Milan-born, Miami-based Nico Bernardini has been making waves, sharing stages with Marco Carola and Blond:ish and building his label Harmonic Heaven. He brings his signature funky basslines to A-Trak & Friends with “Look Around You”, a certified club weapon.
Known for his sharp punchlines and hilarious song titles, Chicago’s Chris Crack continues to prove he can craft albums with the best of them on Too Late To Start Following The Rules Now. His rolodex reaches further than before on this Fool’s Gold-backed effort, procuring beats from Hudson Mohawke and Madlib and rounding up Midwestern features from Sir Michael Rocks, Shawnna (rare!) and Bruiser Wolf. Chris’ mischievous, high-pitched flows sound perfectly at home whether he’s rocking over laidback soul loops or demented speaker knockers. Perhaps it’s this versatility, and the fact that it never feels forced, that is most impressive with this album.
Chris Crack & Madlib! Chris Crack & Madlib! The Chicago spitter rocks confidently over a hypnotic track courtesy of the great Otis Jackson Jr.
Funky individuals Yung Bae and Moon Boots link up for an upbeat party starter with a disco twist.
As Chris Crack continues to tease his 2nd official Fool’s Gold album, the Chicago spitter waves his hometown flag on “Don’t Wear Your PFP Outfit On The First Link” by calling in a very rare verse from hometown hero Shawnna. The legend, who first got known on DTP classics, easily drips Midwestern swag on this hazy track.
The Chicago spitter returns to Fool’s Gold with a bunch of head-turning collaborations starting with “My 2022 Girlfriend Was A Humiliation Ritual” produced by Hudson Mohawke. The Scottish beatsmith delivers a monster track that sounds like an alien rendition of a Hype Williams era Busta Rhymes beat, while Chris Crack does what he does best: rap his ass off.
The Australia-born Brooklyn resident BRUX is back on Fool’s Gold with another upbeat, kinetic club jam. Hot off her recent Boiler Room appearance and DJ-friendly releases on Hotflush and LuckyMe, BRUX continues to turn heads with her brand of fun, bouncy electronic tracks. “Bump That” finds her reconnecting with frequent collaborator Frazer Ray, while Montreal’s Mutek-approved Martyn Bootyspoon supplies a remix weapon.
On the surface, Crimewave’s SCENES plays as a conceptual dance record about Northern UK nightclubs. Its true fixation lies in the subtle criminal acts and misdemeanours that go almost unnoticed within these spaces – a vision brought vividly to life under the production of Rainy Miller.
The project is conceived as a continuous DJ set, with each track bleeding seamlessly into the next. Glitched-out guitars, strobing chords and fractured breaks are utilised to convey both the euphoria of the dance floor, and the half-seen acts of criminality lurking in the club’s grimy corners.
Manchester’s Crimewave has been setting the stage for his upcoming album, Scenes, with singles like “Semaphore” and “White Label.”
The final single, “Instrumentals”, teases the album on its most reflective note. Built from glitching guitars and warped loops that stutter like broken circuitry, it carries the melancholic pull of a shoegaze ballad more than any other track while still remaining catchy.
The Cool Kids are back with their brand new album, Hi Top Fade. This 15 track masterpiece is the first TCK project in three years as well as the first album The Cool Kids have released on Fool’s Gold, even though Chuck Inglish and Sir Mike have been part of FG’s extended family since the start. Back in 2007 they hopped on many dates of the inaugural Fool’s Gold tour, and there’s been countless collaborations since, so it only feels right to get everyone back together 18 years later for Hi Top Fade. Featuring Pink Siifu, Radamiz, A-Trak, Sango, Seafood Sam, Jess Connelly, QUiN and Diamond Cafe, this album a masterful display of the unique style The Cool Kids have been building for decades.