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New Music

Four Tet Remixes Ultraista’s “Smalltalk”

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September 12, 2012
New Music
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Kieran Hebden aka Four Tet just recently released his fantastic Pink LP and is now following it up with a remix of Ultraista’s “Smalltalk”. A little background on Ultraista: the band consists of Radiohead producer Nigel Godrich, Joey Waronker (produced for Beck, Smashing Pumpkins, R.E.M, Elliot Smith and others) and London artist Laura Bettinson. Needless to say, with a cadre like that, the original is phenomenal. Bettinson’s subtle vocals are accentuated by delicate synths, which Four Tet then blows out into his most dancefloor oriented track in a while Breaking the song down to Bettinson’s eerie vocals, he then continues to add on intricate layers of his now recognizable percussion. Catch the original here and stream Four Tet’s remix below.

Bicep’s “Vision Of Love” Marks Launch Of Feel My Bicep

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September 11, 2012
New Music
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To mark the launch of their brand new label, Feel My Bicep, the UK duo let loose this “cheeky 90s piano houser” on the unsuspecting public. The UK duo has built quite an internet presence and have become known for their excellent garage and house riddims as well as their tongue in cheek blogging. “Vision Of Love” will be released on vinyl on September 24, but you can stream it now.

Mood Indigo and the Midnight Children

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September 11, 2012
New Music
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Mood Indigo has been all the rage in our “office” the past week and just days after releasing the People  EP, the Boston producer/vocalist is back with “Midnight Children”. Like People, “Midnight Children” is all booming 808’s and distant love-sick vocals, this time with some accompanying swelling sub-bass. Only a matter of time, before the lamestream media catches onto this one. Stream and download below.

100s’ Pimp Revivalism

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September 11, 2012
New Music
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We fucked up on the Bay Bridge

100s is a 19 year old Berkeley rapper with a whole lot of nostalgia for 90’s West Coast gangster rap. Unlike many nostalgists who pick either LA or the Bay, 100s combines the two for his own 2012 take. There’s nothing revolutionary here. G-funk, hyphy and beats lay the brickwork for raps about pimpin’ and slangin’, Newports and 22’s, perms and brick phones. With its Doggfather-inspired art, Ice Cold Perm doesn’t try to hide its nostalgia either, instead opting for really good rapping and diverse production. In some ways, the tape is the West Coast parallel to Joey Bada$$’ 1999, both MC’s unabashedly embracing their forefathers. Oh and Main Attrakionz and Ryan Hemsworth make appearances. Stream below and grab the tape for free here.

New Star Slinger, Shows In Seattle and LA

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September 11, 2012
Live, New Music
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At the end of September, Star Slinger is hitting the West Coast for a pair of shows that just happen to take place in our two homes. The first show is Star Slinger’s own Jet Jam Showcase at Seattle’s Decibel Festival on the 27th at Neumos. Slinger will perform alongside Shlohmo and Baths. Having seen all three, you would be remiss to miss this one. He will also be performing at the Decibel and Dimensions Boat Party alongside Jimmy Edgar and Appleblim. On the 28th, Slinger heads South to LA for a show at The Echoplex alongside Jim-E Stack and Silky Johnson. Again, not one to miss. To celebrate the two shows the Mancunian brings us “Take This Up”, a sunny track reminiscent of Volume 1. Stream and download “Take This Up” below and hit up one of the West Coast dates if you’re in Seattle or LA.

New Freddie Gibbs – “Hard” Feat. Dana Williams

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September 10, 2012
New Music
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Earlier this morning, I was lamenting the lack of quality hip hop releases over the past few weeks to a friend when I realized something. Despite the ASAP Mob tape largely flopping, the omnipresent fact that Lady Gaga will be on Kendrick Lamar’s album and a general glut of well, shitty hip hop, we just got a new Freddie Gibbs track with an album coming soon. Let me repeat: new Gangsta Gibbs. Rejoice. Coming correct over a glossy Feb.9 beat, Gibbs shows he doesn’t need Madlib’s exothermic backing (although a full length should problem happen sooner rather than later) and can coexist with a  vocalist like Dana Williams. Even if everything else goes to shit, at least we have Gangsta Gibbs. Stream and download below.

Jacques Greene Readies Vase Compilation, Gets Faded

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September 10, 2012
New Music
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It’s always refreshing when an artist puts as much as an emphasis on promoting their own label as they do their own music. There are too many labels/imprints under the helm of some artist who either doesn’t have the time to run it properly or doesn’t care enough. Jacques Greene and his Vase label are not one of those. The next Vase release will be a compilation featuring Ango, Zodiac (The Weeknd’s estranged former producer), Samoyed and of course Greene. To celebrate, Greene let loose “Faded” which will appear on the EP. The song was made “many months ago” and holds that classic Greene sound, what with its far away R&B vocals and popping percussion. Stream “Faded” below and catch the compilation on October 5.

The Focused Psychedelia Of Glass Animals

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September 10, 2012
2012, New Music
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Glass Animals are an Oxford-based band toeing the line between obsequious psychedelia and pop mastery. Frontman, vocalist and neuroscientist David Bayley likes frolicking in the forest and pretending to hunt mythical creatures. Their debut EP, Leaflings (out now on Kaya Kaya Records) is an exhibition in R&B hook writing, wonky subject matter and focused beat work. EP opener “Golden Antlers” is a throbbing track about vampires (unless I’m missing something) with some tasteful wobble bass for good measure. Standout “Cocoa Hooves” is the most pop-oriented song on the EP and its “Spanish Sahara”-esque guitars and almost overpowering hook make it unavoidably infectious. Leaflings came out back in June, but we missed it then and vinyl pressings come out this week so why not celebrate a great release? Stream below and order yourself some vinyl here.

Flying Lotus Remixes Frank Ocean’s “Thinkin Bout You”

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September 9, 2012
New Music, Remixes
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Flying Lotus has been known to occasionally drop unfinished bombs on his Soundcloud, but this shit right here? That’s right, Mr. Ellison took on Mr. Ocean’s still-burning “Thinkin About You” like only he could. I’m going to dispense with any formal analysis at this point and just go with exclamations. Those hats! How does Frank Ocean still sound so good chipmunked?! Fucking Flying Lotus! 23 days ’til Until The Quiet Comes!. That is all. Stream below.

 

Thom Yorke’s Atoms For Peace Release New Single

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September 9, 2012
New Music
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Back in July, Atoms For Peace, the supergroup made up of Thom Yorke, Nigel Godrich and Flea, released a two song EP on Modeselektor’s 50Weapons imprint. It seemed like a weird label choice considering that virtually any label with any business would jump at the opportunity to release a Thom Yorke project. Think about TKOL RMX 1234567, the two disc The King Of Limbs remix album though. Four Tet, Blawan, Jacques Greene, Pearson Sound, and most importantly, Modeselektor (just to name a few) contributed to the project, highlighting Yorke and Godrich’s interest in and knowledge of contemporary bass music. In that sense, 50Weapons was the perfect home for the debut Atoms For Peace release.

“Default” is the latest Atoms For Peace offering and represents another step into the electronic abyss for Yorke. Check out clips from Yorke’s recent DJ set (he also lent his vocals to a new track) here, here and here. Stream “Default” below and catch it on XL Recordings tomorrow (Sept 10).