When we hear a song that is lush, jazzy and chock full of finger snaps, we can't help but think of one thing: Robin Hannibal. The common denominator between LA-based duo Rhye (Hannibal and Mike Milosh) and Quadron (with Danish singer Coco Maja Hastrup Karshøj), the musician/producer and his music have about as much sex appeal as we can handle and still be a SFW site. And then Kendrick Lamar showed up. The combination of Quadron’s silky smooth vibes with a soft-spoken verse from guest star Lamar raises “Better Off” from subtly sexy to overtly pant-tightening. [...]
Scandinavia and the UK are the usual hot beds for sweaty summer electronic anthems, but today Ireland seems ready to throw its hat in the ring. Galway's Daithi is a fiddle-playing, house music-making, loopstation-tweaking, button-pushing, hair-flicking bundle of energy. This track bursts out of the gates with Raye exuding some Estelle-like flair in the opening vocals. From there, Daithi does a fantastic job of capturing your attention and never letting go with an electro beat that just oozes fun, sun and good times. Get lost in "Chameleon Life" below. STREAM: Daithi - "Chameleon Life (Ft. Raye)"
ATG Records will be knocking out it's fifth release this summer with a limited edition 73 from one of our favorite artists of the year: The Colourist . Self-described as "majestic rock" and "math pop," this L.A. quartet's mission is pure and simple: make catchy music. A-Side "Little Games" is a resounding "mission accomplished," featuring a cloud-parting guitar hook and explosive chorus that would make for the perfect start to any summer playlist. The track also comes with a seasonal video that would have killed [...]
Cambridge's own horror-surf punks Bloody Knees have hit us with "100 Days," another taste of their forthcoming self-titled EP. The track has everything you'd expect from these guys and then some: knives, death and skeletal imagery, all topped off with a drunken, emotional delivery. The guitars sound full and powerful, veering from the slacked off surf tone in " Ears, Eyes, Ohs and Yous ." It's like the boys had gotten good and pissed by the beach and then went off on a tear in dingy bars, terrorizing the regulars while slurring though gruesome and heartfelt tales of [...]
Kaoru Ishibashi is a Japanese-American male solo artist who, after playing violin for the likes of Regina Spektor and Of Montreal, released an excellent debut last year in 151a . He is not a Japanese pop group comprised of five cutesy teenage girls, despite what the video for "It All Began With A Burst" might try to make you believe. The video really commits the hilarious deception by featuring an interview with the "band" about their recent American tour before they perform the song live on some invented Japanese music program. The choreography and lip-synching [...]
Brooklyn quartet Selebrities make breezy, ethereal tracks lying somewhere near the intersection of dreampop and new wave. “Temporary Touch,” the lead single off their forthcoming sophomore LP Lovely Things , is a brisk pop paean with washy chorus-drenched rhythm guitars, crisp synthetic drums and a lead riff that evokes the magical Flock of Seagulls gem “Space Age Love Song.” Lovers of the John Hughes aesthetic and 80s sound palettes will instantly fall for this gorgeous, romantical track from a band that counts “the mystic haze before the TriStar Horse appears” among its key influences. [...]
We’ve known that Brooklyn-based Deutsch group HAERTS was onto a good thing since October when we covered “Wings,” their debut, St. Lucia -produced single. In December we brought them to see you live at our New Noise showcase , and they graced our stage once again in February at All Things Gold along with Breakbot at U Street Music Hall. With the promised release of their debut album looming closer every day, HAERTS is back on ATG and back in your haerts with “All The Days,” a soaring, soulful second release, a timely anthem [...]
Earlier this month we debuted "No Time," the lead single off Walla 's forthcoming Nature EP. As it approaches 50,000 SoundCloud plays, the LA-based quartet returns with the album's lovely eponymous track, a pitch-perfect happy sad guitar pop anthem that evokes Katrina and the Waves and the Kooks in the best possible way. Sunkissed shimmy-inducing riffs, ambling basslines and a peppy syncopated drum patter put a shiny gloss on the track's introspective, bittersweet lyrics. Walla's fixation with time as a theme continues on another track that's all about seizing the moment and not [...]
Edward Sharpe And The Magnetic Zeros took three years between releasing their debut album, Up From Below, and the 2012 follow-up, Here . They spent that time filling out their sound, reaching back into classic country/western styles to touch up their soulful, energetic tunes. Fans don't have to worry with that kind of wait for the group's third album, however, as the band is releasing a self-titled record later this year. The first taste, "Better Days," continues to marry old southern rhythms with Alex Ebert's shaky, creaky vocals to [...]
