We run a blog. Did you know that?
If you’re reading this newsletter, you probably did in some way. I always like to include a highlight or two from the blog in these newsletters. What you might have not known is we started as a blog back in 2012. I wanted to be like 2DopeBoyz or Potholes in My Blog, a mix of some news and opinions, but also a focus on sharing artists that weren’t really talked about on other blogs. Years go by, and it came and went in many forms. Now it’s been running in its current form (with Madison Bulnes as our editor at the helm!) for the last few years. We aren’t getting up a few posts a day like we once did, but I feel like we’re in a better place where we’re getting at least 600+ well-written words about good music up at least once a week.
I think this is important work simply because written words about music is cool. I always have thought seeing writers go long about something specific or unknown was one of the coolest things about the internet because it was no longer limited to being hired by a magazine or newspaper. Granted, it came at the perfect time for me where I was in high school and college when the blog era was happening, but I’ll still forever think it’s cool!
Of course, I think you should think it’s cool too. I wanted to share some nice pieces of writing I’ve seen in the last week (a couple as early as today and some I still need to finish reading) that should be worth some of your time.
How Do You Define An ‘AI Song?’ | The Andre Gee Newsletter, by Andre Gee
An Introduction to the Ambient Rap Scene | Pitchfork, by Alphonse Pierre & Olivier Lafontant
The 2026 XXL Freshman Power Rankings | The Linx, by Anthony Seaman
Words, They Never Stopped No Bullet | POW MAG, by Laila Simone
Four Leaf Clover is a project built across time, a collection of songs written, reworked, and refined over the course of years, spanning bedrooms, studios, and live stages. Sonically, Four Leaf Clover moves between musical worlds, pulling from the tension and drive of post-punk and alternative rock while folding in infectious melodies and groove-infused inspirations from funk, R&B, hip-hop, and pop.
It’s almost been a decade since Haasan’s last solo project, so we’re celebrating the release of it on Tuesday, June 30 with a free release show at Zone 3 in Allston, MA. Hosted by Allston Pudding, we’ll also have ET (of Van Buren Records) and Rochelle Blue opening up the night before Haasan goes on to perform the EP!
“Mango” is a groove-heavy experimental pop single from producer Fate , the second single off of his upcoming album, EVERGREEN, due out in July. Blending warm nostalgic textures, heavy bass, and the dreamy infectious vocals from NYC-based singer Dania, the track explores attraction and the irresistible allure of being consumed by someone else.
New project means new merch! We have limited t-shirts & cassettes available for Haasan Barclay’s new EP, Four Leaf Clover. Go over to our website and shop it up! Shipping these out next week.
EveryDejaVu presents: Blu & Exile
Somerville, MA @ Crystal Ballroom on July 14
Featuring:
Bliss Station (@flamingosis & @ehiorobo_)
@jaycinemaa & @chowy.mein
@_sirplus_
w/ @lilithnsid DJing all night
Very excited to bring Blu & Exile to Somerville. As some of you who have followed for a while may know, EveryDejaVu’s name comes from a Blu song and was started as a blog that essentially kicked off with a Blu interview back in 2013. Going from that moment to now bringing Blu & Exile to Somerville and stacking the lineup with EveryDejaVu label artists, feels surreal.
Hope to see you there!
“It’s a regular colloquial, black expression that I be using when I’m deadass serious. It without a doubt captures my intensity when it comes to my pursuit of every passion of mine,” says KJADE on the title of her newest release, On Everything I Love. A Phoenix-based rapper and artist, much of her work has a distinct focus on career and community. However, this project has a sense of true authenticity, an intense yet familiar sound that reflects personal reconciliation. In her own words, “I looked at the ways I would lay parts of myself down on the line in the name of love and [inevitably] those parts of me would die… and those little deaths added up to make the album.”
Just a quick listen to the warbly, relaxed instrumental of “Play2TheWhistle” and the much more precisely timed, slightly eerie thuds of “Stardust” proves this point, and a full listen to the album provides the listener with a neatly designed compact experience that is simultaneously full of sonic range. As a lyricist, Sue can be humorous: “Made me VAR, she bad, I had to look twice” is a personal favorite. Elsewhere, he engages with his own personal experiences and wider political issues in poetic and emotionally sobering ways, creating an album that can surprise a listener while feeling like a fuller expression of Sue’s personality. Although the album certainly delves into some bleak topics—the skittish drums on “Catapult” provide a lively backing as Sue mentions being “consumed by my anger… stressing for an answer… ‘til my lungs gave away… my health made me break,” and “Stardust” speaks explicitly about the multiple ongoing conflicts in the Middle East with reflections on colonialism also appearing throughout Rapihaler—Sue spends much of the album striving to find hope, finally finding it on its emotive closer ‘U Wish!’
Come say hi! All of our blog posts, label news, etc are posted in there. You can submit your own music to our blog, share for feedback, talk about what you’re listening to, or just share bad jokes. I’m here for all of it!
Updated with every new song we release, as well as focus tracks from the albums & EPs.
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