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Welcome to MM FICTION CAFE!
We are excited to welcome new friends and friends from our previous site mm midnight cafe. We hope you all like and enjoy the new site. please click the ABOUT US menu link above to find out more about the changes and new / up coming features.
We would love to hear your thoughts about the site and any idea's you may have you can contact us at Email Us
Initially we will only be adding Author profiles and books connected to new and past promo's.
We hope to start accepting New author profiles in a week or two.
Advertising space for a ebook prize donation will also be launched in a week or Two
Jere' M. Fishback
Jere' M. Fishback is a former journalist and trial lawyer. He writes novels, novellas, and short fiction. He has also written a memoir, "Hydrangeas" appearing in the "Homegrown in Florida" anthology published by University Press of Florida in 2012.Jere's novel "Josef Jaeger" won first place in the Young Adult category in the 2010 international Rainbow Award competition. And Jere's novel "Tyler Buckspan" took second place in the YA category in the 2013 Rainbow Awards.In 2014, "Tyler Buckspan" was one of twenty novels chosen by the American Library Association's Rainbow Project as "recommended reading" for teenage LGBTQ readers. "Tyler Buckspan" is now on the shelf at many public libraries through the U.S. and Canada.Jere's anthology, "Troubling Tales from Florida", is a collection of dark tales Jere' penned over the course of eight years. Included is "Crawford Creek", which won the 2007 "best of conference" award for short stories at the Writers in Paradise conference at Eckerd College.In December 2014 Prizm Books released Jere's Edgy Young Adult novel, "Becoming Andy Hunsinger", available in both digital and print versions, set in the mid-1970s when Anita Bryant's homophobic "Save Our Children" campaign raged in Florida.In May 2016, Dark Hollows Press released Jere's novel, "The House on Fremont Drive" which deals with multiple issues: coming of age, homosexuality, child abuse, mysticism, and racism. "The House on Fremont Drive was a finalist in the 2016 Rainbow Awards competition in the General Fiction category.And in September 2016, Createspace has published Jere's novel, "Dodging a Pearl", a story of addiction and downfall, redemption and love, high-stakes litigation and justice for the wronged.Jere' lives on a barrier island west of his birthplace, St. Petersburg, FL
The Social Climber by Jere' M. Fishback
Author Web Links
Dark Fate by Kat Silver
/Paranormal
/Romance
A Right To Know by Jude Tresswell
Dark Flame
/urban fantasy
Laid to Rest by T. Strange
A New Enemy by Cara Dee
Tongues by Clancy Nacht & Thursday Euclid
/Lovecraftian horror
The Drumbeat of His Heart By M.C. Roth
Greeking Out by Colette Davison
New Life in Autumn by Michael G. Williams
/Mystery
/Science Fiction
/Thriller


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Asian shares mixed as doubts grow on elusive U.S.-China trade deal
Asian share markets were mixed on Tuesday, as another day awaiting clearer news on the progress of U.S.-China trade negotiations left investors bereft of trading motivation.
MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan (MIAPJ0000PUS) inched 0.2% higher as hopes for stimulus in China lifted Shanghai blue chips by 0.8% and Hong Kong's Hang Seng by 1%.
Japan's Nikkei (N225), however, shed 0.2% and South Korea's Kospi 200 dropped 0.3%. Australia's S&P/ASX 200 (AXJO) rose 0.4%.
Volumes were light across the board. E-Mini futures for the S&P 500 (ESc1) were flat.
"It's subdued today for sure," said Vishnu Varathan, head of economics and strategy at Mizuho Bank's Asia Treasury Department in Singapore, adding that focus was by default on efforts to resolve the trade war between the world's two biggest economies that has dented global growth.
"There are some lingering doubts over whether a phase one deal can be struck … I think the suspicion is that there's a lot more wrinkles to iron out than initially thought."
Overnight, CNBC had reported the mood in Beijing was pessimistic about the prospects of sealing an agreement.
On the other hand, a new extension allowing U.S. companies to keep doing business with Chinese telecoms giant Huawei suggested something of an olive branch.
Still, neither morsel shed much light on progress in U.s.-China negotiations, and this week's listless trading suggests optimism that resolution is near is beginning to run out of steam.
"We're still waiting," said Michael McCarthy, chief market strategist at brokerage CMC Markets in Sydney. "The longer we go on, the more concerns will arise. The reality is the clock is ticking."
The next deadline in the dispute is Dec. 15, when another round of U.S. tariffs on Chinese good is scheduled to take effect.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Electronic waste — including discarded televisions, computers and mobile phones — is one of the fastest-growing waste categories worldwide. For years, recyclers have gleaned usable parts, including metals, from this waste stream. That makes sense from a sustainability perspective, but it's been unclear whether it's reasonable from an economic viewpoint. Now researchers report that recovering gold, copper and other metals from e-waste is cheaper than obtaining these metals from mines.
Russia's state media regulator has asked a court to block the messaging app Telegram following the company's refusal to give the Federal Security Service (FSB) access to users' messaging data. The move may fuel concerns that Russia is seeking to curtail Internet freedoms following President Vladimir Putin's 18 March election to a new six-year term.
Researchers have identified four types of employees who can become a threat to their organizations — omiters, slippers, retaliators, and serial transgressors – and explained the reasons why their workplace behavior declines. Managers, though, are not helpless in reducing employees' disruptive behavior.
It's small enough to fit inside a shoebox, yet this robot on four wheels — called HoneyBot — has a big mission: keeping factories and other large facilities safe from hackers. The diminutive device is designed to lure in digital troublemakers who have set their sights on industrial facilities. HoneyBot will then trick the bad actors into giving up valuable information to cybersecurity professionals.
A country's wealth growth is indicated by slowing of metal use – or does it?
A bug in Facebook's advertising platform made it possible for potential hackers to uncover users' phone numbers, according to new research. The Facebook advertising system is incredibly effective at targeting specific audiences, which is what has made the company so lucrative, says a researcher. But because anyone can become an advertiser, and there is very little transparency in what ads are being placed, the platform "could be used for nefarious purposes," he added.
Revelations about Cambridge Analytica have laid bare the seeming lack of control that we have over our own data. Suddenly, with all the talk of "psychographics" and voter manipulation, the power of data analytics has become the source of some concern. But the risk is that if we look at the case of Cambridge Analytica in isolation, we might prevent a much wider debate about the use and control of our data. By focusing on the reports of extreme practices, we might miss the many everyday ways that data analytics are now shaping our lives.
Pool Re the other day welcomed the U.K. government's commitment to amend the 1993 Reinsurance (Acts of Terrorism) Act to enable the reinsurer to extend its cover to include non-damage business interruption losses resulting from acts of terrorism. The reinsurer is currently restricted by the 1993 Act only to pay out if physical damage has occurred to commercial property. This means that businesses, inside a police cordon, that suffer financial loss through being unable to access their property or to trade, are only covered if there has been physical damage during a terrorist attack.
Facebook has suspended Cambridge Analytica from its platform for violating its guidelines on the use of user data. The Center for Democracy and Technology (CDT) says that a weekend New York Times article further illuminated the scale of Cambridge Analytica's efforts and showed how the company used personal information about users to conduct targeted political outreach. "These revelations illustrate the profound impact internet platforms can have on democracy," CDT says.


As the three-year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina approaches, the AP is reporting that few expect the New Orleans Hurricane Katrina monument to be built by the target date of Aug. 29. During the second-anniversary ceremony, New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin promised $1 million to the project, which will be a tribute to the victims of Hurricane Katrina, the estimated 1,600 fatalities, and the resting place for 85 bodies that remain unclaimed nearly three years after the disaster.
What could have been an inspiring focal point for New Orleans has dissolved into a project that is forgotten, frustrated and delayed - much like the Katrina recovery itself. Some say a lack of follow-up by the mayor is the cause, but [New Orleans Parish Coroner Frank Minyard] places the blame on his own overburdened office, and the fatigue of a scattered city that had its share of problems long before the levees failed.
Facing South has reported on the slow recovery and the continued barriers to rebuilding for many New Orleans residents. A post-Katrina housing crisis continues to feed a surge in homelessness. More than half of the working poor, elderly and disabled who lived in New Orleans before Katrina have not returned. Because of critical shortages in low cost housing, few expect the tens of thousands of poor and working people to ever be able to return home.
Last week the Census Bureau reported that New Orleans ranks as the fastest-growing large city in the nation. New Orleans' population rose 13.8% to 239,124 in the year ending July 1, 2007 (still a marked decrease from the city's population in 2000 when it stood at 484,674).
But while an estimated 67 percent of New Orleans population has returned since the 2005 disaster, government statistics indicate many are not original inhabitants, with up to 200,000 pre-Katrina residents forwarding U.S. Mail to other parts of the country a year after the storm.
The AP reports that there is no organized group of surviving family members, as was seen after the 2001 World Trade Center attacks, to push for the memorial. Dislocation is blamed for the lack of activity to support the monument, but many non-profit and community groups that have returned to the city say they are still too overwhelmed with caring for the survivors' recovery needs.


