MellowHigh, an extension of Odd Future's MellowHype (Left Brain and Hodgy Beats), will take over the Waiting Room tonight, on tour for their self-titled debut album MellowHigh.

Read my exclusive buffaBLOG interview here, and peak inside the mind of the MellowHigh fellas, the wolfs from the gang: Hodgy Beats, Left Brain and Domo Genesis. Here are some quote snippets from the interview.

Left Brain on why he loves music: "Because, it makes me move, my body. I want to move my body. I don't know anything else, I want to move my body. It's a source of energy. When music turns on, people start moving. When you turn the light on, the fucking room is bright. It's like a source of energy. And I like it."

Domo on the OFWGKTA bond: "These are just my friends. These really are my friends, you know what I'm saying? Before we did music or anything we were all just hanging out, so it didn't really mean much more than just a normal friendship. These are the things we do. When it comes to money and distribution and stuff like that, we're gonna do it all fair and easy because these are my homies. We have stuff, but we all come together. And be like, 'yo, you guys are tripping.' We're homies and we're gonna stay that way."

Hodgy on MellowHigh: "There's like a chemistry or something in the air, and it just worked out. We all know each other."

Their story says it all, need I say more?



After Dark Entertainment presents the event. Opening the night will be performances from two local acts: Network and Koolie High.

Network, comprised by Derek Sullivan and Quinton Brock, set themselves apart by bringing an electronic instrumental vibe to their tunes. The duo has opened for names like Pusha T and Wale. Their EP Wake Up was released on Oct. 31 this year, and is available for pure listening and free download on their Bandcamp page.


Gaines and ToneyBoi lead the KooLiE HiGH gang. While youthful high schoolers they signed to Nickel City Records. Since, the "Krew" has grown, and includes Skateboard MctwistUp, Mr. H-n-F, XtraFresh, M.A.R., TeaPot, Alize' and more. Their motto is to "Live Life Be KooL," cooling out and twisting up. Verses and beats of theirs can be found scattered on SoundCloud, YouTube and one of my all-time favorite go-to websites, DatPiff.

When hip hop duo Network released their debut album back in July, their experimental, highly lyrical style brought an interesting flavor to the local scene. With sparse production and samples that range from eerie to highly melodic, combined with the fiery delivery of lyricist Quinton Brock, the pair have captured an ambitious, melancholic sound that stands out even in this progressive era of rap.

Their newest EP, Wake Up, is a purposeful progression for the project, both lyrically and sonically towards a defined identity with Brock sounding more resolute than ever before on tracks like "Loon" and "Tarred and Feathered." Producer Derek Sullivan's instrumentals range from abrasive to mellow and reflective with a distinctly analogue sound that captures the gritty nature of early hip hop production. Not surprisingly, a lot of ground is covered in just 5 tracks for a duo that cites indie rockers Sonic Youth and Deerhunter as influences.

From the distorted ambient intro, "Aestivation," which brings to mind Kid A-era Radiohead and the paranoid, industrial sounding "Hypnic Jerk," Network continue to break ground in a genre that has seen the lines impossibly blurred over the last few years as seemingly disparate influences come together in true hip hop fashion. Download Wake Up on the project's bandcamp page and check them out live as they open for Domo Genesis and MellowHigh of Odd Future at the Waiting Room December 7th.

Ambitious experimentation and the pushing of boundaries has always been a feature of hip hop that helps reshape the genre's identity and keep things fresh. When it comes to breaking new sonic ground and making an intriguing statement, the debut record serves as a listener's context free invitation to see what ideas a young artist is willing to work with in order to find their voice.

The first release from Buffalo hip hop duo Network, with samples ranging from sinister to deeply souful, paired with fragmented drums and Derek Sullivan's abstract production,is everything you might expect a sonically adventurous rap album to sound like in 2013. Quinton Brock's lyrics seamlessly turn from introspective to fiery, angst filled screams on tracks like "Presents" and "Thrush." The result is a sound that brings together the poetic delivery of rappers like Earl Sweatshirt with the abstract production and dizzying flows of Shabazz Palaces.

Perhaps the album's most haunting track, "X-Files," is a stripped down, banger telling the story of the darker sides of partying, with lines about mid week drunk driving referencing the thematically similar Mr. Muthafuckin' EXquire track "Huzzah." It's this ambivalent view of the typically glorified rap lifestyle that makes for some of raps most affecting and often misinterpreted tracks (see Kendrick Lamar's 2012 hit "Swimming Pools"). Where you would usually expect a boasting, gaudy delivery, Brock maintains a dead eyed, menacing flow that helps build the song's tension, making way for a experimental breakdown.

Network continues to go deeper on the following track, "Soft Horses." Here, The Stylistics' "You Make Me Feel Brand New" is sampled and combined with hazy production and crass drums to create an incredibly affecting hip hop instrumental that stands out as one of the moments on the record where the duo's vision comes together. Dealing with heavy themes of isolation and lost love, Brock is at his most transparent here with lines like "I look like a bitch if I say that i'm depressed, but fuck it I can say it 'cause I got no one to impress," and "I'm a realist, I don't believe in love/ so instead of chasing girls I experiment with drugs." Full of thoughtful couplets and insightful lyricism that touches on the social stigma's of mental illness and the overwhelming feeling of being trapped by your own thoughts, the track serves as the album's most convicting statement.

