The Neighbourhood found themselves at the center of that weird music scene where indie and alternative and pop and rock and sort of rap and Top 40 all collide. Their debut album I Love You. was released April 2013 and since then, their most well known song, "Sweater Weather," has been confirmed as going double platinum.
They have played at Coachella, they're playing at Jay Z's Made in America festival in Philly, this band has pretty much made it in a aspects of the American music scene: they can appeal to the ultimate music snob at Coachella, they're cool enough for Jay Z (or his minions) to book them for the bi-coastal homage to the success of the American dream music fest and they have that sound that appeals to both your 14-year-old sister and your 50-year-old mother.
So why did they just release a hip-hop mixtape that features a bunch of low-key, up-and-coming rappers?
I don't know and I don't care because it's really good. Maybe the band slated towards releasing a more rap-centric follow up album or maybe they just wanted to have some fun and this is their version of fun. The mixtape's name is #00000 & #FFFFFF, which in HTML language means black and white, which also seems to be The Neighbourhood's favorite color scheme.
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Jealousy is my favorite track from the release, featuring Casey Veggies and 100s, the song is ridiculously well-produced with multilayered beats that add texture, but the constant bass line keeps everything in place. The juxtaposition of the first rap verse with The Neighbourhood's weightless sound makes for one of the best songs I've heard in 2014. However, what stands out the most to me is the saxophone that sporadically plays throughout the song. It adds an element of soul that you can't really find with a band composed of four white boys.
You can stream and download the mixtape for free here.
