Jack Anderson

Great Howl: “Violent Wind”

After an especially excruciating summer, the sound of strong winds this past week proved a symphony to our ears. Whether or not that cold front ushers in a full winter season, we’ve been blessed with a chilly aesthetic that’ll keep our spirits warm for months. Which brings us to a fresh Austin octet.

Founded and fronted by multi-instrumentalist/songwriter Matt Mossman, Great Howl captures the best of indie, folk, chamber pop, and rock into a specific kind of soft intensity, almost like if Arcade Fire started crashing with Neutral Milk Hotel and decided not to check out. Less of a caterwaul and more of a mighty bay, we’ve already heard the first instance of Great Howl’s clever dynamics on their first studio single “Meet Your Maker”, released back in September. That tune not only introduced us to the eight-piece’s unique style, but also set the stage for their upcoming debut EP of the same name.

Produced by SMiiLE frontman Jake Miles, Meet Your Maker hits streaming December 15th, with a release show the previous evening at Swan Dive with Sammy G and Dog Island. But if you want to enjoy the weather as it stands right now, your best bet is to catch Great Howl 8PM this Sunday at Coral Snake, alongside Sad Pajamas, Gummy Fang, and Divine Calypso. Either way, Meet Your Maker‘s gale of a sophomore single (which just blew in this morning) “Violent Wind” will blow out any pre-existing earworms with four minutes of carefully subdued orchestral vigor that escalates from a slight breeze of trebly riffs into tempestuous hooks and a real storm of an instrumental outro before settling down with a lulling piano chord. Don’t batten down the hatches; just turn up your headphones and set “Violent Wind” to “repeat”.

Katy Kirby: “Cubic Zirconia” (ACL Fest Pop-Up)

We’ve got just one more ACL Pop-Up to share with you for Song of the Day, and this one comes with an exciting bit of news. It comes courtesy of indie-folk-rock singer Katy Kirby, who was raised just about an hour’s drive from Austin out in Spicewood before relocating to Nashville for college, and most recently, Brooklyn. Bouncing from one musical hub to another’s done wonders for Kirby’s artistic wisdom, as she’s definitely leveled up in the half decade since dropping her debut EP Juniper.

And the momentum’s been especially strong in the post-COVID era, considering Kirby just played both Sundays of ACL Fest on that big ol’ Miller Lite Stage. Those ACL gigs are bookended between two new singles – “Cubic Zirconia” from the tail end of August – and, just a few hours old, “Table”. The latter arrived this morning alongside an announcement for Katy Kirby’s sophomore full-length Blue Raspberry, set for release January 26th.

Based on the weight of her ACL appearances and “Table”, we’re expecting a generous batch of ripe originals for Blue Raspberry. But if you couldn’t make it out to Zilker and want a taste of the new LP, you can harvest its lead single “Cubic Zirconia” for the emotionally-authentic piece of soft rock that it is with Katy Kirby’s close knit backstage pop-up performance.

MJ as the Bar

Coming off of ACL, the fellas discuss MJ (take your pick – Jackson OR Jordan) as the golden standard for success and why it may hold less water these days. Plus, Confucius and Fresh gush about the Hype Williams classic Belly.

Hip-Hop Facts enlightens us on how Fabolous got his name and reflects on the recent passing of DJ Mark the 45 King. Afterwards Fresh shares his Unpopular Opinion on the modern state of sloppy sampling before Confucius Reads the News.

Grace Sorensen: “Can’t Kiss & Forget” (ACL Fest Pop-Up)

In the three short years since she hit streaming, it’s become abundantly clear that Grace Sorensen is a force to be reckoned with, plain and simple. This Austin-based singer-songwriter spent the two years of the pandemic wowing us impassioned R&B originals. By the time it felt safe to slay live shows again early last year, Sorensen shared her debut EP WHAT I NEVER TOLD YOU, a five-track all-caps bouquet of unbridled vocals, whether they’re solely atop a piano (“CAPTIVE”), or floating in a full-band mix (“THIS ISN’T LOVE”).

