BLXPLTN – “Black Cop Down” [SoundCloud Album Stream]

The Skinny: Hardcore electro-punk band BLXLTN (Blaxploitation) has released their debut full-length album, Black Cop Down. Haters of vowels and genre categorization alike, the band “deftly mixes fuzzy punk rock, grimy industrial electronica, hip-hop and vibrant pop music without making any of those descriptions seem cheesy or ill-advised.” (For the Love of Punk) Stream the new album just below.

BLXPLTN wowed audiences at this year’s Afropunk Festival, Red Bull Sound Select, and SXSW. Serving up music “that makes people smile really wide, but also feel like punching someone in the face,” (FADER) the band channels the energy and spirit of anarcho-punk to create a progressive sound steeped in a desire for social justice. On Black Cop Down, BLXPLTN challenges sensitive issues, from the idea of police enforcement as a government gang to black on black crime. The band says they hope to utilize their reach to open positive discussions.

As a bit for very sad news surrounding the album’s release, we did get word today that one of the producers, Ikey Owens, was found dead this morning while touring for Jack White. Our thoughts go out to Ikey, the band, his friends and family.