AZINE

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[azinemagazine]

Jus doin' sum random scrollin'. 📱 - r3al' 🐉 #mambamentality🐍

Call it mindless, yet we all (in some sorta way) do it. It'd been a minute since anything had been posted for Azine. Supposing it appeared as though only reviews about Ye, Drake, Billie, or Taylor were worthwhile, it still felt integral to take my time. I'd go as far as to say that my creative nuances were both amusingly and unapologetically unafraid of patience. Cut to what one could curate as chancing upon the profile for Canadian singer, songwriter, and dancer Kallitechnis's Ardene interview on YouTube. While snuggly lotus sedentary in a lounge chair Kassandra (a.k.a Kallitechnis) sorted words on some pretty deep stuff. (See, I'm the type to keen in what artists fr say alongside of winnowing amid whatever it is they craft.) All her talk about authenticity, longevity, and even therapy, backdrops her latest Single releases, to delicately while devoutly dream weave some of the most sensational late night Trap Alt. Soul/R&B that I'd ever heard. After hours of zoning out on Spotify & Apple Music, I'd seemingly stumbled upon a mound of sound designs showcasing that Kallitechnis latest releases, "KALEDISCOPE LOVE" & "SOFT LIFE, are sonic gems worthy of ethereal shine. 

"KALEDIOSCOPE LOVE" is the most recent release by Kallietechnis.  Lyrically it's the lift off elements of romance dazzled in the depth of the "bedsheet ballets'" that hopefully accompany it. If you tap script Kallie's verses here, it'll literally take your breathe away. This 2024 Soul Over Ego Single release paints a sensual sonata, saturated in the palates of lovemaking by the likes of a Jhene Aiko, Victoria Monet, & fav Kehlani. My cherished over the two songs is the latter 2023 released, "SOFT LIFE", where the copulation carved crooning by Kallitechnics feels more assured in its contour.  Lyrics like, "Cocoa butter kisses on the back of your neck...No ones around, go and say it with your chest." sets up a between the sheet session, where direction details desire and more importantly: pleasures for both parties. The hedonism hails heavy here, and when ya place that alongside of Kassnadra's visceral vocal layerings, you're insatiably sedated into this ‘sensational style of life’ she's sojourning. 

Both releases mode just a mere of the music you can muse through courtesy of Kallitechnis. For me it's the completeness interwoven in the listening experience of these two tracks. Detailing what it takes to call yourself professional in this or any realm is something I valued early on. The attention to detail, care, production, and most importantly the passion, tentpole sound designing success for any act whether indie or not. On that note, Kassandra does something else, almost effortlessly. She ate, and fanged deep into the fact that there are stars who are not signed. Stars: real artists who are crafting carefree of what seemingly fates, what often lacerates acts who sign with labels. Definitively, I'm the late night type. I'm good either playing the pull while out, or layinlow at the cribbo, playlsitin' on the MacBook with Apple TV or YouTube dressing the backdrop. Either in or out, this pair of indie soul sounds soothe both the mind, as well as those other places the sensations may align.😉 

♾️

KALLITECHNIS OFFICIAL WEBSITE

SOUL OVER EGO. Home of everything KALLITECHNIS.

🔥🔥🔥🔥

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[azinemagazine]

Complex posted an article about Drake's new Poetry book, subsequently titled, "Titles Ruin Everything". To me it trajects the buoyed while still blued accolades of one of the greatest alternatively acceded Rap artists ever: the OVO/Warner's Aubrey 'Drake' Graham. 

Cosigns of UGK's and Trill Burgers mogul Bun B and the hood accredited while robustly respected James Prince, allow the Canadian coined 6God accreditation to street savvy the suburban undertones his Degrassi reputation awarded him. Drizzy along with Ye, Pharrell, & Cole (perhaps more) forged a freedom of righteousness into the Phariseed facade of what many now call new skool Rap culture. It’s now ok for generic Hip-Hop artists alike to mainstream-steer their careers away from street life, enough to avoid over publicized drug abuse, jail, & darkly devastating (while sullenly common lately) deaths. 

