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Mereki – Dth Buny

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Press play on this new one from L.A.-based Mereki and shit gets immediately rowdy. The SoCal singer brings a charming raucousness of industrial and punk noise to her well-informed and balanced pop songwriting craft. It’s been too long since we’ve from heard from Mereki, and it seems now between collaboration and live stints with the likes of Goldroom, she’s also been hard at work on more original material, and if “Dth Buny” serves an indication – those upcoming tracks are poised to impress. Be sure to check her out live before the New Year if you’ll be in L.A. area.

November 20th – Upstairs at Ace Hotel / Flood Magazine/ ASCAP
December 17th – The Satellite / ‘A Very Merry Christmas Benefit Show

Mereki (Soundcloud)

reviewed by
11-20-15

Brasstracks – Say U Won’t

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B3-lauded Brooklyn musician/producer duo and electronic-brass-hybrid style mavericks Brasstracks amaze us (yet again) with their quintessential collage of exquisitely robust-brassy-horn-laced instrumentals and energetic soulfully-expressed complimentary beats on their new swanky trumpet-saturated lounge-dynamo original named “Say U Won’t” (which is seemingly the slightly-more-polished and showy anthesis to a previous melody on Brasstracks’ quite-excellent recent production “Say U Will”). We think its safe to assume the brilliant transformation in style on the latest track is a toe-tapping bright-quality indication of what fans can expect on the duo’s upcoming buzz-worthy yet-to-be-titled album that is set to release sometime early next year. With such incredible style there is a good chance of the NY-duo gracing our December year-end lists! Reviewed by Erin Shay.

Brasstracks (Soundcloud)

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11-20-15

[B3SCI Records] Hidden Charms – Love You Cause You’re There

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Out today on B3SCI Records is “Love You Cause You’re There”, the new single from UK band Hidden Charms. The follow-up to this summer’s “Dreaming of Another Girl” single on B3, “Love You Cause You’re There” was called by Pigeons & Planes “bluesy, full-bodied rock” and that “It’s rooted in the traditional, but the raw energy cuts through for an electrifying effect” (We agree!) and picked up by other cool sites like Et Musique Pour Tous and DJs Zane Lowe, Annie Mac and Huw Stephens. Get the new release from the Charms at B3SCI Records.

Hidden Charms (Soundcloud)

reviewed by
11-20-15

Tsar B – Escalate

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Yes! The new marching orders in new wave-R&B have been emphatically called out by Belgian newcomer Tsar B. “Escalate”, Tsar B’s debut track, is brimming over with cool new ideas, creative turns of arrangement and some seriously strong melodic sensibility. “Escalate” isn’t so much a debut as a proclamation and it needs to be heard.

Tsar B (Soundcloud)

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11-20-15

SWUM – Lucid

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We’re pleasantly perplexed by the deeply expressive montage of uniquely creative beats, quiet subtle-touch guitar riffs and divinely-inspired picture-perfect seductive-expansive ambient background vocals on new dreamy fave “Lucid”, an outstanding hip-hop-influenced beauty created by Jerusalem-based producer Swum Beats. Reviewed by Erin Shay.

SWUM (Soundcloud)

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11-20-15

Review: Flume with River Tiber @ Mayan Theater, L.A. on 11/12

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Review: Tony Perkis / Photos: Russ Ramos

Red Bull Sound Select should just run for mayor of Los Angeles this of November as they are already running this town… Thursday’s Mayan Theater edition of RBSS was another stellar showing (topped off with free pizza and cookies to those in attendance, well played!)

Freshly minted signee to Boysnoize Records, Taskforce brought the beats to start the night off. The Minneapolis drum machine wizard conjured the crowd into a dance party highlighted by personal favorite, “Police Brace For Violence”.

Heading up north, Toronto native, River Tiber, hit the stage next. Vibey and chill, this Canadian (liked by BADBADNOTGOOD and Drake) laid an emotional haze out and over the packed Mayan.

Finally, Aussie DJ/producer Flume (Harley Streten) who is no stranger to B3SCI or myself (seeing him 4 times now). Flume’s 2013 self-titled LP was outstanding and considered widely one of that year’s best. For the set, Flume played all the hits, some new stuff and a delivered a very special guest; bringing out Andrew Wyatt (of Miike Snow) for an incredible performance of new single “Some Minds”. Flume always brings it (light show, mix, overall production). It was one giant party in DTLA.

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11-20-15

Basic Tape – Not Afraid

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We’re psyched on the brilliantly vibe-y indie dance triumph “Not Afraid” from French-electro duo Basic Tape (a.k.a Sav and Ben) who we think bring a cool magnetic minimalist style worth keeping an ear on. Reviewed by Erin Shay.

Basic Tape (Soundcloud)

reviewed by
11-18-15

Neil Thomas – Home

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Get acquainted with the distinctly catchy pop songwriting talents and dazzling velvety vocals of new-find London-based singer-songwriter Neil Thomas on his excellent new radio-ready guitar groove layered pop gem “Home”. Reviewed by Erin Shay.

Neil Thomas (Soundcloud)

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11-18-15

Luna – Madly

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We like the starry-eyed cheery-sensed melody-driven instrumentals and creative-touch warm-ebullient cosmic-vibe undercurrents of “Madly” a vocally-picturesque ambient beauty from a mysterious new producer named Luna. Reviewed by Erin Shay.

Luna (Soundcloud)

reviewed by
11-18-15

Kultur – Jeux d’Enfants

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French producer Kultur, also know as Ismaël Dabo, creates a vividly-effervescent vibrant-pause-inflected potpourri of dreamy ambient beats, syrupy hazy atmospheric vocals, and perfect-touch melodic piano tone accents on his new electro delight “Jeux d’Enfants”. Reviewed by Erin Shay.

Kultur (Soundcloud)

reviewed by
11-18-15