Image

Track Reviews

Mont Brown – Cash Rules (ft. Pace-O, TJ Atoms, & Swiper)

“Cash Rules” comes to us via Mont Brown and features fellow Astronaut Pace-O Beats and two other Philly emcees, TJ Atoms and Swiper. Pace-O’s psychedelic, eerie beat and everyone’s clever delivery/punch-lines scream raw hip-hop. Mont talks like the OG, telling you how it is. Pace might just have everybody saying “Cash Rules Everything Around Me, CREAM” all cover again. TJ Atoms has the wild, what did he just say so quick flow and, “I’m Fresh Prince Y’all Jeffrey.” Philly’s style and substance is definitely different. But don’t we miss unique music? I know I can’t wait for Mont Brown’s forthcoming Helmets On 3. By Teddy Pendergrass

Mont Brown – Cash Rules (ft. Pace-O, TJ Atoms, & Swiper)

Mont Brown (Facebook)

Rating 8.0

brown8

reviewed by
12-24-12

Poolside – Kiss You Forever

Remember how cool John Travolta was Disco’n in Saturday Night Fever? That jamming music has disappeared. Fortunately, Poolside is now re-imagining the 70’s funk (Daytime Disco). They do it swell with “Kiss You Forever.” A popping drum sound gracefully flows with a simple piano. And do I hear cowbell? The biggest draw-in is the “I wanna kiss you forever,” that bridges the instrumental. It really feels like The Bee Gees are back at it. As if I am clubbing with babes on Miami Beach with a thick moustache in 77. By Teddy Pendergrass

Poolside – Kiss You Forever

Poolside california (Facebook)

Rating 8.2

brown8

reviewed by
12-24-12

Rave’s Fave: Teleman – Christina

Remember Pete and the Pirates from a few years ago? Their hooky indie-pop song “Jenny” was a fave of Anglofiles everywhere. Many of us felt the song should have done better in the US. Pete is back with his new band Teleman. His plaintive vocals front a beautiful, melodic track that should sit very well with you over these holidays. This single will be released on Moshi Moshi in the UK on January 14. Let’s hope that Pete’s time has come. By Bruce Rave

Teleman – Christina

Teleman (Official)

*Check out Bruce’s Moheak Radio “Go Deep” show on Sunday nights 7-9 pm Pacific, 10-12 am Eastern, 3-5 am GMT. Listen to past shows at Bruce’s blog and follow Bruce on Twitter.

reviewed by
12-24-12

Black Ceiling – Don’t Hurt Me

“Don’t Hurt Me” by Black Ceiling starts the collective’s recent four song So Neon EP release quite fittingly. The refix of Haddaway’s 1993 “What Is Love” may seem cliché, however the mixture of “don’t hurt me” vocals and hard-hitting bass with an eerie overcast of hums and drums is near perfection. It takes several listens to even get past this first track on the EP. And replaying the intro uncontrollably tends to be a good sign for any release. By Teddy Pendergrass

Black Ceiling (Facebook)

Rating 8.1

brown8

reviewed by
12-22-12

Foals – My Number

Oxford based Foals have released another track from their third studio album Holy Fire, due out on February 12th, 2013. The first single, “Inhaler” served a nice preview for the album, but the second track “My Number”, which recently dropped via their Youtube channel, is what has me sold. This math rock quintet wastes no time ripping right into the lively track with an upbeat feel throughout. Foals have a slew of live dates lining the beginning of 2013, but all in Australia and Europe. I assume they will come Stateside for the summer touring season, maybe a major festival or two? Fingers crossed. By Brian Litwin

Foals – My Number

Foals england (Official)

Rating 8.7

brown8

reviewed by
12-20-12

K H U S H I – Magpie

“Magpie” by London band Khushi can only really start to be described as indie pop of the supremest vintage and composed of that perfect nexus of great melodic writing, beautiful instrumentals, and phenomenal harmonies that assure Khushi are band we will be hearing much more of (we hope!) in 2013. (ATG)

Khushi (Facebook)

Rating 8.4

brown8

reviewed by
12-19-12

Mike Din – Losing You (Ryan Hemsworth Remix)

R. Hems latest remix victim is Canadian producer Mike Din’s track for “Losing You”. Mr. Hemsworth slowcoaches the track with atmospheres and layers “giving it a bath” of immersive sonics. High priced baths.

Ryan Hemsworth (Facebook)

Rating 8.4

brown8

reviewed by
12-19-12

Walking Shapes – Pusher

NYC band Walking Shapes (ex-Click Clack Boom) come up aces on their first major release “Pusher”. The syncopated drum/guitar combos and hooky melodies remind us a bit of Radiohead’s “15 Step”, if instead of being “really into” Flying Lotus and bowler hats, Thom Yorke hung out more at the beach. A+ track, boys.

Walking Shapes (Facebook)

Rating 8.0

brown8

reviewed by
12-19-12

Trinidad James – Gold On My MacBook (Terry Urban Remix)

Our Cleveland brother Terry Urban executes the “nice n’ smooth” on elaborate internet prank Trinidad James’s paean to metal-plated Apple products. Big UP.

Trinidad James – Gold On My MacBook (Terry Urban Remix)

Terry Urban (Official)
Miguel (Facebook)

Rating 8.3

brown8

reviewed by
12-19-12

Flux Pavilion – Do Or Die (ft. Childish Gambino)

EDM star Flux Pavilion get’s him some Glover on “Do Or Die”. From the forthcoming Blow The Roof EP release on January 28. Get your taste of what all of the hype is about below.

Flux Pavilion (Facebook)

Rating 8.5

brown8

reviewed by
12-19-12

Walk off the Earth – Reckoning Song (One Day) (Asaf Avidan Cover)

Canadian band Walk Off the Earth turn out a vibrant indie cover of Asaf Avidan’s “Reckoning Song” complete with a soaring vocal harmony and jivey folk vibe. The five member group (best known for their snappy well-played covers, use of eclectic instruments and clever low-budget videos) went viral this year with a brilliantly understated video for their cover of Gotye’s “Somebody I Used To Know”. The video which features the entire band playing one guitar is one of this years most notable vids. WOTE rounds out a reasonably good 2012 with the release of their R.E.V.O. EP and the recent premiere of their latest video for the EP’s uplifting original track “Gang of Rhythm”. Good stuff. We look forward to hearing more from this multi-talented and refreshingly playful group of rising stars. By Erin Feathers

Walk off the Earth – Reckoning Song (One Day) (Asaf Avidan Cover)

WOTE (Facebook)

Rating 8.1

brown8

reviewed by
12-19-12

A-Lyrc – Hip Hop

Anthony Gaskins (also known as A-Lyrc) kicks it lo-fi and gets rhetorical with the righteous and smoothly methodical rhyme “Hip-Hop”. By Erin Feathers

A-Lyrc (Soundcloud)

Rating 8.0

brown8

reviewed by
12-19-12