Feeling compelled to publicly comment on the relevance or lack thereof of the book, I kept things trill. Deep and sensitive artists, who happen to mainstream, are still deep and sensitive. So in light of Drake's new poetic paperback, we should probably read it in a deep and sensitive way too. Because it's Drake we’re referring to, reading it in that way, should be ok. 👌

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[azinemagazine]

I’d lowkey focused on writing about Taylor. (Shout to her. The ‘folklore’ album is to me, the Alt. Pop album to beat this Summer. Especially if you're a deep thinker, introverted on any level, and or, the carrier of a complex view on self, relationships, or probably just about anything ya care to think about.) Then came the Single 'my future', the latest release from Billie Eilish (which I hear is part of an 8 song recording compilation, we can thank quarantines for). Eilish’s latest release, should hit ya, like that secret crush, ya kept tucked away, that all of a sudden shows up on your doorstep. It's way unexpected, but then again, you're super excited about it's arrival.

'my future', finds Billie discovering just how lonely she is, but in typical Eilish fashion it's brilliantly tailored, tendered, and tweaked with sensational songwriting, lovely layered sound designing, and an even more evolved vocal presence, that essences this masterpiece of a Single, to be eclectically ushered from Alternative Gothic Pop into the genre of Soul unlike too many, if any as of lately. It begins bare and open with Billie poetically painting perplexed sung sorrows over a piano, drowned in her typical melancholic yet motioning take on leaving people behind, that is prolly relatable to anyone who is growing out of old outlooks, perspectives, or pretty much, any of the old parts of themselves. The pace of the song picks up about midway through it, and by that time, you're so impassioned in it, that you (like Billie) don't seem to mind, never lookin' back...

There are too many lyrical & production cascades to mention about 'my future', credited to both Billie and her brother Finneas O'Connell. Interesting though, that’s not what’s so fye about this record. The timing of it, is what likely makes this song so trill to me, Billie's other fans, and I suppose even to Eilish herself.  See, we're all feelin’ kinda trapped and wavy cuz of Corona, and when any situation traps what’s meant to fly, ya gotta except 'something' to happen. That something could mean anxiety, depression, or in some cases even darker things. All of these ‘somethings’ during this pandemic can produce what I call ‘the dark differents’ for everyone, but in a way all those different darks remain one in the same. To me, the dark side (or one of them) about Corona, is that it’s stolen a lot of our options. Billie, like you has the option to be her old self, restin’ in her anxieties about the unknown, or to flyingly accept that the journey is and remains just as wondrous as we choose to be. With that said, let's just say, I found my "Sit in the House & Sulk About Stuff" song of year.

🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

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@billieeilish

@azinemagazine

@interscoperecords

[azinemagazine]

Subconsciously, I prolly tried not to review Kehlani's mesmerizing & mellow-smoothed pre Summer R & B masterpiece, "It Was Good Until It Was n't". To say that there's a lot going on, as it was released, is an understatement. A pandemic (that is supposedly resurgent), a worldwide protest (that's sorta, long overdue), and an upcoming election with drama more exciting than any on the tube, I care to look at for too long (except for perhaps 'Riverdale') adjoined it. All this, teeters my 'what I have time fors’ toward "the anxiety free, less traveled road". Which somehow keeps leading me back to this album.

Imagine you're a born romantic, but you're living in a world that warps that. Ya feel artists like Drake, Doja, The Weeknd, PND, Jorja, Jhene, & any that fit into my genre of choice, Trap Soul. Ya sorta, late night 'drop' to hide away from the losses, and yet ya sit alone thinkin' about em anyway. Those are the feels frolickin' back and forth along Kehlani's second studio album, and it fixates such in 🔥 fashion. So much so, that ya kinda wonder why everybody's not posting about it. (I lowkey feel like the album is tailored to show us all, why so many girls are venturing out of 'the norms' of typical dating.) Anyway, the ff production by Boi1da, G.Ry, Beazy, Jake One, Pop, Go, Some Randoms, MARS, & more top off Kehlani's savagely seasoned songstress stylings in an astronomically winning way throughout the LP.