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Hygrostolides robustior is een vlinder uit de familie van de uilen (Noctuidae). De wetenschappelijke naam van de soort is voor het eerst geldig gepubliceerd in 1920 door Strand.

robustior

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Anatol Liadoff (1855-1915) was a Russian late romantic composer who had studied piano at the St. Petersburg Conservatory and composition with Rimsky-Korsakov, and in 1887 joined the faculty teaching mostly composition. The principle influence in his music was Chopin.
Carey 2011-08-30 16:13:16 David - Beautiful rendition !!!
Thanks for the compliment! Before moving on to other repertoire, I recorded eight of these preludes of Liadoff. I believe he is much under appreciated. Hopefully, more pianists will look into this wonderful music. Thanks for listening.
wr 2011-08-28 03:21:37 A gorgeous piece, one of Liadov's most well-known, and a fine rendition of it.
He wrote some really lovely music, but apparently was not motivated to write a lot of it.
You're way too kind! But I greatly appreciate it too!
When I first opened up the Liadoff preludes, I didn't know what to expect, as I was not at all familiar with his music. The first thing I discovered in his idiom is that he had an entirely different view of polyphony. His melodic lines in the RH are often met by counter melodies in the LH. So the LH is seldom mere accompaniment, but a melodic contributor as well. Thus his music often causes the pianist to reconsider the proper balancing of the hands. I ended up recording eight of these preludes. Hopefully more pianists will look into his works. I agree with you that the Chopin influence is definitely present but with a Russian twist to it.
In his time Liadoff was very well known in Russian music circles, and it could well be that Rachmaninoff was familiar with Liadoff's works and could have been influenced. Speaking of Rachmaninoff's "Melody" Op. 3, I play the very lush 1940 revision of the piece, intended as an encore, that few pianists have heard. I was itching to post it here, but wanted to leave space for all the other pianists. Also, thanks for giving the IMSLP info to Justin. I recently recorded 8 Liadoff preludes and had the luxury of reading them from real sheet music. Usually I have to squint at pdf files. The IMSLP is a real goldmine for hard-to-find music.
This is a tough piece to play, especially coping with the crescendos-diminuendos. played in both hands, while trying to keep the melody soaring. It was an interesting challenge insofar as balancing the hands. Glad you enjoyed it, and thanks for the compliment!
Thanks for that praise on my playing. If I play something well it's because the composer has inspired me. Liadoff is neglected, but you can see just from this one prelude (he composed 31 preludes), that his music is very worthwhile indeed. Thanks again.
Inlanding 2011-08-22 11:32:49 Your playing is absolutely wonderful - so sensitive and expressive. A wonderful choice. Thank you for your music!
Cinnamonbear 2011-08-21 14:15:37 Just LOVE this one, David, and your playing does it such justice!
Julian (SlatterFan) 2011-08-21 10:29:58 I like this very much too, both the composition and the performance. I get the feeling that Rachmaninoff may have known this piece and been influenced by it when writing his Opus 3 pieces, especially the Elegy and Melody.
Justin (Opus1Music) 2011-08-20 20:27:22 Great piece and performance of it. I really like the style. I agree with the Chopin comment. Your playing is very deep and filled with feeling. Do you have a link to the sheet music?
Greg 2011-08-20 12:33:05 Liadoff is another new composer to my ears. This has an almost Chopinesque feel to it, a tense passion but with a distinctive Ruski flavor.


National Status Red Data Book of Ukraine.
Regional Status Bern Convention (Annex 3).
Tail cylindrical, shorter than body with head. Conspicuous parotoid glands behind eyes are pigmented. Dorsal and lateral skin black, with large yellow to orange spots and/or bands. Yellow pattern varies among subspecies, although it is not entirely reliably for subspecies identification. Belly skin black or brownish. Females generally larger than males and possess relatively shorter extremities and tail. Male's cloaca much more swollen than female's cloaca.
Size: up to 250 mm, sometimes almost 300 mm.
The species is distributed from the Iberian Peninsula to Iran and from North Africa to North Germany. The genus consists of variable forms, the taxonomy of which has not been revised as yet. Some of the former subspecies of Salamandra salamandra are now recognized as separate species and the separation of more species can be expected. Populations of S. s. salamandra from Turkey are genetically closely related to the S. s. infraimmaculata group. The species inhabits mainly deciduous and mixed, sometimes conifer forests. Populations inhabiting anthropogenic landscapes and unforested habitats can be considered, as a rule, as relicts of formerly forest dwellers. The spotted coloration of this salamander seems to play two roles: cryptic, when the spots on black background allow the animal to hide on the forest floor, where there are alternate spots of sun and shadow, and aposematic, where bright spots indicate poisonous skin secretions.
Over a large part of its range, S. salamandra seems to be not a rare species, but its abundance declines in many regions. In unwooded areas the species is generally rarer than in forests.
Females are active in daytime during the breeding period; afterwards adults are active at twilight, spending the day under logs, snags, stones, rodent burrows and holes. During rainy weather salamanders regularly leave their hiding places by day. The appearance of active salamanders on the land surface in day time indicates the approach of rain. Hibernation, typically in groups, occurs in the northern part of the range, whereas in the south (e.g., in Israel) activity ceases during hot summer period. Similarly, in central Europe reproduction occurs between spring and autumn, whereas at the south of the range it is confined to winter. Mating takes place on land, and male-male combats for a female often takes place. The species is typically viviparous, and the female releases the young into water, usually shallow brooks. The number of larvae per female, as well as their stage at birth time, varies among subspecies. Salamandra salamandra bernardezi and, sometimes, S. s. fastuosa give birth to completely metamorphosed young salamanders. Larval development takes several months, but in many cases they overwinter and finish their metamorphosis in the next year. Most larvae occur in fishless parts of brooks, which is caused by fish predation. As a rule, larvae start active feeding just after birth. Age changes in diet during ontogeny are minor and related mainly to the use of larger prey. Larvae consume primarily upon rheophilous invertebrates: Gammaridae, larval Ephemeroptera, Diptera, etc. In semi-flowing waters, typical limnophilous preys (e.g., Diaptomidae) are included in their diet. Adults do not consume the small preys that are eaten by juveniles: Acarina, Geophylomorpha, and Collembola. However, they eat large Mollusca, Myriapoda (Oniscomorpha, Polydesmida and Juliformia), Coleoptera, etc.
In historical perspective, the range seemed to be constricted, mainly due to deforestation. In some places (e.g., in Ukrainian Carpathians) declines of populations take place due to anthropogenic influences. Although the IUCN status has not been updated, since 2010, there has been a precipitous decline in the species bringing it close to extinction by 2013. A captive breeding problem resulted in 49% of the captive animals dying of, then, unknown causes. It was later determined that a newly identified chytrid fungus was infecting the species, causing anorexia, apathy, and ataxia then death within 7 - 27 days (depending on method of exposure). The new fungus was named Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans and is not known to infect frogs (Martel et al. 2013).
Habitat destruction, pollution, and collecting for commercial purposes (mainly pet trade) are the main threats for the populations. Destruction of forests and overcollecting cause the declines of some populations.
The systematics of the genus Salamandra is in progress. Some forms earlier recognized as subspecies of the species S. salamandra have acquired specific rank.
This is the first species from which Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans (Bsal) infections have been identified (Martel et al. 2013).
Bannikov, A. G., Darevsky, I. S., Ishchenko, V. G., Rustamov, A. K. and Szczerbak, N. N. (1977). Opredelitel Zemnovodnykh i Presmykayushchikhsya Fauny SSSR. Prosveshchenie, Moscow.
Freytag, G.E. (1955). Feuersalamander und Alpensalamander (Die Neue Brehm Bücherei Bd. 142). A. Ziemsen, Wittenberg-Lutherstadt.
Greven, H. and Thiesmeier, B., eds. (1994). Biology of Salamandra and Mertensiella (Mertensiella Supplement 4). DGHT, Bonn.
Klewen, R. (1988). Die Landsalamander Europas, Teil I, Die Gattungen Salamandra und Mertensiella. A.Ziemsen, Wittenberg Lutherstadt.
Martel, A., Spitzen-van der Sluijs, A., Blooi, M., Bert, W., Ducatelle, R., Fisher, M.C., Woeltjes, A., Bosman, W., Chiers, K., Bossuyt, F., Pasmans, F. (2013). ''Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans sp. nov. causes lethal chytridiomycosis in amphibians.'' PNAS, 110(38), 15325-15329.
Thiesmeier, B. (1992). Okologie des Feuersalamanders. Westarp Wissenschaften, Essen.
Species Account Citation: AmphibiaWeb 2017 Salamandra salamandra: Fire Salamander <http://amphibiaweb.org/species/4284> University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA. Accessed Apr 18, 2019.


The quality of service and hospitality at Ibis Epinal Centre Ville has been identified as outstanding based on consistently high customer review ratings.
Ibis Epinal Centre Ville has achieved a score of 79 / 100 based on 73 customer reviews and has therefore qualified to receive an Outstanding Service Award from Go Hotels.
A 7-minute walk from the Epinal train station, this budget hotel is a 12-minute walk from Imagerie d'Epinal centre museum. It's also 8.4 km from the World War II Epinal American Cemetery and Memorial.
Straightforward rooms feature wood floors and include free Wi-Fi, flat-screen TVs and work desks.
The hotel offers a breakfast buffet (fee). There's also a French bistro and a bar with a patio. Meeting rooms and parking available for a surcharge.


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If you walk through the prairies of Cowling Arboretum at the right time in Spring, you may be fortunate enough to see a Bobolink (Dolichonyx oryzivorus).
These flighty birds—which, contrary to popular belief, do not have the scientific name robertolink—nest on the ground in grasslands and tend to forage on the ground for seeds.
In the mating season from May to June, the males sport classy black plumage, with frosted wingtips, a white back and a bold cap of white or yellow on their heads, for style.
It's sort of as if one of them got drunk of his own fabulousness one night and accidentally put a tuxedo on backwards, and then everyone else copied that.
Male Bobolinks attempting to mate don't go to the club, but instead can be seen flying in a helicopter-like pattern, moving slowly but with wings frantically fluttering.
While performing this aerial ballet, the males also grace the world with their mating song, which has been scientifically proven to be "lovely" by numerous peer-reviewed studies and can otherwise be described as long and burbling, with staccato punctuations of sharp, metallic notes.
However whimsical they may appear, these determined little fellas are not playing around. They engage in one of the longest migrations of any songbird, travelling from the soon-to-be frosty fields of the Northern United States and Canada to the pleasant pastures of southern South America—a distance of 12,500 miles.
Given their average lifespan of five years, this means that one Bobolink can travel the equivalent of four to five times around the circumference of the earth over the course of its lifetime.
While on this epic journey, a Bobolink can orient itself using the magnetic field of the earth (!), which it gets in touch with—so to speak—using ironoxide bristles in its nasal cavity.
In the presence of strong magnets, these crafty and seasoned travelers can also navigate using the stars. If I could do all that, I would go to South America every winter too!
Published in THE BALD SPOT
Timothy Winter-Nelson 20 Cole Student Naturalist
More from THE BALD SPOTMore posts in THE BALD SPOT »


Thank you Aresco of Tidewater for being prompt and taking care of our water damages. We did not lift a hand to do anything, tour workers came in and inspected everything told us what needed to be done and did just what was stated. We appreciate your commitment to being the best at what you do.
They were really professional and very good at what they did.
They did an outstanding job.
Aresco was very thorough and helpful in every way. This was so true in this situation due to Annie being in the hospital at the time this happened and having to rely on family members to over see this and relay information. I would recommend them to anyone needing this expertize.
Great guys! Showed up on time, were very courteous and did the job!
Share feedback about your experience with Aresco of Tidewater, LLC.
Enter the confirmation code from your mailer and publish your review of Aresco of Tidewater, LLC.


