Album Review: I In Team – Bad Neighbors

June 16, 2022

Knock, knock – It’s Nick Sanville and Dugan’s group I In Team ushering you into your living room, commandeering the nearest bluetooth speaker and showcasing cuts from their freshly minted project Bad Neighbors – a rap album made with intention. Not the intention of doing something on purpose – rather, something done with purpose.

It’s barrel aged and small batch, but without the pomp of a soft launch for some hipster yerba maté bar. It’s meticulously crafted hip-hop refined by a pair of artists who take their music – not themselves – quite seriously.

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Album Review: One Peace – A GLORIOUS ONE

February 8, 2022

A GLORIOUS ONE from rapper One Peace finds itself at the crossroads of trunk-knocking production, emotion-soaked sampling, and vivid, unapologetic songwriting.

Released on independent Fort Collins-based record label Lion League Music, it’s a nostalgic yet relevant album that feels as diverse as it does cohesive. Sonically, it could stand in as the score to a Tarantino flick or the tracklist for a forthcoming Grand Theft Auto radio station with OP’s speaking voice alone commanding more presence than the average MC yelling full volume into the mic.

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Album Review: Diez De León – Death of a Martyr, Birth of a Phoenix

September 6, 2021

What’s impressive about Death of a Martyr, Birth of a Phoenix from Diez De León is that the album occupies two worlds simultaneously. It’s thoughtful, introspective and authentic, and effortlessly pairs it with the best qualities of modern hip-hop: catchy hooks, head-nodding grooves, and addressing the all-important question, “but does it slap?”

Formerly known as B.B.T.U.C. of Colorado rap trio Soul Brothers, Diez De León showcases a high level of artistic maturity on his debut album. Death of a Martyr, Birth of a Phoenix displays a degree of lyrical finesse that’s refreshing in today’s musical landscape.

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Album Review: Desert Dwellers – Night Visions 3

July 7, 2021

From the Playa at Burning Man to the mountains, deserts, and jungles of world’s most iconic festivals, the seminal duo Desert Dwellers are known across the globe for their ability to craft lush, worldly soundscapes and renegade dancefloor vibes.
If the wait to see the Boulder-based duo live at the Mishawaka Amphitheatre on July 17 proves too long to bear, feel comforted that the freshly-released third installment of their Night Vision series can tide you over until then.

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