Stand out tracks (to me) are "Serial Lover", "Can I" (feat. Tory Lanez), “Toxic", "Can You Blame Me" (feat. Lucky Daye), and my fav, "Open (Passionate)", while "Grieving" (featuring James Blake), and the skits, deserve to be mentioned. Hopefully, you've been following Kehlani's social media lately. Yes, she does most of the work for the album "COVID-savvy" style (from her home), yet she's still been way active during the wave of protests, oscillating the globe in the wake of the death of George Floyd and others. It's one thing to see someone talk about change, but it's another to see them active within it. I met Kehlani in Houston while on tour, and the coolest thing about it was her humility. No, she does n't do too many interviews (like most of my favorite artists), but that's prolly what keeps her work so pure. Pure does n't always mean 'pretty', but in the case of being open, real, and skilled, "It Was Good Until It Was n't" is pretty damn lit, as well the most complete R&B album of 2020 so far.

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[azinemagazine]

I’d retorted (to self likely) about the early Drake days. Back when Drake, 40, Ollie, & the rest of the OVO fam use to nurture their first website. (I designed one of my first websites, that same way later. I was lowkey stoked that I had the same one as them.) It was there, that the first Drake fans, heard some of the best of OVO, that a lot of you, almost never did. Most to all of the songs heard on the number 1, Platnuimized, “Care Package”, “If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late",   as well as a plethora of the tunes featured on ‘OVO Sound Radio’, were first featured and streamed on that website, for free. Crazy huh? Cool thing about it, is that trill Drake fans, know this. That’s why the globe’s most successfully streamed Rap artist, actually has a cult-like following. Well, ‘cultishly’ cut to late Thursday, when I heard from a follower @mikeyl_k) that Drake had dropped the pre summer Rap release, “Dark Lane Demo Tapes”.

“Dark Lane” launches Drake into lobs on “Deep Pockets” in preferably laid back fashion, and it sorta mines itself that way throughout. Drizzy, decorates the release over 40 Shebib’s Executive productive power perfectly with the delights and disappointments of rap wealth. Such is soundly elicited over “Demos” entirely with producers like Oz on “Toosie Slide”, “Losses”, & *“Time Flies” as well as Cadastre on the Chris Brown featured “Not You Too”. Leaked but not lessened tracks like “Desires” featuring Future, “When To Say When”, & “Chicago Freestyle” featuring Giveon, swim sonically, seemingly effortlessly, while whimsically waving all listeners, poolin’ for some 'riffed relief’ during this quarantine. Playboi Carti, Young Thug, and more round out the mixtape’s roster, and with names like that over OVO’s excellent echelon of sound design, the sonder of success, senses itself again for the guys over at OVO.

Real talk, we’ve all taken a hit in some way with the Corona pandemic. The silver lining of it all, besides the connection it’s given us, has been the collection of music releases its crafted. Like great creatives, Drake has balanced loneliness with work ethic, and been solid with material, since the kick off of the U.S. chapters of COVID-19. All of the people I talk to, seem to be sojourning through the same kinda thing. They’re shut in and trying to make some light out of this dark episode.  For Drake, “Dark Lane Demos” could be a mere reaction, that reminds us of how potent the OVO sound is. For the fans however, it’s a subtle (in waves) yet brilliant reminder of why we appreciate him.“ DLD” sounds like it was subconsciously strum up for Drizzy fans to ‘chillation’ to, while locked up away from the infamous Corona craze. In that way, ‘Demos’ is sum fr, lowkey 🔥.

