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Track Reviews

Toni Braxton – He Wasn’t Man Enough (JOTY Michael Jackson World Remix)

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Normally, we’d save something like this for a Saturday but a mix like this just ends up burning a hole in your digital pocket. You just need to let that wallet free and spend that shit. Put down those dollars. So we’re waving our benjamins around, throwin ’em down, with this crazy good Toni Braxton/Michael Jackson mix. Done in 2002 by Belgian producer JOTY, the mash of Rodney Jerkins-produced tracks works on so many levels. It’s almost not fair. And like we’re not really the biggest mashup fans either. But damn, if this isn’t the coolest song Darkchild never produced, but probably should’ve.

Toni Braxton – He Wasn’t Man Enough (JOTY Michael Jackson World Remix)

JOTY: (YouTube)

Rating: 8.8

brown8

reviewed by
04-28-11

Daft Punk – Harder Better Faster Stronger (Freemun Remix)

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I know that photo looks like the oft-behelmeted French dudes from Daft Punk, but this photo, actually, was shot just today outside b3sci HQ. We were caught on camera! Pretty sick helmets right? We think so. p.s. Yes we do have a scale model of the Eiffel Tower outside the offices. p.p.s. This mix totally rips.

Daft Punk – Harder Better Faster Stronger (Freemun Remix)

Freemun: (Myspace) (Facebook)

Rating: 8.0

brown8

reviewed by
04-28-11

Jamie Woon – Night Air (Solomun Edit)

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Now what we gonna do right here is we gonna smooth it out.

Jamie Woon – Night Air (Solomun Edit)

Solomun: (Myspace) (Soundcloud)

Rating: 7.9

brown71

reviewed by
04-28-11

Theo Martins – Up & Away (Prod. Vodka & Milk)

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Theo Martins, with an assist from blogverse favs Vodka & Milk, styles up another R&E (call it rhythm & electro, haha, see what we just did there?) keeper with “Up & Away”. Do like us and spin this uptempo synth-laden track (and it’s accompanying nice look vid) and let the feel good vibes free flow in. 3-2-1…….

Theo Martins – Up & Away

Theo Martins: (Official) (Myspace) (Twitter)

Rating: 8.0

brown8

reviewed by
04-27-11

Belle Brigade – Where Not to Look for Freedom

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“Where Not to Look for Freedom”, the title track on Belle Brigade’s recently dropped debut LP, is easily our fav song from the record. The tune, which features a killer lights-out-awesome chorus, sonically falls somewhere between Born to Run-era Boss and Thin Lizzy; if those geezers had come up from somewhere filled with a bit more sunshine. Get into it by pushing play below.

Belle Brigade – Where Not to Look for Freedom

Belle Brigade: (Official) (Myspace) (Facebook)

Rating: 8.0

brown8

reviewed by
04-27-11

My Goodness – Blackout Baby

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Wow. That’s what I’m talking about! My Goodness, Seattle answer to our very own hometown (ok, really just home metro area, but still) Black Keys, are the heavy hitting duo of Joel Schneider (smoldering guitar) and Ethan Jacobsen (planet-mashing drums). We’re talking BIG king-sized riffs, and PUNISHING rhythms. “Blackout Baby” is our first introduction to the band and to put it bluntly, the song and the band both absolutely rip. We want more! We need more music, guys! Hit us up!

My Goodness – Blackout Baby

My Goodness: (Myspace)

Rating: 8.6

brown8

reviewed by
04-27-11

Dom Kennedy – Bet You Want Me Now

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Original Dom Kennedy is the coolest shit to hit hip hop in 2011 and “Bet You Want Me Now” is about as fresh as it gets. Not just L.A., Dom’s got the whole west coast on his back right now. Heavy are the shoulders that bear the Golden State. Dom are with you us?

Dom Kennedy – Bet You Want Me Now

Dom Kennedy: (Official) (Myspace) (Twitter)

Rating: 8.4

brown8

reviewed by
04-26-11

Tribes – We Were Children

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Britain, the mid 90’s, the rise of Britpop, the height of trip-hop, and Take That, there was Take That, but that much we can forgive. Robbie Williams not talking > Robbie Williams talking > Robbie Williams singing. Had the Tribes kids not been mere children proper respectable rock roll aduls, “We Were Children” would have been a mid 90’s hit, no doubt. The big melodies, the anthemic choruses, the hugeness, the epicness of it all, all that sweet shit that made that music so great is here too on “We Were Children” and it’s done on to perfection. Nice work, lads! Here goes the CDQ…

Tribes – We Were Children

Tribes: (Myspace)

Rating: 8.4

brown8

reviewed by
04-26-11

Napoleon in Rags – Empty Promises

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“Empty Promises” form Swindon UK group Napoleon in Rags rips, urgent wiry guitar leads frame up a stellar set of melodic lines. “Empty Promises”, the band’s maiden single, is set for self-release 16 May.

Napoleon in Rags – Empty Promises via SKOA

Napoleon in Rags: (Myspace) (Facebook) (Official)

Rating: 8.2

brown8

reviewed by
04-26-11

Mia Doi Todd – Paraty

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“Paraty”, new from oft-Fly Lo collaborator Mia Doi Todd, is one part relaxing (think beachside hideaways), two parts transportive (think Brazil), and one part French pop melody (thinking Francoise Hardy). The sum of all that is really great smooth out song. We are so relaxed.

Mia Doi Todd – Paraty

Mia Doi Todd: (Official) (Myspace)

Rating: 8
brown8

reviewed by
04-26-11

Beastie Boys – Don’t Play No Game That I Can’t Win (Feat. Santigold)

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Santigold spinkles a bit of dub, a bit of echo, a bit of scratch to our fav bunch of old dude rappers’ simmering globe-infused stew. Into it.

Beastie Boys – Don’t Play No Game That I Can’t Win (Feat. Santigold)

Beastie Boys: (Official) (Twitter)

Rating: 8.3
brown8

reviewed by
04-26-11

Weekend – End Times

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Contributed by Chris Gedos

The San Fran scene is constantly buzzing, thumping, hissing, rapping. They demand to be taken as seriously as NYC and LA. I see a little sister city love between SF and Manchester in terms of rock autonomy, in fact. Blame it on the Joy Division influence. No, this is not a live performance of Novelty from ‘79! But squealing Sumner-esque guitar? Check. Lead bass with terrifying Peter Hook purpose? Check. All that’s missing is the transformative Ian Curtis howl. Weekend is making themselves scarce over the upcoming months, with only 4 shows scheduled through September. Let’s hope they sequester themselves in the studio and lay down the trax which catapult them to that next level.

Weekend – End Times

Weekend: (Site) (Facebook)

Rating: 7.987
weekend

reviewed by
04-25-11