Finally! Longtime friends Theophilus London and Jesse Boykins III make it legal with new PARIS 96 collaborative project. First track “Afternoon” is the perfect mix of JBIII’s sophisticated R&B stylings and T. London’s percussive rhyming playboy thing. Expect an EP from these two in April. Psyched!
PARIS 96 
(Soundcloud)
Rating 8.3
Johnbear & Bria out of Leeds UK offer a five-star 90’s house remix of Janet Jackson’s great “Someone to Call My Lover”. Big up.
Johnbear & Bria – Call Me Your LoverJohnbear & Bria (Facebook)
Rating 8.3
b3 faves The 1975 come through with possibly their most challenging track to date with “Head.Cars.Bending.”. The R&B influence hinted at in earlier songs like “You” & “Chocolate” is dialed up further here with the band embracing more untraditional song & rhythm structures for indie pop. “Head.Cars.Bending” is quite unlike anything we’re heard before (in the best sort of way) and we’re definitely co-signing this particular lane for the band. The 1975’s s/t EP is due March 3rd on Dirty Hit.
The 1975 (Facebook)
Rating 8.2
It’s Ghost Beach, duh! The great Shook takes “Been There Before” on the Caribbean cruise of its dreams; we’re talking co-ed competitive shuffleboard, tours of the captain’s bridge & quarters, waterslides, and all the conga lines to Buster Poindexter’s “Hot Hot Hot” one can handle.
Shook 
(Facebook)
Rating 8.4
L.A.-based Banks does dark pop to perfection on new track “Before I Ever Met You”. (And we mean this in the most complimentary way) If Fiona Apple were 15 years younger and just emerging into music right now, her sound likely wouldn’t be too far from Banks on “Before I Ever Met You”. We are in love.
Banks 
(Facebook)
Rating 8.6
R&B remixer of the moment Kaytranada tries his hand at a restyling the vocals of b3 fave Teedra Moses’ (Dear, Def Jam. Could we please get that MMG album of hers released? Thx!) track for “Be Your Girl”. Much in the same vein as his previous remix work, Kaytranada keeps it 3 A.M., soulful & A+. Get with it below.
Teedra Moses – Be Your Girl (Kaytranada Edition)Kaytranada 
(Soundcloud)
Rating 8.1
London-based Citizen drops off his latest, the soulful 90’s-influenced house of “Worship + Tribute”. Citizen will be releasing his Citizen Trax project on Love Fever Records at the end of the month. You know you want to dance.
Citizen (Facebook)
Rating 8.3
Big Beast AM lets loose (what is presumably) the first leak off his upcoming For Professional Use Only mixtape which due two weeks from today (Feb. 19). AraabMUZIK is about as consistent as they come, and “The Prince Is Coming” is another high marks entry and valediction for the Dipset beatmaker.
AraabMUZIK 
(Facebook)
Rating 8.4
More like it. Pále, a producer out of Manchester, delivers what is no doubt the freshest bit of UK bass music we’ve heard so far this year. Believe it, we love the recent renaissance in garage-influenced music coming from both sides of the Atlantic but the sound overall (as is true with the rise and recession of any trend as the talented and the first adopters are replaced with the followers, hangers on, and wannabes) has definitely plateaued. Pále’s “Winder” track sounds new, old, different, unique, fresh et al, it demands attention. The execution, the bits of production skill on offer are of a first rate too.
Pále (Facebook)
Rating 8.3
Lawrence, Kansas based beat-wizard, Morri$, let fly an interesting track via FADER the other day, and it’s just too good to not share. “Ladyboy” is smooth with sporadic drums, consistent horn lines and a bouncy synth chord progression. The bass hits hard and the vocal samples are placed ever so delicately throughout the song. Having caught his opening act for Gaslamp Killer at the Central SAPC in early December of last year, Morri$ is proving to be something of a force both live and in the studio. By Brian Litwin
Morri$ – LadyboyMORRI$ 
(Facebook)
Rating 8.5
Remix freedom fighter Woody (who impressed the b3 team with his Biggie remixes, mixes material from another member of hip hop’s pantheon OutKast and their Stankonia iconic “B.O.B.”. Remixing a singular track like “B.O.B.” (that really doesn’t need a remix; we’re looking at your bedroom trap dudes) is not a task for amateurs (or anyone really), Woody proves himself again here, however, a capable hand/caretaker with the classics; styling it in manner that is uniquely his and absolutely standalone on its own.
OutKast – B.O.B. (Woody Remix)Woody (Official)
Rating 8.4
French Express artist Moon Boots has most recently dropped the track “No One”. At first listen, it sounds like another stellar dance number from the ethos of the space minded DJ. He uses consistent themes from his previous works on this track, but pays particular and special attention to the vocal. Moon Boots has a small run of European dates later this month, and we’re hoping to see more U.S. dates later and in the coming summer months. By Brian Litwin
Moon Boots – No OneMoon Boots (Facebook)
Rating 8.3
