Blog: WEST LA CNCT

As you can see, I have put my typical *** (usually attached to songs) in the title of the post simply because Macklemore and Ryan Lewis make some of the best Hip-Hop I have heard in a long time. Representing the North Western Hip-Hop scene, Macklemore is an MC from Seattle, Washington, with a lyrical talent and flow that ranks amongst some of the best in the business today. Ryan Lewis, Macklemore's partner in crime, is also a Seattle native who is the producer of the group providing fresh beats. My initial thoughts when I first listened to Macklemore and [...]

So I kept telling myself that I wasn't going to go to Hard this year, sadly, due to other priorities, but Sunday afternoon a friend convinced me to go. I definitely made a great decision despite the fact that I am writing this post severely deprived of sleep, but it was worth it. Anyway, I was only in attendance Sunday night but I know many people who went Saturday. The people I have talked to say the best sets were from Rusko and the Bloody Beetroots. Sunday night, my favorites were A-trak, the special guest, Miike Snow (DJ-set), and Boys [...]

Today, The Temper Trap released a remix version of their debut release Conditions . The Australian natives have had a great deal of success this past year with that initial album and now have decided to give fans an update on songs that seem to get better with age. The  Conditions Remixed album generally has more of an electronic sound that gives a great twist to the songs that were originally recorded with the standard rock instruments. The whole album can be streamed here but I've included three of the better tracks for download! All of [...]

Finally, Deadmau5 has released "Sofi Needs a Ladder"!  In September last year, the earliest forms of this song began to circle around the internet under the title, " You Need a Ladder ".  It featured extended samples of the  Zelda theme song and a heavy electro house beat.  The song resurfaced at Coachella 2010 amidst Deadmau5'5  EPIC performance (This was the debut of his "cube" light setup).  The Zelda samples were no longer included, but a distinct female voice now punched throughout the song.  This voice belonged to none other than Tommy Lee's girlfriend, Sofi, whose name is an acronym for "Some Other Female Interest". [...]

West LA Cnct will be in Santa Barbara this weekend so we apologize in advance for the lack of posting tomorrow, but I hope this post will make up for it! Burns and Fred Falke bringing you good vibes for this Halloween weekend! hahaha the original song won't be out till December but until then enjoy this remix! Burns and Fred Falke- Y.S.L.M. (You Stopped Loving Me) (Treasure Fingers Remix) [...]

Sunday Girl, also known as Jade Williams, is just a 21-year-old singer from the U.K. When she first dabbled with the idea of being a vocalist, she would sing in the privacy of her own room, too afraid to sing in front of anyone. Her fear overtook her so much so that at the age of 17, her mom took her to a hypnotist to cure her irrationalities. If it wasn't for her smart mother, she would not be coming through our speakers today. The U.K. publication, The Gaurdian, describes her sound as, "melancholic yet uplifting," which proves to be [...]

If you are not familiar with him, Erol Alkan is an world-renowned Electro House DJ from London, England.  Erol is an incredibly dynamic performer as well as a talented producer.  His track with Boys Noize,  Lemonade , is a guaranteed crowd-pleaser!  Once that squelchy synth kicks in, its hard not to jump around, no matter where your listening to the song.  Lucky for us, he has made another hit.  MGMT's most recent single, "Congratulations", has never sounded so good.  It has dreamy, psychedelic vocals that will bounce in your head and enough groove to make your parents wish they were back at the roller disco.  Be sure [...]

Trying to keep up that music diversity today, I have my 2nd Hip-Hop post ever! Lupe Fiasco is finally getting back on the map since his last release in 2007. Pitchfork describes the Chicago MC as having, "one of the slipperiest flows" to be heard today. With a unique sound compared to all the other not-so-good Hip-Hop out there, Lupe is destined for success coming out with his newest effort, Lasers , in March 2011. This week he released a song off the album, "The Show Goes On," which samples the old hit, "Float on" by Modest [...]

Young The Giant, formerly known as the Jakes, just released their first self-titled album. Although this blog is based primarily in Los Angeles, my hometown is Newport Beach, California, and that just happens to be where Young The Giant wrote their first and latest effort. All five members of the band had gotten together and lived in a house by the ocean. Their "beachy" environment seems to have had great influence on the album in that, "A lot of the ideas on the record spawned from our time there—that concept of eternal summer, of youthfulness," said Gadhia, the lead vocalist. Their sound [...]

