1. The powerful juxtaposition of a Western term aimed at ghettoizing other cultures and the English colonial name foisted on Chennai, India; 2. A queer, female, Desi act igniting a revolution because they’re sick of this bullshit
“We really want people who come to our shows to feel like they’ve been punched in the face,” says Contra, one-half of rap provocateurs Cartel Madras, of their FOMO-inducing live shows. “It’s like a riot just passed you, and you’re like, ‘What was that? What did I just experience?’” But also, “‘How do I do that again?’”
Cartel Madras also includes Contra’s sibling, Eboshi—both born in Chennai in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and raised in Calgary, Canada. Like their upbringing, their music is a cultural syncretism, a heady mix of trap with punk, house, and South Indian aesthetics that they’ve anointed “goonda rap.” Their second EP is Age of the Goonda, (out November 1st, 2019 on Sub Pop Records), a sonically expansive successor to their first EP, Trapistan, which boasted the party-down hit “Pork & Leek. A manifesto for the times, Age of the Goonda is an in-your-face call to arms for—immigrants, women of color, the LGBTQ+ community, Desis (a.k.a. Westernized Indians)—those who must resist being treated as underdogs.
“Goonda Gold” is the EP’s central pulse, its anthem. “When you hear it, it feels big like you’re watching this crazy-ass gangsta movie,” says Contra. “And it does borrow from certain vintage South Indian filminess.” Rapid-fire in delivery—“Gold on my neck I’m a goonda / Got guns in the air like a junta”—and hastened along by shimmery beats from D.C. Desi upstart SkinnyLocal, it pointedly shows off the duo’s legit rapping skills.
Tacocat know there’s more to October 31st, 2019 than costumes and glitter (so, so much glitter). In recognition of today’s kickoff to the next season of Mercury Retrograde, the band is sharing the astrology-themed new song “Retrograde,” which is out now in all the places you consume digital music such as YouTube, Spotify, Apple Music and Bandcamp.
Tonight (October 31st, that is.), Tacocat headline an all-out Halloween party at Neumo’s in their native Seattle.
What people are saying about Tacocat:
“…a joyous power pop collection of instantly accessible tunes, with a humorous socially conscious slant.” - Louder Than War
“…the band’s most polished record to date.” - The Seattle Times
“…This Mess is a Place anchors itself in moments of hope and brightness.” - NPR
“…This Mess Is a Place is exactly the kind of album we need in 2019. It sounds like rainbow sherbert and friendship bracelets. It eschews irony and defeatism. It calls us all to build a brave, colorful new world together—and have one hell of a good time doing it.” - Paste
This Mess Is a Place, Tacocat’s fourth album and first for Sub Pop, is out now and can be purchased from u.subpop.com/thismess.
Atlanta band Omni will kick off a 40 date world tour, beginning tonight at the Basement in Nashville, TN. These dates will find the group touring through Chicago, Brooklyn, DC, and Raleigh, ending in their home city on Nov. 4th before heading overseas on Nov. 10th in Kortrijk, Belgium with shows in Hamburg, Copenhagen, Berlin, Paris, Lille, Brighton, Glasgow, and London. They will then continue their North American run on Dec. 03rd in New Orleans, with shows in Austin, Tucson, Seattle, Portland, San Francisco, and Los Angeles. See below for a full list of shows. Networker is available for preorder from Sub Pop and features the singles and videos for “Sincerely Yours”, ”Courtesy Call” and ”Skeleton Key”. LP preorders of the album through megamart.subpop.com and select independent retailers in North America, UK, and Europe will receive the limited Loser edition on opaque blue while supplies last.
Tour dates:
Oct. 23 - Nashville, TN - The Basement Oct. 24 - Lexington, KY - The Green Lantern Oct. 25 - Chicago, IL - Empty Bottle Oct. 27 - Toronto, ON - The Garrison Oct. 28 - Montreal, QC - Bar Le Ritz Oct. 29 - Brooklyn, NY - Baby’s All Right Oct. 30 - Brooklyn, NY - Sultan Room Nov. 1 - Philadelphia, PA - Jerry’s on Front Nov. 2 - Washington, DC - Pie Shop Bar Nov. 3 - CourRaliegh, NC - Kings Raleigh Nov. 4 - Atlanta, GA - The Earl Nov. 10 - Kortrijk, BE - Sonic City Festival Nov. 11 - Hamburg, DE - Molotov (Sky Bar) Nov. 12 - Copenhagen, DK - Loppen Nov. 13 - Berlin, DE - BERGHAIN KANTINE Nov. 14 - Utrecht, NL - Ekko Nov. 15 - Le Havre, FR - Mc Daids Nov. 18 - Paris, FR - La Boule Noire Nov. 19 - Lille, FR - La Bulle Nov. 20 - Brussels, BE - Le Botanique Nov. 21 - Colmar, FR - Le Grillen Nov. 22 - St. Gallen, CH Palace St. Gallen Nov. 23 - Lyon, FR - Sonic Nov. 25 - Brighton, UK - The Hope & Ruin Nov. 26 - Bristol, UK - Rough Trade Bristol Nov. 27 - Manchester, UK - YES Nov. 28 - Glasgow, UK - Mono (Glasgow) Nov. 29 - Leeds, UK - The Brudenell Social Club Nov. 30 - London, UK - Oslo Dec. 03 - New Orleans, LA - Gasa Gasa Dec. 04 - Austin, TX - Barracuda Dec. 05 - El Paso, TX - The Monarch Dec. 06 - Tucson, AZ - Hotel Congress Dec. 08 - Boise, ID - Neurolux Dec. 09 - Seattle, WA - Tractor Tavern Dec. 10 - Portland, OR - Mississippi Studios Dec. 11 - Arcata, CA - The Miniplex Dec. 12 - Santa Cruz, CA - The Catalyst Dec. 13 - Sacramento, CA - The Blue Dec. 14 - San Fransisco, CA - Rickshaw Stop Dec. 15 - San Diego, CA - Soda Bar Dec. 16 - Los Angeles, CA - Lodge Room
Clipping has delivered an intense and hallucinatory new video for “All In Your Head,” directed by C Prinz (Tinashe, Miya Folick), a standout from There Existed an Addiction to Blood, the group’s acclaimed new album. The visual stars rapper Robyn Hood and Counterfeit Madison singer Sharon Udoh (who both guest on the track), along with dancer Jazz Washington and model/DJ Jantae Spinks.
