Crane City Music is thrilled to release BLEU by Seattle's Dave B on limited-edition, colored vinyl. The fourth record by this multi-talented rapper, singer, writer, and producer, BLEU explores the anxieties of adulthood in our social media-drenched new millennium. It's a deep, witty, and contemplative scroll through frustration and love. As journalist Jasmyne Keimig explains in her liner notes, the project is an optimistic look at 'the money woes, the creeping loneliness, and the isolation of modern living. ' The ten-song record is introspective, intimate, intensely personal, and raw autobiography, framed against lush production from a collaborative team of producers, including Papi, Sango, Wax Roof, Vitamin D, Daoud, Esta, and U. Moore. BLEU contains 'catchy tales of relationships, pretty love songs, and incredibly honest doses of self-reflection," as described by Respect My Region in their review. A choir kid-turned-rapper-and the legit son of a preacher-Dave B blends elements of hip-hop, R&B, jazz and funk with conscious-driven vocal versatility, soulful melodies and memorable production. Declared "one of Seattle's brightest hip-hop talents" by local and national media, he's received praise from Pigeons & Planes, Complex, HotNewHipHop, Okayplayer, Pitchfork, XXL, Essence, and NPR. Pitchfork called his voice "naturally melodic. " He's appeared on The Tonight Show and performed in arenas across America, Europe, Australia, and toured the world with Macklemore. BLEU is the eighth record in the Crane City Music collection, a library of the hottest recent hip-hop albums from the Pacific Northwest on wax. Specially remastered by Adam Gonsalves and pressed into custom pink-orange vinyl, each copy has been individually numbered. Only 750 were made. The jacket features photographs by visual artist Léa Godoy and liner notes by Jasmyne Keimig. Divining into the music, the lead single "CPU LUV" explores how our obsession with social media is causing us to disconnect from the real world (the video is a parody of a classic Microsoft advertisement) and how a romantic liaison devolves as a couple instead watches Netflix and scrolls on their phones. The second single, "Window," finds an opening where the negative energy can escape. The album also features the inspirational and celebratory song "Peace" and the reflective "Grownish," which was recently released as a second music video. iframe width='560' height='315' src='https://www. Youtube. com/embed/OSfmss0k-Ao' frameborder='0' allow='accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture' allowfullscreen
Release date:
February 11, 2022
Label:
Install our app to receive notifications when new upcoming releases are added.
Recommended equipment and accessories
-
Phono Preamps - Top Picks
A selection of the best phono preamps for your turntable setup
-
Ortofon 2M Blue Premounted
Mounted on the SH-4 Black Headshell, this setup delivers exceptional clarity, dynamic range, and accurate sound reproduction.
-
Ortofon 2M Red Cartridge
Features an elliptical stylus that accurately tracks the grooves of vinyl records, delivering a rich, detailed sound with an output voltage of 5.5 mV
-
Audioengine A2 Plus
Precision-engineered 2.75-inch woofers and a 0.75-inch silk dome tweeter, featuring built-in DAC and Bluetooth connectivity for seamless integration.
-
Edifier R1280DB Powered Speakers
Combining classic design with modern Bluetooth connectivity, built-in amplification and versatile inputs, these speakers deliver rich, balanced sound.
Featured Upcoming Vinyl
-
Foy Vance The Wake (Blue) [2xLP]
Rounder
March 13, 2026 -
Tigers Jaw Lost on You (Blue)
Hopeless Records
March 27, 2026 -
Tiwayo Outsider
Record Kicks
April 10, 2026 -
Diesect Hide From The Light
Greyscale
March 13, 2026 -
Lamb of God Into Oblivion
Epic Records
March 13, 2026 -
Hellripper Coronach
Century Media
March 27, 2026 -
Ora Cogan Hard Hearted Woman
Sacred Bones
March 13, 2026 -
Los Retros Odisea (Cobalt Blue) [2xLP]
Stones Throw
April 3, 2026 -
L.A. Guns Leopard Skin
Cleopatra Records
March 27, 2026 -
Izco Powerscroft
Brownswood
May 1, 2026 -
Vreid The Skies Turn Black
Indie Recordings
March 20, 2026 -
Souled American Sanctions (Clear)
Jealous Butcher Records
April 17, 2026 -
Gia Margaret Singing
Jagjaguwar
April 24, 2026 -
Monsternaut Approaching Doom
Heavy Psych Sounds
April 3, 2026