For Your Listening Pleasure: New Albums by James Blake, Future, Deerhunter, Toro Y Moi and More

Written by: Christian Jatar

Every Friday, the music world deems it fit to release fresh new albums for us all to digest throughout the weekend. Here at The Mala Noche, we’ve decided to lump all the albums we thought you might like, into one clean, to the point, weekly roundup, called: “For Your Listening Pleasure.” Check back every Friday for some new recommendations from The Mala Noche staff!

Assume Form

by James Blake

James Blake returns with new album Assume Form. The Beyonce, Frank Ocean and Travis Scott collaborator, brings his distinct pop sensibilities into 2019 with eye-catching features such as Rosalía, André 3000, and (does this guy take a break?) Travis Scott. Blake not only has a stunning voice, but also an incredibly forward-thinking ear for production. Every song, every melody, is absolutely timeless. Don’t miss it.

The WIZRD

by Future

Auto-tune abuser, Future, is back with his 7th studio album, The WIZRD. He brings his usual electronic growls and moans with signature icy production to hype up your always debauch weekend plans. Features include Young Thug, Gunna and (you guessed it) Travis Scott.

Why Hasn’t Everything Already Disappeared?

by Deerhunter

In my humble opinion, Deerhunter is one of the more underrated rock outfits of the past couple of decades. They’ve released stunning albums such as Halcyon Digest and Microcastle, but seem to be left out of many discussions involving some of the better tracks of the 2000s (“Nothing Ever Happens” anybody?). Hopefully, their new album won’t disappoint, and if it does, well, there’s always their back catalog. Anywho, be sure not to miss this short but sweet little gem!

Outer Peace

by Toro Y Moi

 Toro Y Moi is a band that completely enamored me with a perfect little single (“So Many Details”) but has constantly failed to gain my utmost devotion through their albums. Every album seems a little to “chill” for its own sake. A little too drowsy for my taste. This time around he seems to have departed from his, of late, signature “chillwave” sound, towards a more electro-funk style. Maybe this time around it’ll works better as a cohesive whole. I don’t know, we’ll see (I know this is a terrible way to recommend an album, but I swear to god “So Many Details” makes the effort of listening to every new Toro Y Moi album a necessity, ‘cause you never know when he’s gotta hit his stride again).

Remind Me Tomorrow

by Sharon Van Etten

Singer-songwriter Sharon Van Etten returns with a more maximalist, rock sound with Remind Me Tomorrow. The album is already being hailed as one of the year’s best, and if I’m being completely honest, I’ve never heard a Sharon Van Etten album but the singles were really good, so hey, maybe let’s listen to this together? Yeah? No? Ok, that’s fine.

Watch Ja Rule’s Notorious Music Festival Fall Apart in Netflix’s “Fyre" Trailer

In one of the most bizarre stories of 2017 (and that’s saying something), rapper Ja Rule and bona fide swindler Billy McFarland organized a music festival that was advertised as high-class experience and was meant to promote the Fyre app. With the help of multiple Instagram personalities and celebrities, the event gathered a substantial crowd that traveled to an island in the Bahamas only to discover that the accommodations were less than luxurious, the food was far from gourmet, and the whole thing was falling apart.

Now documentarian Chris Smith, known from previous works such as “American Movie” and “Jim and Andy: The Great Beyond,” has set out to try to understand how this madman’s tale of American consumerism and festival culture came to be. Set to be released on Netflix on January 18, “Fyre: The Greatest Party That Never Happened” promises to be an interesting and highly entertaining look at what was probably the worst music festival of the decade.

The Mala Noche Recommends: "Barry," a Hilarious Dark-Comedy from HBO That Delves into the Minds of Both Hitmen and Actors.

Written by: Miguel Torrellas

Hollywood loves to see itself reflected on the screens. For years it has been said that films about moviemaking have a certain advantage when it comes to the Awards season because many of the industry’s professionals who do the voting and selection of the productions that are to be celebrated tend to favor those that deal with the world of show business itself. This trend has certainly been favorable for films such as “The Artist” or “La La Land,” which together managed to secure the incredible number of 24 Academy Award nominations, and has even affected television, with shows like “30 Rock” giving a peek at how the magic happens.

But for all of the love towards this kind of self-conscious, metafictional take, few stories tend to focus at one of the key parts of the machinery, the acting. Now, since the days of “All About Eve” and “Sunset Boulevard,” films have told stories that are actor-centric in one way or the other, but the focus on the craft of acting, the inner workings and techniques, is one far less common. That’s why HBO’s “Barry” is such an interesting examination of what acting means.

