Mayer Hawthorne announces new LP for Vagrant Records and shares single “Cosmic Love”. For the track, Mayer’s classic soul inspiration pendulum has swung more into the direction of the mid-70’s, as “Cosmic Love” takes it time in communicating a retro-atmosphere-soaked melodic narrative straight from 1975 AM Radio. Get “Cosmic” w Mr. Hawthorne below.
We’re fond of the warm and summery Brazilian sunset lounge-inspired aesthetic of Slackin Beats (who had a great remix of 2015 stand out NoMBe track “California Girls”). We recommend the Swedish producer’s sensational new Latin vibe dance track “Pra Você”, which means “for you” in Portuguese. The track, which features sunny metallic drum accents and a sweeping synth line, is out exclusively via Stockholm collective Slackin Crew (presumably his own label). Awesome tune. Reviewed by Erin Shay.
“After All” is the A+ debut track from Toronto singer (and songwriter, Day wrote and produced “After All”) Charlotte Day Wilson. A cool mix of Rhodes-driven introspection and soft-touch percussion and Ms. Wilson’s stunning alto, “After All” floored us immediately. So so good. Listen.
B3SCI Records alums Beach Baby knock out another very strong single, “Sleeperhead”. Constructed instrumentally on what’s become sort of the band’s calling card; phased guitars, dynamic and slightly swerve-y harmonies and big-sounding drums/rhythm track “Sleeperhead” follows the also very good “Limousine” from the Fall. BB will playing dates in the UK in February and March with Sundara Karma which you can peruse below.
Jan 16th Leeds Superfriends, Headrow House
Jan 19th London Old Blue Last
Feb 23rd Bristol Thekla
Feb 24th Paris La Maroniquinerie (FRWRKS Festival)
Feb 25th Southampton Talking Heads
Feb 26th Bath Moles Club
Feb 27th Brighton Patterns
Feb 28th Cambridge The Portland Arms
Feb 29th Glasgow King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut
March 1st Edinburgh Sneaky Pete’s
March 2nd Newcastle Think Tank
March 4th Manchester Manchester Gorilla
March 5th Sheffield The Leadmill
March 6th Leeds The Wardrobe
March 7th Nottingham Rescue Rooms
March 8th Birmingham Rainbow Venues
March 9th Norwich Waterfront
March 10th London Dingwalls
March 11th Reading Sub89
May 19-21 Brighton The Great Escape Festival
We recently featured French rising star producer Roman Kouder for his dynamic Patawawa-assisted nu-disco club jam “Fly”. We’re soaking up his latest glam-effects-tinged disco-energetic spin on track “My Girl” (feat. Stuart Parmley) by fellow Parisian artist BLV (released last month). Reviewed by Erin Shay.
Lionlimb will release their debut LP Shoo for Bayonet Records on March 4th. Great new track “Domino” dips a touch into the melodic well of Elliott Smith while showing off a new beefed up and varied sound (electric organs, horn arrangements, etC) from the band that we like. Get into “Domino” below.
We’re into the jangly beachside bedroom pop of Kingston ON musician Ben Morin a/k/a Sandals. Reminding a bit of bands like Hibou and even Real Estate, the very good “Dust Bowl” neatly balances great melody and with cool mood and atmosphere. We love it.
Sandals (Bandcamp)
Get into the vigorously delivered, hazy lo-fi punk-edge garage rock vibes of Brooklyn-based artist Wax Witches, who we covered here in regards to his 2014 Bootleg Bar performance in LA. We recommend Wax Witches’ latest track “Habit” for two minutes of intense screechy guitar-riff-dominated bliss. The riotous new tune is off his “Memory Painting” EP out via Burger Records on March 18th. Reviewed by Erin Shay.
B3 go-to producer Flamingosis goes retro-flamboyant with a funky instrumental mix of beats, 70’s lounge tv-sit-com vibe horn and synth infusions, and a rather catchy guitar groove on his recently-released charmer track “Frugal Living”; which also features B3 covered artist Ian Ewing (in October we liked Ian’s lustrous-toned playful-vibe beats-led eclectic beauty track called “Water”). If you’re as into the new track as much we are, look for it on Flamingosis’ soon-to-release “Great Hair EP” (out February 12th). Reviewed by Erin Shay.
New-to-B3 Parisian producer Thomas Fontana turns in an outstanding natural-hand-percussion-touched instrumentals-leaning lounge-y Brazilian-vibe beats track named “Somewhere”. Incredible song. Reviewed by Erin Shay.
Groove out with Essex artist Rat Boy on his scratchy, sublimely intricate, instrumentals packed, rock influenced (Beastie Boys Hot Sauce Committee-styled) hip-hop masterpiece “Move”. Very cool vibes. Reviewed by Erin Shay.
