On the eve of his debut album release on Sub Pop, rising Seattle rapper Porter Ray drops a dream-like video for previously unheard track, Past Life.
Filmed in Porter’s hometown of Seattle, the visual is directed by Patrick O’Brien-Smith. The bittersweet PastLife - featuring Cashtro and Black - finds Ray reflecting on his eventful teenage years, lost family and friends, highs, lows, misadventures and more. The rapper’s laid back yet captivating style, vivid lyrical vignettes and powerful storytelling are built around a vulnerability and unflinching honesty.
Porter Ray signed to Sub Pop after catching the attention of Shabazz Palaces founder and label A&R Ishmael Butler, his debut album Watercolor drops tomorrow AND he plays at SXSW next week.
Porter Ray’s current live dates include multiple appearances at SXSW March 15th-19th, and Sasquatch Music Festival on May 26th. Additional live dates will be announced soon.
Mar. 15 - Austin, TX - SXSW - Swan Dive Patio Mar. 19 - Austin, TX - SXSW - Dozen Street - Kosher Dillz Show May 26 - Quincy, WA - Sasquatch Music Festival
Watercolor is out tomorrow, March 10th, on CD / 2xLP / DL / CASS from Sub Pop right over here and in finer independent record stores the world over. LP orders through the Sub Pop Mega Mart and independent retailers will receive the limited Loser Edition on translucent vinyl with magenta swirl in North America & Translucent vinyl in Europe, while supplies last.
Watercolor features original production from B-Roc, Dez Anthony, and Kmtk, and was mixed by Erik Blood. Guest appearances include Cashtro, Nate Jack, Jus Moni and Black Constellation elders Palaceer Lazaro and Fly Guy Dai of Shabazz Palaces.
“A natural storyteller, Ray unleashed a series of vivid mixtape portraits of his locale’s druggy highs and lows that painted him as a new school Nas with the lyrical slickness of Roc Marciano. The street-wise intellect certainly lets his slightly off-pitched voice do most of the heavy lifting over the stuttering spacey synthetics, phased keys and warped Rhodes of B-Roc’s atmospheric production.” [Watercolor, 4/5] – MOJO
“As a rapper, Porter’s storytelling skills drive his lyrical content. He tries to paint pictures, never sounding over excited or too energetic, opting for beats which create unique moods….with his effortlessly smooth tone and considered lyricism, Porter carries himself with striking presence and wisdom.” [Watercolor] - Crack Magazine
“Ray is Seattle to the bone, continuing the tradition of Sea-Town rappers with malleable flows and unorthodox sounds that bend along with them....The first taste of his album is a posse cut of sorts featuring ShabazzPalaces, Palaceer, and Castro. They all spit complicated rhyme schemes over a hollowed-out soundscape with dry 808 drums and shimmering, space-age synths reminiscent of THEESatisfaction.” [“Sacred Geometry”] –Stereogum
“Seattle rapper Porter Ray shares another hazy and seductive gem from his debut…“Arithmetic” showcases Porter’s golden voice and effortlessly vivid flow over a dreamy, immersively narcotic beat, elevated by spectral siren calls from the great StasThee Boss (formerly of THEESatisfaction) and anchored by a crucial assist from revered Seattle MC Infinite.” [“Arithmetic”] - Gorilla vs Bear
“On the first track from the Seattle native’s forthcoming Watercolor, Porter leads the song with melodic cadences and descriptive verses. Here, he and his collaborators all highlight the narratives that make up this holy equation.” [“Sacred Geometry”] - The FADER
Uproxx says of “Lightro…” and Watercolor, “Over a wafting cloud of synthy production Ray tackles the grimness of death and the fleeting nature of life, before the track bleeds into Stas’ starlit harmonies....When he starts spitting, you know it’s him immediately. He runs through various cadences and countless rhythms like it’s nothing to change up, but never loses a sense of cohesion in his rapping…In many ways, Watercolor is a distillation of Northwest rap told through the region’s most promising newcomer (see premiere February 21st).”
Porter Ray’s current live dates include a hometown release show on March 8th at Barboza (with guests Jarv Dee, Cam the Mac, and Bruce Leroy), multiple appearances at SXSW March 15th-19th, and Sasquatch Music Festival on May 26th. More live dates coming soon.
