High Drags
Los Angeles, California, United States | SELF
Music
Press
According to their Facebook page, High Drags is "two bi-coastal siblings havin' a good time and creating tracks for those who wish to groove and lounge." Sold. The brother-sister duo, based out of Rochester, merge electronic and hip hop to create a sound that is both unique and somehow familiar. It's the music I would listen to while getting ready to go out on a Friday night with my girls..and in the car on the way to our destination..and if I didn't know that DJs hate requests (Fact. They really do.) I would ask them to play any of the 12 songs from their two albums. High Drags somehow manage to take the best parts of my favorite genres to create something that is hip hop without being gangsta, clubby without being annoying, and poppy without being syrupy sweet. Formed in August 2011, the duo released AOTKL in November, and the X-Mixtape (best holiday album name ever) in December. Yes, they started in August and already churned out two quality albums. AOTKL is just too good to be a debut, and their seamless blend of genres makes it easy to listen to on repeat. I did just that for an entire afternoon, and suggest you do the same. Brassy beats, breezy choruses, flowing rhymes and catchy lyrics await. - The Rockchester Daily
According to their Facebook page, High Drags is "two bi-coastal siblings havin' a good time and creating tracks for those who wish to groove and lounge." Sold. The brother-sister duo, based out of Rochester, merge electronic and hip hop to create a sound that is both unique and somehow familiar. It's the music I would listen to while getting ready to go out on a Friday night with my girls..and in the car on the way to our destination..and if I didn't know that DJs hate requests (Fact. They really do.) I would ask them to play any of the 12 songs from their two albums. High Drags somehow manage to take the best parts of my favorite genres to create something that is hip hop without being gangsta, clubby without being annoying, and poppy without being syrupy sweet. Formed in August 2011, the duo released AOTKL in November, and the X-Mixtape (best holiday album name ever) in December. Yes, they started in August and already churned out two quality albums. AOTKL is just too good to be a debut, and their seamless blend of genres makes it easy to listen to on repeat. I did just that for an entire afternoon, and suggest you do the same. Brassy beats, breezy choruses, flowing rhymes and catchy lyrics await. - The Rockchester Daily
In my experience as a music website quipper, there is nothing better than getting something actually good in the old email inbox. It probably happens more than I even know, but we get so so so many emails everyday and since prison rules are pretty strict (as you can imagine) we don't always get a chance to get to them all. But fortunately for all parties involved, I did read/listen/love to High Drags communication email and they are very good. But don't take my word for it (the jury certainly didn't) have a listen for yourself below.
- Electric Mustache
In my experience as a music website quipper, there is nothing better than getting something actually good in the old email inbox. It probably happens more than I even know, but we get so so so many emails everyday and since prison rules are pretty strict (as you can imagine) we don't always get a chance to get to them all. But fortunately for all parties involved, I did read/listen/love to High Drags communication email and they are very good. But don't take my word for it (the jury certainly didn't) have a listen for yourself below.
- Electric Mustache
[mp3] Introducing // High Drags
Written on December 20, 2011 by Rich in Local, Music .vaso link
The kinship between hip-hop and electronic music makes too much sense. Each passing year seems to bring about new music styles as artists blend them together to create original and memorable material. Trip-hop accomplished this fusion of genres, but with rap and electronic rhythms being found in the mainstream, artists continue to push boundaries and blend genres so as not to be pigeonholed as a one-trick act.
It’s appropriate that High Drags – a brother and sister duo out of our homebase of Rochester, NY (that features the Marissa half of Dave & Marissa) – would put this kinship of genres into action as they blend hip-hop and electronica into their own brand of pop music. Formed in August 2011, their debut release, AOTKL, has everything you could need for a night on the town – club beats, pop melodies, vocal hooks, flowing rhymes, traditional hip-hop beats, and even some brass and afrobeat-style funk mixed in on a track or two.
After a hyped up intro, we are catapulted into the beats of “Young Kids” featuring Cing James. The trifecta of spoken word, singing, and rapping from James blend perfectly to instill an easy-going vibe. From there the energy gets taken up a notch with “New War Games.” The vocals, confident and contented, melt into the synths and drumbeats, creating a song that floats along at a steady, atmospheric pace.
The energy reaches a head with “Run Fast Enough,” an anthemic song that can help you paint the town red while on a night out with friends. Driven by rolling synths and a pounding kick drum, the song is storm cloud of energy, packed with catchy melodies and combusting with a chorus that will be tacked in your mind for a long time.
The blending of genres continues throughout the remainder of AOTKL. And the best part is that it also continues to be hard to pin down any repetition in style from High Drags. This is eclectic music, united only by the consistency of strength in the beats and vocals. Hard to believe that this is a debut release, on top of the fact that the act formed no less than four months ago. It’s exciting to think about where High Drags will move on to from here because saying this album “shows promise” is an understatement. They’re already beyond that point and they’re only eight tracks deep.
