Kalae All Day – Pass Times & Crass Lines [MIXTAPE]

Kalae All Day, winner of the 2010 “Rising Star” New York Music Award and an early alumnus of Birthplace Magazine’s “5 Reasons Why New York Hip Hop Doesn’t Suck,” releases Pass Times & Crass Lines, a 17-track mixtape which further showcases the varied skill and eclectic aura that’s keeping Kalae’s buzz growing.

As soon as the jazzy sounds and staggered cadence of “Aquarium” hits, new listeners have an idea of the style Kalae All Day utilizes, a mix of wordplay and gentle verbal acrobatics that permeate the project. Her ability to switch between rhyming and singing over smoothed out, neo-soul-ish tracks is best exemplified by standouts like “Go Home,” a jazzy track evoking an Erykah Badu-like vibe that is simply super smooth and enjoyable.

At times Pass Times & Crass Lines, a solid upgrade to Kalae’s already memorable 2010 AFROMATIKNEOHIPPIEROCK*SOLEMUZIK, is silly and playful, at others, introspective and eyes-closed-sway-back-and-forth-inducing, but at all times easy listening, and not in the elevator music way, but in the “I want to play and then replay this” way.

It is worth noting that while the project can stand on its own, it also does little to demonstrate the on-stage ability Kalae possesses. Her typically commanding performances, lately backed by a highly competent musicians and singers, tend to convince nearly all who witness that Kalae All Day is indeed a rising star, getting close to being one big opportunity away from the proverbial “next level.”

We’ll be happy to say “told you so” when it happens. In the meantime, do swing on over to Kalae All Day’s Facebook page to score the free Pass Times & Crass Lines download.

Kalae All Day – Go Home [Prod. by Flying Lotus]
[audio:gohome.mp3]