Tour Dates + Ticket Links Feb. 26 - Seattle, WA – Crocodile (w/ Pickwick for ACLU Benefit) Mar. 08 - Seattle, WA – Barboza (Watercolor Release Party) Mar. 15-19 - Austin, TX - SXSW May 26 - Quincy, WA - Sasquatch Music Festival
“Lightro…,” and the forthcoming Watercolor, find Ray blending thoughtful portraits of Seattle streets with cathartic biographical accounts of an eventful adolescence and early adulthood, during which his father passed away, his brother was shot and killed, he became a father, and saw his son’s mother go to jail. Possessing insight beyond his years, Ray’s laid back yet captivating style, vivid lyrical vignettes and powerful storytelling are built around a vulnerability and unflinching honesty.
Watercolor is available for preorder in all your favorite formats. LP pre-orders through the Sub Pop Mega Mart and independent retailers will receive the limited Loser Edition on translucent vinyl with magenta swirl in North America & Translucent vinyl in Europe, while supplies last.
Watercolor features original production from B-Roc, Dez Anthony, and Kmtk, and was mixed by Erik Blood. Guest appearances include Cashtro, Stas Thee Boss, Nate Jack, Jus Moni and Black Constellation elders Palaceer Lazaro and Fly Guy Dai of Shabazz Palaces.
What are “The People” saying about Porter Ray? Well, since you asked:
“A star in the making.” [Watercolor] - Uncut
“A natural storyteller, Ray unleashed a series of vivid mixtape portraits of his locale’s druggy highs and lows that painted him as a new school Nas with the lyrical slickness of Roc Marciano. The street-wise intellect certainly lets his slightly off-pitched voice do most of the heavy lifting over the stuttering spacey synthetics, phased keys and warped Rhodes of B-Roc’s atmospheric production.” [Watercolor, 4/5] -MOJO
“As a rapper, Porter’s storytelling skills drive his lyrical content. He tries to paint pictures, never sounding over excited or too energetic, opting for beats which create unique moods….with his effortlessly smooth tone and considered lyricism, Porter carries himself with striking presence and wisdom.” [Watercolor] - Crack Magazine
“Ray is Seattle to the bone, continuing the tradition of Sea-Town rappers with malleable flows and unorthodox sounds that bend along with them....The first taste of his album is a posse cut of sorts featuring Shabazz Palaces,Palaceer, and Castro. They all spit complicated rhyme schemes over a hollowed-out soundscape with dry 808 drums and shimmering, space-age synths reminiscent of THEESatisfaction.” [“Sacred Geometry”] - Stereogum
“Seattle rapper Porter Ray shares another hazy and seductive gem from his debut…“Arithmetic” showcases Porter’s golden voice and effortlessly vivid flow over a dreamy, immersively narcotic beat, elevated by spectral siren calls from the great Stas Thee Boss (formerly of THEESatisfaction) and anchored by a crucial assist from revered Seattle MC Infinite.” [“Arithmetic”] - Gorilla vs Bear
“On the first track from the Seattle native’s forthcoming Watercolor, Porter leads the song with melodic cadences and descriptive verses. Here, he and his collaborators all highlight the narratives that make up this holy equation.” [“Sacred Geometry”] - The FADER
Porter Ray’s ”Arithmetic” is the 2nd single off Watercolor, his forthcoming full-length debut, available worldwide March 10th from Sub Pop. The vibe-worthy track features guest performances from Stas THEE Boss (formerly of THEESatisfaction and current host of KEXP’s Street Sounds) and the legendary Infinite (of Narkotik and Tribal Productions).
Gorilla vs. Bear premiered the track today (see here) and said of the track, “Seattle rapper Porter Ray shares another hazy and seductive gem from his forthcoming LP Watercolor…“Arithmetic” showcases Porter’s golden voice and effortlessly vivid flow over a dreamy, immersively narcotic beat, elevated by spectral siren calls from the great Stas Thee Boss and anchored by a crucial assist from revered Seattle MC Infinite.”
Porter Ray is also the subject of a feature in the new edition of Crack Magazine, of which you can read more here.
Watercolor is now available for preorder on CD / 2xLP / DL / CASS. LP pre-orders through the Sub Pop Mega Mart and independent retailers will receive the limited Loser Edition on translucent vinyl with magenta swirl in North America & Translucent vinyl in Europe, while supplies last.
Watercolor features original production from B-Roc, Dez Anthony, and Kmtk, and was mixed by Erik Blood. Guest appearances include Cashtro, Nate Jack, Jus Moni and Black Constellation elders Palaceer Lazaro and Fly Guy Dai of Shabazz Palaces.
