Many situations can prevent an artist from releasing music on the regular… There’s the hectic, often international, DJ schedule getting in the way of studio time. There’s the hectic, often talent-rammed, label release schedule, meaning you have to get in line.
There’s also the crippling self doubt that many artist suffer during their isolated studio sessions and the added intensity of social media echoing back instant reactions: knee-jerk reactions made within seconds based on songs that have spent days/weeks/months in the making.
That’s before we get to circumstances such as sample clearance, contract formalities, the general belief that less releases are more and myriad non-work commitments. In a nutshell; no release is simple, not even in the age of internet immediacy.
Unless you’re AWE. He’s embarked on a refreshing music mission that throws all of the above out the window and will see him dishing out a new track – for free – every week until he “gets bored”.
What began as a means to “make up for inactivity” with the short, two weeks ago has now turned into three tracks: First there was the succinct tech/trap/bass hybrid 3MV, followed by the star gazing Koto then, last night, the schizoid Rakem.
From making up for lost time to initiating a progressive creative campaign, here’s what AWE has to say about the mission so far… And what we can expect in the future.
“If you haven’t noticed, I’m releasing a song for free every Tuesday. The last two I actually started and completed the night before they were put up, which I think is pretty cool! This one I finished a little while ago and I think this is a dope way to put it out.
“I want to make up for inactivity and just be punk rock about things, so I’m gonna do this until I get bored of it or whatever. Maybe I’ll put two songs up a week. Maybe I’ll give out some samples or stems soon. I dunno. Just gonna do whatever I want to do (which is a great feeling!)
We’re down with this: the most exciting music is always borne from a ‘zero fucks’ mindset when an artist feels free to do what they want and not what anyone else expects from them, which is clearly where AWE is at right now.
Each of these short, club-focused cuts show a rougher, edgier side to the LA artist that we’ve never seen before… And have no idea what will follow next. Rest assured, we’ll be keep a closer eye on AWE’s Soundcloud every Tuesday from now on…
