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Electronic

Sanders Bohlke – Search and Destroy (Ruda Krishna Remix)

sandersbolhke

Sanders Bohlke’s plaintive, soul-bearing ballad “Search and Destroy” gets an awesome electro makeover by NY DJ Ruda Krishna. Sometimes the most wrenching types of melodies can be turned flipped into some of the best electronic music (“Levels”, Moby’s Play era, etc.) and Mr. Krishna’s mix is a very strong example.

Sanders Bohlke – Search and Destroy (Ruda Krishna Remix)

Ruda Krishna newyork (Facebook)

Rating 8.2

brown8

reviewed by
01-23-12

Jakwob – Electrify (Feat. Jetta)

jakwob

Jakwob excellent “Electrify” single is due 26 Feb in the UK. To build up into the release, the London producer drops a fresh visual for the track with appearances from featured vocalist Jetta. Spin and watch below.

Jakwob – Electrify (Feat. Jetta)

Jakwob england (Facebook)

Rating 8.0

brown8

reviewed by
01-23-12

Burial – Endorphin (Diminutive Remix)

diminutiveremix

The Kentucky-based media maker Diminutive stirs up an engaging listen with this recent flip on Burial. Take a look below:

Burial – Endorphin (Diminutive Remix)

Diminutivekentucky (Soundcloud)

Rating: 8.0

brown8

reviewed by
01-21-12

RAVE’S FAVE: The 2 Bears – Work

By Bruce Rave

the-2-bears

It might be awhile before we get a new Hot Chip album, but The 2 Bears might not be a bad way to hold on. This is a collaboration between Hot Chip’s Joe Goddard and M. Rafi of Metronomy. A couple of listens, and I’m hooked on the hooks. Trusted sources are telling me the entire album is really good, and I wanna hear it!

The 2 Bears – Work

The 2 Bears 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
01-19-12

Florence & The Machine – No Light No Light (Spector Ryan Gosling Mix)

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Spector breathes new life into the single off of Florence and the Machine’s latest Ceremonials. Proving not only that “No Light, No Light” will enjoy the prosperous life that so many other great Flo tracks do, but also that the world has a new A-list producer to keep atop their radars.

Florence & The Machine – No Light No Light (Spector Ryan Gosling Mix)

Spector england (Facebook)
Florence & The Machine england (Official and Purchase)

Rating: 9.2

brown93

reviewed by
01-19-12

Angus & Julia Stone – Big Jet Plane (David Dann Remix)

angusjuliastone

“Big Jet Plane” is one of those songs that lends itself incredibly well to remixes. The simple, easily maleable melodic syncopations, it’s soulful/tuneful vocals, many of the right ingredients that make for the best indie pop remixes are here. That said, LA’s David Dann is certainly not the first producer to attempt to harness “Big Jet Plane”s extensive remix resources (a quick search of hypem brings up a shitload of “BJP” mixes). But just because the ingredients are great does not that A-level remix make. (again flip through that hypem search …if you dare) David Dann brings it here though with easily one of the best 2 or 3 remixes of this song we’ve heard. The hooks are big, the dynamics are great, and the tuneful-ness of the original is tastefully applied in the track. Thumbs up from us.

Angus & Julia Stone – Big Jet Plane (David Dann Remix)

David Dann california (Facebook)

Rating 8.3

brown8

reviewed by
01-17-12

Kimbra – Two Way Street (Beni Remix)

kimbra

So we’re way into this. It’s dark, it’s jazzy, it’s got those foreboding garage type tones and of course that great original Kimbra vocal. Let Beni’s remix of “Two Way Street” be your 2 AM lights-turnt-way down laptop-noir soundtrack.

Kimbra – Two Way Street (Beni Remix)

Beni australia (Facebook)

Rating 8.1

brown8

reviewed by
01-17-12

Breton – Ordnance Survey

breton-bretonlabs-blanket-rule-ep

Breton are one of our favorite emerging bands. Anything new we’re able to get our hands on from them is always cause for celebration. This free “The Blanket Rule” EP features four new tracks, including our pick from the set, the excellent “Ordnance Survey”.

