Lo-fi warrior Viking Moses a/k/a Brendon Massei returns with new LP The Conquest Night. A simple, sincere song about loving the one you’re not necessarily with, “Follow Foreign Love” examples a uniqueness and vitality that sets Massei’s songs apart from others in its well-worn genre.
Viking Moses – Follow Foreign LoveViking Moses 
(Facebook)
Rating 8.0
You know b3sci reps its city. It’s 216 ’til our dying day. We know our Cleveland rap. We also know our good Cleveland rap. Familiarize yourself with CLE rapper SIR and his $$$ heater track “Like a Player”, produced by Tone-P.
SIR – Like a Player (Prod. Tone-P)SIR 
(Twitter)
Rating 8.2
PG dropped new track “Hood” today as part of the ramp up to the 20 Feb. release of his Put Your Back N 2 It (his spelling not ours) LP. The pensive, short, piano-driven “Hood” is another “nice song” win for the balladeer. Give it your attention below.
Perfume Genius – HoodPerfume Genius 
(Facebook)
Rating 8.3
Say what you want about Wyclef Jean. (He’s an opportunist, he’s a liar, he’s a thief, etc) But the dude has always has a nice touch with production. Wyclef’s ability to wring out soul & groove (and that islands vibe!) from even the most soul-less of artists (Hello “Hips Don’t Lie”. Sorry Shakira! Still <3 you.) Here Wyclef lays down a bit of that classic sound (finger picked vaguely Spanish-sounding guitars & a minimalist two-step) for 18 yo and Pharrell co-signed artist Cris Cab. “Put In Work”.
Cris Cab – Put In Work (Prod. Wyclef & Sedeck)Cris Cab 
(Facebook)
Rating 8.0
Malaysian singer Yuna’s “Live Your Life” is one of the best tracks of 2012. (We know it’s early but just spin the record, you will see (hear) what we mean.) Remember where you heard it first.
Yuna – Live Your LifeYuna 
(Facebook)
Rating 9.0
Jhameel clearly isn’t afraid to tread in any ‘sacred’ territory of Pop music. His cover of Sir Paul’s “Blackbird” is a breathy and soulful adaptation that seems to share the same type of appreciation for The Beatles catalog as say, perhaps, a young MJ may have. Preview the song and watch his performance of it below.
Jhameel – Blackbird (Beatles Cover)Jhameel 
(Facebook)
The Beatles 
( iTunes)
Rating 8.2
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 (Facebook)
Florence & The Machine (Official and Purchase)
Rating: 9.2
By Trevor Meyer
Wirral’s finest, The Coral put a lovely spin on a Byrds classic. Somewhere in the Irish Sea, with his sail cascading in the wind, ship captain, seafarer, and musical savant, David Crosby is channeling the voice of James Skelly and drawing inspiration for his next nomadic tale (well, maybe not). The Coral are always at their best, and their rendition of “I’ll Feel A Whole Lot Better” is right on cue.
The Coral – I’ll Feel A Whole Lot Better (Byrds Cover)The Coral 
(Facebook)
Rating 8.1
“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 (Facebook)
Rating 8.3
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 
(Facebook)
Rating 8.1
Timbaland sure has traversed quite the varied and extensive path. From Timbaland & Magoo (what up, Magoo!) to popping up on this Ian Carey-helmed dance pop track, the Man from the Big VA has pretty much genre done it all (We’re still mad about that Chris Cornell record, Timbo). So how about the track? It’s a solid electro-style pop song that given the right push/airplay/promo could make a dent in the UK and even the 90’s Real McCoy-house dominated U.S. charts.
Ian Carey – Amnesia (Feat. Rosette, Timbaland & Brasco)Ian Carey 
(Facebook)
Rating 8.2
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 SurveyBreton (Twitter) (Download at Facebook)
Rating 8.2
