Image

Track Reviews

Unknown Mortal Orchestra – So Good At Being In Trouble

“So Good At Being In Trouble”, from the band’s forthcoming II LP due in February, is a pleasant R&B-informed reminder of what made the b3 squad fall in love UMO in the first place. The song is pleasant, yeah, like you could probably put this track on for your daughter, your mom, and your grandmother but there’s both a visceral clarity and a bit of a melancholic quality that underlie it. That sort pleasant/somber juxtaposition certainly isn’t a new trick but on “So Good At Being In Trouble”, it feels so perfectly pulled off.

Unknown Mortal Orchestra newzealand (Facebook)

Rating 8.5

brown8

reviewed by
01-15-13

Josephine – Portrait

Mancunian soulstress Josephine releases the title track and third single from her 2012 LP Portrait. Ms. Oniyama’s arrow is clearly pointing up as she’s recently completely tours with The Noisettes and Michael Kiwanuka and is fresh off an appearance on “Later” with Jools Holland. “Portrait” is part soul, part folk, part pop, sort of in the same lane as her tour-mate Kiwanuka, the track excels, however on its’ deeply affecting well constructed melodies. Give Josephine your attention below.

Josephine – Portrait

Josephine england (Facebook)

Rating 7.9

reviewed by
01-15-13

Cold War Kids – Miracle Mile

One the music blogosphere’s original blog rock darlings Southern California’s Cold War Kids return with a definite upside surprise in new track “Miracle Mile”. “MM” amounts to a bit of stylistic deviation for CWK with its four-on-the-floor beat and heavily harmonized chorus intervals; new ground for a band that has made some kind of formula out of singular beefy warbles on top of waves upon waves of syncopations.

Cold War Kids – Miracle Mile

Cold War Kids california (Official)

Rating 8.3

brown8

reviewed by
01-15-13

LULS – Never Let It Go

LULU Londoners fire another winner into the UK indie ether with latest track “Never Let It Go”. Replete with sweeping choruses, anthemic riffs, and enough bounce to keep you interested “Never Let It Go” is another terrific step forward for LULS.

LULS – Never Let It Go

LULS england (Soundcloud)

Rating 8.1045

brown93

reviewed by
01-15-13

Diver Dress – Untitled 2

Minneapolis band Diver Dress’ self-described brand of “lo-fi reverbed-out weirdness” is indeed right up our alley. The band have a cool new 5 song 7-inch out which you can stream HERE. And although our choice track from the project, “Untitled 2”, doesn’t have a titled name; we here at b3sci are always up for taking a liberty or two and so we’re just going go ahead and call the track what for what it is, “Totally Fucking Awesome”.

Diver Dress – Untitled 2

Diver Dress minnesota (Facebook)

Rating 8.0

brown8

reviewed by
01-15-13

Dag Savage – When It Rains (Feat. Aloe Blacc)

The West Coast team of Johaz (rhymes) & Exile (beats) a/k/a Dag Savage get some soulful support in the form of Aloe Blacc’s buttery tones. Dag Savage’s “Salvation” EP is out today, so catch a little holy ghost, and get at your neighborhood iTunes ASAP.

Dag Savage – When It Rains Ft. Aloe Blacc

Dag Savagem california (Official)

Rating 8.3

brown8

reviewed by
01-15-13

Ruddyp – Maybe

Ruddyp steps up with a blissed out new beats track. “Maybe” got some of the punch of its more trap-y type peers but with an additional (gorgeous) melodic component that makes the track something really special. A+

Ruddyp – Maybe

Ruddyp (Facebook)

Rating 8.4

brown8

reviewed by
01-15-13

Foals – My Number (Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs Remix)

The Dinosaur Man a/k/a/ Oxford electronic artist and Django Unchained support character Orlando Higginbottom dials up a beautifully dynamic new take on Foals recent “My Number” single. Get it girl.

Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs (Facebook)

Rating 8.3

brown8

reviewed by
01-15-13

Rockie Fresh – Life Long (Feat. Rick Ross & Nipsey Hussle)

We got’em, Bawse. We’d take a collect call from Gunplay too. MMG’s latest signee Rockie Fresh grabs Rozay and Neighborhood Nipsey for the contemplative heater vibes of buzz single “Life Long”.

Rockie Fresh – Life Long (Feat. Rick Ross & Nipsey Hussle)

Rockie Fresh (Official)

Rating 8.1

reviewed by
01-14-13

Justin Timberlake – Suit & Tie (Feat. Jay-Z)

Of course we love this. Still, everytime we hear the 50 year old man component of this track rap about make-up sex, it’s a little weird. Welcome back, JT.

Justin Timberlake – Suit & Tie

Justin Timberlake (Official)

Rating 8.4

brown8

reviewed by
01-14-13

Reks – Ahead Of My Time (feat. C-Scharp)

Massachusetts rapper Reks works out a fresh soul sample on “Ahead of My Time”; excerpted here from his forthcoming Revolution Cocktail project.

Reks – Ahead Of My Time (feat. C-Scharp)

Reks massachusetts (Facebook)

Rating 8.3

brown8

reviewed by
01-14-13

Throwback Saturday: Cressida – 6am (Kyau And Albert Remix)

Club music has many fans. But I don’t believe the average JOEnie loves Chachi knows when done right, the genre is essential. It is clear DJ Tiesto (amongst others) gets slack because he is mainstream. We must remember music was born for the masses. Just because everybody likes it doesn’t mean it is bad. Innovative “artists” are simply sparse. 2006 – 2008 is my golden age for trance. Tiesto couldn’t help releasing this vocal, dance track in his 2008 Asia-inspired compilation. And, you can bet your bottom dollar the full version is even better. By Teddy Pendergrass

Cressida – 6am (Kyau And Albert Remix)

Kyau And Albert (Official)

Rating 8.4

brown8

reviewed by
01-12-13