With the voice of an angel and a striking sense of fashion to match, Grace has become a must-have feature for hip-hop/R&B blenders like Magna Carda (“Digits”) and BLK ODYSSY (“LET ME GO”). And of course, we only have “Miss Majesty” herself to thank for her more recent exposure and success, including a cover feature for The Austin Chronicle detailing their top picks for “best of” ACL.

Needless to say, Sorensen didn’t disappoint and fully delivered when she graced the BMI Stage Sunday One of the festival. Afterwards, she brought her guitarist and keyboardist back with her to the KUTX tent for an impeccable new impression of her next EP. We’re still waiting on its studio counterpart, but for now, we’re plenty happy with the extra-sensual memory-maker that is the pop-up rendition of “Can’t Kiss & Forget”!

Caramelo Haze: “Una Mañana” (ACL Fest Pop-Up)

We may already be knee deep in Levitation Fest, but that’s not stopping us from sharing just a couple more pieces of backstage magic from ACL Fest. And that cavalcade of unique performances continues today with Caramelo Haze.

This Grupo Fantasma/Brownout offshoot made a bold entrance last June with their debut full-length Noestasaqui, whose lead single “Window Seat” quickly became a KUTX airwave heavyweight. Based on the band’s membership, a baseline of Latin neo-soul is to be expected. But what separates Caramelo Haze from its predecessors is a stronger emphasis on synth sonics, rather than more traditional conjunto arrangements.

Noestasaqui not only scored the quartet an official SXSW spot (plus an appearance during our Scholz Garden live broadcast), but also a big break on that ambitious BMI Stage this past Sunday at ACL Fest. So after enjoying some elbow room atop BMI, the live five-piece managed to cram into KUTX’s pop-up space for a bit more personal of a performance; Caramelo Haze gave us a glimpse of a prettier tomorrow with their rendition of a José José 1969 classic, “Una Mañana”, which at the time, had barely been on streaming for a full day. Beauty may be in the ear of the beholder, but if you don’t like this one, frankly, you’re wrong.

Blakchyl: “Ja Morant” (ACL Fest Pop-Up)

If you were out at ACL Fest this past weekend you might’ve caught Confucius and Fresh from The Breaks at the Bonus Tracks Stage. What were the fellas up to other than getting their buzz on at Zilker? Interviewing a real sultry-voiced stunner, that’s what.

Austin hip-hop/R&B vocalist Blakchyl‘s been building a hell of a brand for herself in the local scene and beyond since her debut EP On Paper in 2019. Alternating between singing and rapping with a beautifully-blunted voice (somewhat reminiscent of fellow Austinite Megz Kelli’s), Blakchyl’s only gotten better on this side of the 2020s. On top of that, Blakchyl’s eagerness to work with others and ability to adapt her eloquent verbal style to complement said guests has made for some super fruitful collaborations, most notably her duo with Nez Tha Villain, G.E.N.I.U.S.’s, eponymous 2022 LP.

This year’s been a big one for Blakchyl, considering she’s already shared two standalone singles, the Call Me Sometimes EP, and, just at the top of October, her full-length Better Than I Imagined. And yeah, as alluded to before, Blackchyl also brought her A-Game to ACL last weekend, playing at the Tito’s Handmade Vodka stage Saturday afternoon, sitting down with The Breaks‘ boys, and even squeezing in a pop-up performance of “Ja Morant” for our multi-media team. It’s pretty clear that Austin is Blackchyl’s court, so we’re hoping to see this poet of a point guard shoot for the MVP in the coming years.

Iván Cornejo: “Aquí Te Espero” (ACL Fest Pop-Up)

Well before Brenda Lee’s auspicious adolescence, breakout success for a teenage performers has shown up in many different forms. These days though, more often than not, social media seems like the most reliable platform for international exposure. For example, look at Iván Cornejo.

