ALUMNI ROUNDUP 2018: The Year in Review
Dec 22, 2018
We may have shut our doors in 2016, but the former members of the World Around roster are still out there making incredible music as always, & we’ll always be part of the same family. Here’s a quick rundown of what they got into in 2018.
Godforbid — Jesus Chrysler + Ugly At Times
An exalted member of the extended family, World Around fans are probably familiar with Godfobid by now, whether it’s from Fear of Death and the Need For Reproduction (his joint project with Thirtyseven), his work with the legendary underground hip-hop group Alaskan Fishermen, or his antics as the mouthpiece for the internationally renowned fringe-pop band That Handsome Devil. This year, Godforbid returned to his deep-running roots in rap to release his debut solo album, Jesus Chrysler. Produced primarily by our own Louis Mackey, with additional beats by Dr. Quandary & DJ 7L (of Czarface fame), the sonic backdrop is equal parts funky, dark & psychedelic, providing the perfect tapestry for GFB’s wry observations & acerbic wit.
Godforbid also linked up with Kemo the Blaxican of the legendary West Coast crew Delinquent Habits for the three-track EP Ugly At Times, which features the two veteran emcees trading bars about the strange society we inhabit over more moody, psychedelic Dr. Quandary & Louis Mackey soundscapes.
Career Crooks — Thieving As Long As I’m Breathing
Continuing in their established tradition of refreshing Golden Age conceits for a modern ...
permalink
ALUMNI ROUNDUP 2017: The Year in Review
Jan 30, 2018
We may have shut our doors in 2016, but 2017 was still a banner year for the World Around family. Here’s a list of all the new music released by former World Around artists.
This long-awaited LP from rap classicist Louis Mackey features some of his deftest, most heartfelt lyricism to date, signalling a huge step forward in style while simultaneously serving as a return to the funkier roots of his early work. The whole affair is conducted over a backdrop of Dr. Quandary beats with a distinctly dusty, old-school vibe, adding to the air of nostalgia.
Man Mantis — Boss Skeleton + Dawn of the Def (Reissue)
Released in July, Man Mantis’ Boss Skeleton is a collection older tracks from his Majestic Dimensions EP series. The project features Mantis’ signature sonic landscapes, lush with otherworldly synthesizers. Though mostly instrumental, you’ll find a couple of expertly-placed, late-game features from Terra Lopez, Nocando, Decomposure & Sole.
As if new Mantis wasn’t enough, we also got some classic Mantis: as an added year-end bonus, the long-defunct imprint Loretta Records resurfaced in December with an official dead-stock reissue of his 2005 debut, Dawn of the Def. The album follows in the footsteps of RJD2’s Deadringer, blending soul & funk into a cinematic instrumental experience.
The latest EP from UK gloom king S.maharba is a ...
permalink
Farewell, World Around (2006–2016)
Feb 14, 2017
To Our Loyal World Around Family,
You might have noticed that things have slowed down here over the last year or so — our last official album release was Waldo from Cincinnati’s Yonder Works (And Then Some) back in September of 2015; things are quiet on Facebook; we haven’t tweeted in almost a year.
For the most part, this is due to bandwidth issues. The administrative side of World Around has always been a two-person operation (three at the absolute zenith), and keeping things running is an insane challenge, especially since we’re all artists too. We all know that balancing everything demanded of us — family, friends, life, art, work, school, etc. — can be challenging enough; the full-time management of a label is really tough to fit into that mix. That said, we did it for as long as we could, out of love — for our music, for each other, and for everyone who listened and supported us along the way.
Justin & Kyle in 2006
On top of that, a lot has changed since we opened our digital doors on MySpace in 2006. There have been career changes, new opportunities; some of us have married, started families. Musically, many World Around artists have gone on to do bigger, better, more beautiful things: after a brief stint with our friends at Potholes Music, Man Mantis linked up with legendary rapper Sole and joined the ranks of Shoeboxx Recordings; Daimyo fell in with the amazing crowd of beatmakers at Cult Classic ...
permalink
Waldo from Cincinnati - Yonder Works (And Then Some)
Sep 01, 2015
World Around Records is proud to present Waldo from Cincinatti‘s debut EP, Yonder Works (And Then Some), dropping September 21st 2015.
