Happy 2012 + free downloads!

Well, hello there!

I am very sorry for the lack of musical posts as of late. My day job (aka real job) has been overly overwhelming, then there was the holidays…but I know no one is interested in excuses.

ANYWAYS — I’m going to get back in the groove a little bit here, bear with me…

I hope everyone had a FANTASTIC holiday and are excited for what 2012 is to bring.

Here’s a little sumthin’ sumthins for being so patient with me — you’re gonna love it!

Free Download: Ducky – “Killing Time”

Ducky aka Morgan Neiman, has a producer’s instinct and a powerful voice. She has been making music since she was 13 years old and has played alongside the likes of Japanther, Ninjasonik, Roxy Cottontail, Trouble Andrew and Action Bronson. Her latest release, The Whether EP out February 21, fearlessly explores the sinister side. In this vein, Ducky recently released an introductory single “Killing Time” produced by Dingo Dog. The track is at once an ebullient Saturday afternoon love song and a subtle confession of its disintegration. Ducky matches a sophisticated pop sensibility to incisive vocals, addressing an absent “friend” with checked ferocity.

New Outasight!

Brand new song from Outasight! Listen to it above and download it for free below!

Free Download: Outasight – “Let’s Go”

New Yuksek!

Classically trained musician and electro-pop composer Yuksek (aka Pierre-Alexander Busson) is about to invade the US, bringing a flurry of swooping, dance-pop anthems guaranteed to make you hum and sway. Empowered by his previous work with artists such as Chromeo and Amanda Blank, Yuksek’s new album pushes our lovely Frenchman to the front lines, both as vocalist and leading a fierce live band. On Living On The Edge Of Time, he marries the distorted, saturated sounds of dance floor decadence for which he’s known with a more melodic and catchy, and dare we say “pop” vibe. Living On The Edge Of Time will be released January 24th on Ultra Records.

There’s always been a pop heart beating inside Yuksek’s unique brand of electronic dancefloor bangers. Always catchy hooks hidden between the acid loops, hints of glam and indie infiltrating his energized house beats. Tunes like “So Far Away From The Sea” and “Extraball” from his acclaimed debut album revealed a powerful pop sensibility, deeply rooted into a lifelong affinity to artists as David Bowie, Gary Numan and The Cure, but also a devoted love for Lou Reed circa Transformer, Serge Gainsbourg, early West Coast-rap and the Warp label. Living On The Edge Of Time is the sound of an artist who can’t ignore the muse, a restless producer constantly in motion and a musician devoted to evolution. The album opens with “Always on the Run,” a track that sets the album’s underlying tone of chaos and movement grabbing you with a transfixing vocal melody that submerges you into the album. The first single, “On a Train” is a true dance-floor anthem that builds to an explosive chorus with a skittering beat that will get stuck in your head for days. On “White Keys,” a hauntingly eerie synthesizer sets a more contemplative mood while lingering over an up-tempo beat. Lyrically referencing the album title, “The Edge” has a pulsating beat sliced by keyboards stabs eventually exploding into a synth-fueled chorus. Closing the record is the 5 minute throbbing psychedelic pop-behemoth “Out Of Control,” complete with finger snaps and a driving bass line. Continuing his journey of musical evolution Yuksek is prepared to unleash his tour de force sound, making a lasting impression on American shores.

Leave a comment

Filed under Check 'em Out!, downloads, listen, new albums, video

Brand New (+ free download): Miike Snow – “Devil’s Work”

Miike Snow will be releasing their next album in early 2012 and “Devil’s Work” is the first listen from the album.

Free download: Miike Snow – “Devil’s Work”

Check out Alex Metric‘s remix, too!

 

Leave a comment

Filed under downloads, Highly Anticipated, listen

Free Download: Cut Copy – “Sun God” (Andrew Weatherall Remix)

Click image to go check out Weatherall's remix of "Sun God"

Cut Copy’s stellar Zonoscope was just nominated for the Best Dance/Electronica Album Grammy. Andy Weatherall’s remix of the album’s closing track, “Sun God,” brings out the track’s seductive groove and whispers. The “Sun God” single, with two remixes by Andrew Weatherall, will be available in digital and vinyl formats on Jan 24th. This is the band’s first Grammy nomination and bookends a phenomenal year that saw the band play to rapturous audiences across the globe including a thundering Coachella set and headlining slot at Austin City Limits.

The Grammy Awards will be held on Sunday, February 12th at Los Angeles’ Staples Center and will be televised on CBS that same day at 8 pm EST / 7 PM CST. Zonoscope is Cut Copy’s 3rd and most ambitious work yet. It was released by Modular Records this past February and was met with critical raves ranging from Rolling Stone to Pitchfork. Recorded over a 6 month period in a warehouse space the band rented in Melbourne, Australia and mixed in Atlanta by Ben H. Allen (Animal Collective, Gnarls Barkley, Deerhunter), Zonoscope paints a mesmerizing picture, conjured by a band at the height of their powers.

Listen/download: Cut Copy – “Sun God” (Andrew Weatherall Remix)

Leave a comment

Filed under downloads, listen, Whoa!

