[Hip-Hop] Travi$ Scott – Don’t Play (Feat. Big Sean & The 1975)

Travi$ Scott Ft. Big Sean + The 1975
Don't Play

After he first unveiled the song nearly 2 months ago during a live performance at SXSW, fans have been chomping at the bit to get their hands on Travi$ Scott‘s latest single. With a radio rip surfacing a few weeks back under the mistaken title of “1975,” we knew it was only a matter of time before we would finally be able to hear the final version of the track in all its glory.

Although we have to settle for the clean version for now, it’s still abundantly clear that Big Sean and La Flame are not playing around with this one. Travi$’ rapid ascent over the last year has definitely made for one of the more remarkable stories to follow in hip-hop (as chronicled in his recent Houston To Osaka documentary). It’s astonishing just how quickly the young spitter has been able to step out from the shadows of his fellow G.O.O.D. Music/Grand Hustle associates, and establish his own brand. With his debut album Rodeo slated for release later this year, we’re pretty confident the Houston native has a few more heaters just like this stashed away for the summer.

UPDATE: Added the official explicit CDQ version of the track, now with a credited feature from The 1975. 

Related items:

[Mellow Electronic] The 1975 – Settle Down (EMBRZ Remix)

The 1975
Settle Down (EMBRZ Remix)

Is it ok to say I want to melt into this song?
EMBRZ delivers a beautiful melodic remix of The 1975’s ‘Settle Down’. He takes the original piece and adds mellow electronic beats while casually making the vocals of the song almost none-word like. EMBRZ takes a causal stance on settling someone down full of his coolness in the beats he intertwines throughout the song and the way his own choice of sounds mixes into their own individual sounds.
This remix makes me want to settle down in the best way possible.

Related items:

TMN Sits Down With Matty From The 1975 [EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW]

The 1975
Sex

There are few bands that we’ve seen in our blogging careers hit a trajectory that The 1975 has. In just a very brief year and a half, this Manchester based quartet has gone from bedroom recordings to major label pushes. We recently sat down with front man Matty at the Marquis in Denver, Colorado. See what he had to say about early punk influences, Thai food and John Hughes films.

TMN: Welcome to Colorado! This is your first time here, correct?

Matty: This is my first time here in Colorado.

TMN: How’s the tour going so far? Are the states treating you well?

Matty: Really good. America is kinda of like, it’s amazing for us. Do you want me to expand on that?

TMN: Sure. Go ahead.

Matty: It’s an amazing place to go out on tour as a band. Geographically, it’s awe inspiring.

TMN: Have you found that crowds over here differ from those in Europe? How has the reception been so far?

Matty: We haven’t had a bad show! There’s been some great surprises like, fucking…well, not even surprises because last time we were there…Milwaukee. So much fun up there. So much fun in so many places. Philadelphia, man. Philadelphia is like playing Manchester for us. It really is. It was a better show in Philadelphia than it was for our homecoming show in Manchester. So, it’s amazing really, how it translates.

They don’t differ that much. They don’t really differ. I think that if you’re playing good music in South Hampton or New York City, people are going to react the same. I think people are slightly more open minded, people are very supportive of the idea of creativity being monetized. American people have a very good mentality, and it creates a really comfortable environment to be an artist. People like that. They think you’re fucking cool if you’re in a band, especially if you’re in a British band. So, it makes our accent, and our demeanor hold a lot of currency, in middle America.

TMN: You guys have had a rather accelerated path to where you are today, taking the blogosphere by storm. Has there been one moment in particular that’s made you stand back and say, “holy shit, I can’t believe that just happened.”

There’s been so many moments where I’ve tried to. It’s really hard to explain what this year has been like for us because it’s not been in drips in drabs; it’s not been two week and tour then go home and see your Mum. It’s been fucking non-stop since the second it started. We went on tour in January, properly, and haven’t been home since. I went home for two days, in the midst of moving out of the house I used to live in for twelve years. Then fucked off for another six months. So, you’re never really provided with an environment to be retrospective or have true hindsight because you’re always in the moment.

Maybe I could find ten minutes in between coming off stage and talking to you, but I don’t. But then when you leave I go eat, then I gotta do a show…you know? It’s really difficult to take yourself to the place to be like “Fuck, what happened?.”

I’m scared about slowing down, man. I’m scared about stopping because I’ve been in a different city, every single day for a year.

Continue reading

Related items:

[Disco-House] The 1975 – Girls (The Knocks Remix)

The 1975
Girls (The Knocks remix)

Oh boy, do we love when remix duties are symbiotically thought out rather than the product of two talent agencies trying to highlight their respective artist du jour. So for us, it was a match made in indie heaven when production duo The Knocks took on the task of reinvigorating Manchester lo-fi garage-poppers The 1975 and their single “Girls” (which comes as part of their debut self-titled album) into a scooting clubland anthem. After being called upon for official remixes to the likes of indie stalwarts like HAIM, Of Monsters and Men, Grouplove, Foster the People and Two Door Cinema Club it was high time that they were called upon to work some of their big-room disco shimmer onto an emotive and dreamy tune. The Knocks’ take “Girls” to new heights with airy synth stabs, and a very nice play by pitching down Matthew Healy’s super recognizable croon and folding it back in with the original vocal track.  Expect to hear this one in many a disc-jockey’s set this season, and be ready for the full release on November 11.

