Lana Del Rey, "Doin' Time"


Lana Del Rey"Doin' Time"Sublime OST (out soon on Universal)If you grew up in California in the early 2000's, it was just about impossible to get in someone's car or go to a party that wasn't playing one of those two Sublime albums. Evidently, the same was true in wherever Read more

Images & Words: Stormzy, "Vossi Bop"


Stormzy"Vossi Bop"Digital SingleAfter a little while away, the London kingpin looks to be getting back in the game. "Vossi Bop" is a perfect comeback track because it is such a pure distillation of what makes Stormzy a true-one off. Over a tasty, yet simple beat, Big Mike goes in Read more

The Round-Up: The Best Songs of 2019 (1st Quarter)


Even though we're a solid week into the second quarter, better late than never right? Here's a quick round-up of some of my favorite songs of the last three months. To keep numbers manageable, I didn't include anything from any of my favorite albums list and prioritized songs I Read more

The Round-Up: The Best Albums of 2019 (First Quarter)


Gah, I can't believe we're already 25% through 2019. That said, Spring is in the air, and we've enjoyed an excellent, diverse crop of music during these first three months. Have a look at some of my favorite LPs of the year so far in no particular order. Dawn Richard
 “New Read more

Chief Keef, "Ain't Gonna Happen"


Chief Keef "Ain't Gonna Happen" GloToven (Glo Gang / RBC) The Chicago stalwart's new project with the legendary Zaytoven is unsurprisingly full of weird and wacky sounds, moving in innumerable unexpected and exciting ways. Its most powerful moment is its starkest, as a heartbroken Keef floats freely over Zay's gorgeous piano. "Face dried Read more

Hot Jam of the Day (02.21.13): Bloc Party, “Truth” (Jerome LOL Remix)

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Bloc Party
“Truth” (Jerome LOL Remix)
Truth EP (out 

When it comes to nailing a feeling, LA-based producer Jerome LOL never seems to need more than a line. From the now-defunct LOL Boys’ stunning “Changes” (“Things wont change until we do”) to his unfuckwitable remix of The-Dream’s “Can’t Wait to Hate You” demo (“Today I’m gonna get over you”), his work offers a stark contrast to the maximalism of much of his contemporaries. The former LOL Boy strikes again with his stunning reconstruction of Bloc Party’s welcome back jam, “Truth,” as the Canadian focuses on vocalist Kele Okereke’s plaintiff, honest declaration, “I am yours now, truthfully.” The result is another affecting earworm that uses a simple building block from the original to create a metropolis of emotion.

Stream over at Pretty Much Amazing.

Check out his remix of The-Dream’s “Can’t Wait to Hate You,” which was written for Mariah Carey. It was my favorite remix of 2012.

Download this Shit: Araabmuzik, For Professional Use Only

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Araabmuzik
For Professional Use Only
Self-Released

If you haven’t heard Abraham “Araabmuzik” Orellana’s music, it’s probably best described somewhere between “total sonic onslaught” and “nuclear scud attack.” While Professional Use Only is teaming with the Rhode Island-native’s signature maximalism, there are ample moments of respite, usually in the form of tasteful, EDM vocal hooks. As the name suggests, this is really just a glimpse into his sensational live show, which I was lucky enough to take in late last year. First timers might be better served trying out his 2011 genre-defying 2011 debut, Electronic Dream, but for the initiated, this is full of tasty snacks.

Download the mixtape for free over at Datpiff.

Images & Words: Disclosure x AlunaGeorge, “White Noise”

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Disclosure x AlunaGeorge: “White Noise”

Rising Brits, Disclosure & AlunaGeorge, treat us to some of the fiercest dude-dancing-by-himself action since Kevin Bacon tore up that factory.

Hot Jam of the Day (02.20.13): London Grammar, “Metal & Dust”

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London Grammar
“Metal & Dust”
Metal & Dust / Hey Now 7″ (out 02/25 on Metal & Dust)

I approached young London trio, London Grammar, with quite a bit of apprehension after their admitedly very impressive debut single, “Hey Now,” hit late last year. Simply put, they felt a little too good to be true. Their sound and image seemed a little too fully realized for such a young band, and as we learned from our dear friend Señorita Del Rey, it’s simply too easy to effusively praise and set unrealistic expectations for young artists nowadays.

However, their follow-up single — the remarkably restrained, exquisitely crafted, “Metal & Dust” — makes it even tougher not to fire up the “these guys are going to be FUCKING huge” hype machine. Hannah Reid’s evocative, pliable voice combines the sensual power of Jessie Ware with the vulnerability of Romy Madley Croft (hyperbolic, but accurate) and is nimbly supported by a delicate, swelling arraignment that recalls Ms. Croft’s group. Their true acid test will come when they unleash their debut full-length (lest we forget that Lana had “Video Games” AND “Blue Jeans”), but they are off to a hell of a start.