Created by and starring Bill Hader, along with “Silicon Valley’s” Alec Berg, the show tells the story of Barry Berkman, a highly skilled hitman that moves to L.A. and accidentally enters an acting class only to discover his true calling. Built around a pulpy setting that involves the Chechen mafia, the whole thesis of the series can be summed up in the words of Barry’s acting teacher Gene Cousineau, wonderfully played the Fonz himself Henry Winkler, just after successfully crying on command “It’s a teachable skill.”

Perhaps because of its abstract nature, few people realize the degree of practicality and training that comes with acting. Be it on the stage or the screen, the emotion that actors conjure comes from actual internalized experience. And so, when an actor cries, the trauma that they are revisiting is real. “Barry” is a clever enough show to tackle these kinds of ideas through an always entertaining setting and a 30-minute format, and by choosing a hitman as their protagonist, they managed to design a character that is always performing behind some mask.

While most of the strengths of the project come from its writing, there’s also some excellent camera work at play, with Hiro Murai, one of the most promising and interesting directors of the past few years, handling some of the most gruesome episodes. Additionally, an excellent cast of supporting players accompany Hader, including Anthony Carrigan, Stephen Root, and especially Sarah Goldberg, whose scenes with Barry exemplify the collaborative nature of the profession as well as the idea that two actors together are far more than the sum of its parts.

With a new Season expected to be released some time in the coming months, “Barry” has a lot to live up to from its first eight episodes, but I trust that Hader and Berg, who have promised a darker take on an already pretty grim story, will bring the same kind of offbeat blend of humor and pathos to the screens.

“High Life’s” New Trailer Will Take You for a Wild Ride in Space

Written by: Miguel Torrellas

I don’t want to spoil anything for you, and I certainly don’t want to brag (too much), but I got to see Claire Denis’ mesmerizing new film “High Life” at the wonderful 28th edition of Málaga’s FANCINE, which stands for Festival of Fantastic Film in Spanish. It was one of the few times when I actually was ahead of the curve when it came to a much-awaited release, and I’m so happy that it was for this one. And now that the juggernaut of independent film companies that is A24 has released a new trailer for it, all I can say is that is worth the wait.

Get ready for an uncompromising look at humankind’s efforts in space exploration that manages to be meditative and scarring at the same time. Denis’ take on science fiction never loses its humanity and carries with it a healthy dose of fetishism and obsession that, together with gorgeous imagery and claustrophobic set design, won’t be easy to forget.

And just look at that poster. What a beauty.

“High Life” 2019

The Mala Noche Recommends: Earl Sweatshirt’s Mind-Boggling "Some Rap Songs"

Written by: Christian Jatar

Earl Sweatshirt has been absent from the rap scene for a good three years. And in those three years, the 24-year-old has evolved into a rapper whose influences shine bright without completely overshadowing his supreme talent. Some Rap Songs (by the way, great fucking title) is a collection of mind-boggling, jazz-fusion inspired tracks that serve as some of the more unique rap songs (yeah, I know) of 2018. While his MF Doom (and at times, Cannibal Ox) inspiration is still very much apparent, especially on cuts like “The Bends” and “Cold Summers,” he still manages to breathe enough life into his darkly honest flows to give his music enough of a unique edge. The themes throughout are that of depression, anxiety, and dealing with the loss of loved ones (Earl’s father passed away in late 2018). He goes through each theme with precise detail and enough candor to make your skin crawl. The whole listening experience might be a bit daunting for the more casual rap heads, but there’s this strange, hypnotic pull in his flow, his odd collection of beats and samples that will surely satisfy the most demanding of music connoisseurs.

Favorite Tracks: “Azucar,” “The Bends,” “The Mint,” “Nowhere2go,” “Cold Summers,” “Shattered Dreams,” “Peanut.”

Earl Sweatshirt - Some Rap Songs (Released November 30th) Tracklist: 1. Shattered Dreams 0:00 2. Red Water 2:22 3. Cold Summers 4:06 5. December 24 5:12 6. Ontheway! 6:58 7. The Mint 8:40 8. The Bends 11:24 9. Loosie 12:58 10. Azucar 13:59 11. Eclipse 15:25 12. Veins 16:58 13.