In true Zoomer fashion, Cornejo’s initial guitar training came from YouTube tutorials. But the intrinsic creativity and passion Cornejo possesses? That’s all natural. Building on a Spanish language, Regional-Mexican-meets-alt-rock style of songwriting that stems back to a middle school breakup, by the time Iván graduated high school, his 2021 single “Está Dañada” had gone viral on Tik-Tok and broken its way into the Billboard Hot 100. Thankfully that early traction didn’t get to this Riverside innovator’s head, and within the following year Cornejo’s sophomore LP Dañado had scored him several more high-charting positions.

In this mere third year of official activity, after getting signed to industry giant Interscope, Iván Cornejo’s sold out a nationwide tour, which included stops at the immense Miller Lite Stage both Sundays of ACL Fest. What wasn’t on that tour itinerary was an appearance at KUTX’s backstage tent that included a gorgeous quartet performance of Cornejo’s latest Hot 100 darling “Aquí Te Espero”. It’s an awe-inspiring example of how the emotional qualities of music can transcend language, because even if you don’t speak Spanish, “Aquí Te Espero” will leave you waiting here wanting more.

Arya: “Love Me” (ACL Fest Pop-Up)

For some ACL Fest attendees, especially on Day Two or Three after imbibing on Friday, making it out to Zilker Park to catch the first day’s first act is a little too inconvenient. But for the passionate performers bestowed with opening up this internationally acclaimed festival? To call it an honor is an egregious understatement.

Among them is classically-trained, Bachelor’s-in-Jazz-certified pianist-singer Arya, formerly based in Belgrade and now a noteworthy pro in the Austin music scene. After steppin’ into our city limits with her debut 2019 EP, Arya’s continued to introduce us to an array of pop-R&B originals à la carte. Which isn’t totally fair to say, considering each new release will eventually amount to their carefully crafted visual album Insides, out early next year.

Regardless, rocking their own iconic sense of fest fashion, complete with a freshly shaved head, Arya braved it straight past any anxiety for her premiere festival appearance right around noon on ACL’s massive T-Mobile Stage. Again, to call it a “big deal” doesn’t do this opportunity justice. So you can imagine by the time Arya arrived at the KUTX tent for a pop-up session, she was absolutely beaming. See and hear for yourself on Insides‘ latest that just dropped last Thursday, “Love Me”. Based on the merits of this beat-less arrangement (coupled with the banger retro-electronic synth sound of its studio version) we have a feeling Arya’s got a good shot at poppin’ off both on Tik-Tok and NPR Tiny Desk. Get it, girl!

40% of What?!

After Juicy J’s comments that there’s a 40% decrease in hip-hop, Fresh and Confucius talk about the truth behind hip-hop’s perceived drop in influence. Then they talk about whether it’s fair to judge Drake.

You’ll learn Hip-Hop Facts about Janet Jackson’s inspiration for Rhythm Nation, why Ghostface Killa wouldn’t show his face on the first Wu-Tang album, what happened when Chris Brown auditioned for Diddy, and more.

Fresh states the Unpopular Opinion that rappers who move to Austin to get their career going don’t rep Austin enough.

Confucius talks about the Republicans’ struggle to elect a speaker of the house, Kaitlin Armstrong’s escape attempt and more on Confucius Reads the News.

Poolside: “Each Night”

With a solar eclipse behind us and highs in the lower 70s for today, sure does seem like ACL Fest Weekend 2 ushered in the actual start of Fall here in Texas. But that’s no problem, because whatever the weather, Poolside is always in season.

These Los Angeles “daytime disco” godfathers have been keeping us cool for a little over a decade now, thanks to their idiosyncratic slowing of classic dance sounds into a breezy, undeniably modern, oft-emulated blend. As hard as it’ll ever be to top their 2012 breakout Pacific Standard Time, Poolside’s done an impressive job of keeping tides of nu-disco, synthpop, chillwave, and lounge flowing for consistent vibes without letting their creative waters stagnate.

