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Track Reviews

Holograms – Meditations

meditations

Ooh yeah, we likey. The well-worn genre of “dark brooding post-punk” comes and goes (as all genres in the larger rotation of the literati do) among the turnstile consciousness of the indie literati. July 2013, scene: The United States, neither the time or place are particularly friendly (at least broadly) to post-punk and the genre’s charms. It’s awesome to find a band that in addition to playing great music in the face of its current trends; but the the fact that Swedish band (where post-punk is still alive and well apparently) Holograms do it so well and so convincingly is something truly worthy of admiration (& a spot on B3). “Meditations” is single #2 from Holograms sophomore Forever LP.

Holograms sweden (Facebook)

Rating 8.4

brown8

reviewed by
07-01-13

Bondax – Giving It All

bondax

Lancashire UK’s soul pop home team Bondax. We’re going proceed now with this track by forgoing the requisite Disclosure comparison and introduce you straight to the track, which (and it should really not be a surprise) is very good indeed. We’re talking hit-you-in-the-heart-area R&B vocals, the slickest of slick bass lines & “feel good for summer” vibes; the typical (& typically well-fashioned) Bondax formula. A+’s all around.

Bondax (Facebook)

Rating 8.4

brown8

reviewed by
07-01-13

Los Girls – One For Sloan

LosGirls

Necessary chill coming your way from LA based producers LOS GIRLS. Their debut release “One For Sloan” fuses dreamy synths and subterranean beat culture into an experimental serving of surreptitious electro pop. Keep an eye out for their debut EP July 16 on Plug Research and sample the cinematic vibes of “One For Sloan” below.

Los Girls california (Plug Research)

Rating 8.3

brown8

reviewed by
06-29-13

Duck Sauce – It’s You

ducksauce

NYC bros-in-DJ’ing Armand Van Helden and A-Trak a/k/a Duck Sauce a/k/a Goose Marmalade a/k/a Eagle Tapenade a/k/a The Ol’ Dirty Chinese Restaurant make a successful return to the $$$$ window w/ the playful kitsch of “It’s You”. Skip along to this one below.

Duck Sauce (Facebook)

Rating 8.3

brown8

reviewed by
06-29-13

Abigail Wyles – Mantra

abigail wyles

Soulful London girls over dark hypnotic beats; haha, for lack of a better way of describing it that lane of music may be the one we’re digging the most at the moment. And while Abigail Wyles joins a relatively crowded genre, there is nothing here on “Mantra” that sounds tired or imitative; a very strong singular vocal performance and tune well complements Wyles’ collaborator Holly Simpson’s spare but well-suited & unique ambient-touched production. There’s also an undercurrent of jazz (that you really don’t hear in this style of music or really done well elsewhere) both in Wyles’ vocal and in the instrumental (particularly in the verses) that is especially interesting.

Abigail Wyles (Facebook)

Rating: 8.3

brown8

reviewed by
06-28-13

Twin Peaks – Irene

twin peaks

“Irene” is the lead single from Autumn Tone (Aquarium Drunkard) teenagers Twin Peaks. Excerpted from the Chicago band’s upcoming Sunken debut, “Irene” walks the well-done-to-get-there line between a song poppy enough that the melodies are sing-a-long-able while still being laced with enough rock history (most definitely The Velvet Underground) and interesting instrumentation and arrangement (we like how the lead vocals are a little bit mixed back) to flatter the tastemaker sensibility. Sunken is due July 9th.

Twin Peaks (soundcloud)

Rating 8.1

reviewed by
06-28-13

Trevor Dickson – Summer Legs

trevor dickson

We dig New Yorker Trevor Dickson’s new track for “Summer Legs”. Recalling in a strange way early Bowie (if he were way more fun to be around and got out in the sun a little more) not only vocally but thematically, there’s also a generous bit of other early 60’s and late 70’s influences and sounds to be had here. “Summer Legs” is the title track from Trevor Dickson’s new EP which is available now via Swoon Records.

Trevor Dickson (Bandcamp)

Rating 8.3

brown8

reviewed by
06-28-13

The Preatures – Revelation

ThePreaturesIsThisHowYouFeel_AliMitton_EditorialShot_zps7b314586

We loved Aussie band The Preatures excellent soulful-in-half-time single Is This How You Feel?. The Sydney-based act follow up with the darker, a bit tougher to crack (dare we say Fleetwood Mac-y), but certainly no less soulful groove of “Revelation”. So that’s two fabulous singles down for Preatures, we can only hope an album (or at the very least an EP) is not too far in the offing.

The Preatures australia (Facebook)

Rating 8.3

brown8

reviewed by
06-28-13

Premiere: American Authors – Believer (Captain Cuts Remix)

© Andrew Zaeh | ZAEH, LLC

B3SCI are very pleased to world premiere the latest creation from L.A.-based production trio Captain Cuts; their remix for “Believer” from BK band American Authors. Team CC boost up the beats, inflate the original’s already strong hooks to oceansize and blast the track’s chorus into a interstellar hyperspace (at least that’s what we hear when listening to it). Peep game and get with B3’s premiere of Captain Cuts new “Believer” remix below.

American Authors (Facebook) (Purchase)

Captain Cuts (Soundcloud)

Rating 8.3

brown8

reviewed by
06-28-13

JMSN – Fool

JMSN

To mark their summer tour with The Neighbourhood, favorites JMSN release a new 7-incher “Fool”. The dreamy, a bit more far off in sound “Fool” further shows the BK band’s versatility and ability to move between style with skill and ease.

JMSN michigan (Purchase) (Facebook)

Rating 8.1

brown8

reviewed by
06-27-13

Rave’s Fave: Franz Ferdinand — Right Action

Franz Ferdinand — Right Action

It’s been years and Franz Ferdinand is finally back upon us with a new single from their forthcoming late-August Right Thoughts, Right Words, Right Action album. It’s got the bouncy hooks and jangly strums you’d expect from the Glasgow boys. This track was produced by Joe Goddard and Alexis Taylor of Hot Chip. Look for a US tour this coming October. By Bruce Rave

anz Ferdinand — Right Action

Primal Screen scotland (Facebook)

* Links and playlists from Rave’s weekly new music show can be found on his blog and be sure follow Bruce on Twitter too!

reviewed by
06-27-13

Temple Songs – Dinosaur Alley

temple songs

Temple Songs, not to be mistaken with Temples, (well actually it wouldn’t be the worst thing that could happen as you’ll probably like them both) is a great little noisy psych band from Manchester. “Dinosaur Alley” is the b-side to “Passed Caring” another swirling lo-fi pop gem which is out July 1st on RIP Records. Let Temple Songs soundtrack you morning/afternoon/evening and be happy. By Nathan Hetherington

Temple Songs (Facebook)

Rating: 8.3

brown8

reviewed by
06-27-13