Jake Gyllenhaal Debuts in the MCU with First "Spiderman: Far From Home" Trailer

Written by: Christian Jatar

The new “Spider-Man: Far From Home” trailer is here! Jake Gyllenhaal makes his Marvel Cinematic Universe debut as Mysterio, the new antagonist to Tom Holland’s effortless Peter Parker. The movie finds Spidey on a school trip to Europe, where his idealized chill lil’hangout with other awkward teens turns into yet another stereotypically huge CGI battle of “Avengers” proportions. Check out the full trailer below:

Watch the #SpiderManFarFromHome teaser trailer now. 7.5.19 https://spidermanfarfromhome.movie Follow Us on Social: https://www.facebook.com/SpiderManMovie https://www.instagram.com/SpiderManMovie/ https://twitter.com/SpiderManMovie Subscribe to Sony Pictures for exclusive content: http://bit.ly/SonyPicsSubscribe Peter Parker returns in Spider-Man: Far From Home, the next chapter of the Spider-Man: Homecoming series!

Also, don’t miss the new poster:

“Spider-Man: Far From Home” (2019)

The Mala Noche Recommends: “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse”

Written by: Miguel Torrellas

I want more films like this one, and I think we need more films like this one.

If we had to pinpoint the year that comic book adaptations truly changed, a moderately good guess could be that it was 2008. Christopher Nolan released the beloved “The Dark Knight” and proved that a realistic and gritty representation of a comic book hero could be both a critical and commercial success, an approach that to this day still remains unmatched. Together with this, Marvel’s hit “Iron Man” post-credit scene teased the arrival of “The Avengers” five years later, an equally monumental shift for its scope and execution.

It would wrong to say that nothing has changed in the past ten years. Marvel Studios itself perfected its movie/money-making machine. Films like “Guardians of the Galaxy” effectively combined a blend of action and humor, which is more often a miss than a hit. “Captain America: The Winter Soldier” provided some maturity to its generally light-hearted cinematic universe. “Avengers: Infinity War” built upon its predecessor promise of one big rumble and “Black Panther” gave a much-needed move towards diversity and a vision of Afrofuturism that had never been seen in a blockbuster. It even appears that after some major flops, DC Comics finally found its footing with the releases of “Wonder Woman” and “Aquaman.”

Nonetheless, it had been a while since I felt something uniquely different had been done with a comic book adaptation. The stories were feeling repetitive and while they were usually entertaining, they were never anything too exciting. It appeared as if this kind of productions were beginning to plateau. And amidst this uninteresting stage, “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” feels like a jump-start into new possibilities.

What makes you different is what makes you Spider-Man. Watch the new Spider-Man: Into The #SpiderVerse trailer now - in theaters this Christmas.

Partly written and produced by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, the dynamic duo that gave us both “Jump Street” films and the modern animation classic that is “The Lego Movie,” the story carries a frenetic pace and, much like the latter, a willingness to throw everything and the kitchen sink into the frame. Ultimately resulting in a tale that focuses on Miles Morales, an incarnation of the classic Marvel hero from a universe similar to ours, but features alternative versions of the character from multiple realms, each with their own design and style.

What enhances this uncommonly rich story is the work from the people at Sony Pictures Animation, where a group of over 140 artists crafted a look for the film that merges Computer Generated Images with the distinct dynamics of hand-drawn work, creating a genuine bridge between comics and movies that highlights the capacities of both mediums. It is a joy to watch such a lovingly made production that so deservingly establishes the animated movie as the best space for a “Spider-Man” story, showcasing the kinetic nature of the hero to its full potential.

Fans of all ages will encounter a script both smart and contemporary that cleverly remixes the themes of duality and responsibility traditionally embedded in the character with new ideas of what it means to wear the mask. When the subjects of heroism and sacrifice seem worn-out and weary after over a decade of adaptations, “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” manages to extract a meaningful message that rings true. All of this while throwing in more than a few thrilling action sequences.

The comic book medium has been able to use the same characters in different stories for decades all because of their ability and eagerness to tell original and strange adventures. It is the forward-thinking path that this kind of films should follow, and it’s the one worth supporting. Without looking backward, it is impossible to determine what is or will be an influential movie, but for the sake of all the future blockbusters, I definitely hope “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” is one of those.

Welcome!

Hey there! We'll be posting articles, reviews, and other cool stuff very soon!

Stay classy, Planet Earth.