As a matter of fact, Poolside’s been keeping pace with a lap lane of new singles this whole year ahead of their next LP Blame It All On Love, out this Friday. As this Bengal tiger of a banger ten-piece reveals itself, we’ve figured out that Poolside’s still got plenty of tricks in their trunks on top of their well-established formulas. Case in point, instead of a characteristic cruise-ready cannonball, Poolside showed off a bit more of a downbeat breaststroke when they stopped by the KUTX tent last Saturday on Blame It All On Love‘s lead single “Each Night”. For a record all about romance, “Each Night”‘s placement in the record’s third act is a much-appreciated breather to keep things from getting too hot and heavy.

Madison Cunningham: “Subtitles” (ACL Fest Pop-Up)

One of the best parts of live concerts? Often you get to hear new tunes before they hit streaming. And one of the best parts of being with KUTX is that sometimes those sneak peaks come in the form of intimate, one-of-a-kind performances. So yeah, even though the gates are open and ACL Fest Weekend Two is officially in full swing, you’d better believe we’re still rolling out our incredible Weekend One repertoire.

And today’s in-tent listen is especially timely. It comes courtesy of Costa Mesa’s Madison Cunningham, a folk-pop Americana rocker whose finally getting some great traction. As the daughter of a pastor, the first leg of Cunningham’s career was spent within the Christian community. But not too long after touring with Andrew Bird and earning a Grammy nomination for her 2019 secular sophomore LP Who Are You Now, Cunningham culled her worship debut Authenticity from streaming. While we can’t attribute that migration towards agnostic thinking to a sense of restrictions being lifted, we do recognize the boundaryless beauty of last year’s Revealer, which scored Cunningham a Grammy for Best Folk Album this February.

Safe to say momentum’s on Madison’s side right now, and fortunately for us, that whirlwind of talent’s still in town. Madison Cunningham plays 10PM tomorrow night at Scoot Inn before returning to ACL Fest 12:45PM this Sunday at the American Express stage – two great opportunities to see this ever-maturing muse in-person before she blows up even more. But if neither are in the cards for you, don’t fret; the pop-up rendition of Cunningham’s latest (whose studio counterpart just appeared on streaming mere hours ago) “Subtitles” is accessible whenever you’re ready. After three-and-a-half minutes you’ll agree that, “good god, the pipes on this woman are something else!”.

Charlotte Adigéry & Bolis Pupul: “Making Sense Stop” (ACL Fest Pop-Up)

The primal temptation of a basic beat coupled with the hypnotic power of repetition; that’s how electronic music entices all types of listeners. When an instrumental groove grabs you and won’t let go, layers-deep social commentary (whether or not you agree) might not get fully processed…at least while the bass is still bumpin’. We wouldn’t go so far as to call it intentionally deceptive, but we do feel like that dynamic makes dance especially attractive to dissenting poets who could use some pulse appeal and producers on the prowl for honest opinions. People like Belgium’s Charlotte Adigéry & Bolis Pupul. They’ve both got their own oblique auras that allowed them to slip into Soulwax’s purview, but once they teamed up they doubled down on the discourse. As heard on their debut LP Topical Dancer, Charlotte & Bolis are actually pretty brilliant when it comes to making poignant observations sound chic and fun. And after bringing that baker’s dozen to ACL Fest and turning the Tito’s Handmade Vodka Stage into a Topical Dancefloor, Charlotte & Bolis proved that they don’t need a big space to make heads bob. Like Tom Tom Club strutted into a time machine, set course for 2023, and stepped out adorned in avant-pop, Charlotte & Bolis brought the boisterous bass, infectious bleeps and bloops, vocal chops and all to the KUTX tent with “Making Sense Stop”. And thanks to our immaculate multi-media team, you can witness it first-hand in this exclusive NPR Music video.