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[azinemagazine]

#drake #dark lane demo tapes #ovo #40shebib #billboard #young thug #future #billboard #giveon #OVO Sound Radio 

[azinemagazine]

I’d retorted (to self likely) about the early Drake days. Back when Drake, 40, Ollie, & the rest of the OVO fam use to nurture their first website. (I designed one of my first websites, that same way later. I was lowkey stoked that I had the same one as them.) It was there, that the first Drake fans, heard some of the best of OVO, that a lot of you, almost never did. Most to all of the songs heard on the number 1, Platnuimized, "Care Package", “If You're Reading This It's Too Late",   as well as a plethora of the tunes featured on ‘OVO Sound Radio’, were first featured and streamed on that website, for free. Crazy huh? Cool thing about it, is that trill Drake fans, know this. That's why the globe's most successfully streamed Rap artist, actually has a cult-like following. Well, 'cultishly' cut to late Thursday, when I heard from a follower @mikeyl_k) that Drake had dropped the pre summer Rap release, "Dark Lane Demo Tapes".

“Dark Lane” launches Drake into lobs on "Deep Pockets" in preferably laid back fashion, and it sorta mines itself that way throughout. Drizzy, decorates the release over 40 Shebib's Executive productive power perfectly with the delights and disappointments of rap wealth. Such is soundly elicited over "Demos" entirely with producers like Oz on "Toosie Slide", "Losses", & *"Time Flies" as well as Cadastre on the Chris Brown featured "Not You Too". Leaked but not lessened tracks like "Desires" featuring Future, "When To Say When", & "Chicago Freestyle" featuring Giveon, swim sonically, seemingly effortlessly, while whimsically waving all listeners, poolin' for some 'riffed relief' during this quarantine. Playboi Carti, Young Thug, and more round out the mixtape's roster, and with names like that over OVO's excellent echelon of sound design, the sonder of success, senses itself again for the guys over at OVO.

Real talk, we've all taken a hit in some way with the Corona pandemic. The silver lining of it all, besides the connection it's given us, has been the collection of music releases its crafted. Like great creatives, Drake has balanced loneliness with work ethic, and been solid with material, since the kick off of the U.S. chapters of COVID-19. All of the people I talk to, seem to be sojourning through the same kinda thing. They're shut in and trying to make some light out of this dark episode.  For Drake, "Dark Lane Demos" could be a mere reaction, that reminds us of how potent the OVO sound is. For the fans however, it's a subtle (in waves) yet brilliant reminder of why we appreciate him." DLD" sounds like it was subconsciously strum up for Drizzy fans to ‘chillation’ to, while locked up away from the infamous Corona craze. In that way, ‘Demos’ is sum fr, lowkey 🔥.

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[azinemagazine]

Justin Bieber’s LP, “Purpose” is still an amazing LP; it was nominated for a Grammy with sound reasoning. (No pun intended) Cut to his most recent Alt-R&B/Pop Single Release “Yummy”, with a meager yet empathetic mention of his subtle portrayed ‘mental breakthrough’, marriage, and most important (to his listeners), his many Belieber devotees doubting what he’d return with (or if he’d even return at all). “Yummy” delectably details Justin’s most treasured (and expectingly reveled) passion, his wife. His at times passive yet penetratingly Pop & R&B presence, alongside his charmingly while seemingly carless like crooning, cuddles whimsically within the confines of its coordinated Kid Culture, Poo Bear, & Sasha Sitora production. The writing team of him, Jason & Ashley Boyd, Sitora, & Daniel Hackett, balance the latest Single’s excellent production, beautifully. The stand out script from the song (to me) is the “Bona fide stallion, ain’t no stable..you stay on the run…ain’t no on the side, you’re number 1” line, and my favorite sonic riffs are the “Say the word, on my way, Yeah babe, yeah babe, yeah babe, Any night, any day, Say the word, on my way(s)…”. To say that the song is well produced and manufactured would sorta be selling it short. They definitely put in their work on this effort, and you can hear it. Bieber’s new Single stays true to not just his aural progression, but the growth of both his fanbase, and most importantly, himself. I find it interesting how we all as people pick and choose what we’ll detail to others, while other stuff just kinda hits us smack dab in the face with obviousness. When you’re famous, you’re seemingly forced to lose control of the ability, to stop what’s perceived about you versus what's trilly there. In the case of Bieber, he’s been hated, as astute, as he’s simultaneously loved. He rose to pretty much unimaginable notoriety, with an impressive creative progression of sounds, that are often media masked by the destined darks and downs or Pop stardom. The cool part of it all to me, is that it appears as though he’s sonically picking up on “Yummy”, where fans regretted, he’d last left off. Lowkey, we’ll have to wait a tad to see what the rest of the album will truly do. Till then, “Yummy “is flamin’ hot Cheetos fire. Cop it! 🔥🤙🏼😉 ∆³ @justinbieber @azrelazitgetz @azinemagazine