Fran Forman has an MFA from Boston University and an MSW in psychiatric social work. She is a Resident Scholar at the Women's Studies Research Center at Brandeis and teaches digital collage at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston. Her work has been exhibited widely, both locally and internationally, and her photographs have won many awards, including the 2012 Px3 Prix de la Photographie and the International Photography Awards in 2010 and 2008. Her work is in the permanent collections of the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum and the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston.


Luxury Real Estate Los Angeles. Los Angeles luxury real estate for sale, for lease and luxury vacation rentals, all offered by The Agency. Los Angeles, California, United States Luxury Real Estate. Search for Los Angeles luxury homes with the Sotheby's International Realty network, your premier resource for Los Angeles homes. We have 93 luxury homes for sale in Los Angeles, and 3,174 homes in all of California.
Luxury Real Estate Los Angeles d Los .... Los Angeles luxury properties and real estate. Browse the latest luxury homes in Los Angeles from the leading real estate brokers of the world. Christie's International Real Estate. The Christie's International Real Estate network has complete luxury home listings for Los Angeles and nearby areas, including Eagle Rock, Glendale and West Hollywood.


Pro-Tech 8 Titan K is the kangaroo skin version of the original Titan model and is considered today's gold standard in structural firefighting gloves.
Note:Product not available for sale or delivery in California.
Kangaroo is essentially the most rugged of all leathers ounce for ounce while maintaining incredible softness and pliability. The unique structure of kangaroo leather allows it to be cut down to a relatively thin layer but still retain its strength. As a comparison, when split to 20% of original thickness kangaroo skin retains 30-60% of the tensile strength of the un-split hide. Calfskin, on the other hand, split to 20% of original thickness retains only 1-4% of its original strength.
The resulting Titan K is a combination of durability and natural flexibility that ensures your hands won't easily tire on the fire ground or in training, an amazing grip, comfort and fit like you have never experienced before and the safe and efficient performance needed to be at your best.
Titan K breaks in almost immediately and will remain soft and flexible after use.
Long Cuff models specifically for use with turnout gear sleeves that do not have thumb hole wristlets or extended wristlets.
The Long Cuff "wristlet" style has a 100% Kevlar wrapped elastic band inside the cuff for extra secure fit and prevention against fire ground debris entering specifically for use with turnout gear that does not have thumb wristlets or long wristlets.


text:
Selling Sunset Star Heather Rae Young Leaving LA Brokerage To Set Up New Oppenheim Group Office
Ash Percival
·Entertainment Editor, HuffPost UK
Selling Sunset star Heather Rae Young is set to leave the show's Los Angeles office to open up a new branch of the brokerage featured on the Netflix show.
Oppenheim Group co-owner Jason Oppenheim has revealed he has charged the real estate agent with working in a new office in Newport Beach, California, as the group expands.
Speaking to Fox News, he said: "Heather is going to be working out of that office and my best friend is going to be managing the office.
"The office that we're looking at is insane. I mean, it's insane. So hopefully I'll be signing the lease soon."
Heather Rae Young (Photo: Rochelle Brodin via Getty Images)
However, those worried that this could mean Heather is set to leave Selling Sunset can breathe a sigh of relief, as a rep for the Oppenheim Group maintained that Heather "will be based out of the LA office as always" as she balances her new commitment to the Orange County office.
They added that she "won't be going anywhere".
Heather's news is the latest in a number of shake-ups for the brokerage featured on the hit Netflix reality show.
Davina Potratz announced back in October that she is leaving the property firm to join a rival brokerage in Beverly Hills after they made her an offer she couldn't refuse.
"It's not that I wanted to leave, but I had a great opportunity. It was a purely business decision," she told People magazine at the time.
Davina Potratz has left the Oppenheim Group altogether (Photo: Rochelle Brodin via Getty Images)
However, Davina said she was still hoping to feature in the next season of Selling Sunset, adding: "I certainly hope that I'm still part of the cast.
"Brett is not at the Oppenheim Group anymore either, so I don't think that that's going to be an issue at all."
There has been much speculation as to whether Brett has left the brokerage he ran with his brother Jason to launch his own.
While Davina and co-stars Christine Quinn and Chrishell Stause have all suggested this is the case in various interviews, Jason has previously denied it.
Selling Sunset series 1-3 are available to stream on Netflix now.
Selling Sunset's Jason Appearing On Gemma Collins' Diva Forever Is The Reality TV Crossover We Had No Idea Existed
Selling Sunset's Christine Quinn Has The Tables Turned As She Shows Viewers Around Her Own Home
Chrishell Stause Dismisses Gleb Savchenko Romance Rumours As Dancer Announces Divorce
This article originally appeared on HuffPost UK and has been updated.


text:
Q: Index on unique field I have a users table and there is an index on that table:
add_index "users", ["email"], name: "index_users_on_email", unique: true, using: :btree
The index type is btree and email is a unique field.
Is it worth having this index or is it better to just remove it?

A: I would remove it first and then use lol_dba db:find_indexes from lol_dba  to see if it recommends adding the index.

A: If the column is defined UNIQUE, it is indexed with a unique btree index automatically anyway, because that's how Postgres implements a UNIQUE constraint.
An additional index would be redundant, dead freight. Delete it.
Details:

*

*How does PostgreSQL enforce the UNIQUE constraint / what type of index does it use?

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Q: Getting undefined when trying to send select value to other page I have a small JavaScript issue.
I have the following form:
<form method="get" name="basic" id="basicId" action="/page2">
     <select id="activity" name="activity" class="form-control inputbox">
          <option value="default" class="activities">Select value from dropdown:</option>
          <option value="a" class="tests">A</option>
          <option value="b" class="tests">B</option>
          <option value="c" class="tests">C</option>
     </select>
     <button type="submit" id="searchBtn" placeholder="Search">Search</button>
</form>

What I'm trying to do is to get the value from the select tag and use it in page2.
For example, is option is A, the value should be ="a".
I want to use the value="a" in page2.
document.getElementById("output"): here i want to print the result in page2.
What I've tried to do in the second page:
<script>
var select = document.getElementById("activity");
var e = select.options[select.SelectedIndex].value;
document.getElementById("output").innerHTML = e;
<!-- This doesn't show anything. -->

var test = document.getElementsbyName("activity").values;
document.getElementById("output").innerHTML = test;
<!-- The output is: function values() { [native code] } -->

var test = document.getElementsByName("activity").value;
document.getElementById("opinion").innerHTML = test;
<!-- The output is: undefined -->

</script>

So basically, getting the select element by ID or by Name doesn't work.
Getting the select element ID.value doesn't work.
Getting the select element by the index doesn't work.
Any ideas? I've literally tried anything.
Am I writing the code in the wrong place?
Do I have to send this information through the server-side?
P.S.: I am writing the app in Node.js and Express and I'm using handlebars.
Kind regards,
G.

A: Update:
If you want to get the value to other page, you need to fetch it from url  as whole new page  get rendered and your old values  will not exist exist.
If you are having your values in url just fetch it by this
let url = window.location

I assume, you are trying to get the value of dropdown
select has always the value attribute to it which actually is the value you select from dropdown
You just need to look for the value of select whenever you want the selected option.
Here in your case just attach a onchange listener to select, which triggers whenever the value of select get changed

var select = document.getElementById("activity");
var mySelectValue = select.value // set the default value
select.onchange = function() {
 console.log(select.value)
  mySelectValue = select.value // update whenever value get changed or new value chosen
}

// Do whatever you want to do with selectvalue
<form method="get" name="basic" id="basicId" action="/page2">
     <select id="activity" name="activity" class="form-control inputbox">
          <option value="default" class="activities">Select value from dropdown:</option>
          <option value="a" class="tests">A</option>
          <option value="b" class="tests">B</option>
          <option value="c" class="tests">C</option>
     </select>
     <button type="submit" id="searchBtn" placeholder="Search">Search</button>
</form>

A: So basically, I have fetched  the link and I tried to check if the activity = something.
example down below:
if(url.href.indexOf("activity=a") > -1){
    activity = "a"
}
document.getElementById("opinion").innerHTML = activity;

Of course, in the page2, I can see "a" as a result which is great! :)


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text:
La niñera (título original en inglés, The Nanny. La nana en Perú.) es una comedia de situación estadounidense. Se emitió desde el 3 de noviembre de 1993 hasta el 23 de junio de 1999 en la cadena CBS, durante seis temporadas consecutivas. Fue protagonizada por Fran Drescher, quien interpretó a Fran Fine, una encantadora y simpática residente de Queens de origen judío, que por accidente se convierte en la niñera de tres niños de clase alta de Nueva York. La canción que abría la serie, The flashy girl from Flushing, fue interpretada por Ann Hampton Callaway.

El programa fue producido por Sternin/Fraser Ink, Inc. y Producciones High School Sweethearts, en asociación con TriStar Television, quien distribuía la serie. Los productores ejecutivos del programa eran Fran y su entonces esposo Peter Marc Jacobson, quien fue su amor del bachillerato (de allí el nombre en inglés de su productora High School Sweethearts, Amores de bachillerato).

Junto a Rhonda, Seinfeld y Will & Grace, es una de las exitosas comedias estadounidenses con un personaje principal judío. Muchos de los personajes de la serie toman su nombre de la verdadera familia de Fran Drescher. Tal ha sido el éxito que el formato se ha replicado bajo licencia en Argentina, Ecuador, Grecia, Indonesia, Italia, México, Polonia, Rusia, Chile, Turquía y España.