There are only 256 more hours until the light-filled, bass-heavy, kandi-flying spectacular that will be HARD Haunted Mansion 2010 finally begins! In honor of this, here are a couple tracks by two artists that are guaranteed to make a bang this year. First off is a new track from the UK dubstep duo Nero. True to the style in their other hit productions, "Me and You" brings the classic Nero blend of rock and up-tempo dubstep. Nero- [...]

Dada Life just released a new track! Dada Life- Unleash The F**king Dada (Original Mix) ***Banger! SPREAD THE LOVE.SHARE THE WEALTH. WEST LA CNCT™ -TOKS

Just in case you were in the mood for relaxation, I wanted to switch it up a bit. The title of this post, "Beautiful Dubstep," definitely sounds like an oxymoron, but a new artist I came across, Phaeleh, proves that those words are not contradictory at all. Phaeleh is from the U.K. and is a master of his craft. His music is some of the best mellow dubstep I have ever heard! So close your door, turn up the sub, and soak in music relaxation. Phaeleh- Afterglow (feat. Soundmouse) [...]

So It's just about that time of year again for the great, Hard Haunted Mansion . Last year, I attended both nights of the Halloween mayhem, and had an incredible time. The highlights of my experience were the sets of A-trak, The Bloody Beetroots (DJ set), Deadmau5 (2 nights in a row!), and Justice. This year, the most anticipated artists are Rusko, Calvin Harris, Jack Beats, Boys Noize, The Bloody Beetroots (Live set), as well as A-trak. The first night, Saturday, is sold out so the Shrine will be filled to the brim with costume-wearing raver freaks! Get [...]

Yesterday, I finally got around to seeing The Social Network . The film itself was very good and I would for sure recommend it, but one thing that stood out was the song from the club scene. The system in the movie theater was more than competent to handle this house song and the booming bass definitely enhanced the experience. If you haven't seen The Social Network and don't know what I am talking about you should still check out this very clubby song! Dennis de Laat- Sound of Violence (Main [...]

At the surprising age of 18 years, Porter Robinson is starting to make a name for himself in the Electronic music scene. His production sounds beyond his years and is more comparable to the older, more established, artists such as Wolfgang Garter. Porter Robinson has a unique style of combining Electro House, Progressive House, and even influences of Dubstep, into one mind-blowing masterpiece. Being so young, he has decades of performance and production ahead of him, so I recommend you get to know him now! (Interview from Gotta Dance Dirty ) [...]

Yesterday, Pretty Lights released his third installment, "Glowing In The Darkest Night," of a trilogy of  EP's this year. Derek Vincent Smith, who is Pretty Lights, has a very unique style that entails "glitchy hip-hop beats, buzzing synth lines, and vintage funk and soul samples." He is undoubtedly one of the very best Glitch-Hop artists to ever grace this earth. I've included some of the better tracks on his newest EP, but be sure to download the whole thing (FOR FREE) at prettylightsmusic.com. Pretty Lights- Drift Away *** [...]

Afrojack has definitely been making his mark on the electronic scene this year. From Bonnaroo to the L.A. Electric Daisy Carnival , he's been hittin' people hard with his great production and better sets. The first song, "Bangduck Got It," is a new bootleg of his own with "Bangduck" and the vocals from an Angger Dimas remix of "She got it" by Vandalism. The original was already awesome, so the vocals on top make it even better! Also, you might have heard one of his newer singles, "Take Over Control," which an official video just came out for, and you [...]

I'm sure you all were just itching for some Hip-Hop after listening to all that pounding techno music, so I decided to bring out some nice beats I came across. Despite the fact that he is representing our whole generation, this recent release "Good Friday" is quite the catchy, feel-good, tune that I'm sure will please the ears of new and veteran Kanye fans alike. Not to mention it features a number if notable artists... Kanye West ft. Common, Pusha T, KiD CuDi, Big Sean, And Charlie Wilson- Good Friday *** [...]

Swedish House Mafia's "One" was definitely one of the biggest, if not the biggest, anthems of the summer. The unique melody and epic organ-like sounds used in it make it easily distinguishable from any other song. The famous Laidback Luke has taken those same sounds, mixed them with another classic anthem, resulting in "Show Me One". I'm sure you can tell by the title what that song might be... Swedish House Mafia- Show Me One (Laidback Luke Bootleg) [...]

Swedish House Mafia's "One" was definitely one of the biggest, if not the biggest, anthems of the summer. The unique melody and epic organ-like sounds used in it make it easily distinguishable from any other song. The famous Laidback Luke has taken those same sounds, mixed them with another classic anthem, resulting in "Show Me One". I'm sure you can tell by the title what that song might be... Swedish House Mafia- Show Me One (Laidback Luke Bootleg) [...]