The Walkmen “Heaven” Heaven (Fat Possum) I admit that I’m a little late on this one, and honestly it’s because it has taken me a few days to figure out whether I actually like this song. Don’t get me wrong, over the last decade the very well dressed NYC via DC quartet have carved out a unique sound, delivered countless spellbinding shows (note: if you aren’t sure whether you like the Walkmen, go see them live. You’ll get it), and … →
Jesse Boykins III & Full Crate “Come See Me”/”Her Throne” Single (KilaWattMusic) Like the Weeknd? You in to Frank Ocean? If you are a sentient being under the age of 39, I’m assuming the answer to both questions is yes. You should meet Jesse Boykins III. I think you guys will get along great. The Chicago-cum-Brooklyn troubadour joins forces with Dutch down-tempo R&B producer Full Crate (see: his excellent work with fellow Oranjeman, Mar) for a swoon inducing two song … →
Jessie Ware “100%” This alluring, soulful South London native wriggled her way into my earbuds early last year via her collaboration with SBTRKT mouthpiece Sampha, the devastating “Valentine’s Day.” Though she hasn’t yet achieved the stateside notoriety that Sampha has, it became clear that she wasn’t a one-off when she released the impossibly sexy, simmering “Running,” a few months ago. Excellent as they both were, neither can touch this track. Ware’s effortlessly sexy, (dare I say?) Aaliyah-ish delivery is a … →
Beach House “Lazuli” Bloom (Sub Pop) I’ve been trying to hold off on listening to this album before its release date, but each new song is making that harder and harder to do. As impossible as topping their perfect-in-every-way 2010 LP Teen Dream seemed two months ago, judging by its two pre-release singles — this and the stunning “Myth” — it now seems impossible that Bloom is going to be anything other than an absolute classic. The thing that has … →
Disclosure “Boiling” (f/ Sinead Harnett) The Face EP (Greco-Roman) After a run of successful singles, the fraternal post-dubstep duo of Guy and Howard Lawrence has finally prepared a full meal for us to sink our teeth into. The South London duo’s debut EP drops on June 4th on the label of burgeoning Berlin/London forward-thinking dance collective Greco-Roman. It’s led by this airy, surprisingly vocal-rich single that sounds a little bit like Burial remixing a particularly moody Araabmuzik track on a … →
Black Vanilla “Woman on Woman” Unreleased Here’s what we know about Black Vanilla. 1. It’s more than one guy, and one of those guys is definitely the guy behind shadowy, R&B outfit Guerre. 2. This Black Vanilla is not this Black Vanilla. 3. They are from somewhere in Australia. 4. They released one of the sexiest weirdo R&B singles of recent times. That is all that is known about Black Vanilla. Woman on Woman
Sean Blackthorn “[One] Night” The man behind one of my favorite tracks of 2012 — the sparse, emotive “The Spirits” — is back with yet another sparse, stunning slow jam. When (not if) he blows up, he’ll inevitably be lumped in with progressive, bedroom R&B troubadours like the Weeknd, Frank Ocean, and to a lesser extent, How To Dress Well. While this is excellent company to be in, in Blackthorn’s limited work so far he has brought his own distinctive … →
Yuck “Chew” Single (Fat Possum) The 75% British, 25% American quartet’s self-titled debut was one of the best of last year. Though the group wore (and still wears) its influences — Sonic Youth, Dinosaur Jr., Smashing Pumpkins — prominently on the tattered sleeve of its cardigan, the group burrowed out their own sound, thanks mostly to their excellent songwriting. The disc is chock-full of mature, fuzzy guitar pop with undeniable hooks. Songwriters Daniel Blumberg and Max Bloom aimed for my fifth grade … →
Lost in the Trees “Golden Eyelids” A Church That Fits Our Needs (-ANTI, 2012) Sometimes an album comes around that is just really fucking beautiful. It may not be particularly original or speak to you on a deeper level, but it is just really aesthetically pleasing. The sophomore LP from North Carolina’s foremost freak folk collective, Lost in the Trees, is just this sort of album. Blending backwoods-style nylon stringed guitars, lush strings, jangly percussion, and soaring vocal harmonies, Lost … →
Waka Flocka Flame “I Don’t Really Care” Triple F Life: Friends, Fans, And Family Waka Flocka Flame is the Tyson Chandler of hip-hop. Though both have recently attained superstar status, neither have changed their game at all and are more than happy to put on their hard hats and bang bodies down low. Even when he’s greeted with a radio-friendly club track like this (or 2010’s immortal “No Hands”), the young ATLien just can’t stop himself from going hard in … →
