UK newcomers Shy Nature adeptly convey their penchant for kinetic British indie (if bands like Mystery Jets, The Maccabees, Peace, etc are your bag, you’re probably going to be into this) on single “Lie Back”. Shy Nature’s arena-ready (or at least large theater-ready) dreamy melodic guitars and infinitely singable vocal hooks indicate a band capable of lofty heights. “Lie Back” is out Feb 17th on Kissability.
Shy Nature 
(Facebook)
https://www.facebook.com/shynature
rating: 8.0
Last we left MADE IN HEIGHTS was 2011 and their brilliant bit of abstract pop “Wildflowers”. The Los Angeles-based group emphatically follow-up “Wildflowers” with the entirely different and new sound of “Murakami”. On the track, the chopped up vocals of singer Kelsey Bulkin are wrapped up into producer Sabzi’s glitchy hip hop-referencing beats creating a perfectly tuned whirl that has a magnetism that’s impossible to escape. “I’m showing up in the future like I’ve been here before.” Murakami.
MADE IN HEIGHTS 
(Official)
Rating 8.5
Dag Savage, the duo of Johaz and Exile, link up w/ SoCal vets CO$$, Gonja Sufi & Blu for the comic book villain rap of “God Body”. “God Body” is excerpted from Dag Savage’s upcoming The Warning Tape which is itself a preview of the duo’s debut E&J LP out February 4th.
Dag Savage – God Body ft. CO$$, Gonja Sufi & BluDag Savage (Official)
Rating 8.3
Heroes The Preatures get a syrupy nocturnal remix of their hit from last year “Is This How You Feel” by West Coast DJ Timmy The Terror. TTT selects for a unique/interesting/engaging (all good things) mix of trap beats and late night aquatic instrumentals (think the coolest chill spot 50 meters under the sea) and neatly blends them into a sharp little rework. Preatures!
Timmy the Terror (Official)
Rating 8.5
The studio quality version of Duke Dumont’s follow-up single to the breakout “I Need U (100%)”, “I Got U” (still w/ the textspeak “U”) finally arrives today. “I Got U”‘s DNA is firmly of the tropical persuasion w/ clattering steel drums and chanty percussive rhythm-bolstering vocals. The Virgin Records release (due March 17th) is sure to be another smash for the Duke.
Duke Dumont (Soundcloud)
Rating: 8.3
“Livin’ a Lie” is new from New York rapper Topaz Jones’ upcoming The Honeymoon Suite project. The track is a compact mix of 90’s nostalgia and easy vibes w/ Jones’ vibey flow and varied rhyme schemes especially standout.
Topaz Jones (Official)
Rating 8.5
Aussie singer taps a new influence (late 90’s/early 2000’s R&B & dance music) for latest single “Sensibility”. The stop-start melodies of “Sensibilities” do sound as if they could be at home on a 702 or J-Lo record and the modern interpretation of the late 90’s-esque trope of the sputtering counter-melody is really quite ace too. Elizabeth Rose’s new self-titled EP is out Jan. 17.
Elizabeth Rose
(Facebook)
Rating 8.6
The easy textures and silky melodic quality of “Never Can Decide” is the latest from Brownswood Recordings’ duo Anushka. As catchy as it is subtle (producer Max Wheeler’s instrumental is particularly brilliant; with it’s understated but well-constructed to singer Victoria Port’s breezy alto rhythm structures) “Never Can Decide” is Anushka’s most accessible track to date (and maybe their best).
Anushka (Soundcloud)
Rating: 8.3
The minimal modern pop of “Cut Your Teeth” is introduction to UK singer Kyla La Grange’s latest stylistic metamorphosis. Galvanized by a sleek Four Tet-esque instrumental, Kyla’s new sound succeeds on its still strong melodic rudder and La Grange’s star quality vocal. Look for a new LP from Kyla La Grange later this year on Sony Music.
Kyla La Grange (Soundcloud)
Rating: 8.3
Joel Little, the NZ producer behind Lorde and BROODS, helms a new track from his latest collaborator; Kiwi newcomer Indira Force a/k/a Indi. “Stay” is an immaculately-produced piece of R&B-leaning modern pop.
Jupiter Project 
(Soundcloud)
Rating 8.2
Yes, indeed, Black Dave. The New York rapper abides well by a gritty guitar-driven instrumental w/ a set of no cliche dope as f bars. Dave’s Black Bart project is out now. (2DBZ)
Black Dave 
(Facebook)
Rating 8.2
Phil Beaudreau, the L.A.-based smooth tenor behind such fave tracks from last year including “This Is Why” and “Take It High” and an alum of our SX showcase this past March , announces anticipated debut LP Ether. Featuring those same tracks as well as a set of new unreleased material incl. the excellent ’70’s R&B meets Nigel Godrich of “Won’t Get Away”, Ether also showcases Eminem/Jay Z collaborator Dawaun Parker’s steady wide-palette but hook-focused production. Get introduced to Ether with a stream in full below.
Phil Beaudreau (Soundcloud)
Rating 8.7