Sinopsis
Fran Fine es una mujer judía-americana cuyo novio, que a su vez era su jefe, termina con ella y la despide, ya que decide contratar a su nueva novia. Entonces ella comienza a vender de puerta en puerta productos cosméticos llamados "Sombras del Oriente", pasa por la casa del viudo y millonario productor británico de teatro, Maxwell Sheffield. Por una equivocación, es contratada como la niñera de los tres hijos del Sr. Sheffield: Maggie, Brighton y Grace. Aunque al principio, Maxwell no parece muy contento con ella, Fran resulta ser justo lo que él y su familia necesitan. Con su crianza poco convencional, su sensata honestidad y su lógica de Queens, ella ayuda en convertir a Maxwell y sus hijos en una familia feliz y saludable.

Personajes principales
Fran Fine: Es la protagonista de la serie, quien se convierte en la niñera de los hijos del Sr. Sheffield. Originalmente, trabajaba en la tienda de novias de su novio, Danny Imperialli, pero debido a que él se enamoró de otra mujer, termina con Fran y la despide. Luego de eso, conoce a Maxwell Sheffield y sus hijos, mientras hacía un puerta a puerta vendiendo cosméticos. Tiene una personalidad extrovertida y con mucho sentido del humor. Debido a la dominante personalidad de su madre, Fran a menudo siente la necesidad de salir con algún hombre y también es forzada a casarse con alguno. A menudo se mete en problemas, pero tiene que resolverlos usando sus hábiles tácticas.
Maxwell Sheffield: Es el protagonista masculino de la serie. Contrata a Fran para que cuide de sus tres hijos: Maggie, Brighton y Grace. Es viudo y trabaja como productor en Broadway. Perdió a su esposa Sara muchos años antes del desarrollo de la serie. Aunque tiene una exitosa carrera como productor de Broadway, permanece constantemente en la sombra de su rival, Andrew Lloyd Weber, quien parece tener un puesto más alto. No pasa mucho tiempo con sus hijos debido a su apretada agenda, por lo cual contrata a Fran Fine como la niñera de estos. A pesar de sentir atracción por Fran, trata de mantener su relación con ella estrictamente profesional, debido a su miedo al compromiso.
Maggie Sheffield: Es la hija mayor de Maxwell Sheffield. A menudo se la puede ver discutiendo con su hermano, Brighton, quien la ve como a una nerd. Mientras está peleando constantemente con Brighton, su relación con su hermana Grace es más de tutela. Al principio de la serie, es tímida e insegura, pero con la influencia de Fran, se convierte de alguna forma en una joven popular. Apenas conoce a Fran, las dos congenian al instante.
Brighton Sheffield: Es el hijo del medio de la familia y el único hijo varón de Maxwell Sheffield. Debido a esta condición, a menudo se siente excluido, lo que causa que ocasione problemas a sus dos hermanas. Al principio, no congenia con Fran Fine y ha despreciado a todas sus niñeras anteriores, pero finalmente su relación con ella se vuelve cercana. Sus planes a futuro son volverse un productor de Broadway, como su padre.
Grace Sheffield: Es la hija menor de la familia Sheffield. Tiene el hábito de mencionar condiciones médicas y palabras complicadas. Cuando Fran empezó a ser su niñera, Grace estaba en terapia, pero con la influencia y guía de Fran, necesitó menos terapia. Mientras Grace se volvió muy cercana con Fran, empezó a adquirir algo de la jerga judía de Fran y sus hábitos para vestirse, ya que ve a Fran como una madre para ella.
C.C. Babcock: Su nombre es Chastity Claire (Castidad Clara) Babcock. Es la egocéntrica y malvada compañera de negocios de Maxwell Sheffield, con quien ha estado trabajando por casi 20 años para poder conquistarlo. Como la antiheroína de la serie, se ha visto constantemente que ella está haciendo todo lo posible para que al Sr. Sheffield le guste ella. C.C. es retratada como una alcohólica despreocupada que nunca parece recordar los nombres de los tres hijos del Maxwell. Desde el primer momento que ve a Fran Fine, ve con celos a la recientemente contratada niñera y la ve como una amenaza. Junto a su desagrado por Fran, C.C. también tiene un desprecio mutuo con el mayordomo Niles, haciéndose bromas e insultos mutuamente. A pesar de todo a veces trabaja en conjunto con Fran para beneficiarse de los resultados.
Niles, el mayordomo: Es el mayordomo de la familia Sheffield. Había sido valet de Maxwell Sheffield durante la mayor parte de su vida. Cuando Sheffield llegó a Estados Unidos, trajo consigo a Niles. Había estado con la familia durante muchos años, incluso cuando Maxwell estaba casado con su primera esposa, Sara.

Elenco

Episodios

Premios

Versiones

The Nanny ha tenido múltiples adaptaciones en el mundo continuando con el formato del guion con alteraciones menores para su adaptación a la cultura respectiva, a continuación sus versiones internacionales:

 En Chile el canal Megavisión en 2005 compró los derechos de la sitcom estadounidense The Nanny al canal CBS para crear su propia versión titulada; La Nany siendo protagonizada por Alejandra Herrera, Alex Zisis y Francisca Castillo, Chile fue el único país en darle un nombre diferente a su serie llamada La Nany. Tuvo dos temporadas y fue éxito en sintonía.

 En Argentina el 2004 el canal Telefe hizo una adaptación de la serie estadounidense The Nanny, titulada igual pero al Español La niñera, teniendo como protagonistas a Florencia Peña, Boy Olmi, Roberto Carnaghi y Carola Reyna. Tuvo 2 temporadas.

 En México la red de televisión Tv Azteca hizo una versión de la serie estadounidense The Nanny llamada La niñera teniendo como protagonistas a Lisset, Francisco de la O y Roberto Leyva. Tuvo sólo 1 temporada de 20 episodios.

 En Ecuador el canal Ecuavisa compró el formato del programa estadounidense The Nanny al canal CBS para producir su propia adaptación La niñera teniendo como protagonista a: Paola Farías, Frank Bonilla y Gisella Garbezza. Tuvo 3 temporadas con éxito en sintonía.

 La adaptación en Rusia fue muy popular, tanto que pidieron nuevos guiones luego de terminar con las historias originales de la serie.

Referencias

Enlaces externos

Comedias de situación
Series de televisión de Estados Unidos de los años 1990
Series de televisión iniciadas en 1993
Series de televisión de CBS
Programas de televisión finalizados en 1999
Series de televisión rodadas en Nueva York
Series de televisión ambientadas en Nueva York
Series de televisión de comedia de Estados Unidos
Series de televisión familiares de Estados Unidos


At the same resting spot as I executed my leaves-through-time project, I saw something only after it moved on another nearby tree. It was not a spider or a snake. Hurray.
These little guys (and gals, I presume) move fast enough and are skittish enough that I have trouble getting close enough and focused enough before they're off again. But it's fun to try.
I'd say you did pretty well.
Judith – Yes, until she moves.


Libraries in and around the Cotswolds and Gloucestershire. Libraries have lots more to offer than just books to borrow these days. Most libraries have computers which library users can book to use - with so many services being available online now, this service is so beneficial. Many libraries also have volunteer computer buddies who offer assistance with using the library computers. You will also find baby bounce and rhyme classes, storytime for the under 5s and activities for children in the school holidays. During the summer holidays there is a reading adventure scheme, where children can collect stickers for reading books and get a certificate when they fill their card.
Library, computers with internet access. Storytime for under 5s and baby bounce and rhyme.


then came the idea. . .
I may be reluctant but I'm making an earnest effort to join "social networking".
A recent reunion in OKC where my great nephew was performing with his band, Mockingbird Sun out of Nashville. I tried to tell him there is a lot of talent in the family, but he was wise not to ask me to sing.
Instead he asked me to sell tee shirts!
Jill Byrne knows adversity. Born in 1946, Jill survived a love-starved childhood, two divorces, bouts of chronic and clinical depression, a psychotic episode, mistreatment of her illness, and a revolving door of therapists. Through it all, she maintained an indomitable spirit and her sense of humor. A psychologist for the Tulsa, Oklahoma Public Schools and a licensed, professional counselor, Jill endured her depression from a unique perspective yet unable to escape periods of darkness. In 1994, Jill experienced an emotional, spiritual, intellectual, and physical integration for the first time and felt cured, but knew that the proof would be in the passing of time.
Today, just over ten years into her depression-free life, Jill shares her story in Step on a Crack. It is a story that will make her readers laugh and cry. It is a story that will inspire anyone in the midst of a life in turmoil, or one who has been diagnosed bi-polar and prescribed senses-dulling medications. Jill's persistence and her insistence on recovering on her terms made her cast a wary eye towards her therapists; and them toward her. She gained the reputation of a difficult client; one that therapists had to "throw out the book" in order to help. Step on a Crack demystifies the helping profession, in part by including in-scene sessions of Jill with her therapists. Though Jill advises readers to get professional help ("Objective support is invaluable"), she offers the caveat, "Try another, if the first therapist doesn't work for you." Jill has written Step on a Crack to encourage, enlighten, and even entertain others trapped in a depressive existence, that they may one day feel as renewed as she.
A woman who from time to time enjoys a good perm.
Good News! Step on a Crack was recently recognized as a prize winner out of 32 entries in the Oklahoma Writers' Federation, Inc (OWFI) non-fiction book contest!


text:
OUR CAPTAIN
MEMORIES New!
OUR VOYAGE
VMAIL
From "The Mad Hooligan Story" by Brooks Hamilton
This is a good place to explain the unofficial name, Mad Hooligan, given the L.S.T. 832 by her crew, and how it came about. It all has to do, of course, with the fact we were a Coast Guard bunch who frequently were called upon to educate some of the men of our sister services, expecially gyrenes (officially known as United States Marines) as to the seagoing nature of the Coast Guard. If the name "hooligan" as applied to Coast Guard sailors is familiar to some, the origin of it is not. At any rate, like some other nicknames used for us, the use of "hooligan" often brought strong reactions from "Coasties", who frequently found as much water under their keels as navy sailors did. For some reason gyrenes hooked onto the name "hooligan" to describe us -- "here comes the hooligan navy", they would say, sarcastically. Navy sailors sometimes used the equally exasperating expressions, "shallow water sailors" or "sand-pounders". Now, wherever Coast Guard crews appeared, the use of any of the above, but especially "hooligan", started more barroom brawls than the Shore Patrol could handle. Our executive officer, a soft spoken southern lawyer who had the unenviable job of disciplining sailors brought back draped over the military police jeeps somewhat the worst for wear, on one occasion watched a gaggle of them straggle aboard in tatters. He muttered so all in hearing heard, "If some of you guys would just look up that word 'hooligan' in the dictionary, you might not always try to start another war eveytime you heard it!" Of course some of us hangers-on around the gangway at the time went and did just that. We discovered, to our amazement, "hooligan" derived from the name of an Irish seaman of the 18th century who had been impressed into the royal Navy in those days of wooden ships and iron men. He was so recalcitrant about accepting the discipline of the hated British lion, he became known as "the roughest, toughest sailor in all the Royal Navee!" After that we laughed at the nickname and proudly named our little bastion of Coast Guard life and tradition the Mad Hooligan. Artists in the crew fashioned a large canvas dodger for the high conning bridge and painted on it the name and the likeness of a horny, hairy billy goat, which became the ship's mascot.
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This recipe is a good source of Vitamin C, which keeps gums and blood vessels healthy.
Brown meat, pepper, and onions in a large skillet over medium-high heat (350 degrees in an electric skillet). Drain fat.
Add broth, tomatoes, beans, corn, and seasonings.
Reduce heat to low (250 degrees in an electric skillet), cover and simmer for 20 minutes.
Crumble 1/2 taco shell in each bowl, add soup, and top with cheese.
Try black beans in place of pinto beans.


