The first track on Emanuel Vinson's self-released sophomore album, Stage II. Effectively a mission statement/affirmation of purpose. As much inspired by Aphex Twin and Brian Eno as it is by Aesop Rock and Outkast. Sample's Lil Wayne's voice.

Opener

A song for parties, so everyone can feel included and not have to worry themselves with concepts like 'wallflowering' or 'haters.'

the Go! (Dan's Dance)

An instrumental track I had a great time conceiving and composing. Linear progression and shit. I wonder if my love for Warp artists leaks from the pores of my songs.

Sit Down

Musician, poet, activist, fun loving teenager.

"Emanuel Vinson is the sort of absurdly ambitious young musician whose burning desire to express himself in as many ways as possible is bound to warm the heart of the most jaded listener. He takes part in poetry slams at his Chicago high school, he plays drums in a post-rock band and, at the ripe age of 17, he's just made his first solo album, "Etape Un! (My Me, Your Me)," available as a free download off a link on his Web site (www.myspace.com/emanuelvinson).

If the electro-hip-hop, industrial-electronica backings sometimes sound a bit canned -- Vinson crafted the album using Ableton, an audio sequencer playable in real time like an instrument -- his sung/rapped/recited lyrics/tone poems contain bursts of humor, inspiration and poignancy, along with touches of high-school sophomore silliness (perfectly understandable, since he actually was a high school sophomore not that long ago). "It was a creative laxative of sorts," Vinson says of these sounds, and that's no b.s."

- Chicago Sun-Times music critic, Jim DeRogatis

EmanuelV