High Drags //
Young Kids (feat. Cing James) [mp3] from AOTKL
High Drags //
Run Fast Enough [mp3] from AOTKL
Connect with High Drags // Facebook | Twitter | Tumblr | Bandcamp
- Tympanogram
[mp3] Introducing // High Drags
Written on December 20, 2011 by Rich in Local, Music .vaso link
The kinship between hip-hop and electronic music makes too much sense. Each passing year seems to bring about new music styles as artists blend them together to create original and memorable material. Trip-hop accomplished this fusion of genres, but with rap and electronic rhythms being found in the mainstream, artists continue to push boundaries and blend genres so as not to be pigeonholed as a one-trick act.
It’s appropriate that High Drags – a brother and sister duo out of our homebase of Rochester, NY (that features the Marissa half of Dave & Marissa) – would put this kinship of genres into action as they blend hip-hop and electronica into their own brand of pop music. Formed in August 2011, their debut release, AOTKL, has everything you could need for a night on the town – club beats, pop melodies, vocal hooks, flowing rhymes, traditional hip-hop beats, and even some brass and afrobeat-style funk mixed in on a track or two.
After a hyped up intro, we are catapulted into the beats of “Young Kids” featuring Cing James. The trifecta of spoken word, singing, and rapping from James blend perfectly to instill an easy-going vibe. From there the energy gets taken up a notch with “New War Games.” The vocals, confident and contented, melt into the synths and drumbeats, creating a song that floats along at a steady, atmospheric pace.
The energy reaches a head with “Run Fast Enough,” an anthemic song that can help you paint the town red while on a night out with friends. Driven by rolling synths and a pounding kick drum, the song is storm cloud of energy, packed with catchy melodies and combusting with a chorus that will be tacked in your mind for a long time.
The blending of genres continues throughout the remainder of AOTKL. And the best part is that it also continues to be hard to pin down any repetition in style from High Drags. This is eclectic music, united only by the consistency of strength in the beats and vocals. Hard to believe that this is a debut release, on top of the fact that the act formed no less than four months ago. It’s exciting to think about where High Drags will move on to from here because saying this album “shows promise” is an understatement. They’re already beyond that point and they’re only eight tracks deep.
High Drags //
Young Kids (feat. Cing James) [mp3] from AOTKL
High Drags //
Run Fast Enough [mp3] from AOTKL
Connect with High Drags // Facebook | Twitter | Tumblr | Bandcamp
- Tympanogram
High Drags-AOTKL. Self-released, 2011.
Yesterday, I wrote about why I write this blog, but I left off one very important thing that has kept me going for over 2 years here: I get to listen to a bunch of music I may have otherwise missed.
That’s not entirely true; I think, ironically, if I wasn’t writing this blog, I’d be reading more music blogs, as I’d have a little more time each day. But the blog forces me to listen a little more, to give the music I listen to more than a casual listen.
An album like High Drags’ AOTKL benefits from such a listen. High Drags are an electronic indie-pop brother-and-sister team from New York and California. Their music would seem simplistic, almost minimalist, at first listen. There’s something else going on here, though.
At times, such as on “New War Games,” there’s almost a very-late ’80s dance-pop vibe going on. On “Young Kids,” however, I feel like I’m sitting in my room in 1999, listening to that kind of mellow trip-hop like Morcheeba that everyone was going on about. Other times, High Drags seem to be cut from the same cloth as MGMT’s Oracular Spectacular. he impressive thing is that 1) They totally become each thing. Like, when they go all 90s trip-hop, that’s what they are. and 2) they manage to bring these influences together without it sounding jarring. AOTKB‘s greatest feat is that, despite a few different “sounds,” it sounds like an album, rather than a collection of songs. It manages to be distant, yet warm; mechanical, yet summery; nostalgic, yet new.
There’s actually a lot going on here, and I’m just glad I was listening for it.
AOTKL is available for free on the band’s Bandcamp page.
-jason
- toeleven
Discography
AOTKL (August, 2011)
THE X-MIXTAPE (December, 2011)
THE V-MIXTAPE (February, 2013)
Photos
Bio
High Drags started as a family band comprised of siblings, James and Marissa Longstreet. Originally from Upstate New York, James moved to Los Angeles and Marissa lived in Rochester, NY where they began their bi-coastal music project. Now, the two have come together in L.A. to continue making music and growing their group. As duo or with their 5 other members, the band is always able to adapt to any setting to perform a high energy set. With their main influences of folk, hip-hop and electronic, their shows offer a range and diversity to any concert.
Links
