MUSIC: The Low Noise, High Bias Mixtape Roundup

The Couch Sessions plans to give you a roundup of what’s happening in the ever changing mixtape and free music world. We hope to give you an idea some some cool stuff to put on that TDK tape when you roll up into the drive-thru trying impress the hottie taking you’re order in your mom’s car. Expect anything from dope mixes, unofficial (but really official) releases from established and up and coming artists and numerous Gucci Mane jokes.

First up Arca. The Brooklyn via Venezuelan producer made some noise a few months ago for helping to produce 4 tracks on Yeezus and dropped his mixtape, &&&&&, quickly afterwards. It’s a woozy mix of cloud beats where Snoop's, “La da tad da” can ride right next to what sounds like dolphin fucking. There’s a bass heavy sensual aspect to his music that gives the tape the kind of vibe where you could play it rolling down the street with friends or in the background when things get intimate. This is probably why he got tapped to co-produce sexy songstress FKA Twig’s second EP. He gets to start the fall running a victory lap: he’s going to perform the mixtape live at New York’s Museum of Modern Art PS1 with visuals provided by London Based Director Jesse Kanda. The show is October 6th and you can cop tickets here.

https://soundcloud.com/arca-2/uenqifjr3yua

Meek Mill drops his third mixtape of his Dreamchasers series. Considering each of the previous releases provided him with his biggest mainstream singles (Tony Montana and Amen), like most rappers this is more of an event than a retail album release. Meek Mill’s an anomaly to the current rap game; even though he’s hooked up with Rick Ross and his production style he’s never lost his Philly battle rapper roots. The average Meek Mill track has him powering through as if the microphone is about to get snatched from him at any second which makes even album filler (mixtape filler?) tracks exciting. Plus, history has shown, at least one of these tracks will be a ratchet anthem by the time the winter rolls around. You can grab it here.

Cam’ron lack of acclaim frustrates me. While Kanye rants gets all the attention, Cam’ron’s antics both on and off the mike have always been entertaining. Seriously, do a google image search on his O'Reilly factor coined phrase, “You Mad?” He’s been name checked by artists as varied as El-P to Danny Brown as one of their favorite rappers, is now fifteen (!!!) years in the game, and can still get a crowd riled up like he did earlier this year at a Red Bull sponsored guest appearance in NYC. A few years ago he stepped away from rapping due to illness in his family and since then it’s felt like he’s been rapping part time. This seems to be changing: he’s got an internet television show full of his patented nihilistic ignorance coming out (check out the trailer featuring Cam’ron gunning down people dressed up as Ronald Mcdonald below) and he just dropped his strongest mixtape in years. Ghetto Heaven Vol. 1 has Cam spitting as witty as he’s ever been and is well worth the listen. You can grab it here.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VxcboKTOgCU[/youtube]