The Internet

Perhaps no other Odd Future side project has taken as sharp a left turn as The Internet. Featuring Matt Martians and Syd from the aforementioned Los Angeles rap collective, the group formed in late 2011 and quickly distinguished itself from its members’ hip-hop origins, embracing a jazzy, spacious sound that folds funk, R&B, neo-soul, and even prog rock into a curious, expansive whole. The direction was evident from the first song of their debut LP, 2011’s Purple Naked Ladies: “Violet Nude Women” strays into psychedelic territory, helmed by Syd’s wordless vocals as the full band stretches out into sonic weirdness that would make Chaz Bundick—or early psychedelic soul groups like Rotary Connection—proud. With each subsequent release, Syd has matured as both a singer and a songwriter, really coming into her own on 2015’s Ego Death, which featured the seductive slow jam “Girl” (with an able assist from producer KAYTRANADA) as well as philosophical think pieces like “Penthouse Cloud.” The album earned the band a Grammy nomination, and predictably—for such an eclectic and unpredictable ensemble—the group decided to pursue solo projects in the wake of their most successful album to date. But they reconvened in 2018 for the remarkable Hive Mind, which found them more cohesive and self-assured than ever.