Hardware company Kano made a name for themselves last year through a partnership with Kanye West who helped them design a Stem Player which contained his album 'Donda 2'. They have in the meantime severed ties with West, although its cofounder and CEO Alex Klein is gallant enough to admit that some days he feels “blessed” to have gotten West's eye on a player's new video cut or color combination. This year, Kano is launching a new product—a Stem Player with music by Ghostface Killah. The unique album by the former Wu-Tang Clan member will be released on custom white and black Ghostface Stems, and will run $240 and $360, respectively. “This is music for these people who care about me... It’s nothing for me to go in the studio and cook something up and just give it to [fans]. I don’t care about that. If you want it, you’re going to go get it” - Ghostface Killah says to Fast Company.

Defcee & Messiah Musik share ‘Shortcuts’, a bit of left-of-the-field smooth and saucy rap; Ghostface Killah and Raekwon drop a minimalist and psychedelic collaboration ‘Bob James Freestyle’; interesting song by producer Daedelus and poet Joshua Idehen, an ephemeral and haunting electronic spoken-word ‘Standing in My Own Way’; Sevdaliza shares a cold and rhythmical, industrial even ‘The Great Hope Design’.

Pine Barons released a catchy indie rock 'Sputter'; RZA and Ghostface Killah are in classic Wu-Tang mood with 'Fighting for Equality'; some big careers started off with covers - new hardcore strength Gulch might be on that same path with 'Sin in my Heart'; Open Mike Eagle went groovy-jazzy in 'Bucciarati'; Thou and Emma Ruth Rundle released melodic doom goth 'Ancestral Recall'; Mina Tindle, Kate Stables, Emma Broughton, Melissa Laveaux re-sang Nina Simone's '22nd Century'; Carcass are back with a metal banger 'The Living Dead at the Manchester Morgue', their first new song in 7 years.

Ghostface Killah and Czarface (Inspectah Deck and 7L & Esoteric) have announced a new studio album 'Czarface Meets Ghostface'. It arrives on February 15, 2019. The record was produced by the Czar-Keys (7L & Jeremy Page). Listen to the new song 'Iron Claw' on Pitchfork.