When I move to New York in just over a month (that’s 5 weeks, 37 days, and too many hours for my atrophied postgrad mind to calculate), I sincerely hope a scary bellhop doesn’t creep into my bedroom every night and gradually slice my skin with a scalpel while I sleep. As nervous as I am for the big move, I never had this particular worry until watching Caveman ’s video for “In The City,” the first single off their self-titled LP. The clip features Fran Kranz and Save The Last Dance star Julia Stiles [...]
Jordan Jeffares, the mind behind Atlanta's Snowden , de-trapifies Purity Ring's "Fineshrine" into a calming acoustic version fit for a night by the fire. Get comfortable and stream the cover below. MP3: Snowden - "Fineshrine (Purity Ring Cover)"
CHVRCHES ' Lauren Mayberry tames Zach De La Rocha's anger in her cover of Rage Against The Machine's "Killing In The Name Of." The final result is adorable, despite the subject material. Now do what they told ya and stream the track below. STREAM: Lauren Mayberry - "Killing In The Name Of (Rage Against The Machine Cover)"
Holy Ghost! have given us a sneak peek of LP #2 with a simple, beautiful video for their latest single "Dumb Disco Ideas." Alex and Nick treat us to an eight minute epic of pure disco glory whose sound epitomizes the DFA aesthetic; tight, boozy grooves build and grow as the sun descends behind the towering modular synths and the New York City skyline. Like the City, the music never sleeps; it pulses through the night and greets the rising sun with a crescendo of bustling sounds and harmonizing voices. If you were wise enough to catch [...]
Cass McCombs is a self-proclaimed vagabond. Originally from California, Cass spent many of his formative years honing his song writing skills on the East Coast and couch surfing the greater United States. His extensive travels likely account for his eclectic style of song writing, which is apparent in his latest song “Three Men Sitting On A Hollow Log.” A departure from the punk and rock genres which he traditionally occupies, this track embodies Deep South folksiness and brings to mind simpler times. Stream it below. STREAM: Cass McCombs – “Three Men Sitting On A Hollow [...]
How To Dress Well 's Total Loss still stands as my favorite album of 2012, so whenever any new piece of music comes out with Tom Krell's name attached you can bet that my eyes light up like a kid in a candy store. I was particularly excited to hear about his recent pairing with dance music mastermind Jacques Greene on "On Your Side." Though the track takes Krell a bit out of his comfort zone, Jacques' delightful uptempo garage house beats and How To Dress Well's luscious R&B falsetto fit together [...]
Francis Farewell Starlite is a bit of a renaissance man. He has production credits on Drake's "Karoake," is a fantastic singer/songwriter with three albums under his belt (including the incredible It'll Be Better ), scored the film Robot & Frank, and last, but not least, is a fantastic dancer with skills reminiscent of the late James Brown and Michael Jackson. With talent like this you can only imagine how painful these past two years have been without any new material from Francis and the Lights , but pain be gone because yesterday Francis [...]
When he isn't drumming for Now, Now, Brad Hale works his electro-pop magic as Sombear . Though relegated as a side project, 2013 could be the year of the Sombear. He's received the blessing of indie all-father Chris Walla (Death Cab For Cutie), who will be releasing Hale's debut album, Love You In The Dark , via his Trans- Records label on July 23rd. Hale just released the LP's eponymous track, which plays like a nostalgic cross between Postal Service and Imogen Heap. Take a listen below. [...]
Vacationer prove their remix mettle by taking on Major Lazer 's "Get Free (Ft. Amber of Dirty Projectors)." No stranger to leisure, the Philly four-piece reinterprets the laid back vibes of the original with an island style of their own, trading "Get Free's" reggae stylings for a hazy, electronic beat. "Nu-hula," if you will. We think this one's a better fit for late night parties on the beach. Stream it below. MP3: Major Lazer - "Get Free (Ft. Amber of Dirty Projectors) (Vacationer Remix)"
Kids Of The Apocalypse , the mysterious production team behind " Masters Of The Sun ," have a whipped up a remix of London Grammar's "Wasting My Young Years" that does justice to their name. Replete with brooding synths and thunderous horns, this is what we hope the End of Days sounds like. Stream it below. STREAM: London Grammar - "Wasting My Young Years (Kids Of The Apocalypse Remix)"
As the release of his debut Aesthetics EP nears, Bipolar Sunshine has decided to release a video for his head-turning single " Rivers ." Matching the soul-bearing lyrics of the track, the video finds this rising Manchester artist on an introspective journey through an abandoned industrial park. Watch it above. Bipolar Sunshine's Aesthetics EP comes out June 17th. STREAM: Bipolar Sunshine - "Rivers"
All Things Go
Boards of Canada – Reach For The Dead
Macklemore + Ryan Lewis – Can’t Hold Us (Major Lazer Remix)
L D R U – The Tropics
Ace by @thebigsleepnyc #nowplaying