Feb. 17 - Seattle, WA - Sole Repair* Feb. 26 - Seattle, WA - Crocodile** Mar. 08 - Seattle, WA - Barboza (Watercolor release party) Mar. 15-19 - Austin, TX - SXSW May 26 - Quincy, WA - Sasquatch Music Festival * w/ Sisters ** w/ Pickwick
You can now sooth your ears and eyes as you watch the video for THEESatisfaction’s “EarthEE”,
the title track from the group’s stellar 2nd album, premiering via I-D
Magazine.
The new video, which director Maikoiyo Alley-Barnes calls a “A
short visual meditation on the textile traditions of home, sacred Geo Metrics,
theta based communication and the whirling dervish. A sonically driven
work of ancient Afro continuum…” stars the group alongside label mates Porter
Ray and Ishmael Butler of Shabazz Palaces.
I-D says of “EarthEE”: “Utterly mesmerizing, this four minute video
employs compelling graphics that helps propel the song even further into the
light fantastic.”
In other news, Pitchfork recently included THEESatisfaction’s EarthEE in
it’s “Overlooked Records 2015”, and said: “You could imagine
THEESatisfaction—the Seattle boho rap duo of Cat Harris-White and Stasia
Irons—recording in accordance with the phases of the moon. Their second album, EarthEE,
is alluringly cosmic, no doubt, but their neo-soul has more resonance given its
powerful sociopolitical critique…Unbound by genre or modes of thinking, EarthEE keeps
tugging at the shapes of music and minds to come (see Pitchfork July
2nd).
THEESatisfaction’s current summer tour schedule in support of EarthEE resumes
Tuesday, July 21st in Madrid, ES at Sala Siroco and ends August 29th in
Seattle, WA with a Black Weirdo DJ Set at Northwest African American History
Museum. Additionally, THEESatisfaction’s SassyBlack has a few DJ sets and
individual performances coming up as well.
Jul. 21 - Madrid, ES - Sala Siroco
Jul. 23 - Lisbon, PT - Galeria Ze dos Bois
Jul. 24 - Barcelos, PT - Milhoes de Festa
Jul. 29 - Madeira, PT - Estalagem da Ponta do Sol
Jul. 30 - Azores, PT - Walk & Talk Fest
Aug. 07 - Seattle, WA - South Lake Union Block Party
Aug. 27 - Victoria, BC - Eventide Music Series @ Continental Square
Aug. 28 - Vancouver, BC - Fortune Sound Club
Aug. 29 - Seattle, WA - Black Weirdo DJ Set @ Northwest African American
History Museum*
*w/ Chocolate Chuck, Topspin
DJ SETS / SOLO PERFORMANCES :: SASSY BLACK
Aug. 01 - Sitka, AK - Homeskillet Fest
Aug. 06 - Seattle, WA - Neumo’s
Aug. 21 - Seattle, WA - KEXP
Sub Pop & Hardly Art at SxSW 2015 / March 15-22: Danny
Bland, Chastity Belt, King Tuff, La Luz, Lee Bains III & The Glory
Fires, Luluc, METZ, Rat Fist (Randy from No Age), & THEESatisfaction
Sub
Pop & Hardly Art artists Danny Bland, Chastity Belt, King Tuff, La
Luz, Lee Bains III & The Glory Fires, Luluc, METZ, and
THEESatisfaction, along with our friends Rat Fist (feat. Randy from No
Age), will appear at the 2015 edition of SXSW. Please find a complete
schedule for each artist below.
DANNY BLAND (Sub Pop) Friday, March 20th 4:00 pm / Book signing @ SXBookstore Address: Ballroom D Foyer at the Austin Convention Center, 500 E. Cesar Chavez St.
5-6pm / SxSW Panel: Books Are the New Vinyl (w/ Chuck D, Marc Gerald, Frank Turner, moderated by Rynda Laurel) Address: Room 16AB at the Austin Convention Center, 500 E. Cesar Chavez St.
CHASTITY BELT (Hardly Art) Wednesday, March 18th 4:30pm / She Shreds Showcase @ Cheer Up Charlie’s (Outside stage) Address: 900 Red River St.
12:00am / 720 Club Patio (SXSW Official Showcase) Address: 720 Red River St. (8th St Entrance)
Thursday, March 19th 2:30pm / Brooklyn Vegan Day Showcase @ Red 7 Address: 711 Red River St. 9:00pm / Gorilla vs Bear Showacse + Hype Hotel Address: 1100 E. 5th St.
Friday, March 20th 1:00pm / Gnar Tapes + Strange Victory Day Party @ Beerland Address: 711 Red River St.
4:00pm / She Shreds + Tom Tom Showcase @ Zen Fit Address: 2200 E. 7th St.
5:30pm / Third Man Records Showcase Address: Home Slice Pizza - 1415 S. Congress Ave.
