Chicago emcee Saba who featured on Chance the Rapper’s blogger rap fave Acid Rap debuts the R&B-laced “Burnout”. Buoyed by a strong vocal from Detroit singer Eryn Allen Kane that would not be out of place on ’97 Total record, “Burnout’s” roughly 3:30 glide by excellently with Saba’s multi-gear flow neatly complemented by the track’s densely-layered piano-driven instrumental. Saba’s COMFORTzone is out July 15.
Saba 
(Twitter)
Rating 8.4
Sean O’Neill is a Perth AU-bred songwriter dabbling in the dark art of cinematic, emotionally bear, instrumentally majestic balladry. Previewing first single “Vienna” (aside from it being a great song), names like Bon Iver, Sufjan, Volcano Choir, etc. come to mind but maybe most interestingly is a name-check in the now UK-based O’Neill’s bio of the great 20th C. composer (and author to some of the century’s most stunning compositions) Arvo Part. The wholeness and vast almost cosmic type of quality to Sean’s music certainly reflects that Part influence. Listen to “Vienna” below.
Sean O’Neill 
(Soundcloud)
Rating 8.3
World golden girl Sade is remixed in the nouveau house style by the many times talented Warren Xclnce for “Sweetest Taboo”. (IS)
Warren Xclnce 
(Soundcloud)
Rating 8.4
Heavy buzz hitters hailing from Brighton, Team IYES re-imagine Zella’s wistful paean “1965” through the UK duo’s genre-bouncing visceral-pop stylistic locus with a stunning turnt-down end product.
Zella Day 
(Facebook) (Purchase 7-inch Vinyl)
IYES (Soundcloud)
Rating 8.3
Mrs. Del Rey gets a remix amuse bouche from doting R&B/disco-flavored producer Grades on spotless mix for “West Coast”. Tinkling electric pianos, buffed-down breaks, washes of sexy harp sounds; if Michael McDonald 2014’s life had a sound, Grades could reach it. “Down on the West Coast, they love their tank tops.”
Lana Del Rey 
(Official) (Facebook)
Rating 8.0
Mr. Khloe Kardashian drops a 16 for the official remix to R&B starlet Mila J’s breakout track “Smoke, Drink, Break Up”. It’s 1998 in here.
Mila J 
(Twitter)
Rating 8.4
Pete Tong MBE dropped the exclusive brand new Chris Malinchak firebomb on his Radio 1 show tonight with “Stranger”. The song which features the MJ-esque melodic stylings of Mikky Ekko is a steady 3:42 of funky summertime pop sure to rudder dance floors for months to come on both sides of the Atlantic. We “Stranger” 100%.
Chris Malinchak 
(Facebook)
Rating 8.6
A writer for Jay Z, Mary J. Blige and Aloe Blacc, Jamaican-born/British-raised Knox Brown brings those A-list battlefield-forged songwriting quality to the fantastic debut “Harry’s Code”. Soulful, visceral, and immediate in ways that lesser artists can only hope to catch up to and emulate six months down the road for now, “Harry’s Code” is a very accomplished piece of writing you need to listen to right now.
Knox Brown (Soundcloud)
Rating 8.4
London-based KAASI remixes “Foolish” by Blonde & Ryan Ashley into a deep, neatly vibe-y house blend. The KAASI remix is excerpted here from an upcoming EP for “Foolish” featuring remixes from the irrepressible Joe Goddard and recent hot hand Tom Misch.
(Facebook)
Rating 8.5
Team LD bring the blogosphere to attention with a big name remix of single “Klapp Klapp”. Piloted by space beats vet Nosaj Thing with the added attraction of a Future feature, the mix is all blinking electronics and vibed down textures and Future. Nabuma Rubberband is available now.
Little Dragon 
(Official)
Rating 8.4