Frogmouth: “Not Listening”

Especially in their respective genre’s salad days, too many garage rockers and punks alike have inadvertently honored the unofficial “live fast die young” creed. But in recent times, some of the elder statesmen seem to only be having more fun as they’ve matured. And we’re not just talking about Iggy Pop. No, for the sake of this argument, and without trying to come off as ageist, let’s look at those who were young punks themselves back in the ’80s.

Folks like the four veteran rockers behind Frogmouth. They may be well-seasoned players of the local scene and beyond, but Frogmouth itself as an institution is hardly out of the tadpole phase. That hasn’t stopped these rowdy polliwogs from padding out a middle ground between classic acts like Velvet Underground and The Replacements and fresher threads to Rancid and The Strokes, all for an amphibious ecosystem of grungy, power-alt-garage-indie-punk rock that never takes itself too seriously.

Frogmouth’s spent much of 2023 ribbiting singles out onto streaming, all ahead of their debut EP Humor Me, which finally drops this weekend. The quartet headlines an all-ages release show Saturday night at The Mohawk starting 8PM with openers Space Cushion, Dropped Out, and Ne’er-Do-Well. So if you’re feelin’ froggy, hop on out there. If you’re more of a home toad, you can at least defy titles by cranking “Not Listening” up to 11, because this near-four-minute dynamic leap across retro power temperaments will activate your inner angsty teen in the best, catchiest way possible.

Chromeo: “Personal Effects” (ACL Fest Pop-Up)

We are back from ACL Fest 2023 Weekend One, and boy are we not returning empty-handed. That’s right, KUTX once again collected quite a few exclusive backstage performances that we can’t wait to share with the world…startin’ off strong with electro-funk tour de force Chromeo.

These Montreal multi-instrumentalists have been adding their polish to the genre for two decades now, with an exigent emergence at the start of the millennium that’s made them a household name for a whole generation. And by mingling retro-gold formulas against a modern pop backdrop, Chromeo’s created a flashy, flirty, and carefree character that’s earned them industry-wide collaborations and enormous crossover appeal.

Well, never a pair to be defined by genre terminology, next Valentine’s Day Chromeo boxes up their latest batch of synth-funk drizzled pop chocolate with Adult Contemporary. And as a matter of fact, last Saturday, before taking the Tito’s Handmade Vodka stage at ACL, Dave 1 and P-Thugg stopped by the KUTX tent, dressed to impress with AC‘s Prince-meets-Zapp lead single “Personal Effects”.

We ARE Playing Y’all & We’re at ACL Fest

Confucius and Fresh debate whether this is the best time for Austin hip-hop or not. Then they talk about this year’s Austin City Limits Festival, and relive their best and worst ACLfest memories. The Breaks will be interviewing Austin Artist Blckchyl ACLfest Bonus Tracks Stage Sunday, 10/15 from 2:45-3:15pm.

You’ll learn Hip-Hop Facts about Oukast’s Auqemini, why Russell Simmons passed on Nas’ Illmatic, and more, and how Baja Men’s “Who Let the Dogs Out” originated at Austin’s Reagan High School.

Fresh States the Unpopular Opinion that James Fauntleroy is the greatest songwriter-producer of a generation.

Confucius talks about Beyoncé’s record Renaissance tour profits, Austin’s status as a great place to open a business, Donald Trump’s gag order, Kevin McCarthy’s ouster as speaker of the house, and more in Confucius Reads the News.

