• Hearing the upcoming Shabazz Palaces album, Lese Majesty, in the Pacific Science Center's Laser Dome over the weekend, we concluded upon first listen that it is the future of hiphop. There was no need for drugs, or even the dazzling light show, since the music's fathoms-deep dubscapes and strategically predatory beats equaled the angular and smoky psychedelic visuals—each track already dazzled by a universe of deep-space stars, clouds of galactic gases, and the bright trails of wandering balls of ice. You will be proud that you live in Seattle when you hear this album, which will be released on Sub Pop on July 29.

• Speaking of being proud of Seattle, the 2014 Seattle Rock Lottery took place at the Crocodile on Saturday—25 talented Seattle musicians (including Hollis Wong-Wear, Jonah Bergman, J Battle, Avtar Crowder, Ahamefule J. Oluo, Stacey Peck, and Shenandoah Davis) showed up bright and early at 10 a.m., drew names from a hat to form five brand-new bands, and spent the day coming up with band names and new songs to perform that same evening. The bands—named Tendermess, Chillum Dafoe, Ego Chavez, Judge Jordy Feat. the Roots, and Mystic Spiral—did an incredible job sounding a lot like bands that had been together for much longer than 12 hours. The Rock Lottery's proceeds went to the Washington Music Educators Association.

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