kind of no-rules internet rapper that might do a ten-minute song or go over some blown-out 808s but then also might make something like “LOVE&ADDICTION,” a track whose guitars sound like they were sampled from a Siltbreeze seven-inch. Actual experimental rap.
Months after I published my guide to 2000s Swedish electro-pop legends The Tough Alliance, a commenter alerted me to the fact that Henning Fürst has a new project with Elin Kastlander of Swedish legends jj. “ONE THING” is a nine-month-old balearic pop track with loping reggaeton-ish drums and enough of that old Millennial Melodic Magic to make it onto the coveted John’s Music Blog Five Spot.
JOHN’S MUSIC BLOG PRESENTS… THE BONUS THREE
Lightris, Sabbath, & stomping plastic “Feet kept dancing”
Wisconsin party rap is going to have one hell of a summer. 414BigFrank has a new tune that samples “Rump Shaker,” and Madison rep Lightris continues on his unstoppable pop journey. “Feet kept dancing” sounds like new jack swing made on the Nintendo DS.
In an interesting turn of events, Mike D has been dropping new music. You better believe there are breakbeats involved! And fuzz bass.
Nia Archives continues to write good songs that fuse her jungle roots with some pretty developed guitar pop ideas. Her recent DJ set for The Lot, too, is ‘ardkore excellence.
ANGEL BAND UPDATE
The members of Angels in America will be the first to admit that they are not an easy band to understand. From their legendary “radio plays” under the name Angels USA to their decades moving through the “noise underground” without ever exactly playing noise music, they are the kind of confusing band we love over here at John’s Music Blog. Their long-anticipated new record is full of hard-to-classify songs and skits. There’s even a Rancid reference.
Vorhex Angel features both of JEFF The Brotherhood and master shredder Kunal Prakash, and they play music deeply inspired by the greats of Japanese noise rock and psych rock. Live, they drape silver Mylar blankets everywhere. An earlier release I heard was straight corroded, some Les Rallizes Dénudés type shit; “Okie’s Song” flips to the other side of the coin.
MIX OF THE WEEK: angel 60 w/ auntie on NTS 5/5/206
Well, I guess we are not fully done with that last segment, because check out the title of Milwaukee footwork producer auntie’s NTS show, which made its debut earlier in the month. Though Milwaukee is only a few hours away from Chicago, I haven’t seen that many juke or footwork producers come out of the city. auntie’s production on the be3e track “up in the world” is one 2026 highlight for me.
MISCELLANEOUS LISTENING
414JungleBaby JUNGLE THIS JUNGLE THAT
Jim Hendrix “Machine Gun (Live at the Isle of Wight)”
The Replacements Shit, Shower & Shave
Cornell Campbell “Hear Mi Now Star (Version)”
Bossman Dlow Chicken Talking Bastard
Gucci Mane Chicken Talk
Polvo “Every Holy Shroud”
BOYG1RL “GLORY”
V/A So So Def Bass All-Stars
RIP NINA PROTOCOL
Is there a better party than a German hippy dreadlocks party? I think not.
the be3e track is nuts, how do you find this stuff