Lav's Music Corner

5.  Portraits  - Panchiko There's been at least something to admire about pretty much all of the new Panchiko singles so far and this one is the best so far at pinning down the crackling nostalgia and lo-fi textures of their surprise classic material. The glitchiness of the song impugns a character that's entirely unique from their other songs while also feeling physically aged as you listen to it.  Listen 4.  FaceTime  - billy woods & kenny segal (feat. Samuel T. Herring) If you're familiar with the names involved in this song then it sounds exactly what you're imagining it will. There are no surprises here just a successful blending of styles with kenny's often poignant and jazzy production serving as a perfect middle man for the vocals. The high contrast of billy's gritty vocal delivery on the verses and Sam's subtle hook sounds great.  Listen 3.  Back In Office  - Saba & No I.D. Saba and No I.D are teaming up for a mixtape coming soon ...

Hemlock Ernst is the rapper pseudonym for Sam Herring, who is most commonly known as the front man of contemporary synth pop and indie pop band Future Islands. After a full decade of releasing records with the band and featuring across a number of different records from his indie and hip hop contemporaries Sam saw fit to finally release a full length Hemlock Ernst solo record. On Back At The House  Sam teams up with producer Kenny Segal, a regular in underground hip hop, to see Sam craft an experimental rap record. Review By Lavender: I've dished out some praise to Future Islands over the years and I've even enjoyed the few moments Hemlock Ernst has popped up on records like Open Mike Eagle and Paul White's Hella Personal FIlm Festival . After a pair of intriguing singles I was really excited for this record, and while I don't think it will turn many heads in the underground hip hop world it is proof that Sam is a true multi-talented artist. The lead-up to this...