Ama: “I See You See”

In this era where dropping digitally exclusive albums is not only the most affordable option for artists but also the best strategy to reach the masses, it can be tough to justify a physical format. But for some multi-disciplinary creatives, commemorating a release in a tangible format only arrives once framed within a fuller picture; people like Austin polymath Blair Robbins. On top of being an insanely talented visual artist and passionate pro-musician activist, this singer-multi-instrumentalist poet/songwriter’s been sharing their art under the handle Ama for the past decade. As Robbins’ philosophies and aesthetic’s evolved over time, so has Ama’s sound and personnel; it started out as a quartet in 2014 but without the restriction of a fixed lineup, Blair allows Ama’s artistry to permeate whenever the inspiration strikes, a liberty that extends to their abstract paintings as well. Sonically, Ama’s caught adoration thanks to retro-alt-indie rock, as heard on their mid-2010s EPs Losing Less and Trilogy, but their magnum opus to date is decidedly the 2020 full-length Both/And, a nine-track that’s racked up tons of support on Bandcamp. Both/And never received a physical print, and that’ll still be the case at least for the foreseeable future. That said, ahead of their sophomore LP Mother, Ama commemorates the record with a zine release 10:30pm this Saturday at Captain Quackenbush’s Soundscape alongside openers Frozen Orange at 8:30 and Dwight Smith at 9:30. We’re sure this zine will gives us some more personal context on the emotionally erudite enigma that is Both/And, plus a complete package of everything Robbins’ been refining over time. So grab a copy in person, gift yourself a one-of-a-kind multimedia experience, and crack open Blair’s cranium with the Elliott Smith-meets-Alvvays-esque original “I See You See”. Because after its four-and-a-half minutes, you’ll see exactly why Blair’s a rising force to be reckoned with.

Stella and the Very Messed: “Merchandiser”

Lots of longtime local concertgoers are likely to remember Cruiserweight. Now Cruiserweight has shared new music as recently as 2021, but not long before that, a couple of its crew members split off and started something a bit more…messy. We’re talking about Dave Hawkins and Stella Maxwell, co-founders of Austin quintet Stella and the Very Messed.

After testing out a couple of stripped-down demos at the turn of the decade, Stella and the Very Messed got a jump on the impending pandemic in early 2020 with their debut nine-track as a five-piece On Fences. Sure, S.a.t.V.M. retain a lot of the straightforward pop-rock formulas, hook-ready melodies and all, of their predecessor, but Stella et. al are admittedly more risky when it comes to playing around with arrangements and placement of instruments. Even though they kept listeners engaged with a triplet of new tunes in mid-2021 (Marigold), Stella and the Very Messed reckoned with the all-too-real creative obstacle of parenthood last year and ultimately decided to tap the brakes.

Well Stella and the Very Messed are finally back, and apparently pretty keen on making the most of their latest batch. They joined forces with Test Tube Audio producer Kevin Butler as well as Paradise Lunch co-producers Adam Mason and Walker Lukens to elevate a pair of pop originals into the pantheon of 2023 Austin-originating stunners. Catch the full band next Saturday at Sunny’s Backyard for an Oktoberfest release show, get a glimpse into “Crystal Ball” when you can, and make some space in your wardrobe for a T-shirt or two as you cash in with “Merchandiser”. It’s got a deceptively gentle introduction, because once “Merchandiser” hits the 40-second mark, the five-piece fires on all cylinders with ’80s-style synth arpeggios and MIDI percussion, moody electric guitar chords, a serious strut of a bass groove, and, almost goes without saying, the frontwoman’s fierce, refreshingly human vocals.

Yung Bae: “Awesome Ways” (feat. Nile Rodgers)