Thanks to a quirk in the way our brain evaluates goals, people feel it's easier to achieve a small incremental goal than to maintain the status quo, when both goals are assessed in isolation. This is especially true if the context is seen as unfavourable. This finding, which contrasts with the popular belief that no change is easier than any change, is the main conclusion of research led by marketing professors from INSEAD, IE Business School and Pamplin College of Business.
"When evaluating goal difficulty, our brain first considers the gap between the starting point and the desired state. Usually, the bigger the gap, the more difficult the goal. However, if there is no gap to speak of, as in the case of a status quo goal, the brain starts scanning the context, anticipating potential reasons for failure," said study co-author Amitava Chattopadhyay, Professor of Marketing and the GlaxoSmithKline Chaired Professor of Corporate Innovation at INSEAD.
For example, if your goal is to keep the same weight this year, you may start considering the odds of you regularly eating out due to a high workload, the number of your upcoming business trips, the fact that a new donut shop has opened in your neighbourhood, etc.
"Our assessment of context is peculiar in the sense that it is greatly impacted by a negativity bias," says Antonios Stamatogiannakis, Assistant Professor of Marketing at IE Business School. Our brain has evolved over the millennia to be more sensitive to bad news than good news. Most of us instinctively give more weight to potential reasons for failure than reasons for success.
When a status quo goal is directly compared to one that involves a modest improvement, objectivity prevails: The absence of a gap makes the status quo goal seems easier, as logic would dictate. Nevertheless, in such a direct comparison scenario, study participants still preferred to pursue a small incremental goal over a "maintenance" goal, as they expected this achievement to be more satisfying.
These results are described in Attainment versus Maintenance Goals: Perceived Difficulty and Impact on Goal Choice, a paper co-authored by Chattopadhyay, Stamatogiannakis and Dipankar Chakravarti, Professor of Marketing at Pamplin College of Business. Their paper was published in the November 2018 issue of Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes.
Across six studies, Chattopadhyay and his study co-authors showed that the brain assesses goal difficulty using a two-step process. First comes the size of the gap to be bridged. But if that gap is zero, the brain defaults to the second step, which is the context in which the goal is to be achieved. Context assessment usually triggers negativity bias, which is why, when judged in isolation, a maintenance goal is deemed more difficult than one involving a small increment.
In the first studies, participants were split into groups that each evaluated the difficulty of a particular goal type. While the difficulty of the goal was generally correlated to the gap size, goals that involved a modest increment were rated as easier than those involving the status quo (rated separately). When asked to explain their ratings, participants evaluating status quo goals were quick to mention all the obstacles that could crop up. In later studies, participants were more interested in pursuing a modest-attainment goal than to maintain the status quo, even when real money was in play.
Managers setting goals such as sales quotas should be aware that status quo goals are less attractive than ones involving a slight increment. This may be especially true if the economy is in a downturn, as a status quo goal will precisely draw the staff's attention to the negative context and have a demoralising effect.
"Marketing-wise, promotions requiring consumers to achieve modest attainment goals, such as a small increase in a customer's account balance in the case of a bank, may prove more popular than promotions involving no such goal," says Chattopadhyay.


