May was crazy, and we’re catching up here at Mild Sauce after a weekend at our new residency at FDC Studios in Logan Square where we shot a new lineup of shows available here. With all that going on, it’s time to get caught up on all the music videos that have slipped by in the last few weeks. As soon as the cold breaks, the content starts raining and it hasn’t stopped over the course of the last month. Included this time around are new works from the likes of Closed Sessions’ Ajani Jones, SaveMoney’s Brian Fresco & Dally Auston and more. Get in tune below, catch all the singles playing regularly on Mild Sauce Radio and as always, tune in live every weekend for new streaming shows.
Ajani Jones • “Bloom”
Closed Sessions is one of Chicago’s most recognizable incubators of local talent. Aligning itself with acts that embody the city’s authenticity while providing the space needed for each artist to explore their own ideas, the indie label already has a coveted catalogue of quality records under its belt. This includes Ajani Jones’ Cocoons EP, his first release under the label and an introspective project welcoming growth and new beginnings.
“Bloom” is the EP’s last track but the first one to receive the visual treatment. Beautifully brought to life by director Stripmall, the South Side emcee’s grounded rhymes on reality clash with a fantastical world in the woods that include wormholes, an endless well, and a frightening figure, who seems to represent Jones’ fears. In the end, synchronizing with the tune’s euphoric outro, our protagonist is no longer afraid of the slender man and chooses to stop running and spread his wings. As major labels continue to try to fit artists into hyper-specific formulas, it’s alway refreshing to see the Closed Sessions team showcase unique stories.
Brian Fresco • “Bottles”
If you’ve been around the Loop these past few months, there’s a good chance you’ve seen one of Fresco’s promotional billboards for his latest album, Love Scars. The posters and his Instagram makes it look like he’s been everywhere and his latest video confirms our suspicions. In “Bottles” he takes us on a tour through Melbourne, Australia and honestly, I would’ve never imagined I’d be writing about a Chicago emcee dropping video set in Oceania, but I’m also not surprised Fresco was the one to do it. The Savemoney member has always thought on a global scale and sought to take the path less travelled.
Dally Auston • “Django’s Free”
Speaking of Savemoney, Dally Auston also unleashed a video recently. This one is set back in home court and there’s a bunch of familiar faces throughout the two-minute clip. Directed by 119 Productions, Dally is seen making moves cruising around the city and hitting the studio while rapping over some disquieting production by David Miller. We’re still eagerly awaiting a new project from the West Side rep after last year’s promising 99C, but loosies like “Django’s Free” and “Nike Effect” will surely hold us over until he’s ready to put out his long awaited full-length.
Monster Mike • “19 Forever”
It’s true, we’re still trying to decipher Monster Mike and he keeps throwing us curveballs. His newest video features an outrageous amount of animation and Mike giving Justin Timberlake’s “Cry Me A River” a new spin on “19 Forever.” There’s a lot of great bars sprinkled in the verses, but it’s the hook that makes this song. Mike’s baritone voice finds a new pocket within the flipped sample and provides gems like “my girl do all my laundry, I can’t fold.” Watch the video below.