We hit Downtown Festival this past weekend and caught Earl Sweatshirt’s performance at Element NYC at which he performed new songs off of his upcoming debut studio album Doris.
Check out our recordings of “Centurion” and “150 Molasses” below.
Accompanied by his DJ Syd tha Kyd, Earl took over the Lower East Side’s intimate Element NYC. After a scintillating set from Ryan Hemsworth, the venue rapidly filled up with Odd Future supporters wearing Supreme hoodies and dertbag tees (hell, Hemsworth himself was wearing this sucker). We even caught dertbag’s Philip Post, and Pitchfork’s Ryan Schreiber in the venue and I even found myself standing next to Black Hippy’s ScHoolBoy Q during Earl’s last track.
After a 15 minute high energy set from Syd, Earl took to the stage and had the venue erupting. After asking us what we wanted to hear Earl kicked straight into the track that we were introduced to him with “Earl.” Admittedly he stumbled off beat for the first four bars but for the rest of the set it was smooth sailing as Earl ran through everything from “Drop” to “Orange Juice” sans Tyler to “Blade” sans Domo. We then got previews of Doris with Vince Staples collaboration “Centurion” and RZA collaboration “150 Molasses” which has the funniest hook I’ve heard in a while — “I’ll fuck the freckles off your face, bitch.” I would have bugged if RZA took the stage with him but I was happy enough with Lee Spielman of Trash Talk jumping around and trying to crowd surf.
Earl’s lyricism on the new tracks sounds more intricate and drenched with meaning than ever, and if these songs are any indication, Doris will be the bounce-back that Odd Future needs.
More Downtown Festival coverage to come. Enjoy.