text:
earthgang
Mooklife Music's Top 40 Releases Of 2015
I think most people can agree that 2015 was a really great year for music and especially for hip-hop. I've read through many top albums of 2015 and while I've enjoyed a lot of the choices others have made I've noticed that many of my favourite releases have gone mostly unmentioned. Because of this I really wanted to put together my own top releases of 2015 (and chose 40 because I spent my youth watching Top Of The Pops) to give some of those overlooked artists some appreciation.
If you've been following my posts over the last year you'll know just how much music I've been listening to which has made it very hard to narrow this list down. I've never done a ranked list like this before because it's always so hard and usually just makes people angry when they don't agree, but I'm sure this list will get people riled up anyway so I'm going for it.
Remember, these are my favourite releases of 2015, I'm not trying to tell other people they're wrong, I'm just trying to show some love for the artists that have provided the soundtrack to my 2015. I've decided to write this article later than most other media outlets have because I wanted to give some late entries a chance and let the dust settle before I made my mind up. I didn't mean to publish the article quite this late though, I've just been busier than I expected.
So here it is, probably the last best albums of 2015 list that you'll read. I hope you enjoy the read, find some new favourites of your own and try not to get too mad that you're favourite album isn't included. Oh, and try not to lose your minds over the fact that I haven't even even included 'To Pimp A Butterfly'.
Here's a Youtube playlist with a track from each release to make listening easier.
40. Busdriver – Thumbs
Busdriver rarely disappoints with his albums, always giving us something interesting, unique and cohesive. After his mostly upbeat and playful 2014 release 'Perfect Hair' Busdriver has delivered a much more serious album with 'Thumbs'. Don't get me wrong, this isn't your hard hitting political rap but Busdriver seems to have been somewhat affected by all the horrible events that plagued 2015. This is very evident at the end of the track 'Species of Property' which he says he wrote for Baltimore. The beats support this melancholy turn as they plod along, driven by heavy synths and at times descending into drum filled chaos.
Listen on Youtube here
39. Tuxedo – Tuxedo
I spent some of my favourite evenings of 2015 sat in the garden on one of our rare sunny days, and this album was the perfect soundtrack for it. Mayer Hawthorne has one of the most soothing voices in modern music and hip-hop producer Jake One really brings the funk with the instrumentals, creating an album that feels like a really happy head massage. Every song on this album brings a smile to my face and I think the world needs more music like that.
38. Clear Soul Forces – Fab Five
Underground hip-hop group Clear Soul Forces have been making a name for themselves since the late 00s and have refined their sound to produce their best album to date. The album is produced entirely by Nameless who takes the art of sampling to another level, cutting up soul tracks and transforming them into knocking beats. The 4 MCs in the group deliver non-stop punchlines with impeccable flows. The track 'Bpswr'; an acronym for Back Pack Sub Woofer Rap sums up the album well. 'Fab Five' is all the vibes of that early 90s hip-hop that everyone loves so much but updated it with a more developed rap style and really luscious production.
37. Chuck Inglish – Everybody's Big Brother
It's strange how sometimes music can go so old school that it starts to sound futuristic again. That's what this album sounds like to me. The beats have that 80s gangsta rap feel, packed with simple 808 drums, deep basslines and catchy keyboard riffs. The album features a plethora of guest appearances from the likes of Donnie Trumpet, Boldy James, ManManSavage and a number of rappers I was not previously familiar with but they all deliver raps fitting of the vibe.
36. Lynx – I Am Lynx
Drum & Bass isn't as popular as it was 5 years ago but there are still lots of producers out there working hard to keep the genre exciting. Lynx has been making Drum & Bass for over 10 years now and has always stayed original. This latest album does something a lot of dance albums don't manage, it stays interesting throughout. I love dance music but a lot of the time tracks are made to be mixed so you wont hear the whole thing and because of this full albums can become tiresome. I Am Lynx steps away from this by delivering frenetic, complex Drum & Bass that progresses enough to stay exciting throughout. Heavy basslines, intricate percussion and unique synth sounds make for a very satisfying listen.
35. Georgia Anne Muldrow – A Thoughtiverse Unmarred
Georgia Anne Muldrow has been making music for a long time now and has stuck mostly to singing but on this album she shows that's she actually an amazing MC as well. Georgia has one of those voices that is simply a pleasure to listen to and has an accomplished flow to match, switching between rhythmic rhymes and soulful singing. Chris Keys provided some of 2015's best production and a lot of that is present on this album which he produced in its entirety. The album is very strong lyrically with Georgia delivering powerful lines about racism, spirituality and the mainstream media.
34. EarthGang – Strays With Rabies
I first heard of EarthGang in February last year when they released their mixtape "Torba". I wasn't blown away by the tape but it was easily good enough to get me to listen to Strays With Rabies and I'm so glad I did. The Atlanta duo have put together a superb album that's easy going and accessible yet stays fresh and interesting. The beats are soulful with a bass heavy edge to them, really standing out on "Liquor Sto'" which has a crazy, unexpected drop a few bars in to the verse. I can see these guys being very popular in the near future, they have the appeal of 90s Outkast with a modern twist.
33. Father – Who's Gonna Get Fucked First?
I have to admit, I overlooked Father for quite a while. When I first heard this album I didn't get the appeal, it wasn't until I became obsessed with his earlier track "Look At Wrist" that I started understand. Father's music is almost self-contradicting in that it's simultaneously understated and outrageous. The beats are very low key, stripped down beats with repetitive samples and booming basslines. It's Father's personality that shines and makes his music so unique, he rambles through his bars in a monotone flow that is interrupted sporadically by odd intonations as he details his sex and drug fuelled escapades.
32. Bones – Powder
It's amazing what you get from an artist when they aren't restrained by a record label or even the need to sell records. Bones releases all of his music for free and this gives him an amazing creative freedom that not many musicians show. Powder is a brilliant showcase of Bones' abilities in a variety of genres He's basically making whatever music he feels like but his personality ties it all together to keep the mixtape cohesive. From floaty cloud rap, to jazzy hip-hop and all way through to Pavement-esque indie rock, Bones proves himself to be one of the most exciting and versatile musicians working today.
Download for free here
31. Billy Woods – Today I Wrote Nothing
Billy Woods has been steadily releasing fantastically dark albums for over 10 years now and he has refined his sound. Woods raps with a poetic intensity that you don't hear very often, his flow is unique and sounds more like spoken word poetry than rap at times. His lyrics paint harrowing urban landscapes while the instrumentals complement them with jazzy, off kilter drums and melancholy piano riffs.
30. Young Thug – Slime Season
Young Thug has improved massively over the last few years and positioned himself as one of the most talked about artists in hip-hop. This is a solid collection of tracks featuring some crazy beats and even crazier flows. Thugger is the only artist to have two releases on this list so I'm saving more of my love for later.
29. Sean Price – Songs In The Key Of Price
Sean Price has always been one of my favourite rappers so I was upset when I heard he passed, my thoughts go out to his family and I can't believe we will never again hear fresh bars from one of the best MC's to ever do it. This EP came out soon after Price passed away and is a great monument to the man. P brings it as always, spitting his insane flow with some serious punchlines. The beats are interesting and minimal, we haven't heard Price on beats quite like this before but it felt really natural. There was a second release of the EP, adding a lot more tracks and although there are some good extras in there I think the original is stronger. I urge you to buy this, not just because it's a great listen but because the funds raised go to Price's family at this difficult time.
28. Quelle Chris – Innocent Country
Quelle Chris hits us with a text book underground hip-hop album. Chris Keys produced 4 sublime albums last year (Jean Grae – iSweatergawd, Declaime – Southside Story, Georgia Anne Muldrow – A Thoughtiverse Unmarred and Quelle Chris – Innocent Country) but this is my favourite. The instrumentals are mainly repetitive and at times unsettling with a few rays of sunshine coming through in the form of beautiful piano riffs. This backdrop really lends itself to Quelle Chris' effortless raps which cover topics from compulsive liars to conversations with God.
27. Various Artists – Iberian Juke & Friends
Including this is kind of breaking the rules as it's not so much an album, EP or mixtape but a 3 hour long compilation. Some exceptions have to be made though and this collection is too good not to mention. Iberian Juke is a collective of juke and footwork producers based in Spain. This is their second compilation and for this one they have called in producers from all over the world to contribute. The Juke and Footwork scene is one of the most exciting electronic music scenes of the last few years, I love the complexity, progression and off-kilter grooves that the genre offers. This compilation is an amazing showcase of talent that is on the scene worldwide, delivering a taste of the different styles developing and giving us some serious bangers.
26. L'Orange & Jeremiah Jae – The Night Took Us In Like Family
L'Orange has really made a name for himself over the last 5 or so years, working with some gifted MCs as well as putting out some stellar instrumental works. Jeremiah Jae has also been putting in work over that time, staying firmly underground but making some breathtaking albums. Together we have one of the most fitting collaborations since Madvillain. This album is so cohesive, it all flows seamlessly and the sporadic instrumental breaks littered with old movie samples create an extremely cinematic feel. The old jazz samples are used in a really fresh way, forming these melancholy vibes that Jeremiah Jae uses to paint pictures of urban despair and cold-hearted criminals.
25. Freddie Gibbs – Shadow Of A Doubt
Freddie Gibbs stepped away from his usual style on the Madlib produced "Pinata" but he's back to his gangster vibes with Shadow Of A Doubt. The soul samples are mostly gone and this album is a lot more reminiscent of "ESGN", straight up hard flows, 808 driven beats and booming sub bass. We do see a slightly smoother Gibbs on this album as he takes to singing on a few tracks and kicks out an R&B classic with "Basketball Wives".
24. Knxwledge – Hexual Sealings Prt.8
It was a big year for Knxwledge in 2015, he got signed to Stones Throw, released an EP with one of the most hyped up artists of the year Anderson .Paak and had a beat on Kendrick Lamar's critically acclaimed "To Pimp A Butterfly". Despite all of this it was the next edition of Knxwledge's long running album series Hexual Sealings that really impressed me. The first "Hexual Sealings" was the third of Knxwledge's many releases and he's kept the same unique sound running since. This album features more unhinged remixes of classic R&B and hip-hop tracks, replacing the original instrumentals with vibrant jazz samples mangled together to create beautifully messy grooves.
23. Cavanaugh (Open Mike Eagle & Serengeti) – Time & Materials
Open Mike Eagle made one of my favourite albums of 2014 and Serengeti has been putting out amazingly creative music for years so when this album was announced I was really excited. The finished product definitely lived up to expectations, the two musicians really rubbed off on each other, Serengeti has brought out the dark, moody side in Open Mike Eagle and Open Mike Eagle's more jovial side has rubbed off on Serengeti. What we're left with is a very atmospheric album that's profound one minute and tongue in cheek the next. This is the first project entirely produced by Open Mike and I cant wait to hear more, he has twisted droning guitar sounds in to atmospheric marvels.
22. Dr. Yen Lo (Ka and Perseverance) – Days With Dr. Yen Lo
Sometimes in music someone comes along and drastically alters one of the defining aspects of a genre. Hip-Hop has always been very percussion driven but this album is almost entirely void of drums, and it sounds amazing. The instrumentals are stripped down to repetitive (mostly guitar) samples creating an intense feeling that sounds like a film score at times. Ka's rapping is perfect for these sparse instrumentals, he flows in a laid back, rhythmic manner laying down complex rhyme schemes and conjuring up dark images of inner city sagas.
21. Hurt Everybody – 2K47
