This month is special in the world of BEAT LIFE. The Asheville Beat Tape Collective is celebrating the release of Xero God’s self-titled debut album, scheduled to drop a few days after the show, on October 27th on Circuitree Records. The album is so good that I actually can’t stop listening to it. It’s been on repeat ever since I got my sneak peek copy a few weeks ago. I’ll be publishing a full review and an interview with the group in the next few days, and I recommend that you take every opportunity you can to familiarize yourself with them, starting with the show happening this Friday at the One Stop. As a way to share the love, the Beat Tape Collective is making this show absolutely free, and I promise it will be the best lineup in town. Xero God is hip-hop wizard Musashi Xero and beatmaker Panther God, who have joined forces to create the ultimate dream team—a jazz-infused, electronic hip-hop duo who have, amazingly, created a truly new sound. I don’t say that lightly. I’m also dead serious when I say that Xero God is one of the most exciting things happening in music right now. The talent these two guys bring to the table is off the charts. Their sound balances the mellow and the edgy as Panther God’s beats set the backdrop for Xero’s smooth vocals, which drop you deep into the poetry of Xero God, whose story unfolds over the course of the album. It can get dark as the musicians explore the innermost contours of their minds and hearts through the music, but it stays soulful, playful, and experimental. Ultimately, it’s an album about self-discovery, redemption, and the transformation that happens through the creative process. On stage, these guys are just as dynamic as you’d imagine. Musashi Xero’s stage presence has always been a thing of wonder to me, and the first time I saw Panther God perform I was struck by his ability to capture the attention of an entire room. If there’s still any question in your mind about whether you’re coming out to support Xero God, listen to the first single off the album: “Kill Pack.”   Raleigh-based Oak City Slums (or just Slums) joins the lineup. Slums played at BEAT LIFE before and it’s awesome to have him back. His hip-hop- and jazz-infused beats are sexy, soulful, and chilled out. This is music to dance to—or to dream to. Even songs with a faster tempo somehow invite you to slow down and listen. And with listening inevitably comes movement. Beats drop in and out on songs like “Brap!”, which is grounded in a driving percussion beat that will have you marching to the beat of your own drum. It’s got a delicious groove that will lead you into the velvet midnight and hypnotize you down into your very core.  “Brap!”   EmE is always a welcome addition to any BEAT LIFE lineup. As one half of The Emerald Curtain, he creates trippy beats that guide you into the beauty of your own mind. Solo, EmE brings forth works of loveliness that are transcendently psychedelic. One of his newer songs, “New Orbit,” seems to be about finding new horizons in which to create—as the title promises. Like the other entries on this month’s schedule, it’s grounded in deep bass while being totally smooth, inviting you on an inward journey of (sub)conscious experience that pulls influence from Eastern mystical tradition, jazz, and avant-garde music. “New Orbit”   Durham-based artist Calapse just released a record, You Know How I Feel (now available on Bandcamp via Ounce Music). The first single off that album, “Forget That,” is available on Soundcloud. I’m very excited to see Calapse. I immediately connected to his music, which shimmers with creative energy. “Forget That” is a fantastic track that is both meditative and celebratory, setting the stage for the rest of the EP, which is equally as impressive. It’s rare to come across new music that I fall in love with immediately, but I’ve found that the Asheville Beat Tape Collective consistently finds it and, even better, brings it to town for everyone to enjoy. Calapse is awesome.   “Forget That”   DJ Kutzu and Vietnam Jerry bring their brilliance to the turntables throughout the night. These guys are always at the top of their game, and the way they play off each other when they perform together brings out the best in both of them, as they riff off of the sounds that seem to flow effortlessly from them.   BEAT LIFE happens this Friday, October 23rd, at 9 pm at the One Stop on College Street. Once again, it’s free. Guys, we’re so lucky. Come out and support.