No Reading Allowed Author Raj Haldar Returns with New Lushlife Single "Hessdalen Lights" from Redamancy EP (Fortune Tellers)

Lushlife (Rajesh "Raj" Haldar) has long been one of our favorite emcees/producers here at The Witzard. We've been closely paying attention to and following his career since about 2005 upon the release of his Kanye West/Beach Boys mash-up mixtape, West Sounds. Lushlife has since let loose a gaggle of genre-defying releases including, but not limited to, collaborations with Ariel Pink, Killer Mike, CSLSX, Cities Aviv, STS, Dice Raw, Heems, Zilla Rocca, Sad13, R. Stevie Moore, Kevin D'Mello (Fakevinyl, Forevertron,) Camp Lo, eLZhi, billy woods, Moor Mother, John Morrison, and Khruangbin. As you can see, Lushlife has always comfortably teetered the fine line in-between Hip-Hop/Indie Rock; a prime example of this being "In Soft Focus" from Lushlife's 2009 effort, Cassette City, credits Rajesh Haldar with backing vocals/turntables, drums from Kyle Cedermark, primary features from Ariel Pink & eLZhi, and production from Lushlife himself.

Lushlife's last full-length project was 2017's MY IDOLS ARE DEAD + MY ENEMIES ARE IN POWER (or Idols + Enemies, for short) although, in the years since, he has been far from inactive. Haldar served as The Philadelphia Eagles' official Touchdown Club DJ from 2015-18 assembling numerous Eagles Game Day Spotify mega-playlists and even remixed The War On Drugs' GRAMMY-winning "In Chains" at the end of the 2017-18 season. Raj Haldar has, additionally, forged a side-career as an acclaimed author with his witty 2018 children's picture book P Is for Pterodactyl: The WORST Alphabet Book. It has already spawned two like-minded spin-offs, P Is for Pterodactyl Coloring Book: The WORST Coloring Book Ever and Raj Haldar's Most Wondrous Creativity Card Game Ever. Earlier this year, Haldar returned with his second published book, No Reading Allowed: The WORST Read-Aloud Book Ever.

Both books' widespread success earned Raj Haldar a TV development deal for said kids' book projects, as well as a "Social Horror" TV series set in India entitled Cult of Aghori. Just yesterday afternoon, Lushlife returned with his first offering of proper solo music since Idols + Enemies, an ethereal new single entitled "Hessdalen Lights." BrooklynVegan, who premiered Lushlife's "Hessdalen Lights" upon its release yesterday, called it an "airy, psychedelic, genre-defying song, which is a very promising first taste of the EP." It boasts a feature from Dirty Projectors Felicia Douglass and said EP will, additionally, feature select members of Irreversible Entanglements, HPrizm (FKA High Priest of Anti-Pop Consortium,) Noise-Rap God heads dälek, and more.

Redamancy, Lushlife's forthcoming 2021 EP is already being billed an ambitious project which aims to "re-cast classic East Coast Hip-Hop in the context of an Astral Jazz synth odyssey." An entirely self-produced EP, Redamancy successfully "[creates] a universe where gorgeous synth arpeggios and Bomb Squad squeals fit hand-in-hand" and "bristles with the energy of an artist willfully deconstructing his sound into something new," according to a press release. Lushlife's Redamancy EP will become available early next year, Friday, February 19, 2021 on Peter Matthew Bauer of The Walkmen's new imprint, Fortune Tellers. Both P Is for Pterodactyl: The WORST Alphabet Book and No Reading Allowed: The WORST Read-Aloud Book Ever are now available to order online just in time to help (un)confuse your favorite pre-schooler this holiday season.

"Let Me Shine for You:" Lindsay Lohan for Playboy (Winter 2011-12 Leak)

Lindsay Lohan essentially embodies exactly "What NOT to Do In Hollywood :" Fame, fortune, success... sex, drugs & Rock "N" Roll . Within a fairly short period of time, Lohan somehow managed to obtain a plentiful helping of POWER @ a very young age. This gradual rise-downfall was captured on film; Between 1998-2010, she portrayed a wide array of roles across the silver screen in movies including: Mean Girls, Bobby , Herbie Fully Loaded , Georgia Rule, Machete , and Freaky Friday . Between rapid-paced film shoots, Lindsay Lohan also found time to record 2 Pop Rock albums for Casablanca , Speak (2004) and A Litter More Personal-Raw (2005). Needless to say, Lindsay Lohan has gotten roped up in a lot of troubles and woes with the law over the last 3-5 years... a vicious cycle of drugs, arrest, court, rehab, "daddy issues," jail time [Repeat]. That's the pure basics of it - But Google that shit for additional info, if necessary. Towards the end of

[W]reckless, Topless American Youth: Lana del Rey - "Born 2 Die" (Britney Spears Birthday 30)

Lana del Rey [Lizzy Grant] effectively became 2011's "It Girl" with the release of her phenomenal debut single, "Video Games" (Stranger) . Like many struggling singer-songwriters, Grant has been signed, dropped, and significantly changed her public image since bursting onto the scene (2009). With that said, it can be assumed that Lana del Rey has collected just as many "haters" as she has avid supporters. To be perfectly honest, the only other artist I can think of that made this much commotion... garnered so much wide-spread buzz/hate and critical acclaim -- right out of the gates -- with just one track is Britney Spears . And maybe in this post- Mike musical era, that's the true synthesis of Pop Culture: Britney Lynn Spears . After months of repeated teasing and speculation, Lana del Rey 's major label debut, Born 2 Die will [finally] be released this coming Jan. 30-31, 2012. Pitchfork reports that it will feature "Off to The Ra

Liberty Bell Cracked In 1/2: Ween - "Freedom of '76" (Gene Ween's Final Send-Off)

Chocolate & Cheese (1994) was one of the first albums I bought with my own money. I was in some sort of BMG Music Club , where you'd buy 5 CD's and then get 10 for "FREE." It was all sent through mail order and you picked the titles from some special booklet. I'm almost positive that Chocolate & Cheese's side boob-baring album cover was what initially drew me in... mind you, I was 12-15 and the zany Ween logo/middle finger CD graphic really didn't hurt either. Honestly, I forget how I really felt about it @ the time, but a few years later, my older cousin Josh told me that Ween were this BIG college "jam band." CKY did some sort pf 93.3 radio takeover to promote their new album and played "Freedom of '76" late that night on air. Needless to say, I re-visited Chocolate & Cheese @ about 20-something this go 'round and I fucking loved it! Ween were really weird, yet talented... almost too talented. I can vaguel

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