Showcasing the hallmarks of Waldo’s timeless style, Yonder Works consists of eight jazzy & soulful instrumentals: six composed during the beatmaker’s self-imposed exile in the city of Chicago, and two more recent pieces created after returning to his home & namesake.
Pre-order the album on Bandcamp today, and you can jam out to “Seven Months” and “Home Again”, along with an exclusive bonus single, “Whole World: In My Head”.
permalink
Algorhythms - "Tulpas"
May 19, 2015
“Tulpas is nightmare journalism from a country still haunted by classified crimes it can barely muster the courage to name. The victims are ridiculed and ignored, and the perpetrators are protected by the same National Security State that enabled them.
This isn’t a political song, though — this is a requiem for a war that was lost before any of us were born.
Nothing to see here. Move along.
“Tulpas” was recorded at Chowder Labs in Boston and passed to Dr. Quandary, who mixed and mastered this. (If you haven’t heard his recent synth burner “Beyond the Black Rainbow,” do so.) Big thanks to Soffie Hicks for the cover photo.
permalink
No Humans Allowed - "Not Enough"
May 07, 2015
After dropping our 2nd EP, Yesterday, Tomorrow and You, we’re quite keen to avoid a long hiatus. We have a shit-ton of fun doing No Humans Allowed, if you’ll pardon the vernacular, and we need to get the name out there. Indefinitely.
With that in mind, we’ve got a mild barrage of singles on the way for the year to come. This first offering is a Dr. Quandary production — a jam we’ve been doing live for two years now, “Not Enough.”
Note the granular reality warp of the cover art — “Not Enough” probably marks the point this whole World Around enterprise descended from rap collective into a full-on parallel Universe.
permalink
Es-K - "ZYR"
Dec 10, 2014
For this latest contribution to our Single Series, we’re honored to feature the prolific producer Es-K. The sheer extent of his soundcloud catalog — not to mention the Spontaneous Grooves series and his new IWYMI mixes — is a testament to the consistency of his creativity.
He’s quite good, is what we’re trying to say. This is cool, calm and ferocious.
[ON SOUNDCLOUD]
permalink
Louis Mackey & Elder Orange - "Waiting For You"
Nov 30, 2014
“Murder murder murder, kill kill kill.” Don’t get us wrong, though, this is a barn-burner take on a classic — a funky, sharp collaboration between multi-instrumental mutant Elder Orange and our in-house monster Louis Mackey.
We’ll have more from Elder Orange — and Louis Mackey — on the shortly upcoming We Are World Around Vol. 5 compilation. Dropping as ever on the first of the new year.
permalink
Louis Mackey - "Silex Scintillans"
Nov 19, 2014
This week, we’ve got something new from Louis Mackey, a bleak and beautifully understated soundtrack for our downward spiral into winter. “Silex Scintillans” is a reminder that moments of clarity usually hurt.
From Word is Bond: “… Mackey returns to the World Around Records Single Series after his track ‘Daytime Auguries‘ was featured a few weeks back. The beat on ‘Silex Scintillans’ is noticeably minimal and sombre in comparison but the discourse is just as piercing, as critical fancy and other negligible whims are given perspective against the cold nature of the universe. Perhaps. You can never be sure with World Around Records.”
This was produced, recorded and mixed by Louis Mackey. Big thanks again to Michael Mocksary at Chowder Labs for doing quality mastering work.
Cover art here is courtesy of The Memetic Supply Co.
permalink
Adam Kadmon - "Private Tigers"
Nov 12, 2014
New music from Adam Kadmon is a rare and momentous event. It is also a complicated process, a maze of midnight meetings, analog tapes, and mysterious envelopes. Based on the postmark, Kadmon is currently located in Burma. That’s about all we know about him these days.
If you dig the method and the madness here, check out his recent EP, The Mysterious Spectacles of Adam Kadmon, Vol. 1 — he has recently threatened us with “way more of that sort of stuff,” so expect stranger horizons in the near future.
Cover art here is courtesy of The Memetic Supply Co.
permalink