With some genres, as the sound evolves over time, the elder statesman typically stick to their age bracket. But that’s clearly not the case for funk. Yeah, as future funk takes listeners further and further into the electronic realm, the old guard don’t seem to have a problem mixing with the new blood. That brings us to Yung Bae. This prolific L.A.-via-Portland producer first gained momentum a decade back at the height of the vaporwave craze. While Japanese pop culture helped define the first leg of Yung Bae’s sample-heavy discography, since graduating from self-releasing to signing with a major label at the turn of 2020s, he’s adopted a preppy visual aesthetic that really complements a renewed emphasis on classic ‘disco-funk ’70s-’80s formulas underneath ice cold modern synth sonics. And of course, as Yung Bae’s reputation for greatness only grows, his list of collaborators does as well. That’s no secret to anyone who’s skimmed the track list of last March’s Groove Continental: Side A – which finds Yung Bae teaming up with the likes of Jon Batiste, Channel Tres, and more. Well, just like the international chain of hotels from the world of John Wick, Groove Continental: Side B features a rotating door of top-tier craftspeople including Tim Atlas, Mayer Hawthorne, and oh yeah…Nile Rodgers. Yung Bae drops GC:SB tomorrow, ahead of a DJ set 9PM Friday, November 3rd at Superstition. So put some Chic in your weekend with the incredible, generation-spanning chemistry on a future disco-funk anthem whose title almost serves as a spiritual successor to “Good Times”, “Awesome Ways”.

Sasha Ortiz: “On Your Side”

Back in 2013 the documentary 20 Feet from Stardom shed light on the often overlooked lives of backup singers. And since there’s strength in numbers when hitting harmonies alongside a fellow vocalist or two, it can still be easy for some to discount individual talent. So while there’ll always be perks to performing in a chorus, huge kudos to those who take their rightful place in the center stage spotlight.

Folks like native South Austinite (and T Bird and the Breaks original member) Sasha Ortiz, who spent the decade between 20 Feet and now in New York supporting soul royalty like Charles Bradley, Sharon Jones, and Lee Fields, not to mention The Kills, Carla Morrison and more. These days Ortiz calls L.A. her home, and it’s in that city of angels that Sasha’s finally ascended from must-have backup to main attraction.

Last Friday Sasha Ortiz unleashed her top-tier first solo installation Superblue, a four-track, dance-driven foray into cutting-edge R&B-soul. Superblue‘s sensual and exotic sound was realized with the help of rising producer-multi-instrumentalist Reef Boii and J Dilla/Blood Orange mastering engineer Dave Cooley, who together turned the album into an outstanding introduction for this not-so-newcomer. At just under seventeen minutes, there’s no real good reason to pass up Superblue, at least if you’ve been tracking the fascinating evolution of soul-R&B in the digital age. So start it off right with the EP opener “On Your Side”, whose UK-inspired liquid bass line, floating synth chords, and uncomplicated drum patterns pad a bed of forget-me-nots for Sasha Ortiz’s dynamic falsetto, all of which send this future superstar straight into the hyper-periwinkle stratosphere.

Click-Clack: “Welcome To Texas”

By design, the world of hip-hop is full of braggadocious personalities. But even the most prolific boasters can get tripped up by a perfectionist approach. Take for instance Austin rapper-producer-brandmaker Eric Mikulak, better known by his creative handle Click-Clack. Back in the early 2010s, alongside his role as frontman for rap-rock outfit Karmatron, Click-Clack used to crank out tracks nonstop from his home studio, sometimes writing, producing, and recording up to three tunes from scratch in a night. And the scorpio that he is, there’d typically be a roisterous social media presence before and after each new single release. Of course, as the genre’s evolved over time, Mikulak’s only matured, and it’s safe to say that making hip-hop entirely on his own is no longer a challenge. So while the confidence is rightfully still there, Click-Clack’s shifted focus towards fine-tuned, full-length collaborations with a rolodex of producers from across the globe, and entrusted mixing-mastering duties to other industry pros. As a matter of fact, Click-Clack just shared his second LP of the year, Hypercritical, last Friday. At just shy of a dozen tunes, Hypercritical offers yet another candid look into Mikulak’s complicated mind, flaws, insecurities, and all. Seven of the eleven enroll at least two outside producers in a sprawling sonic tapestry draped behind Click-Clack’s idiosyncratic verbal formulas, including “Welcome To Texas”, which enlists olly and fr4ud for a two-minute chop-heavy chipmunk soul masterpiece.