Related items:

[Indie Rock] The 1975 – The 1975

Manchester sensation The 1975 (as seen here) has graced us with their brand new debut LP. With a hazy, dreamy feel and catchy melodies, the listener would be forgiven for missing the subtle layering and rich texture beneath each song. The overall effect is powerful, fun and moving in places.

“M.O.N.E.Y.” begins with a layered effect that creates the dream-like haze that accompanies so many songs on this album. The lyrics float over the tune, standing out when they need to, blending into the melody when needed and generally feed into the narcotic undertones of the song.

At first blush “Chocolate” seems like a pop ode to smoking marijuana (and eluding authorities), but the consumer can discover more after repeated listening. Besides the catchy guitar riff, the song captures the spirit of youth that translates across the pond: “despite warnings, we’re going to have fun and take risks because there’s nothing else to do!” The lyrics don’t offend and don’t glamorize the habit, but capture the thinking process there–sort of a lazy carpe diem, if you like.

“Settle Down,” contains catchy guitar riffs over synth, and creates a melody that sticks. The poppy tune reminds the listener of the 80’s but without sounding trite or stale.

Finally, “Robbers,” taps back into the dreamy tone of the album. The ballad feel of the song is well done, creating some power at the end that moves.

Overall, the album embodies all of the great things coming out of the UK at the moment, indie-music wise. The 1975 captures the fun of genre but doesn’t sacrifice anything artistically: well made, creative, fresh and serious music that doesn’t take itself too seriously. Good stuff! Take a listen here.

’The 1975 – The 1975’
’The 1975 – The City’
’The 1975 – M.O.N.E.Y’
’The 1975 – Chocolate’
’The 1975 – Sex’
’The 1975 – Talk!’
’The 1975 – An Encounter’
’The 1975 – Heart Out’
’The 1975 – Settle Down’
’The 1975 – Robbers’
’The 1975 – Girls’
’The 1975 – 12’
’The 1975 – She Way Out’
’The 1975 – Menswear’
’The 1975 – Pressure’
’The 1975 – Is There Somebody Who Can Watch You’
Related items:

[TMN EXCLUSIVE] The 1975 – Chocolate (Song Art + Quote)

The 1975
Chocolate

There are only a few bands that have come along and captivated the blogosphere with each and every release. Yes, UK indie rockers The 1975 have graced your ears on this blog again and again, which is why it’s easy to understand why these quickly rising phenoms are taking the US by storm. America’s collective affinity lies in their catchy hooks, infectious lyrics, and admirable pop structure

With their self-titled debut album hitting record stores in only a few days, The 1975 have given us a sneak peak at the artwork for one of our favorite tracks of the summer, “Chocolate”. Channeling stories of small town trouble into roof-raising guitar pop, The 1975’s deeply personal narratives unfold like a scene in a movie. Cutting through the weed haze, “Chocolate” has become the song that defines the young Manchester band – a rhythmically brilliant call-to-arms that becomes impossible to get out your head after just one listen.

Speaking to us about the song, front-man Matty explains:

Chocolate tells the story of our relationships with the governing authorities of our small town. Smoking weed, smoking anything I suppose, boredom and what ensues when both parties challenge one another. It’s a love letter to boredom, limited opportunities of expressing yourself and embracing and understanding the make up of where you’re from. Musically and structurally it is the blueprint of our output, but I’d need an entire book to discuss that in detail

Pre-order The 1975’s debut here, and if you’re still on the fence about whether or not you should pick it up (which you shouldn’t be), click here and listen to it in full before you purchase.

Related items:

[Video] The 1975 – Sex (NSFW)

The 1975
Sex

Northwest England’s The 1975 has been a group for whom almost our entire staff here at TMN has developed somewhat of a musical crush on over the course of their past few releases. So… it’s pretty standard for this writer to languish in the wave of middle school euphoric giddiness with every awaiting e-mail from the indie-rock quartet. Today, their official music video for “Sex”, a track in which we featured about a month ago hit the airwaves, and we just had to let our Ninjas get their proverbial hands on it as well. Lead vocalist Matthew Healy summed up the experience quite well in stating : “The main idea behind the new video for “Sex” was centered around us wanting to incorporate a narrative that acted out the lyrical content of the song. The makeup of our music is centered around the juxtaposition of very honest often self deprecating personal stories set against uplifting major chord progressions. It is this dualism and notion of ‘sound tracking’ our own lives which makes us cite John Hughes as such an important influence.”

The 1975’s music video for “Sex” was shot in Los Angeles by director Adam Powell and plays on back and forth shots between the band’s visual aesthetic of muted black and whites set against a series of cinematic band shots which set the video’s narrative perfectly into motion. Check it out below, and if you haven’t already, you can pick up The 1975’s latest EP IV is out now on Dirty Hit Records. “Sex” will be featured on The 1975’s self titled debut album which is out Sept. 2 on Dirty Hit in the UK and Sept. 3 on Interscope/Vagrant in the US. Pre-order here.

Related items: