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IAMNOBODI, Mura Masa, Oddisee et al – Winter in Jakarta

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German-based Jakarta Records has the happy warm sampler for those cold winter months. Following up on their well-received summer sampler, the fine folks in Berlin have crafted and compiled some of the fine beatsmiths in the Soundcloud landscape. Featuring tracks by IAMNOBODI, Mura Masa, Oddisee, Stwo among others, this compilation puts the current snowy landscape in a more positive light. Highlights from the 6 song sampling include IAMNOBODI’s “Mr. West”, Mura Masa’s “The Way I Want U” and Oddisee “Clutch Shoot”. “Winter in Jakarta” is available to download now. Reviewed by Brian Litwin.

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02-12-15

Nuve – ขอบคุณครับ

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Sweet Tiger Records member Nuve (Peruvian Jose Castillo, now based in L.A.) spent 6 months in South East Asia on vacation. While there, he collected an array of sounds and turned that into an odd, but beautiful 4 song EP called “ขอบคุณครับ” translating to English as “Thank You”. From weird clanking to distant conversation, this EP is as much a capsule of a place or travelogue as a piece of music . Ethereal and dissonant all at the same time, Nuve arrays out a collage of what his time was like traveling that part of the world. Reviewed by Brian Litwin.

Nuve california (Soundcloud)

reviewed by
02-12-15

Absofacto – Dissolve

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Jonathan Visger aka Absofacto starts 2015 with a bang on the funky “Dissolve”. Visger has a great voice and it surely shines on this track. Hopefully, “Dissolve” leads to future releases like it. Reviewed by Brian Litwin.

Absofacto (Soundcloud)

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02-12-15

Review: LANY @ Sayers Club, Los Angeles 02/03/15

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Review by Brian Litwin

Tuesday nights are just done differently in Hollywood. Good looking people, drinks constantly flowing, smiles around and buzz around what the new hottest thing may be. This is the Hollywood norm and LANY at the Sayers Club brought all that buzz to life last night.

Riding a giant wave of Internet love, now LA trio LANY ripped into one of their first live shows. Playing catchy electro-pop tracks like “BRB” and the new single “Bad, Bad, Bad”, the group had the massive industry presence chomping at the bit. Friends and fans were singing along to the lyrics of “ILYSB” and the at capacity crowd vibed to the single “Made In Hollywood” to cap off the impressive showing.

Give these three amigos 2015 to find a home, develop more songs (they only have 7 songs to date and have been a band for 9 months) and hop on a tour (opening for the 1975 would do wonders for these dudes), and check back to see how big they can be.

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LANY california (Facebook) (Soundcloud)

reviewed by
02-06-15

Review: Twin Shadow & Lolawolf @ Troubadour, Los Angeles 01/22/15

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Reviewed by Brian Litwin

In a homecoming of sorts, George Lewis, Jr. and crew, aka Twin Shadow, played quite a set to an eager Troubadour crowd on Thursday the 22nd. The crowd, a healthy mix of fans and industry alike, seemed somewhat depraved of the ’80s tone that exudes out of the speakers as the band blasted through their set.

Opening the night was NYC trio, Lolawolf. Although possibly known more for the lead singer’s, Zoe Kravitz, father (Lenny Kravitz), do not sleep on these guys as they played one hell of a show; infusing a unique brand of R&B that is defiant and sexy. The band were a great pick to start the night.

Twin Shadow came out and meant business from the get go. George can really play the guitar and the band sounded super tight on tracks like 2012 single release “To The Top”. He also made it known that a new song will be released very shortly and an upcoming album to follow on Warner Bros. Records. Quite a transition from the UK tastemaker label 4AD, the first release via WBR “Turn Me Up” is gold. TS’s set did somewhat turn into a bit of a comedy routine, but truthfully it was nice to see him so comfortable and interacting so freely with the crowd. If you are on the fence about seeing Twin Shadow, hop off and catch the show, it is worth every penny.

Twin Shadow: newyork (Official)

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01-28-15

LANY – Bad, Bad, Bad

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L.A. electric pop trio LANY is back full force in all of its synthy glory. “Bad, Bad, Bad” is another laid-back, melody driven track about a love story gone… well, bad. The track is simple, but these guys know simple pop music makes some of the best pop music. As they gear for bigger and better things, the guys seem to be honing in on their sound. Reviewed by Brian Litwin

LANY california (Facebook) (Soundcloud)

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01-23-15

Clean Bandit & Jess Glynne – Real Love (The Chainsmokers Remix)

Real Love (The Chainsmokers Remix)

Leave it to the NYC duo of The Chainsmokers to flip a song and elevate it into another level. The already charting “Real Love” by the unlikely sound of Clean Bandit featuring Jess Glynne (potential next Sam Smith) gets turned into a club smash. At this point in the game, The Chainsmokers are the #1 call for big remixes and rightfully so. Reviewed by Brian Litwin

The Chainsmokers (Soundcloud)

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01-23-15

REVIEW: COACH Backstage with Kid Cudi and Skylar Grey @ Rodeo Drive 12/11/14

Kid Cudi at COACH

Overlooking a cloudy Los Angeles, COACH Backstage hosted a grand re-introduction rooftop party along with new Creative Director Stuart Vevers, this past Thursday night midst the rain. Sound poured onto famous Rodeo Drive for the reopening of the COACH store, while tastemakers where entertained by performances from the likes of Skylar Grey and Kid Cudi. Appropriately some of LA’s most famous music (Lo-Fang, Ionna Gika, Kilo Kish) and celebrity (Chloe Sevigny, Kirsten Dunst, Kate Bosworth) where in attendance. Drinks where plentiful and food from all walks of life where available for tasting. Check out some images from the performances below. Reviewed by Brian Litwin

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skylar at CoaCH

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12-12-14

Moon Boots – There’s No Love

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“There’s No Love” is the new single from French Express resident space traveler Moon Boots. Infectious and very much in the style that Moon Boots has seemed to fashion and carve out for himself, this house track will no doubt be included into playlists around the world. Check for Moon Boots and the French Express crew currently touring the UK and soon playing select cities in the states with Henry Krinkle. Reviewed by Brian Litwin.

Moon Boots illinois (Facebook)

Rating 8.3

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reviewed by
11-06-14

Creature in the Woods – Creature in the Woods [EP]

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Creature In The Woods is the project Tyler Morrisette. The Brooklyn-based Morrisette has just released his self titled EP and we must say that it is quite impressive. Mixing hip-hop, down tempo, and dance, Creature in the Woods mixes up an infectious sound and vibe. A standout track in the four song set is the borderline lounge-y, “Centuries” with its tight drums and hypnotic strummed chords. Listen/download here. Also, best name of the year has to go to “In My Spaceship”-featured artist Stan Ipcus. Reviewed by Brian Litwin.

Creature in the Woods newyork (Soundcloud)

Rating 8.4

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11-06-14

Christina Perri – Burning Gold (Bit Funk Remix)

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I am somewhat shocked that Christina Perri hasn’t been on some more popular remixes in the blog world. Her voice almost seems like a perfect candidate for a proper Hypem-leaning flip. Enter Canadian (now Brooklyn based) Bit Funk who incorporates the catchy as hell chorus melody and swerving it from Perri’s original song throws a clinic on how to turn a pop song into a club smash. Reviewed by Brian Litwin

Bit Funk newyork (Soundcloud)

Rating: 8.05486

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reviewed by
11-03-14

Golden Coast – Who We Are

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Can these dudes write a top line or what? Cali duo Golden Coast take flight on the anthemic “Who We Are”. Already impressing the masses with “Dream and an MPC” and “Break My Fall”, third track “Who We Are” keeps up the blistering pace of those previous two singles. Reviewed by Brian Litwin

strong>Golden Coast california (Soundcloud)

reviewed by
11-03-14