A guide to the ten best releases of 2016. So far. WIKI: LIL ME DELUXE EDITION In December, Ratking’s Wiki released Lil Me: an 18-track collection that captures New York circa now — grime, decay and regeneration, the sound of a city that’s slipping away. Lil Me is a love/hate letter to a lost place, layered over terse,…

The NYC-based rapper releases an expanded edition of his acclaimed solo debut, featuring a new video, bonus track, lyric sheets, and more. In December, Ratking’s Wiki released Lil Me: an 18-track collection that captures New York circa now: grime, decay and regeneration, the sound of a city that’s slipping away. Lil Me is a love/hate letter to a…

From Ratking to Rubble Kings: how DIY scenes and outside voices shaped pop culture in 2015. 2015 saw creativity’s declaration of independence.  More than 41% of artists we surveyed now say that direct-to-fan distribution — the freedom to share work without a label or a studio — is the single biggest change impacting the arts. It’s bigger…

The award-winning publication becomes the first to use BitTorrent Bundle as its primary digital distribution channel. Read up. Last October, we partnered with The FADER to release a landmark archive: a 100-issue collection spanning the magazine’s 16-year history as the definitive voice of new music and culture. More than 1 million readers downloaded The FADER 100. And today, starting…

30 days in 10 essential downloads from The FADER, Soulection, Fresh Moss, and more. Soulection: White Label Series 001 – 016 The influential beat collective shares a living digital archive for all things White Label, spanning 16 editions, including the latest from Monte Booker, and bonus tracks. Euro League: Continuum EP Volume 1 At 26,…