Blitz the Ambassador | The Warm Up [EP]

Blitz the Ambassador is a Ghanaian-American rapper known for dynamic live shows, a sharply honed flow, and self-empowering lyricism. He also has a great ear for beats, which is again on full display on his latest project. The Warm Up EP is exactly what it says it is: a warm up for his next full-length. But don’t assume that this is some throwaway effort or anything like that. Tracks like “Dikembe!” and “African In New York” are two of my favorites of the summer, though I’m biased when it comes to the latter and its Coming to America sample.

You can download the EP on Bandcamp.

Sunny & Gabe | Free Candy  [Album]

Virginia duo Sunny & Gabe make a distinctive blend of lo-fi, hip-hop, R&B, and jazz. Their debut album, Free Candy, mixes all those styles and then some, which can make it somewhat difficult to accurately describe what these two are doing. Well, no, that’s not true. They’re making some good-ass music with a lot of variety, and most of it sounds like it was recorded through some dusty old equipment. I mean that in the best way possible.

You can download the album here.

Harrison | When It Rains  [Album]

Harrison is a young producer out of Toronto who loves flipping the hell out of samples. At least, that’s what I’ve gathered from his projects so far, including the newly released When It Rains. The instrumental album, as its title implies, is perfect for rainy days when you want nothing but (mostly) laid-back tunes trickling out of your speakers. It’s got some future-funk vibes on it, too, so don’t only reach for this one when you’re feeling lazy.

You can download the album on Bandcamp.

JMSN | Love & Pain  [EP]

JMSN really knew what he was doing when he set out to assemble his new EP centered on “Love & Pain”. In addition to an edited version of the title track, the release features remixes by Kaytranada, Sango, Ta-ku, Mndsgn, and Dpat, among others. They all put their own refreshing spin on the brassy, moody R&B track from one of the stronger cats in the genre’s sorta-kinda underground realm.

You can download the EP here.

Dpat | In Bloom  [Album]

Houston’s Dpat made a huge mark on our radar this week with In Bloom, a stunning collection of tracks brought to our attention via the fine folks at Soulection. Several of their artists have a strong knack for crafting sensual, contemplative (mostly) instrumental R&B with just the right amount of vocal touches. It’s no surprise, then, that label brethren (and like-minded producers) Sango and Atu show up in the album credits.

You can download In Bloom on Bandcamp.

P.R | Moment In Time  [Album]

Fans of the late Nujabes and Pete Rock need to get to know P.R, an Australian artist with a knack for crafting jazzy, vibrant instrumentals. His new project, Moment In Time, is heavily influenced by those two legendary producers, but fans of lyrics needn’t worry because this isn’t an all-instrumental affair. Blu, Cise Star (of CYNE), Substantial, and Skyzoo all bring their A-game (or close to it) for their respective features. That’s particularly true for Blu and Cise on standout cut “We Will Make It”.

You can download the album on Bandcamp.

The Underachievers | The Lords of Flatbush  [Mixtape]

The Underachievers looked to deliver a series of bangers to their fans with The Lords of Flatbush, a quick-fire mixtape from the acclaimed Brooklyn duo. And, sure enough, Issa Gold and AK have followed through with their goal while also providing some sharp lyrical moments. For me, the finest portion of the tape comes toward the end, when the two hit your ear with three killer tracks in a row. It might not be as strong as Indigoism, but it’s a solid holdover for their next proper release.

You can download the tape on DatPiff.