“When jazz first came out, the older cats thought it was too wild and wouldn’t last. When rap came out, the older heads said it wasn’t gonna last and we all said they were stuffy" - Ishmael Butler of the Shabazz Palaces says in NME interview about emo-rap being disregarded. "Being caught in the past is the most frightening thing I could possibly imagine, man. Socially, musically, romantically – that’s just death to me" - he added. Butler shared some thoughts about the big lockdown - "Fear is used to make money. Fear is used to control people’s minds. And these are things I’m really starting to see with coronavirus... I know that people are trying to capitalise on people’s fears about large gatherings as it will lower their costs". Shabazz Palaces new album 'The Don of Diamond Dreams' is out now.

Quem Manda No Mic' by Angolan-Portuguese singer/rapper Pongo is an unusual ordinary song, the pop music's sweet spot; Shabazz Palaces released 'Fast Learner (ft. Purple Tape Nate)', their first new song in several years; Aalok Bala in an Andean artist who grew up in Queens but moved to LA five years ago, and it all can be heard on 'Sueño'; 'Rascal' by RMR is the strangest song this week where country meets trap, the video is even stranger; Jarvis Cocker's new band JARV IS... announced their debut album with a funky single 'House Music All Night Long'; Sex Swing delivered a sax-psych-noise song with 'Valentine's Day At The Gym'; Moaning have a simple song and a simple video - 'Make It Stop'; Etapp Kyle delivered a clockwork postcard from Ukraine with 'Nolove'; Kenny O'Brien made a lovely cover of The Waterboys' 'The Whole of the Moon'; Huntsmen have basically made a 21st century 'Planet Caravan' with 'God Will Stop Trying'.