Chicago trio Hurt Everybody sound like the future. Switching between biting raps and sorrowful singing, vocally these guys are bringing something incredibly fresh to the table. The vibes on the mixtape vary between euphoric and introspective to menacing and violent. Most of the production is handled in house and is very exciting, mostly synth driven and scattered with intricate percussion. Fellow Chicago native Twista even drops by and gives us one of his tightest verses in years.
20. Jonwayne – Jonwayne Is Retired
I've been a big fan of Jonwayne's beats for a while now and this album cements that even further. There is so much space in these instrumentals, they're mostly simple boom bap drum loops with just a basic but incredibly high quality riff on either a bass guitar or synth. It's a real testament to Jowayne's production that he can make such basic beats sound so crisp and beautiful that you don't want tracks to end. It's not just the beats that shine on this album though, Jonwayne really brings his A game on the mic, he strongly punctuates his lines and flows fantastically proving he's one of the best all round musicians in hip-hop.
19. Bilal – In Another Life
It's always been hard to pin down Bilal, he's often been labelled neo soul but has worked in and around other genres. "In Another Life" is hard to pin down too, it's oozing with funk, his vocals are soothingly soulful and there are some heavy psychedelic rock vibes in there too. The drums on the album really stand out, slightly distorted and played to perfection, driving the tracks forward. Bilal's voice is so serene which makes it even more shocking when he suddenly strays from his soft tones. This album not like anything else I've heard from Bilal, it's not quite like anything I've heard from anyone but it is magnificent.
18. Lofty305 X DJ Complex – Haitian Silk
I'm sure some of you will hear this EP and not get why I would put it in a top releases list. When I first heard it myself I was a bit unsure, it's very lo fi and Lofty305's vocals are strange. It is these things that make this so good though, it's raw and filthy but at the same time the beats are packed with soul and emotion. The alluring samples are beefed up with rough, distorted drum samples that you cant help but nod your head to. Lofty305's vocals are half way between rapping and singing, he slurs his words and croons out of tune, rambling about his sexual exploits. This EP sounds weird, and it is, but Lofty pulls it off in a way no one else can.
17. Future – 56 Nights
Future is definitely one of the biggest names in hip-hop right now with a string of really solid releases, starting with his near perfect mixtape "Monster" that was out in 2014. This tape was released back in March and although he had 3 more releases later in the year 56 Nights is firmly my favourite. All the tracks on the tape are produced by Southside apart from "March Madness" which is produced by fellow 808 Mafia member Tarentino, and these dark, murky beats all sound incredibly hard. Future is one of the few guys who really knows how to ride these simple beats, many other rappers would sound boring on such sparse back drops but Future makes them come to life. Future's vocals sound drugged out as he rambles through lines that at times don't even rhyme, he's not your average rapper but there is a sincerity in his voice that really shines through and his ability to convey emotion is almost unparalleled.
16. Joanna Newsom – Divers
It's been quite a few years since we heard from Joanna Newsom and it was only when I heard this album that I realised how much I missed her. There is a magic about Joanna Newsom's music that is hard to explain, she really is one of the best musicians of the last 15 years. Newsom's last album album "Have One On Me" was fantastic but wasn't quite as enchanting as her 2006 album "Ys", the addition of other instruments somewhat detracted from the sheer beauty of Joanna and her harp. "Divers" is definitely more like "Ys" than her other albums but has just the right amount of backing instruments to create a more textured sound. Every song on the album is an intensely euphoric saga, they take you on a journey as the melodies progress throughout. As always with Joanna Newsom, this is a challenging listen, after hearing the album through at least 20 times I'm still getting to grips with the compositions and I continue to love it even more.
15. Gangrene (Alchemist & Oh No) – You Disgust Me
The best rapper/producer and rapper/producer duo since Jaylib returned last year with what I think is their strongest project to date. Both of these guys make phenominal beats and their styles mesh very well. What I love so much about this album is how cohesive it is, littered with odd samples conjuring up city images and grimy beats to match. The production is mainly sample based, using jazzy samples in their trademark fashion, layering them to create unrelenting beats that sound simple on first listen but have subtle complexities hidden in the musical depths. The duo both more than hold their own on the mic, they have steady flows that fit perfect with the overall vibe of the album and even with the plethora of accomplished guest MCs on the release they never sound outmatched.
14. Robb Banks – Year Of The Savage
There are few rappers out there that have such an amazing cadence to their voice that you could listen to them rap about anything and for me Robb Banks is one of those guys. There is a certain charisma to Banks that I've always found very exciting, there is an intense and unsettling character to his music that makes it stand out. I've been following Robb Banks' career for a few years now as he released solid mixtapes and EPs but he steps it up a lot on this debut album. The instrumentals here are so menacing and violent yet understated; 808 drums, deep bass and discordant riffs create a seriously hard and satisfying backdrop. Banks shows he can rock a number of different styles and flows as he goes fast over some tracks but also shines when he slurs his words and slows it down to a steady, methodical delivery. Just check out 2Phoneshawty to hear how Banks can kill even the craziest beats.
13. DJ Paypal – Sold Out
There are a lot of haters out there who criticise electronic music, saying it's not real music, it's easy to make or that it's too simple and I think this album is great proof of how misinformed they are. Footwork took a massive blow when DJ Rashad died, it felt like a lot of the momentum the genre had built up just disappeared, but on this release I can feel that same excitement and ingenuity that we lost. From start to finish this album is simply phenomenal, this music is rich, complicated and exudes a great variety of emotion. The album starts off with the title which works as a great opener, buzzing around and constantly building up but never quite dropping how you would expect. The following tracks are frantic and jazzy, constantly progressing and rattling around with a sophisticated groove. Moving through some magnificently soulful footwork tracks and finishing on the epically euphoric "Say Goodbye" DJ Paypal proves he is ready to take footwork to new levels.
12. Ray West & Kool Keith – A Couple Of Slices
Kool Keith is a real anomaly, he is definitely a massive weirdo (in a good way) but that's not what makes him so unique. The majority of musicians in any genre hit their peak early in their career and while some do show a level of longevity they tend to burn out fairly quick. Kool Keith has now been rapping for over 30 years, has more than 20 albums to his name and amazingly he has recently been putting out some of his strongest work to date. Last year Kool Keith put out a collaborative album with producer L'Orange and while it was a great release it is this work with Ray West that has me the most impressed. Ray's beats are soulful but stripped down, the samples are repeated with little variation and minimal percussion. I've never heard Kool Keith on instrumentals like these and I've never thought that it would work but on this album the production has brought out the best in him. Keith's style is bizarre, his rhyme patterns are odd, he delivers non-nonsensical lyrics in an almost conversational manner and that works perfectly over Ray West's instrumentals. If Motown records was based on Mars it would sound something like this.
11. Young Fathers – White Men Are Black Men Too
I've always been a fan of a very wide range of music and I used to listen to a lot of punk, metal, indie, hardcore etc. but I have found that over the last 5 years I have become less and less interested in the umbrella genre of rock. It feels to me like "guitar music" has become a bit stagnated while hip-hop and dance music continue to evolve and stay exciting. It kind of makes sense then that the first rock album in years that I really enjoy is from a hip-hop group (kind of). Young Fathers started off making hip-hop and have moved further away from the genre with every album until we've got to this release which is almost unclassifiable but is definitely some kind of rock. The tracks on this album are raw and lo-fi, on tracks like "Rain Or Shine" and "Old Rock n Roll" they bring a brutal heaviness while on "Shame" and "Still Running" we see a much more melodic and heartwarming sound. If you've been craving some rock recently but haven't found anything to excite then you need to get this album in your life.
10. Sir Michael Rocks – Populair
Ex member of The Cool Kids; Sir Michael Rocks got me very interested in him when he released his 2014 album "Banco". The album was a definite progression from his time with The Cool Kids and had some really unique, inspired moments but overall I didn't think we'd seen this guy reach his full potential. That potential has certainly come closer to being fulfilled as this EP blew me away the first time I heard it, the sound of this release is not like any other hip-hop I've heard. The beats are so fresh and different, they make you want to dance at times but at others instil a sense foreboding. I've wanted to hear someone rap over footwork beats for a long time now so I was so happy to hear the heavy influence on some of these tracks. "Come Outside" is an awesome song which I'm pretty sure samples "It's Wack" by Rashad and Heaave D. It's not just the instrumentals that are so good though, Sir Michael Rocks is incredibly versatile, going from a conversational style, to singing, to a crazy flow reminiscent of The Pharcyde. The last track on the album "Alone" is a melancholy and introspective track about the things Sir Michael Rocks hates in his life and is one of the most personal tracks I heard all year.
9. Cavalier – Lemonade
I had never heard of Cavalier before this album but when I saw Iman Omari took care of the production I had to check it out and I'm so glad I did. I've seriously enjoyed Iman Omari's solo work, he makes complex psychadelic beats from jazz samples and is obviously influenced by the fantastic Knxwledge. Iman actually has some of his strongest beats on this release, the colourful jazz samples and staggered percussion is given an extra depth in the form of rich bass sounds, all of this combines to make a dreamy back drop. The superb production is matched by Cavlier's vocals, he is very fluid, riding the difficult and varied rhythms with gusto. Cavaliers lyrics have that perfect mix of insight and humour, particularly shining on "Commitment" which plays on the word's different meanings.
8. Milo – So The Flies Don't Come
Musicians don't come much more poetic than Milo and with a few releases now under his belt the Wisconsin MC has truly perfected his style. I've been a fan of Milo since his 2013 mixtape "Cavalcade" but I've found that his overly poetic style can feel a little bit forced at times although the ingenuity definitely outweighed any of his negative traits. Milo has changed his style a little bit on this album, he's using a more traditional flow which gives the music more of a groove but he still has that complex poetic delivery that makes him so unique. The production was handled entirely by Kenny Segal who is a magician when it comes to making beats. Kenny creates some beautiful instrumentals on this project, full of serene melodies and descending synth notes, overall the sound is very full and rich. Every time I listen to this album I notice even more of its nuances and become hypnotised by the beauty of Milo's lyrics.
7. Main Attrakionz – 808s and Dark Grapes III
The cloud rap scene that was so big a few years ago seems to have almost died out but these pioneers of the genre just created one of its best albums yet. Friendzone hold down the production and have created some of 2015s best beats on this release. Dreamy, lush and complex, the beats spiral around in to colourful kaleidoscopes of sound. Stand out track "Dip" has an intensely intricate riff played on a harp like instrument with euphoric results. As is often the case with cloud rap it is the beats that hold a lot of the importance but MCs Squadda B and Mondre M.A.N. have stepped up their game, showing that they can pull off some difficult, fast flows as well as continuing their smooth, laid back style.
6. P Money – Money Over Everyone 2
Grime was going through a massive resurgence last year as MCs like Skepta and Stormzy were even getting a lot of hype in the U.S. Although these big names were making waves across the Atlantic it was London MC P Money who came with one of the most high octane and entertaining grime albums I've heard in years. The energy on this album is through the roof, almost every track is an absolute banger and the few that aren't just show a more lyrically astute P Money. I don't think I can remember a more fun release than this, from viciously funny battle raps on "Crushed" to straight up good vibes with the aptly named "On A Fun One". It's not all fun and games though, tracks like "Roll Up" and "Yearrrh" are the definition of gully. If you're looking to get deeper in to grime or need a good party album then look no further, this album is so full of tunes you don't need to make a playlist to get hyped to.