[azinemagazine]

My first trill Billie listen, came to me while I was writing for another zine. The editor asked me to find charming art to muse, and my music sensors just kinda went off. Know how you see those Apple Music alerts swooshin’ across your Mac? They can grab ya quick! She did that. Her artwork usually holsters a haunting edge, alongside an alluring innocence, that scores the essences of who she holistically is as a performer. True, “Bad Guy” is an Alt. Pop classic, as it almost fuses, like a mash of 90’s Alt. Grunge and early 00’s Trip Hop. Yeah, everyone knows about ‘Where We All Fall Asleep…“, while I lowkey felt like the single, "I Love You” may be one of the best songs, ever, while “everything I wanted” virtually vibrances everything I feel I need to voice it as Alt. Pop mastery.

Cut to the latest Single & Video release, “xanny”; I pretty much just put it on repeat while I wrote. Let’s give credit to her team, their choices, and ultimately Billie herself. Recently, the media motioned to possibly meander her away from one of the greatest years in Pop on the planet; however, she handled it with grace, endurance, excellent performances, and a few AMA’s. The even cooler thing about it all, is that Lil Eilish is one of those artists, who are worth the accolades. She’s the truth y’all. Grammy’s??? Next….😉

@billieeilish 

@azrelazitgetz

@azinemagazine

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[azinemagazine]

My first trill Billie listen, came to me while I was writing for another zine. The editor asked me to find charming art to muse, and my music sensors just kinda went off. Know how you see those Apple Music alerts swooshin' across your Mac? They can grab ya quick! She did that. Her artwork usually holsters a haunting edge, alongside an alluring innocence, that scores the essences of who she holistically is as a performer. True, “Bad Guy” is an Alt. Pop classic, as it almost fuses, like a mash of 90's Alt. Grunge and early 00's Trip Hop. Yeah, everyone knows about 'Where We All Fall Asleep...", while I lowkey felt like the single, "I Love You" may be one of the best songs, ever, while "everything I wanted" virtually vibrances everything I feel I need to voice it as Alt. Pop mastery.

Cut to the latest Single & Video release, "xanny"; I pretty much just put it on repeat while I wrote. Let's give credit to her team, their choices, and ultimately Billie herself. Recently, the media motioned to possibly meander her away from one of the greatest years in Pop on the planet; however, she handled it with grace, endurance, excellent performances, and a few AMA's. The even cooler thing about it all, is that Lil Eilish is one of those artists, who are worth the accolades. She’s the truth y’all. Grammy's??? Next....😉

@billieeilish 

@azrelazitgetz

@azinemagazine

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[azinemagazine]

It’s unfair for any Ye albums to be reviewed at this point, as since My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, the tabloids’ decent of him has seemingly slanted the popular relevance of his releases. My staff and I, did a song by song listen to all of his albums after Yeezus, and we realized something. He’s mused some really brilliant music, but perhaps his approach toward media, seems to bolder him any formative shot, at too much of a Pop flavored sonic redemption. Ye’s latest release, Jesus Is King, raises some questions, but not the ones ya might think. Follow God, Closed On Sunday, and Everything We Need are 🔥, while Selah, Hands On, & Use This Gospel, raise the bar in the regards of the imposed echelons of Gospel Rap. Still, it’s hard to say if all of even that, gives Kanye what he should get critically from this LP. It does n’t matter if we like bits, pieces, or this entire effort. The stigma of the who’s, what’s, & why’s of West, are what a plethora of the culture, both craves yet crevices his art with. I choose to muse in the now, but you’ll still read this, well after it was written. That’s my interpretation of Pop, Ye, & his latest aural innovation.

