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Usher – Climax (Alain Lalonde Remix)

By Jon Herriot

Alain Lalonde is back with another remix! This time Usher’s Diplo-produced track ‘Climax’ (a b3sci favorite). There’s really two things I have to say about this remix. First, Alain adds some bounce to the track, especially during some of Usher’s vocals. Secondly, he cranks up the heat. If you aren’t careful, you’ll get smacked in the face at about the 4:45 mark. I like what I have seen so far from Alain Lalonde, he has this unique funky style, but doesn’t forget that you have to get the beats smashing sometimes to get a crowd jacked up.

Alain Lalonde canada (Facebook)

Rating 8.2

brown8

reviewed by
05-10-12

Usher – Climax (Kaskade Remix)

usherclimax

Aw shit. Usher & Diplo’s “Climax” is already one of our favorite songs of the year. And then this happened. Kaskade refashions Usher’s R&B return a massive EDM club smash. You need to hear it now.

Usher georgia (Facebook)

Rating 8.8

brown8

reviewed by
04-05-12

Usher – Climax (Prod. Diplo)

usher

We couldn’t be more in love with this song right now (knocks so soft). Usher opened up the purse and dropped a little of that Bieber $$$$ on a new vid which you can watch below. If b3sci has a wish for 2012, it’s for these two to do a whole album. An Usher x Diplo album could/would be a game changer not only for both artists but for the whole music game. MAKE IT HAPPEN GUYS. March 2012, month of the soft heater. Go and get it!

Usher georgia (Facebook)

Rating 8.7

brown8

reviewed by
03-09-12

Usher – Go Missin (Prod. Diplo)

usherdiplo

Y’all remember that song “Climax”? Yeah, same guys. V-Day winner.

Usher (Facebook)

Rating 8.4938

reviewed by
02-14-13

Review: Bag Raiders @ Lure w/ Plastic Plates, Gorgon City and Jason Bentley 5/3/13

Bag Raiders

What a way to kick off Lure’s Private Label concert series. The combination of Lure being one of the hottest nightclubs in LA and having some of the hottest DJs perform is pure gold. During a Bondax and Breakbot concert that I reviewed back in late March, I noticed how the DJ stage was on the side of the venue rather than the center, making the feng shui a bit odd. On Friday night May 3rd, Lure had a nice setup with lighting rigs, an open roof and the DJs directing the crowd from a riser in the back, facing all of the audience.

First up was a man who has been everywhere in LA, and basically has a stronghold on what is popular in up and coming music, KCRW’s Jason Bentley. Being a Music Director with impeccable taste is one thing, and having a nice feature in LA Weekly is another, but the man has always been a tremendous DJ. Serving as a great opener on the night, the crowd was responsive to his bumping set.

People started to really pile in as the hands were switched to Aussie born Plastic Plates. Felix Bloxsom has amassed a nice following over the past couple of years and has been featured on a couple of Kitsune’s compilations. Being on this bill seemed to only make the most of sense. Felix’s set was a perfect prelude to Bag Raiders, using similar elements of a house heavy set. A highlight from the set had to be PP’s awesome remix on the super catchy “Cast Away” by Strange Talk.

Plastic Plates left the stage to a rowdy audience, only to usher in another Aussie act. Bag Raiders arrived to a loud applause. The house duo from Sydney, consisting of Chris Stracey and Jack Glass, got things started quickly, and everyone in the buidling was ready. The duo started playing off of their 2010 self-titled release. Momentum shifted when Chris Malinchak’s infectious single “So Good To Me” took over the speakers. Almost like a taste of what’s to come next Friday at Lure, Bag Raiders let the track just play and took it easy to enjoy the beauty of it. The rest of the set was a mix between originals, remixes and some new stuff that was very well received. The climax of the whole set was easily their big single, “Shooting Stars”. The club seemed to be sucked into a trance with the gradual rise of the verse and the monster drop into the chorus. A perfect way to end a Friday night.

Reviewed By Brian Litwin
Photos By Corey Armend

Lure (Facebook)

reviewed by
05-08-13

HAIM – Falling

HAIM

It’s HAIM, so you know it’s awesome. The sultry layered pop of “Falling”, which was produced by the hot hand of Ariel Rechtshaid (he co-produced Usher’s “Climax”, Alex Clare’s The Lateness of the Hour, Sky Ferreira’s “Everything Is Embarrassing”, etc) is the title track on the LA-based band’s forthcoming EP of the same name. Consider us in love.

HAIM (Facebook)

Rating 8.2

brown8

reviewed by
02-12-13

B3SCI Staff Top 20s

2012. It was a year. We made it through the hurricane, we survived the apocalypse, we shined bright like diamonds, etc. As we toast 2012 and look forward to a major 2013, join the b3 crew in popping the cap on all our individual favorite songs and albums of the past year. See y’all in 2013!

B3SCI STAFF TOP 20 ALBUMS LISTS

Mike Clemenza

01. Alt-J – An Awesome Wave
02. Miguel – Kaleidoscope Dream
03. Jessie Ware – Devotion
04. Lana Del Rey – Born to Die
05. Frank Ocean – Channel Orange
06. Michael Kiwanuka – Home Again
07. Keaton Henson – Sweetheart What Have You Done To Us
08. Two Door Cinema Club – Beacon
09. Usher – Looking 4 Myself
10. DIIV – Oshin
11. Tame Impala – Lonerism
12. The xx – Coexist
13. Tallest Man on Earth – There’s No Leaving Now
14. Spector – Enjoy It While It Lasts
15. The Vaccines – Come of Age
16. Ellie Goulding – Halcyon
17. Spiritualized – Sweet Heart Sweet Light
18. Flying Lotus – Until the Quiet Comes
19. The Maccabees – Given to the Wild
20. Lucy Rose – Like I Used To

Troy Meyer

01. Miguel – Kaleidoscope Dream
02. Kendrick Lamar – good kid m.A.A.d. City
03. Jessie Ware – Devotion
04. Frank Ocean – Channel Orange
05. Tame Impala – Lonerism
06. Killer Mike – R.A.P. Music
07. Fiona Apple – The Idler Wheel
08. Spiritualized – Sweet Heart, Sweet Light
09. DIIV – Oshin
10. Sharon Van Etten – Tramp
11. Cloud Nothings – Attack On Memory
12. El-P – Cancer For Cure
13. Grizzly Bear – Shields
14. Chromatics – Kill For Love
15. Leonard Cohen – Old Ideas
16. How to Dress Well – Total Loss
17. John Talabot – fin
18. Actress – R.I.P.
19. Cat Power – Sun
20. Jeremih – Late Nights

Christopher Gedos

01. Bob Dylan – The Tempest
02. The Dirty Projectors – Swing Lo Magellan
03. Michael Kiwanuka – Home Again
04. Lianne La Havas – Is Your Love Big Enough?
05. Alt-J – An Awesome Wave

Bruce Rave

01. Django Django—Django Django
02. Muse—The 2nd Law
03. The Vaccines—Come Of Age
04. Jack White—Blunderbuss
05. Silversun Pickups—Neck Of the Woods
06. Howler—America Give Up
07. The Ravonettes—Observator
08. Hot Chip—In Our Heads
09. Madness—Oui Oui, Si Si, Ja Ja, Da Da
10. Metric—Synthetica
11. Passion Pit—Gossamer
12. The Walkmen—Heaven
13. The Hives—Lex Hives
14. Soft Swells—Soft Swells
15. Bloc Party—Four
16. Divine Fits—A Thing Called Divine Fits
17. Cloud Nothings—Attack on Memory
18. The Royalty—Lovers
19. Reel Big Fish—Candy Coated Fury
20. Father John Misty—Fear Fun

Erin Routson

01. Kendrick Lamar – good kid m.A.A.d. City
02. Prinzhorn Dance School – Clay Class
03. Fiona Apple – The Idler Wheel
04. 2 Chainz – Based On a T.R.U. Story
05. Ke$ha – Warrior
06. Freddie Gibbs – Baby Face Killa
07. Frank Ocean – Channel Orange
08. Spiritualized – Sweet Heart Sweet Light
09. Tanlines – Mixed Emotions
10. Sharon Van Etten – Tramp
11. The xx – Co-Exist
12. Neil Young and Crazy Horse – Psychedelic Pill
13. Tame impala – Lonerism
14. Kendrick Lamar – good kid m.A.A.d. City
15. Kendrick Lamar – good kid m.A.A.d. City
16. Kendrick Lamar – good kid m.A.A.d. City
17. Kendrick Lamar – good kid m.A.A.d. City
18. Kendrick Lamar – good kid m.A.A.d. City
19. Kendrick Lamar – good kid m.A.A.d. City
20. Kendrick Lamar – good kid m.A.A.d. City

Jon Herriot

01. Frank Ocean – Channel Orange
02. Of Monsters and Men – My Head Is an Animal
03. Mumford and Sons – Babel
04. The Shins – Port of Marrow
05. Kendrick Lamar – Good Kid M.A.A.D City
06. Rah Rah – The Poet’s Dead
07. Said The Whale – Little Mountain
08. Metric – Synthetica
09. The Lumineers – Submarines
10. Lana Del Rey – Born To Die
11. Passion Pit – Gossamer
12. John K Samson – Provincial
13. Bahamas – Barchords
14. Hoodie Allen – All American
15. Macklemore x Ryan Lewis – The Heist
16. Santigold – Master of My Make-Believe
17. Hannah Georgas – Hannah Georgas
18. Grimes – Visions
19. The xx – Coexist
20. Yukon Blonde – Tiger Talk

Nathan Hetherington

01 Alt-J: An Awesome Wave
02 NZCA/LINES: NZCA/LINES
03 Pond: Beard Wives Denim
04 Polica: Give You The Ghost
05 Andrew Bird: Break It Yourself
06 John Talabot: Fin
07 Django Django: Django Django
08 Tame Impala: Lonerism
09 Mac Demarco: 2
10 xxyyxx: xxyyxx
11 Melody’s Echo Chamber: Melody’s Echo Chamber
12 Lower Dens: Nootropics
13 Allah-las: Allah-las
14 Chairlift: Something
15 The Luyas: Animator
16 Yeasayer: Fragrant World
17 Negative Pegasus: Looming
18 Clock Opera: Ways To Forget
19 Daphni: JIAOLONG
20 Dark Dark Dark: Who Needs Who

Brian Litwin

01. Purity ring – Shrines
02. Kendrick Lamar – good kid m.A.A.d. City
03. The Lumineers – The Lumineers
04. Grimes – Visions
05. Alabama Shakes – Boys & Girls
06. Poolside – Pacific Central Time
07. Tame Impala – Lonerism
08. Bat For Lashes – The Haunted Man
09. Alt-J – An Awesome Wave
10. Death Grips – The Money Store
11. Passion Pit – Gossamer
12. Dirty Projectors – Swing Lo Magellan
13. Japandroids – Celebration Rock
14. Yeasayer -Fragant World
15. The M Machine – Metropolis Pt. 1
16. Macklemore & Ryan Lewis – The Heist
17. Frank Ocean – Channel Orange
18. The xx – Coexist
19. Jessie Ware – Devotion
20. Grizzly Bear – Shields

Russ Ramos

01. Ellie Goulding – Halcyon
02. Lana Del Rey – Born to Die Paradise Edition
03. Frank Ocean – Channel Orange
04. Kitten – Cut It Out
05. Jessie Ware – Devotion
06. Krewella – Play Hard
07. JMSN – Priscilla
08. Meg Myers – Daughter in the Choir
09. Grimes – Visions
10. Zedd – Clarity
11. Kimbra – Vows
12. Sleigh Bells – Reign of Terror
13. Fun. – Some Nights
14. Gotye – Making Mirrors
15. Best Coast – The Only Place
16. Calvin Harris – 18 Months
17. Frank + Derol – Frank + Derol
18. Imagine Dragons – Night Visions
19. Skrillex – Bangarang
20. Alexander Spit – A Breathtaking Trip

B3SCI STAFF TOP 20 SONGS LISTS

Mike Clemenza

01. Yuna – Live Your Life
02. Frank Ocean – Thinking Bout You
03. Big Sean – Clique (Feat. Kanye West & Jay-Z)
04. Tom Odell – Another Love
05. The xx – Angels
06. Muse – Madness
07. Madeon – The City (Feat. Zak Waters)
08. Trails and Ways – Nunca
09. Carly Rae Jepson – Call Me Maybe
10. Rhye – The Fall
11. Schoolboy Q – Hands On The Wheel (Feat. A$ap Rocky)
12. Electric Guest – This Head I Hold
13. The Neighbourhood – Sweater Song
14. The 1975 – You
15. Everything Everything – Cough Cough
16. Jessie Ware – Running
17. Dan Croll – From Nowhere
18. Purity Ring – Odebear
19. Blondfire – Where The Kids Are
20. Chris Malinchak – So Good To Me

Troy Meyer

01. Usher – Climax
02. Frank Ocean – Pyramids
03. Jessie Ware – Running
04. Kanye West – Clique (Feat. Jay-Z & Big Sean)
05. Jai Paul – Jasmine
06. Solange Knowles – Losing You
07. Miguel – Adorn
08. Kendrick Lamar – Bitch Don’t Kill My Vibe (Feat. Lady Gaga)
09. Lana Del Rey – Ride
10. Rihanna – Diamonds
11. Yuna – Live Your Life
12. Ke$ha – Die Young
13. Purity Ring – Obedear
14. Rhye – The Fall
15. The xx – Sunset
16. Meek Mill – Amen (Feat. Drake)
17. The Neighbourhood – Sweater Weather
18. Nicki Minaj – Beez in the Trap (Feat. 2 Chainz)
19. Peace – Follow Baby
20. Father John Misty – Hollywood Forever Cemetery Sings

Bruce Rave

01. Foxy Shazam—I like It
02. Django Django—Default
03. Gold Fields—Moves
04. The Vaccines—Teenage Icon
05. Passion Pit—Take A Walk
06. Fun—Be Calm
07. The Presets—Ghosts
08. The Vaccines—Bad Mood
09. Tilly and the Wall—Heavy Mood
10. Diamond Rings—I’m Just Me
11. Bloc Party—Octapus
12. Battle Tapes—Sweatshop Boys
13. Dirty Projectors—Gun Has No Trigger
14. Beach House—On the Sea
15. Citizens!–True Romance
16. Crocodiles—Endless Flowers
17. The Walkmen—We Can’t Be Beat
18. Citizens!–(I’m In Love With Your) Girlfriend
19. Father John Misty—Nancy From Now On
20. Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros—Dear Believer

Trevor Meyer

1. Peace – California Daze
2. Gabriel Bruce – Sleep Paralysis
3. George Barnett – Lone Rose
4. Kendrick Lamar – Enjoy
5. Saint Motel – 1997
6. Big Boi – Lines
7. The Record Company – This Crooked City
8. Natural Child – Derek’s Blues
9. The #1s – He’s Too Good For Everyone Else, But He’s Not Good Enough For You
10. Fast Years – Young Hearts
11. Porcelain Raft – Something In Between
12. Tayyib Ali – I Ain’t Scared
13. Sam Sparro – Happiness
14. Wild Nothing – Only Heather
15. Triptides- Bright Sky
16. Azealia Banks – Fuck Up The Fun
17. Tame Impala – Mind Mischief
18. Mike Higbee – The Waltz of Dead Love
19. Go Back To The Zoo – Weekend America
20. Dan Croll – From Nowhere

Erin Routson

01. Solange – Losing You
02. A$AP Rocky – Fuckin’ Problems (Feat. 2 Chainz, Drake & Kendrick Lamar)
03. Meek Mill – Amen (Feat. Drake)
04. Carly Rae Jepsen – Call Me Maybe
05. Kitty Pryde – Okay Cupid
06. HAIM – Hold Me
07. YN Rich Kids – Hot Cheetos & Takis
08. Pac Div – Cross Trainers
09. Chief Keef – I Don’t Like
10. Santigold – Disparate Youth
11. MIA – Bad Girls
12. Fun – Some Nights
13. Kindness – Swingin’ Party
14. Big Boi – Higher Res (Feat. Little Dragon and Jai Paul)
15. Taylor Swift – We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together
16. Blur – Under the Westway
17. Danny Brown – Grown Up
18. The Hood Internet – These Things Are Nice
19. Kanye West – Clique (Feat. Jay-Z and Big Sean)
20. Sinkane – Runnin

Jon Herriot

01. Santigold – Disparate Youth
02. Frank Ocean – Pyramids
03. Capital Cities – Kangaroo Court
04. The Royal Concept – D-D-Dance
05. Passion Pit – Carried Away
06. The Shins – Simple Song
07. Of Monsters and Men – Little Talks
08. The Tallest Man on Earth – 1904
09. The Lumineers – Ho Hey
10. Everything Everything – Kemosabe
11. RAC – Hollywood (Feat. Penguin Prison)
12. Azealia Banks – 212
13. Joey Bada$$ – Survival Tactics
14. Kendrick Lamar – Swimming Pools (Drank)
15. Rah Rah – Prairie Girl
16. Calvin Harris – Sweet Nothing (Feat. Florence Welch)
17. Grimes – Oblivion
18. Wiz Khalifa – Remember You (Feat. The Weeknd)
19. Carousel – Where Have You Gone?
20. Alabama Shakes – Hold On

Erin Feathers

01. Yuna – Lve Your Life
02. Usher – Climax
03. The Lumineers – Ho Hey
04. Jai Paul – Jasmine
05. Grimes – Oblivion
06. Miguel- Adorn
07. Alabama Shakes – Hold On
08. Alt-J – Breezeblocks
09. Kendrick Lamar- Swimming Pools (Drank)
10. Frank Ocean – Pyramids
11. Big Boi – Lines (Feat. A$AP Rocky & Phantogram)
12. Death Grips – The Fever (Aye Aye)
13. Tame Impala – Elephant
14. Schoolboy Q – There He Go
15. PS I Love You – Sentimental Dishes
16. Purity Ring – Obedear
17. RZA – Baddest Man Alive (Feat. The Black Keys)
18. Beach House – Myth
19. The Artic Monkeys – RU Mine
20. Spiritualized – Hey Jane

Nathan Hetherington

01 Grizzly Bear: Yet Again
02 Everything Everything: Cough Cough
03 Purity Ring: Obedear
04 Four Tet: Lion (Jamie xx Remix)
05 Major Lazer: Get Free (Feat. Amber Coffman)
06 Savages: Husbands
07 Bat For Lashes: Laura
08 Jacques Greene, Koreless: Arrow
09 Liars: No. 1 Against The Rush
10 Odd Future: Oldie
11 The 1975: You
12 Daughter: Medicine
13 Porcelain Raft: Is It Too Deep For You
14 Nicolas Jaar: And I Say (With Just One Glance) (Feat. Scout LaRue and Will Epstein)
15 The xx: Angels
16 Splashh: Vacation
17 Foxygen: Shuggie
18 El-P: $Vic/FTL (Me And You)
19 Fear of Men: Green Sea
20 Egyptian Hip Hop: Yoro Diallo