5. Tree & Vic Spencer – VicTree
Tree was responsible for one of my favourite releases of 2014 (THE @MCTREEG EP) and had me very excited to hear more of his "soul trap" style but although his next release (Trap Genius) was good it lacked that sound I was craving. When this EP came out I wasn't familiar with Vic Spencer but knowing Tree was involved and seeing "SOULTRAP" written on the cover had me hyped. I definitely wasn't disappointed as this is the sound I have been waiting for. The beats are more lo fi and raw than they are on "THE @MCTREEG EP" but they have the same emotive, off-kilter vibe and the rawness makes things even better. The Chicago flavour is strong on here as you can feel the footwork vibes coming through on the instrumentals, not so much in the actual style but the method in which they're made, with beautiful soul samples brutalised by well placed 808 sounds. Vic Spencer's vocals also continue the soul trap vibe as he often strays from the beat, verging on singing then kicking his flow back in to the rhythm. There is a real soul to Spencer's voice that shines through, he sounds like an old blues singer with his gravely voice laying his essence out on to the tracks.
4. Van Hunt – The Fun Rises, The Fun Sets
Being as obsessed with hip-hop and other electronic music as I am it takes something really special outside of that to truly interest me. "The Fun Rises, The Fun Sets" had me mesmerized from the first time I heard it, taking so many influences from sounds I'm familiar with but combining them in to something completely unique and immensely creative. If I had to pigeon hole the album I'd say it was soul or neo soul but it's so much more than that. The funk influences are very strong here as well as R&B, psych rock, indie rock, jazz and even a bit of Bowie-esque glam rock, but the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. Van Hunt's voice is spectacular, it's soothing and pure whether he's making you dance with a funky number or seducing you with his bizarre love songs. The lyrics on the album are often nonsensical but have a certain beauty to them, I'm not certain what he's getting at when he sings "If I want to dance with you, I have to use my remote control" but there is something strangely poetic about. From the funky opening track to the grand, euphoric title track ender (which I'm pretty sure is about your lover being on her period, it's odd) this album is exceptional.
3. MED, Blu & Madlib – Bad Neighbor
Hip-hop is one of the only genres were you get so much collaboration and it's one of the things I love about it. It's not that rare in hip-hop that you get to hear a number of your favourite musicians together on the same track, it is rarer though to hear them make a full album, and one that sounds as good as this. Madlib is well known for putting out amazing albums and brining out the best in people, his ear for samples is second to none and he's responsible for a number of classic albums. Blu has been putting out fantastic underground hip-hop albums for years now, spanning a number of different styles but always keeping it creative. Signed to Stones Throw record label, M.E.D. has been releasing solid work for over ten years and has one of those steady flows that works on almost any beat. Put these three guys together and you have one hell of an album. As is expected from Madlib, the instrumentals on this album are really superb but what makes them so special is the variation of sounds he gives us. Recently Madlib has been sticking more to his dusty, soulful, jazzy beats and as good as he is at that I've been wanting to hear him break away from that style a bit. Way back in 2004 Madlib produced De La Soul's "Shopping Bags" and that beat blew my mind, it sounded like a raw and twisted Neptunes beat, but since then we haven't heard much of that sound from him. It seems Madlib has answered my prayers because on this album we get more of these synth driven tracks that I've been craving, one of which is the obscenely good "The Stroll" which has a beat so off the wall people won't truly get their head around it for years. Later on in the album we do hear more of the soulfulness we expect from Madlib so we really do get the best of both worlds here. Although to an extant it is the beats that make this LP so outstanding the raps are from average. MED and Blu both drop a lot of great verses. Blu has a very recognisable voice and there's something about his delivery that I find comforting, he just has a very enjoyable voice to listen to. I know a lot of people will hate me for saying this but I think "Bad Neighor" is the best Madlib collaboration album since "Madvillainy" and although it's not getting that much attention now, just like his legendary album with DOOM this will be one that will grow in popularity as people start to understand it.
2. Young Thug – Barter 6
As is often the case with great musicians, Young Thug was one if the most polarising rappers of 2015. Dismissed by many because of his strange delivery and obscene lyrics but loved by others for the same reasons, Young Thug definitely stands out from the crowd. After a string of decent mixtapes in 2014 Thug had been making steady improvements and this came to a peak with the phenomenal Barter 6. Few MCs have a voice as recognisable as Young Thug's, he has a very strange cadence which can be shrill one moment but smooth the next and his delivery is incredible with his many different flows which he switches between to suit whatever beat he is on. The instrumentals on this album are mostly quite understated, off key synths dance on top of deep sub bass and crisp 808 drums, building up and dropping out as the tracks progress, creating the perfect obstacles for Thug to manoeuvre along. Lyrically you're not going to find anything profound on this album but that doesn't matter, the most important aspect of music is that it sounds good and Barter 6 sounds glorious!
1. Denzel Curry – 32 Zel / Planet Shrooms
Denzel Curry grabbed a lot of people's attention with his 2013 album "Nostolgic 64" which has some amazing tracks like the violence inducing "Threatz" and the luxuriously smooth "Denny Cascade". Although that album was very good, it felt a little bit disjointed at times and Curry was definitely still finding his feet musically. "32 Zel / Planet Shrooms" was released as a "double EP" and shows a lot of progression from the young Florida rapper as he's created an incredibly fluid and visceral collection of tracks. The first EP "32 Zel" has a spacey feel to it, the beats are quite heavy with beeps and blips bouncing to the groove. This sci-fi journey quickly goes in to overdrive on the release's 4th track "Ultimate" which along with being my favourite song of 2015 is one of the most aggressive songs I've heard. Throughout the album Denzel's flow is relentless but he really goes berserk on "Ultimate" as he rapidly shouts his bars with an energy that is more familiar to hardcore punk than hip-hop. The first half of the release continues to flow along with the same futuristic vibe, often ending tracks with intricate little beat interludes that really tie everything together. Although this double EP is very fresh and unique there are some strong Outkast influences in there, initially showing up strongly on "Delusional Shone" which has a very "B.O.B." style guitar solo / scratching breaking down and later the Outkast sound is also noticeable on "Past The Wudz Intro" and "Planet Shrooms". The vibe really switches up when "Planet Shrooms" kicks in, bringing that psychedelic sound. As the name suggests "Planet Shrooms" feels like a trip, starting out with a chilled out, organic vibe which quickly gets vibrant on the excellently floaty "Captain Sea Fonk". Things continue in this dreamy manner until the title track takes you to a darker place with its cascading synths and intense snare drums before the EP is rounded off nicely with the more settling tones of "Void". Overall this release sounds like a lot of thought has gone in to it, the tracks follow on naturally from each other, the beats are magnificently composed and even Curry's voice is distorted in a number of different ways to fit whatever song he is on. The hip-hop scene is full of innovators right now but Denzel Curry is leading the pack with his abrasive, high energy style that has me desperate to hear his next release.
February 22, 2016 April 4, 2016 robbiethemook Tagged 2016, alchemist, best, best of, bilal, billy woods, blu, bones, busdriver, cavalier, cavanaugh, chuck inglish, clear soul forces, d&b, denzel curry, dj complex, dj paypal, dr yen lo, drum & bass, earthgang, father, footwork, freddie gibbs, future, gangrene, georgia anne muldrow, hip hop, hurt everybody, iberian juke, iman omari, jake one, jeremiah jae, joanna newsom, jonwayne, juke, ka, knxwledge, kool keith, l'orange, lofty305, lynx, madlib, main attrankionz, mayer hawthorne, mc tree, med, mello music group, metro zu, milo, oh no, open mike eagle, p money, quelle chris, R&B, rap, ray west, robb bank$, robb banks, sean price, serengeti, sir michael rocks, top 40, trap, tree, tuxedo, van hunt, vic spencer, young fathers, young thug	Leave a comment
Best Releases Of 2015 So Far
After writing my massive round up of last year's releases I was intending on doing similar articles monthly going forward. As usual the beginning of the year was a bit slow so I thought I'd wait a little longer so I had more to write about. In that time things have really picked up and there has been a flood of great releases. Below I have listed all the releases I have been enjoying along with a genre description, a link to listen on Youtube (where available) and a link to buy/download the release. I have also put all the Youtube videos in to one playlist here.
Action Bronson – Mr Wonderful
Azizi Gibson – The Last
Synthy underground hip-hop.
BADBADNOTGOOD & Ghostface Killah – Sour Soul
Modern jazz ensemble collaborating with hip-hop legend.
The Black Market – VLME 1
Laid back and jazzy instrumental hip-hop.
Name your price download here
Boldy James – Trapper's Alley 2 Risk vs Reward
East Coast gangster rap.
Bones & Dylan Ross – SongsThatRemindYouOfHome
Dark, trappy, alternative hip-hop.
Cakes Da Killa – #IMF
Gay rap bangers.
Cannibal Ox – Blade of Ronin
East Coast boom bap.
Chris Travis – Live From The East 2015
Lo-fi trap vibes.
Clear Soul Forces – Cheat Codes EP
Dawn Richard – Blackheart
Intricate neo soul / RnB.
The Doppelgangaz – Rhyme Over Beats
EarthGang – Torba
Esbe – Bloomsday
Smooth trip hop.
Fashawn – The Ecology
West Coast hip-hop.
The Four Owls – Natural Order
UK boom bap.
Future – Beast Mode
Smooth auto-tuned hip-hop.
Future Brown – Future Brown
Futuristic grime / hip-hop.
FWUK Trax Eight
UK footwork / jungle label sampler.
Gucci Mane – Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Buy here, here and here
Heems – Eat Pray Thug
Alternative hip-hop.
Hodgy Beats – Dena Tape 2
Homeboy Sandman – Tour Tape
This album was only available on cassette tapes sold on Homeboy Sandman's recent tour so you'll have to do some digging to find it.
Infinite Livez vs Stade – Trans Europe Excess
Bizarre UK hip-hop.
John Robinson – We The Prolific
Johnny Rain – 11
Electronic RnB.
Kenn Starr – Square One
Kiings – WWYDF
RnB infused bass music.
Knxwledge – Hexual Sealings Prt.8
Jazzy RnB remixes.
Knxwledge – WT.PRT.7.5
Jazzy hip-hop remixes.
Lil Scrappy – Merlo's Way
Lofty305 X DJ Complex – Haitian Silk
Psychedelic hip-hop.
Lxury – Into the Everywhere
Crazy electro vibes
DJ Madd – R&F Unlimited EP
Mark Battles & Dizzy Wright – Lost In Reality
MC Eiht – Compton 2 Vienna Vol. 1
West Coast gangsta rap.
Memory Man – Broadcast One
Gritty jazz sample based hip-hop.
Nacho Picasso & Blue Sky Black Death – Stoned and Dethroned
Spacey hip-hop.
Nell – The Screw Tape
Gangster raps over DJ Screw tracks.
Nneka – My Fairy Tales
Reggae infused soul.
OG Maco – 15 EP
Alternative trap.
Open Mike Eagle – A Special Episode Of
"Art Rap".
Pharoahe Monch – Lost In Translation
Smooth hip-hop.
Phony Ppl – Yesterday's Tomorrow
Jazzy RnB / hip-hop.
ProtoType – Lost Boy
Ratking – 700 Fill
Raw Poetic & K-Def – Coll Convos in Quantum Speech
Smooth boom bap.
Rome Fortune X OG Maco – Yep EP
SD – Life of a Savage 4
Chicago drill.
Sinitus Tempo & The Regiment – S.O.U.L. Sound of us Living
Skizzy Mars – The Red Balloon Project
RnB / hip-hop.
Slim Thug – Hogg Life The Beginning
Pimped out Southern hip-hop.
Substantial and The Other Guys – The Past
THEEsatisfaction – EarthEE
Experimental hip-hop.
Theory Hazit – Fall Of The Light Bearer
Toro Y Moi – What For?
Chillwave.
Traxman – Tek x Tar Vol. 5
Tree – Trap Genius
Zion I – The Sun Moon and Stars EP
West Coast boom bap.
Yeti (ZGRA) – Hip-Hop Collection VI
Bizarre instrumental hip-hop.
Young L – Final Fantasy
Strange trap vibes.
Yung Simmie – Yung Smokey
Smoked out trap.
ZeBaDee – The Way Forward
Scottish hip-hop.
March 27, 2015 March 27, 2015 robbiethemook Tagged 2015, action bronson, azizi gibson, badbadnotgood, best of, blue sky black death, boldy james, bones, brenk sinatra, cakes da killa, cannibal ox, chris travis, clear soul forces, dawn richards, dizzy wright, dj complex, dj madd, doppelgangaz, dylan ross, earthgang, esbe, fashawn, four owls, future, future brown, ghostface, good street records, gucci mane, heems, hip hop, hodgy beats, homeboy sandman, infinite lives, john robinson, johnny rain, k-def, kendrick lamar, kenn starr, kiings, knxwledge, lil scrappy, lofty305, lxury, mark battles, mc eiht, memory man, nacho picasso, nell, nneka, og maco, open mike eagle, pharoahe monch, phony ppl, prototype, ratking, raw poetic, rome fortune, sd, sinitus tempo, skizzy mars, slim thug, stade, substantial, the black market, the other guys, the regiment, theesatisfaction, theory hazit, toro y moi, traxman, tree, yeti, young l, yung simmie, zebadee, zgra, zion i	Leave a comment


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