Steve Lacy - Apollo XXI

The majority of the Internet's Grammy-nominated 2015 album Ego Death was produced by the band's newest addition, a high schooler named Steve Lacy. Word about the guitar-favoring instrumentalist quickly spread. Before he turned 21, Lacy had a hand in Top Ten pop LPs by J. Cole, Tyler, The Creator, Kendrick Lamar, Mac Miller, Solange, and Vampire Weekend, in addition to well-spent studio time clocked with fellow progressive artists including Kali Uchis, Blood Orange, and Ravyn Lenae. Lacy juggled this and more while participating in all manner of Internet (and related) projects, and in 2015 started releasing solo work. This included the "song series" Steve Lacy's Demo, six tracks recorded primarily with phone applications. Apollo XXI, his first album, is a little more refined, advancing his lazing, heartfelt mix of soul and funk with minimal varnish and no evident fuss. The rhythms have a rudimentary, still-demo-like charm, ranging from a functional plod to a hyperactive twitch. Lacy's t