Fast-paced, stereophonic beats with plenty of soul are what Nicos Gun does best. The group’s 2011 album PLUSH is the ideal soundtrack for an end-of-summer block party. They’re a band that knows the value of great production. However, what really shines is the music’s unrelenting energy. Nicos Gun has made it clear in interviews that their sound is all about musically expressing their hometown and having fun doing so. That passion translates into infectiously funky grooves that sometimes lean towards psychedelics. Also on the night’s roster is freestyle master, Mic Stewart. Crowned 2012’s Red Bull EmSee National Freestyle Champion, Stewart really does have that flow. His lyrics are rife with references to his hometown. That emotional connectivity is the driving point of his music. Both acts lead up to the New York-based, Kilo Kish, a relatively young face on the scene who’s recent mixtape, K+, saw her working with big names in the hip-hop community. Combining casual freestyle over steely vocals, Kish allows her lyrics to expand and fill the spaces left by her minimalist, and oft experimental, instrumental tracks. Each performer represents their own, very unique, sound, but all three have the same, unrelenting passion driving their music. The Blockley, 3801 Chesnut St., 9pm, $3 – $10, 18+ (Nicos Gun Photo by Dan King) – Shaylin O’Connell