On the more uptempo, bass heavy, "Thrush," experimental vocal samples are paired with a driving, catchy bassline and drum beat. The track features one of the record's catchiest hooks making way for an extended breakdown leading to the shouting refrain of "Don't you feel the same." The whole thing feels ready to come apart before coming to an abrupt end. Sullivan's ethereal production continues on "The Great Ice" as a piano riff halfway through the track make for a wide-eyed, optimistic feel that serves as a refreshing change of pace.

The previously released single, "Chocolate Milk," initially brought our attention to Network, with its highly imaginative video directed by James Davis. The mellow track ends the album with a syncopated drum beat and Quinton Brock's haziest, most deceptive flow, hinting at the crossover appeal that this project possesses despite the production's experimental nature.

As hip hop continues to move forward, artists continue to bring together disparate ideas and sounds that don't sound like what we've come to expect from the genre, but are an essential part of its identity. As is apparent with many aspiring MC's debut releases, the will to push boundaries and make a statement is ever present on Network, a record that while isn't flawless, is willing to take risks and possess creative moments giving a clear look at the duo's statement while also hinting at undeniable potential.

Buffalo hip-hop duo Network is a collaboration between Derek Sullivan and rapper Quinton Brock that combines progressive production with insightful lyricism to achieve a fresh sound that pushes genre boundaries. The first single from the pair, "Chocolate Milk," features crisp drum production, smooth flows and introspective lines set to a mellow instrumental and can be downloaded for free on their bandcamp page. Today, the video for the track was released and follows Brock as he sips on chocolate milk, runs through a snowy field, and ends up in on a beach before wandering the streets with his beverage of choice in hand. With impressive visual work and production, it's liable to be one of the most creative hip-hop videos you've seen in recent memory. Check out the clip below.

Network is the alternative rap venture of Quinton Brock and Derek Sullivan both of whom have been involved in their own respective musical projects since high-school. Before hooking up with each other, Brock went under rap moniker "Scooter Brock" while Derek played the bass in Sleepy Hahas. They met, formed a comradeship, and the rest is history. As Network they hope to make a unique statement with their music. One that attests to a respect for various musical genres (they cite Sonic Youth, the Pixies, and Deerhunter as inspiration for instance) and a glimpse into their own personal life, giving a fresh voice to describe what it feels like to be an early 20-something year old living in Buffalo.

buffaBLOG: Who are you and what do you do?
Quinton Brock: I'm Quinton and I'm the rapper / songwriter.
Derek Sullivan: I'm Derek and I make the beats.
Quinton Brock: We go as Network, me and Derek have a partnership.

buffaBLOG: How did you guys come up with that name?
QB: Derek came to me with the name, at first I was apprehensive, but what really crossed me was that he showed me the movie "Network"
DS: That's where we got the name.
QB: It's from the 70s, you should definitely check it out.

buffaBLOG: Where did you guys get together in the first place?
QB: I started out as Scooter Brock, I was making rap songs, I was in high-school, and shooting videos. I needed a pair of Beats headphones for my music video. So I was sending out Facebook messages to all my friends, "Does anyone have a pair of Beats I can borrow?" My friend Dan, who was my bass teacher at the time, told me to hit up Derek, and I asked him if he had a pair of "Beats headphones" and then Derek said, "No, but I make beats."
DS: He started making a mix tape, and I sold him a bunch of Beats that I made in High-school, and he was into them and I was surprised he was into them, because no one really gave me any positive responses, he made a mix-tape with them.
QB:  It was hosted by Young Money's DJ, DJ Kid Famous, he actually hosted my first mix tape.

buffaBLOG: (Turns to Derek) Describe your beat making process.
DS: I have a Korg Triton keyboard from 1992 and an MPC 1000. I sample from either a single channel turntable, or from my iPod through a mixer. I've been using a drum machine since 9th grade in high school, I'm so familiar with it. I like the sound we have from the hardware, that analogue sound. I'll sample everything, I sample Questlove, Cocteau Twins. I'll add movie samples, every song on the Network album has a movie sample.

buffaBLOG: (Turns to Quinton) So what do you do when he shows you a beat?
QB: Derek will never show me a beat unless it's in his car. So I have to sit down in Derek's car, because when you listen inside a car you're engulfed in it. If Derek has a hook idea, he'll tell me. It's my job to almost interpret it, and from there I'll write the rest of the song.

buffaBLOG: What's the difference between Network and the previous stuff you've done?
QB:  I used to write songs about anything, I wanted to be like Mac Miller or stuff like that. But now I'm drawing from life experiences. With this project, more so than anything else before, I wanted to be completely honest, with myself and completely honest with the listener. If the music isn't real and not coming from a real place, then how can I expect anyone to believe what I'm saying? I'll sit down and listen to the entire album, just the beats alone. I've been doing this since March. Derek makes the album musically coherent, and I feel like it's my job to tell a story with it. For me, Network is a shot into my life right now. I feel like after we put the project out, the sky is the limit.
Derek: The production is done, the beats are done, mixed and mastered. All that really needs to get done is the vocals, I want to mess them up as much as possible.

buffaBLOG: Last question, I have to know, what's your favorite pizza topping?
DS: Caramelized onions
QB: Buffalo Chicken

Tomorrow, you can join them to celebrate the album's completion. Network will be hosting  a release party at the Vault, where Derek and Quinton will be performing their album live. All proceeds will be donated to the Senase Project. See ya there.