Hot Jam of the Day (02.19.13): Rhye, “Open” (Ryan Hemsworth Remix)

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Rhye
“Open” (Ryan Hemsworth)
The original will appear on Rhye’s Woman (due out 3/5 on Loma Vista)

There are some songs that you know you love before you even hear it. I’ve been moderately obsessed with the Sade-recalling duo, formed by Canadian producer Mike Milosh and Robin Hannibal of soulful Danish group Quadron, and everything Canadian producer Ryan Hemsworth turns to solid, body-rockin’, Trinidad-James-level gold. Sure enough, Hemsworth adds his signature deft touch to the spellbinding, seductive original, resulting in a re-imagination that feels new and essential without compromising the magic of Milosh and Hannibal’s vision. Beautiful.

Hot Jam of the Week (02.16.13): Shy Girls, “Under Attack”

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Shy Girls
“Under Attack”
From Upcoming Debut LP

This luscious, expansive slow jam from Portland septet Shy Girls is guaranteed to make you feel feelings — even if they aren’t positive ones. You can scoff at 80’s guitar tone, roll your eyes at vocalist Dan Vidmar’s charmin-smooth falsetto, or legitimately LOL at the opulent, Hornsbyish sax solo, but the seductive “Under Attack” will make you feel something, which is, of course, the whole point of pop music.

It certainly makes me feel something. It makes me feel like this is one of the three best songs I’ve heard this year. Just about perfect.

Hot Jam of the Day (02.18.13): CHVRCHES, “Recover” (CID RIM Remix)

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CHVRCHES
“Recover”
Recover EP (out March 25 on Virgin)

Last year, likely Scottish synth-pop trio, CHVRCHES (pronounced “Churches”), parlayed a pair of delicious, blogosphere-wankfest-inducing singles (“Lies” & “The Mother We Share”) into a coveted spot on BBC’s Sound of 2013 shortlist. Their upcoming debut’s lead single, “Recover,” is bristling with the virility and directness of their past successes, and while the original is brilliant, this remix from UK veteran, CID RIM, stretches it to new heights with a mind-bending barrage of synth droplets and swirling MIDI.

Hot Jam of the Day (02.14.13): Tyler, The Creator, “Domo 23”

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Tyler, The Creator
“Domo 23”
WOLF (out April 2 on Odd Future Records)

5 reasons to care about Odd Future mainman Tyler, The Creator’s new song and video.

1. That it caused “Fookie Bookie” to trend on Twitter.
2. That Domo is doing the fat dude in a pool thing by wearing a t-shirt in a wrestling ring.
3. Surprise Frank Ocean at the end! Even a little Frank is better than no Frank at all.
4. The realization that Earl resembles a young Marvin Harrison.
5. Death by lougies.

Hot Jam of the Day (02.13.13): James Blake, “Retrograde”

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James Blake
“Retrograde”
Overgrown (out April 1 on Polydor)

I feel pretty comfortable writing about most tracks after listening to them three or four times, but James Blake’s majestic new single is not “most tracks.” After letting it sink in for about a week, I feel comfortable calling this his most spellbinding original work (ie, not counting his perfect cover of Joni Mitchell’s “A Case of You”) since the genre-defining title track from his seminal 2010 EP, CMYK.  This, of course, includes all of his break-out debut LP — one of my Top 5 albums of 2011 — so there’s no hint of faint praise.

In many ways, “Retrograde” is the most fully-realized pop song he’s ever released and one of the few with something that approaches a verse-chorus-verse-chorus structure, but that isn’t what makes it stand out. It’s Blake’s ability to embrace and combine those sensibilities with his experimental roots and challenging, innovative sonic palette. His debut hinted that he was capable, yet uncomfortable with the notion of reinventing himself as a pop musician, and “Retrograde” is very much the sound of the Londoner fulfilling that potential. I can’t promise that it’ll end up as my song of the year, but I can promise that it’ll take some serious beating.

Hot Jam of the Day (02.11.13): Giraffage, “All That Matters”

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Giraffage
“All That Matters”
Needs (out now on Alpha Pup Records)

San Francisco-based, sample-driven producer Charlie Yin described his moody, brilliant new LP, Needs, as an album he created while going through some of his best and worst times of his life. While I don’t know the album’s real backstory, emotionalism is all over its exquisitely crafted tracks. By picking vocal samples that are simultaneously mournful and sensual, Yin creates an album that is an adept soundtrack for both mourning lost love and making it. Needs‘ stand-out track, “All That Matters,” is a devastating example of this and is driven by a sumptuous sample of Ready For the World’s classic, “Love You Down.”  Even though his music is sample heavy, don’t get it twister — these tracks are very much original compositions. One of my favorite albums of the first quarter.

Download the album for free, here.