Listen to excellent new EPs from Seattle’s Parisalexa and former Portlander Moorea Masa and the Mood, and get into Mic Capes’ impressive response to the new diss track by Hanif. You might also want to snag tickets and mask up for the upcoming SAINt JHN and Tyla Yaweh show.
MUST-LISTEN:
Two great new projects from locally relevant artists.
Heart in the Wild: Side B, Moorea Masa
Singer-songwriter and Portland-to-LA transplant Moorea Masa dropped a new six-track EP on November 12, following up Heart in the Wild: Side A from earlier this year with a gorgeous Side B. Moorea Masa did an interview with the Mercury earlier this year to discuss Side A—about her estranged and complicated relationship with her mother—as well as her mixed identity, and recent move to LA. The two connected EPs were three years in the making, and they were definitely worth the wait. All the way from upbeat project opener “In the Mood” to soft and sweet closer “Whispers,” the EP is overall relaxing, making for a great playlist to do work or take a bath to. My personal favorite is the ethereal track “Wild,” which sees Moorea making a slew of animal and nature metaphors, and beautifully singing “I don’t wanna be wild/ I wanna be free,” in the chorus.
Finishline, Parisalexa
Finishline, a noteworthy project from Seattle-born R&B singer-songwriter and one-time Portlander Parisalexa, also dropped on November 12 via Payday Records. The prolific vocalist, who now stays in Los Angeles, makes a bevy of confident, car and speed-related wordplay throughout. On project opener “Better Than Being in Love,” the artist chooses singularity over an unsatisfying relationship, and is feeling herself: "You slow ballin', never gave me my worth /Now you won't stop callin'/ That's exactly what you deserve/ I got all these niggas fallin Like the leaves all in the dirt/ Doin' me after this/ Yeah, I'm gone leave after this.”
On project highlight “Vroom,” Parisalexa self-assuredly sings “You could drive by, check the car out/ And don't forget the roof, I got stars now/ Rock, rockin' in the booth, going hard/ I really thought I needed you 'til I found out/ I'm the truth, vroom-vroom.” Meanwhile, on “Lucky,” Parisalexa reminds a prospective boo how lucky he is “to be fuckin’ with a queen like me.” There are also brand-new visuals for the first three tracks.
MUST-SEE:
One can’t-miss upcoming show.
The THESIS: Anniversary Show
While December is a notoriously dry month for shows, one thing we can pretty much always count on is a solid lineup for first-Thursday hip-hop showcase The THESIS. For the 7-year anniversary show, the Kelly’s Olympian stage will welcome 21-year-old rapper Bird Bennett as the headliner, along with rapper Swiggle Mandela, soul singer-songwriter Kingsley (who will no doubt be singing tracks from her timely new project Crying On Holidays), R&B-inspired singer Rain Ezra, and some surprise special guests. As always, scene stalwart DJ Verbz will be on the 1s and 2s.
Thurs Dec 2, 9 pm, Kelly’s Olympian, 426 SW Washington, $15 adv, $20 door , tickets here
ADDED TO THE QUEUE:
Some local music buzz to put on your radar.
“In Loving Memory…,” Mic Capes
Update on last week’s hot goss in the local rap scene: Hanif (FKA Luck-One) followed up his “Identity Fraud” diss track dedicated to Wynne with another one, “Bodies on Fessenden,” in which he becomes straight-up maniacal and aims to lyrically assault and kill Mic Capes. Well, Capes has retorted with his own epic track titled “In Loving Memory…,” which adds significant heat to an already spicy rap beef. In an Instagram post, Capes jokingly asks people to donate to a funeral fund for Hanif. On the new single, the St. Johns rapper makes remarkable burns throughout, poking at Hanif’s time in prison, his mental health, and much more. Whether you’re fans of one or both, the hometown battle rap saga continues to be entertaining as hell.