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Bassnectar – Vava Voom (Feat. Lupe Fiasco)

lupebassnectar

The internets have been buzzing about this Bassnectar/Lupe collab all week. Teasers, previews, blog promos, etc, etc, the promotional build-up has been extensive. So how’s the track stack up? First, it doesn’t sound really at all like anything we thought it would. (which is probably a good thing.) With its HEAVY bass bang, slowed vocal chop ups, and beefily synthed arpeggios, the track’s pedigree is more Dirty South rap than EDM, L.A.S.E.R.S. or whatever else. Swerve to it.

Bassnectar california (Facebook)

Rating 8.3

brown8

reviewed by
03-23-12

Rita Ora – R.I.P. (Delta Heavy Remix)

ritaora

Ruh roh. Roc Nation’s new Young Queen, Rita Ora has been fitted with a Drake-written Chase & Status-produced first single in “R.I.P.”. Here, up and coming UK up and comers Delta Heavy sully up that Roc $$$$ shine a bit with his new mix for “R.I.P.” Delta Heavy are producing at a high level and this “R.I.P” mix is a further A+ in the duo’s output.

Delta Heavy england (Facebook)

Rating 8.3

brown8

reviewed by
03-23-12

REVIEW: Real Boys EP

By Jon Herriot

realboys

As soon as I knew some of the Oh No! Yoko guys were involved in Real Boys, I knew that this music was going to be a riot. (After typing this, I realized the first track was titled ‘Shitshow’). With members of You Say Party, and GSTS, this is a British Columbia supergroup. A couple of shredding guitars lead this band, backed with some solid rhythm and bass. ‘Vacation’ is the one that really gets me grooving. Whoa, ‘Wilderness’ just started playing and I love this one too, starts out super ‘Said The Whale-ish’. Major dance-party EP here. This EP is out next Tuesday! March 27th.

Real Boys canada (Facebook)

Rating 7.0

brown71

reviewed by
03-22-12

RAVE’S FAVES: Miles Kane – First Of My Kind

By Bruce Rave

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Finally the “other” half of the Last Shadow Puppets has a solo album about to drop. Miles Kane turned down a chance to join his mates in Arctic Monkeys because he is a front man at heart. His prior band, The Rascals, showed promise a few years ago, but it was the collaboration with Alex Turner that Miles is best known for. He has written sweet pop songs all along, but “First Of My Kind” has a Last Shadow Puppet feel about it. That’s a good thing.

Miles Kane england (Facebook)

Check out Bruce’s “Go Deep” show on Fridays 1-3 pm Pacific, 4-6 pm Eastern, 9-11pm GMT. Also listen to past shows at Bruce’s blog and follow Bruce on Twitter.

reviewed by
03-22-12

Bondax – Just Us

bondax

And we just found our new favorite band. With the crazy good weather we’ve had on the East Coast this week, the usually reserved for summer 90’s soft R&B bangers (KP & Envyi, Total, Something for the People, etc) have been raining down all over b3sci HQ the last few days. So, Lancaster UK dance duo Bondax (who are definitely painting, at least partially, from that “My Love Is The Shhhhh” palette) are fitting nicely into our current 85 degrees in March quiet storm tip. If you’re not up on these guys yet, do not sleep, Bondax are serious.

Bondax england (Facebook)

Rating 8.5

brown8

reviewed by
03-22-12

RAVE’S FAVES: POND. – Fantastic Explosion of Time

By Bruce Rave

pond

As Day 3 of SXSW gets under way, Pond are by far my most pleasant shock. Maybe pleasant isn’t the word because these guys simply blew us out of the state. The last thing you would expect is that this is a side project for the drummer and bass player of Tame Impala. This fave track makes you expect a hard garage live feel, but they blend that with the power and instrumental parts of the best 70’s and 80’s metal bands. They came out so intense that many of us initially wondered whether it was the same band. The music shredded, there was always something happening visually, including singer Paisley Adams literally hanging from the rafters. See them when you can.

POND. australia (Facebook)

Check out Bruce’s “Go Deep” show on Fridays 1-3 pm Pacific, 4-6 pm Eastern, 9-11pm GMT. Also listen to past shows at Bruce’s blog and follow Bruce on Twitter.

reviewed by
03-22-12

Swizz Beatz – Street Knock (Feat. A$AP Rocky) (Prod. AraabMUZIK)

swizzbeatz

AraabMUZIK is ON FIRE! Swizz Beatz is not a great rapper but with support from AM’s producing-out-of-his-mind level beat he sounds at least competent here (if not enjoyable). The hipster hammer A$AP Rocky is on the feature here and easily holds up his part of the song with a fresh set of rhymes.

Swizz Beatz newyork (Facebook)

Rating 8.3

brown8

reviewed by
03-22-12

Electric Guest – This Head I Hold (Acoustic)

electricguest

Check out this recently cut acoustic version of Electric Guest’s big hit “This Head I Hold”. You can really hear Danger Mouse’s (who produced the whole EG LP) hand in the melody with song pulled back like this. Give it your attention below.

Electric Guest california (Facebook)

Rating 8.3

brown8

reviewed by
03-22-12

Labrinth – Wildfire (SBTRKT)

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Labrinth rolled through Zane Lowe’s Maida Vale studio yesterday and in addition to laying down ace live versions of “Last Time” and “Sweet Riot” dropped this great take on SBTRKT’s “Wildfire” jam from last year. Lab starts the cover slow on the roll with smooth electronics and subtle bass wobbles only to blow the track up in its final half with big guitars and heavy rock drums. Somehow it all works. Get a sample below.

Labrinth england (Facebook)

Rating 8.3

brown8

reviewed by
03-22-12

Saint Saviour – Midnight City (M83)

saintsaviour

The angels-on-high voiced b3sci fave Saint Saviour delivers again with a new A+ lush life send-up of M83’s ubersmash “Midnight City”. On the track, Ms. Jones’ on point vocals are framed by Cocteau Twins-esque synths and a great almost hip hop-feel backbeat. Be on the look out for more from Saint Saviour coming soon including a new album Union and new single “I Call This Home”.

Saint Saviour england (Facebook)

Rating 8.1

brown8

reviewed by
03-22-12

Tomas Barfod – Broken Glass (Shlohmo Remix)

tomasbarfod

Whomadewho drummer Tomas Barfod has one of his tracks remixed by the spectacularly consistent producer Shlohmo and it’s….(drum roll)……AMAZING. Shlohmo bends the track into an, at first, more ominous place (with slowed vocals and eerie programming), only to open the mix up a bit in the back half (a direction we don’t hear often from Shlohmo), leaving the listener (at least these ones) in a different place than before the song started (the best kind of music).

Shlohmo california (Facebook)

Rating 8.5

brown8

reviewed by
03-21-12

Tanya Morgan – Rock the Bells (Prod. Aeon)

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Just a reminder: Our home state just (IRL trolled your brackets) put 4 teams in the NCAA Sweet Sixteen, including Cincinnati, which is not only the alma mater of one b3sci’s writers; (shouts to Erin) but also the hometown of Tanya Morgan members Donwill and Illyas. Right so you know now that Brooklynati is in a stage of full effect. The chill subtle heater “Rock the Bells” is new from the trio and some of the group’s best and most consistent work to date. OATW.

Tanya Morgan ohio newyork (Facebook)

Rating 8.3

brown8

reviewed by
03-21-12