Saturday, March 21st Midnight / Burgermania @ Hotel Vegas Address: 1500 E. 6th St.
LA LUZ (Hardly Art) Wednesday, March 18th 11:30am / Billy Reid + Third Man Records Austin Shindig Address: 1808 E. Cesar Chavez St.
3:30pm / Panache Boat Party (Boat #1) Address: 208 Barton Springs Rd. on Lady Bird Lake
Thursday, March 19th 4:00pm / Austin Psych Fest’s Levitation Party @ Hotel Vegas Address: 1500 E. 6th St.
6:30pm / She Shreds Showcase Address: 2009 Tillotson Ave.
Friday, March 20th 1:00pm / She Shreds + Tom Tom Showcase @ Zen Fit Address: 2200 E. 7th St.
6:15pm / Brixton &Juxtapoz Showcase @ The Buckshot Address: 422 E. 6th St.
10:40pm / Panache Showcase Address: 1500 E. 6th St.
Saturday, March 21st 2:00pm / Burgermania Party @ Hotel Vegas Patio 1 stage Address: 1500 E. 6th St.
5:30pm / Panache RAGER @ Spider House - Patio 1 stage Address: 2906 Fruth St.
LEE BAINS III & THE GLORY FIRES (Sub Pop) Wednesday, March 18th 4:00pm / Blurt Magazine + Dog Fish Head Ale Party @ The Ginger Man Address: 301 Lavaca St.
11:00pm / PGA Showcase @ Trinity Hall at Old School Address: 401 E. 6th St. (Upstairs)
Thursday, March 19th 3:30pm / Third Man Truck at Antone’s Record Shop Address: 2928 Guadalupe St.
Friday, March 20th 4:45pm / The Midgetmen’s 8th Annual Jumpstart Texas Party @ Sidebar Address: 602 E. 7th St.
LULUC (Sub Pop) Thursday, March 19th 8:30pm / St. David’s Bethel Hall SXSW Showcase Address: 301 E. 8th Street
Saturday, March 21st 7:30pm / Doug Sahm Tribute Night @ The Paramount Address: 713 N. Congress Ave.
Sunday, March 22 8:30pm / Continental Club Gallery Address: 315 S. Congress Ave.
METZ (Sub Pop) Monday, March 16th 10pm / The Onion AV Club Showcase @ Red 7 Address: 611 E. 7th St.
Wednesday, March 18th 3pm / St. Jerome’s Laneway Festival presents Laneway is for Lovers @ Red 7 Address: 611 E. 7th St.
10:00pm / House of Vans SXSW Showcase @ The Mohawk Address: 912 Red River St..
Thursday, March 19th 5:15pm / Brooklyn Vegan Day Showcase @ Red 7 Address: 611 E. 7th St.
10pm / FLOOD Fest Showcase @ Cedar St. Courtyard Address: 208 W. 4th St.
Friday, March 20th 12:30pm / SPIN SXSW Showcase @ Stubbs Address: 801 Red River St.
5:00pm / Waterloo Records Day Party Address: 600 N. Lamar Blvd
RAT FIST (Randy from NO AGE) Thursday, March 19th Midnight / BD Rileys SXSW Showcase Address: 204 E. 6th St.
Friday, March 20th 12:45pm / BrooklynVegan Day party @Red 7 Address: 611 E. 7th St.
3pm / The Midgetmen’s 8th Annual Jumpstart Texas Party @ The SideBar Address: 602 E. 7th St.
Saturday, March 21st 1:50pm / The Denver Post+Reverb.com Day Party @ Dirty Dog Bar Address: 505 E. 6th St.
3:45pm / Fun Fun Fun Fest Party + House of Vans @ The Mohawk Address: 912 Red River St.
THEESATISFACTION (Sub Pop) Friday, March 20th 3pm / Break Thru Radio Showcase @ The Liberty Address: 1618 E. 6th St.
9:40pm / Y’all Or Nothing Showcase @ Rain Address: 217 W. 4th St.
Saturday, March 21st 9:35pm / Okayplayer House Showcase @ Bungalow Address: 92 Rainey St.
10pm / House of Vans Showcase @ Mohawk Address: 912 Red River St
THEESatisfaction dropped the title track to their upcoming full-length, EarthEE, out February 24th on Sub Pop, and it can be described as a smooth ride in a deep groove. The song features THEESat labelmates and fellow Seattle hip hop stalwarts, Shabazz Palaces and Porter Ray. Pick up the duo’s amazing Sub Pop sophomore record, EarthEE right here.