Australia's Alnitak Kid, Nelson Dialect & Nate88 Form Variations of Light & Release Debut Project LUNAR BEAUTIFIC (Bleu Avian Records)

"Variations of Light. My new group and album with Alnitak Kid & Nate88. Lunar Beautific drops April 19. 3 releases in 4 months. No slowing up here..." Nelson Dialect (@Dialect.Official) wrote within a Facebook post earlier this month. I believe, the "3 releases in 4 months" Nelson is talking about are, in fact: Nelson Dialect + Architech's Opera House released on Galant Records, So.Crates / Alnitak Kid / Nelson Dialect's Sunset Cities on Bedroom Suck Records, and, of course, Variations of Light's Lunar Beautific released a matter of days ago on Bleu Avian Records. Trusty readers of The Witzard will, likely, recognize Nelson Dialect's name from his eppearances on "Beyond The 10th," "In The Pocket," and "Hold It Down" on Side B of Ray West & The Soul Misfits self-titled "one-off" cassette for Red Apples 45/FatBeats. Alnitak Kid, Nelson Dialect & Nate88 are three Adelaide, Australia-based artists, who have now, teamed up to collectively form Variations of Light; through Lunar Beautific's album roll-out, Variations of Light have garnered favorable reviews from across The Internet and even scored recent music video/single premieres on both Complex Australia & EARMILK.

From what I can gather, Lunar Beautific was recorded as a group production and painstakingly created through a series of long jam sessions with Nelson Dialect on the mic and sampler, Nate88 on keyboards, and Alnitak Kid providing a lush, organic production soundscape. It's an extremely enjoyable listen—clocking in at just under 24 minutes—with a sound largely indebted to Soul/Funk and "live" Hip-Hop bands, such as The Roots, Jurassic 5, Phony PPL, and even, Ray West & The Soul Misfits. Variations of Light even went as far as to recruit frequent Black Milk, Pharoahe Monch, Method Man & Redman, Phat Kat, and Slaughterhouse collaborator Melanie "M." Rutherford to grace single "Petty Love" with her lush harmonies. American Jazz & Soul singer Lauren Henderson is also, featured on Lunar Beautific stand-out "Stay Low," as well. Lunar Beautific was Mixed By: Deckdaddy & Mastered By: Adam Straney at Breakpoint Mastering. Variations of Light's Lunar Beautific is currently available to stream, purchase, or download from Bleu Avian Records' Bandcamp page, along with 150 limited edition 12-inch vinyl LP's available online.

"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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