Counting Bobby McFerrin, Yo-Yo Ma and Sonic Youth among his influences, Luke Janela leads Los Angeles-based “Midnight Door” with his thick, soaring cello leads. Yeah, a cello, and there’s not much else to the group’s sound except the occasional, hazy vocals and persistent, pop-slanted rhythms. If that sounds like something the weird drama-class kids at school would come up with and play at low volumes in their beat up Volvos on the way to museums, you’re absolutely right. And it’s absolutely something we really like. Check out “The Beautiful Truth” (of course it is) from Midnight Door’s latest, Tomorrow Was.
Here’s a weird clip for Grimes’ “Oblivion”, one of the standout tracks from her excellent 2012 album, Visison. The video features a bunch of shirtless high school dudes, some sweet motocross jumps, moshing, a hot dog and cyber-goth chick Grimes bouncing around. It doesn’t make much sense, in a very cool way, which we like. Check it out…
When Dillon Francis first caught our attention last year, it was with those super-catchy, mega-sleazy latin club beats that Diplo has made into his life’s obsession. And that was cool. But Mr. Francis has slowly been migrating to more straight-forward beats with glitchier and grimier textures. The latest in this LA DJ’s evolution is his remix of Zedd’s latest anthem, “Stars Come Out”. Listen as he turns down the BPMs and turns up the low-end warp.
UK producer Fort Romeau debuts this month with Kingdoms. From the feel of the stylish lead single, “SW9″, it sounds like one of those hypnotic deep house trips to the range on the techno spectrum dominated by Four Tet and Caribou. And that’s not a bad thing. In fact, we really like where this is headed…
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Though Mark Lanegan remains one of the greatest relics of the grunge era (Screaming Trees, Mad Season), and one of the most awesome rock singers of the last twenty years (influenced by many from Kurt Cobain to Josh Homme), Blues Funeral is something of a misstep. Songs lack dynamics and melodies can’t seem to gain traction on the Ellensburg, Washington-born singer’s seventh album. That said, there are moments of genuine brilliance throughout Blues Funeral. “Riot in My House” and “Quiver Syndrome” seriously rock, “Ode to Sad Disco” pushes Lanegan’s sound into goth pop territory (seriously!) and a couple of gems near the end, “Leviathan” and “Deep Black Vanishing Train”, recall the experimental spark that made his last LP, Bubblegum, so goddamn rad. |
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Check out “Quiver Syndrome”…
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Despite a significant lineup change (longtime producer Stoup is out, emcee Jus Allah is back), Philadelphia hip-hop duo Jedi Mind Tricks stay the course on their latest, Violence Begets Violence. Gravel-spittin’ emcee Vinnie Paz is still at the helm as the team explores conspiracy theory, religion and the edges of aggression over a bedrock of hard-stomping, blue collar beats. It’s familiar territory for Jedi Mind Tricks’ longtime fans (this is album number seven since 2003), and there’s not much here that we haven’t already heard from the guys (though “Fuck Ya Life” and “Chalice” have a fresh swagger to them). But we’re not exactly let down. Jedi Mind Tricks have a formula that they execute well, and they have a venomous energy that keeps us hungry for more. |
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Check out “Fuck Ya Life (f. Blacastan)”
Nashville by-way-of Montana by-way-of Brooklyn troubadour Luke Roberts is gearing up to release his second LP, The Iron Gates at Throop and Newport (due March 20th). We here Roberts now owns a guitar, so it seems things are looking up for the melancholy singer. But as you’ll hear on lead single “His Song”, Roberts still clings to a romantic sense of sadness, and expresses himself in with an understated, ordinary charm.
SoCal dance rockers New Division (pictured above) give Keep Shelly in Athens’ tightly wound, dark-waver “DIY” a neon-lit, after-hours pulse. It’s an approach familiar to New Division fans, and one that brings an excellent spark to this cut’s more shadowy origins. We’ve got both versions here so you can do a Pepsi Challenge-type game with your friends…
Sacramento avant hip-hop destructoids Death Grips surprised us earlier this year when they announced they’re signing to a major label, Epic. The only thing major about their sound is how obnoxiously abrasive it is, which we think is totally rad, but we’re not sure where the mass market / business opportunity is for a big ol’ bank like Epic.
Anyway, the latest leak from the first of Death Grip’s two planned 2012 albums, The Money Store, is available below. It’s more of the same raw, warped, bitching hip-hop we came to anxiously expect on the group’s jarring debut, Exmiliatry (which, by the way, you can still get for free).
Cloud Seeding’s brooding, lovely 2011 single “Ink Jar (f. Marissa Nadler)” is headed to cassette this week (March 20th to be specific). The re-release includes the excellent B-side “Unquestioning” and this rhythmic, nicely unteathered re-mix:
If you’re not familiar with the original, you need to click on this link.
Tennis – Origins – free mp3
Katy B – Witches Brew (Diplo remix) – free mp3
Shabazz Palaces – Swerve (Signal Path remix) – free mp3
Xiu Xiu – Hi – free mp3
White Rabbits – Temporary – free mp3