Check ‘Em Out: My Best Fiend

New York five-piece My Best Fiend deal in epic, hypnotic melodies that cross the emotional and experiential spectrums. The band’s current incarnation was formed in 2009, and since then, they’ve been winning over audiences with their live sound and dynamic performances. “Higher Palms” is a mesmerizing new track, not designed to shrink into the background, with each note, chord and vocal demanding your full attention.

They will also be playing a show on Thursday, December 15th in Brooklyn at Shea Stadium.

Listen: My Best Fiend – “Higher Palms”

(When you listen, if you like, there’s also a link to get a free download of the song.)

Leave a comment

Filed under Check 'em Out!, listen

Highly Anticipated: Poolside

This early taste from Poolside’s debut album (due in 2012) is this gorgeous, thumping slice of anthemic disco-pop. Poolside’s Filip and Jeff filmed this video during a wilderness excursion into the legendary Red Rock landscape of Sedona, Arizona. LOVE.

 

Leave a comment

Filed under Check 'em Out!, Highly Anticipated, listen, video

Newest Love: Animal Heart – “Miami”

Take a trip down to Miami with Animal Heart’s first single, the seedy yet buxom “Miami”. Animal heart is a musical mistake of good intent founded by two of the most un-extraordinary men one could ever hope to find.

|animal heart is an experiment | animal heart is electronic pop rock | animal heart is unwholesome fun | animal heart is two pink moons and a loaded gun | animal heart is diggin’ in the dirt for tips | animal heart is so much more than this…Witness!

Download: Animal Heart – “Miami” 

Download: Animal Heart – “Miami” (Hush Remix)

Leave a comment

Filed under Check 'em Out!, downloads, listen, Newest Love, video

Awesome Sauce: Asher Roth’s Pabst & Jazz Sessions

Asher and company appropriately rap over a beat that features a gang of live instrumentation and a nice, long outro.

Download: Asher Roth feat. Hassani Kwess & Kenny Keys – “Pabst & Jazz”

He’ll be leaking a different song every day this week from his Tumblr, so check back for more.

Leave a comment

Filed under downloads, Holy Freaking Crap!, listen

Free Download: Exlovers – “Starlight, Starlight”

After a busy year touring with Noah and the Whale and recording their debut album “MOTH”, Exlovers have a new single available from the album…and you download it right here, right now – for free!

Download: Exlovers – “Starlight, Starlight”

Leave a comment

Filed under Check 'em Out!, downloads, listen

Check It Out: Waxploitation / ZZK Compilation

“Whether it’s making thousands of European ravers lose their shit at Roskilde, winning over tents of sunburned Americans at Coachella, or inspiring Argentines to dance to something besides endless drum and bass, the artists of Zizek have gone from their own tropical new-school cumbia club night in Buenos Aires to stages all over the world.”Blackbook

“There’s really nothing like ZZK Records anywhere in the world: the avant Argentinian label releases experimental, digital cumbias and other unique interpretations traditional Latin genres; acts as a family, collective and nightclub in Buenos Aires; and, of course, travels the globe.” Fader

Buenos Aires’ ZZK Records officially signed on with Waxploitation here in the U.S., and to celebrate the partnership, the labels have released an compilation of all the label’s artists for free via Soundcloud. You can hear it HERE. If you’re not familiar with ZZK, they’re the label that’s leading the experimental electronic music scene in South America, mixing disparate genres like grime and dance with cumbia and other influences. You can read Fader’s feature on the scene here for some background.

The labels will be jointly releasing the Argentinian label’s catalog, which includes Temor, Frikstailers, Chancha via Circuito, and more. Waxploitation/ZZK will be putting out the debut Super Guachin EP, Piratas y Fichines, today, followed by Fauna’s full length album Manshines on January 10th, as well as Mati Zundel’s debut album Amazonico Gravitante on March 27th. If you’re not familiar with Waxploitation, it’s the label/management company that brought up Danger Mouse, Gnarls Barkley, and Broken Bells, as well as the Causescompilations.

Leave a comment

Filed under Check 'em Out!, listen, Whoa!

Free Download: The Hood Internet’s Debut Album!

Click image to go download the album for free

I’m very happy to present to you the newest release from Chicago duo The Hood Internet, a self-titled compilation of original remixes and production. Known for their amazing mashups (many of which were showcased on their two prior  releases with Мишка, Trillwave and Trillwave 2), The Hood Internet are also bangin’ producers and remixers. The proof is in this album.

For over four years, Aaron Brink (ABX) and Steve Reidell (STV SLV)  have been blogosphere maintstays with their musical work as The Hood  Internet. Seeing the opportunity in a genre that many had written off,  The Hood Internet almost single handedly ran the mashup game.

If you’ve heard their music, you know they ran it well. However,  during that time they’ve also been hard at work on original material and remixes, many of which are collected here for the first time. We  already premiered “The Future,” the first single off the comp, and now the whole thing is available for streaming and free download.

Enjoy production for artists like Ninjasonik, BBU, Das Racist, Johnny Nelson, Freddie Gibbs and original remixes of songs by Tobacco, Foster The People, Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti, and many more.

As expected, it’s another great entry into the constantly expanding  Hood Internet canon. Also be sure to check out the video for the  story behind their cover art (I’ll give you a hint: it involves over  $400 worth of Taco Bell).

Free Download: The Hood Internet – The Hood Internet (self-titled debut)

Leave a comment

Filed under Check 'em Out!, downloads, listen, new albums, Whoa!