C Prinz offers this, “‘All In Your Head’ is a surrealist portrait of the female experience embodied. I was deeply inspired by a line from an Amiri Baraka poem: ‘Lately, I’ve been accustomed to the way the ground opens up and envelopes me.’ I wanted to create something that felt authentic to the emotional landscape of the female-identifying. With this video, my goal was to get people to feel the imagery instead of just see it. This video is a pure representation of trust and community—it would not have been possible without the unconditional commitment of the cast, crew and the creative freedom Clipping and Sub Pop encouraged.”
Clipping add, “‘All In Your Head’ is the furthest we’ve taken the fracturing of single-point perspective in our storytelling. It was important to us to give over control and authorship of this particular video to our collaborators. We don’t appear in it and had virtually no input in its creation. And because we cannot take credit for any of it, we have no problem saying that C Prinz and her team have made a fucking masterpiece.”
Clipping will perform at the Adult Swim Festival on November 16th in Los Angeles. Additional live dates to be announced soon.
There Existed an Addiction to Blood is out now on CD, 2xLP, cassette, and a 2xLP Deluxe Limited “Lamestain” Edition from Sub Pop. The blood-splattered “Lamestain” edition is sold out online, and will only be available at select independent record stores, and via the band’s merch table at shows (while supplies last).
Corridor’s Junior, their Sub Pop debut, is available now on CD/LP/DL/CS worldwide through Sub Pop with the exception of Canada through Bonsound. Stream it today on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Music and Bandcamp.
[Photo Credit: Caroline Desilets]
Corridor’s international tour schedule in support of Junior kicks-off tomorrow, Wednesday, October 23rd in Philadelphia at Boot & Saddle and currently ends December 13th in Los Angeles at Morrocan Lounge. For more information on tickets, visit Corridor’s Sub Pop tour dates page.
Oct. 23 - Philadelphia, PA - Boot & Saddle Oct. 24 - Brooklyn, NY - Union Pool Oct. 25 - Washington, DC - Comet Ping Pong Oct. 29 - Amsterdam, NL - Paradiso (Upstairs) Oct. 31 - Nyon, CH - La Parenthese Nov. 01 - Lyon, FR - Le Sonic Nov. 02 - Nantes, FR - Soy Music Festival Nov. 04 - Paris, FR - Point Ephemere Nov. 06 - London, UK - The Waiting Room [Sold Out] Nov. 07 - Antwerp, BE - Trix (Free Show) Nov. 08 - Hamburg, DE - Hafenklang Nov. 09 - Berlin, DE - Westgermany Nov. 10 - Kortrijk, BE - Sonic City Music Festival Nov. 20 - Toronto, ON - The Garrison* Nov. 22 - Montreal, QC - M for Montreal Festival (Le National) * Nov. 28 - Quebec City, QC - l’Anti Dec. 04 - San Francisco, CA - Milk Bar Dec. 07 - Portland, OR - Bunk Bar # Dec. 08 - Vancouver, BC - Astoria ^ Dec. 10 - Seattle, WA - Barboza Dec. 13 - Los Angeles, CA - Moroccan Lounge
* w/ Absolutely Free # w/ Woolen Men ^ w/ N0V3L
Corridor’s Junior is now available through Sub Pop. Purchases of the LP through megamart.subpop.com, select independent retailers and the band’s live shows in North America will receive the limited Loser edition on Soft-Boiled colored vinyl (while supplies last). Meanwhile, LP purchases of Junior throughout the UK and Europe from select independent retailers and the Corridor’s live shows, will receive the limited Loser edition on Egg Yolk colored vinyl (while supplies last).
The album features the singles “Topographe,” “Domino” “Grand Cheval,” “Pow,” and the title track, and was produced by Emmanuel Éthier, engineered by Samuel Gemme, mixed by Éthier and Gemme in Montreal at ReelRoad Studios, and mastered by Josh Bonati at Bonati Mastering in New York.