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[azinemagazine]

It's unfair for any Ye albums to be reviewed at this point, as since My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, the tabloids’ decent of him has seemingly slanted the popular relevance of his releases. My staff and I, did a song by song listen to all of his albums after Yeezus, and we realized something. He's mused some really brilliant music, but perhaps his approach toward media, seems to bolder him any formative shot, at too much of a Pop flavored sonic redemption. Ye's latest release, Jesus Is King, raises some questions, but not the ones ya might think. Follow God, Closed On Sunday, and Everything We Need are 🔥, while Selah, Hands On, & Use This Gospel, raise the bar in the regards of the imposed echelons of Gospel Rap. Still, it's hard to say if all of even that, gives Kanye what he should get critically from this LP. It does n't matter if we like bits, pieces, or this entire effort. The stigma of the who's, what's, & why's of West, are what a plethora of the culture, both craves yet crevices his art with. I choose to muse in the now, but you'll still read this, well after it was written. That's my interpretation of Pop, Ye, & his latest aural innovation.

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[azinemagazine]

On first listen of Amelia’s ‘Never Last’, you sense the dark auras of her aesthetic decor, illuminating an aural dance, between what’s hoped for, versus what truly is. It’s magical to take in, especially when you’re aware that you can’t craft these kinds of sonic enchantments, without bein’ a trill artist. She designs her mic-works with an old soul strength & southern grace, that’s truly breathtaking, and it was an honor to connect her with about her latest Alternative Trap-Soul Single Release, “Maybe I Will/Maybe I Won’t”. There’s an essence of Trap traversed in it’s progressed production, and about midway through it’s “Maybe I Will, Maybe I Won’t…Stop blowing’ up my line, get off my phone…” and my favorite line, “Tryna to protect my energy, friends disguised as enemies”, her depth on the track has indeed done its deed. Artists of Amelia’s caliber, typically control their own destiny. I’m strong enough to continue to let her do own thing creatively; hopefully her team, along with her fans both now, and new to come, will also. 

Fire🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

@ameliaonthebeat

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[azinemagazine]

On first listen of Amelia's 'Never Last', you sense the dark auras of her aesthetic decor, illuminating an aural dance, between what's hoped for, versus what truly is. It's magical to take in, especially when you're aware that you can't craft these kinds of sonic enchantments, without bein' a trill artist. She designs her mic-works with an old soul strength & southern grace, that's truly breathtaking, and it was an honor to connect her with about her latest Alternative Trap-Soul Single Release, "Maybe I Will/Maybe I Won't". There's an essence of Trap traversed in it's progressed production, and about midway through it's "Maybe I Will, Maybe I Won't...Stop blowing' up my line, get off my phone..." and my favorite line, "Tryna to protect my energy, friends disguised as enemies", her depth on the track has indeed done its deed. Artists of Amelia's caliber, typically control their own destiny. I'm strong enough to continue to let her do own thing creatively; hopefully her team, along with her fans both now, and new to come, will also. 

Fire🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

@ameliaonthebeat

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[azinemagazine]

Journalin’ 10.21

We’re often reminded of who we are, by those who inspire us toward the direction we’ve chosen. Make sure your inner circle positively & respectfully aligns you with your truth and life pursuits. 🐉🗝

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[azinemagazine]

@ameliaonthebeat

COMINSOON

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[azinemagazine]

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[azinemagazine]

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