Breton – Ordnance Survey

Breton england (Twitter) (Download at Facebook)

Rating 8.2

brown8

reviewed by
01-17-12

Jacques Greene – Arrow (Feat. Koreless)

jacquesgreene

Jacques Greene is our dude and his new track for “Arrow”, which features another fav b3sci artist Koreless, is really good, beautiful, sublime, engrossing, all that stuff. Jacques is poised for a big 2012 and a track like “Arrow” is a great first step.

Jacques Greene – Arrow (Feat. Koreless)

Jacques Greene canada (Facebook)

Rating 8.2

brown8

reviewed by
01-16-12

MNDR – #1 in Heaven

mndr

“#1 in Heaven” is somewhat a monster of a song. It’s near commercial caliber feel gets you moving and will have you singing. To us, it can be as much “We Found Love” as it can be “Love Fool” at moments. On repeat:

MNDR – #1 in Heaven

MNDR newyork (Facebook)

Rating 8.4

brown8

reviewed by
01-16-12

SHOW REVIEW! M83 w/ Big Black Delta @ Club Nokia, LA. January 13th, 2012

By Bruce Rave

m83_la_2

Big Black Delta opened an encore, night two, performance for M83 at Club Nokia in Downtown LA this past Friday. For those unfamiliar with the B3SCI top 50 in 2011 track-makers, BBD is the current project of Mellowdrone’s Jonathan Bates. It was great seeing him back, as I’ve long hoped for a new Mellowdrone project. If Mellowdrone had a certain Beck vibe, then Big Black Delta often reminds me of the darker synth music coming out of England in the late 80’s. Still their music maintains a winning freshness. The band arrived on stage pre-approved by M83 (Big Black Delta appeared on M83’s “Midnight City” remix EP) with Bates singing and working layers of synths and backing tracks accompanied by two female drummers. Bates moved in a herky-jerky way that made total sense and came off as likable in the lower-key environment. Those close to the stage got to see and hear a solid show from the up and coming LA based project. Jason Bates is a strong front man, especially with good songs like “Huggin & Kissin” under his belt.

Big Black Delta – Huggin & Kissin california (Facebook) (Official)

M83’s live show is ready for prime time. Oh wait, they ARE prime time thanks to the massive success of “Midnight City”. Especially having completed two sold-out nights at Club Nokia, only two months after they played at the Henry Fonda Theater in Hollywood. To be fair, it’s more than just the hit song that has brought them to this level. M83 has had a stellar live show all along. I will admit to not being a fan of Club Nokia, as the sound frankly sucks for most artists. The décor of the place seems to be geared more to the downtown velvet rope crowd. Either way, M83 cut through and delivered a show that reached everyone. From “Intro” into “Teen Angst” and then “Kim & Jesse”, it was immediately apparent that M83’s progressive synth-pop has taken on a rock-sized presence that will allow their show to work anywhere.

Leader Anthony Gonzalez freely admits to being uneasy in the role of front man, but M83’s style doesn’t require an outsized character. He actually fits the role quite well even if he has appeared less at ease in the past. I’d contest that the slower songs didn’t work as well as everything else, but really that’s just a minor concern. “Midnight City” was as expected the highlight of the evening. The hit seemed to come all too soon even though it was song number twelve in the set. This band may be known for being fairly low-key, but there were times when standing or sitting still was virtually out of the question. Most were even raving upstairs in the often jaded balcony, not only for the hit, but for the hot second encore “Couleurs”. The Frenchman Gonzalez has lived in LA for the past two years, so this week was very much a home town win for him. He and the band seemed genuinely blown away by the size of the crowd as well as the response. They will hit Coachella in April, and I fully expect their show to be a festival highlight.

M83 – Midnight City france (Official) (Facebook)

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Big Black Delta at Club Nokia

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M83 at Club Nokia

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
01-16-12

Davis & Davis – Neil Armstrong

Contributed by Elliott Porter

davis-and-davis

Always entertaining the kind of golden nuggets that can be discovered on Soundcloud, this one comes from Davis, and then there’s another Davis too! Vintage chord progressions lead to a drop more righteous than Billy Crystal. The song goes from happy meal to Big Mac when the double time snare kicks in. The Eagle has landed! Houston we have a problem! Blastoff. If only Neal himself could hear this, he’d be proud.

Davis & Davis – Neil Armstrong

Davis & Davis colorado (Soundcloud)

Rating 8

brown8

reviewed by
01-14-12