Rich Seng is a master of making music into more than melody. The 35-year-old Chicago producer is the brains behind the epic Rhyme Spitters MC battle series and a number of philanthropically minded compilation albums. With Seng, there’s always a higher purpose. more ›

The M's latest, Real Close Ones, opens with a squall of guitars and a piano fighting its way out of the mounds of fuzz its buried under before it's pushed back down in the mix by a swelling line of horns. The band's modus operandi of mixing noise with undeniable melody seems to be back in full effect. more ›