Brian Litwin

01 – Frank Ocean – Pyramids
02 – Alt-J – Fitzpleasure
03 – Grimes – Oblivion
04 – Dirty Projectors – About To Die
05 – Bat For Lashes – Laura
06 – Purity Ring – Fineshrine
07 – Japandroids – The House That Heaven Built
08 – Kendrick Lamar – Swimming Pool (Drank)
09 – Alabama Shakes – Hold On
10 – Disclosure – Latch (Feat. Sam Smith)
11 – Santigold – Disparate Youth
12 – Death Grips – Get Got
13 – Yeasayer – Longevity
14 – AlunaGeorge – Your Drums, Your Love
15 – Tame Impala – Elephant
16 – The xx – Angels
17 – Macklemore & Ryan Lewis Thrift Shop (Feat. Wanz)
18 – Chris Malinchak – So Good To Me
19 – HAIM – Send Me Down
20 – The Soft Pack – Bobby Brown

Russ Ramos

01. Ellie Goulding – Don’t Say a Word
02. Lana Del Rey – Gods & Monsters
03. Frank Ocean – Pink Matter (Feat. Andre 3000)
04. Kitten – G#
05. Jessie Ware – Night Light
06. Krewella – Alive
07. JMSN – Love & Pain
08. Meg Myers – Curbstomp
09. Shlohmo – Changes (Shlomo Remix)
10. Santigold – Disparate Youth
11. Kendrick Lamar – Swimming Pools (Drank)
12. Zedd – Clarity (Aylen Remix)
13. Flinch Light It Up (Feat. Heather Bright)
14. Yuna – Lullabies (Adventure Club Remix)
15. Alexander Spit – B.N.E. (Feat. C.B.G.)
16. Knife Party – Fire Hive (Krewella Remix)
17. Kavinsky – Nightcall
18. Iggy Azaelea – My World
19. The Weeknd – Gone
20. Nero – Must Be The Feeling (Delta Heavy Remix)

reviewed by
12-31-12

B3SCI Top 50 Songs of 2012

50. Mikky Ekko – Pull Me Down

49. Blondfire – Where the Kids Are

48. Gap Dream – Generator

47. The 1975 – You

46. Fun. – Some Nights

45. Bat For Lashes – Laura

44. Nicki Minaj – Beez in the Trap (Feat. 2 Chainz)

43. Meek Mill – Amen (Feat. Drake)

42. Electric Guest – This Head I Hold

41. Alt-J – Fitzpleasure

40. Twin Shadow – Five Seconds

39. Disclosure – Latch (Feat. Sam Smith)

38. Dan Croll – From Nowhere

37. Santigold – Disparate Youth

36. Muse – Madness

35. Everything Everything – Kemosabe

34. Alabama Shakes – Hold On

33. Ke$ha – Die Young

32. Polica – Lay Your Cards Out (Feat. Mike Noyce)

31. Daughter – Smother

30. The Tallest Man On Earth – 1904

29. Gold Fields – Dark Again

28. Kindness – House

27. Taylor Swift – We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together

26. Grimes – Oblivion

25. Fiona Apple – Every Single Night

24. Ellie Goulding – Anything Could Happen

23. Tom Odell – Another Love

22. The Neighbourhood – Sweater Weather

21. Trails and Ways – Nunca

20. Chris Malinchak – So Good To Me

19. Rhye – The Fall

18. Grizzly Bear – Yet Again

17. Lana Del Rey – Ride

16. Schoolboy Q – Hands On The Wheel (Feat. A$AP Rocky)

15. Carly Rae Jepsen – Call Me Maybe

14. Solange Knowles – Losing You

13. Calvin Harris – Sweet Nothing (Feat. Florence Welch)

12. Madeon – The City (Feat. Zak Waters)

11. Rihanna – Diamonds

10. Jessie Ware – Running

09. The xx – Angels

08. Miguel – Adorn

07. Kanye West – Clique (Feat. Jay-Z & Big Sean)

06. Jai Paul – Jasmine

05. Purity Ring – Obedear

04. Kendrick Lamar – The Recipe (Feat. Dr. Dre)

03. Yuna – Live Your Life

02. Frank Ocean – Pyramids

01. Usher – Climax

reviewed by
12-31-12

Yasmin – Takes 1 2 Know 1 (Prod. Diplo)

yasmin

Scottish R&B songstress Yasmin let loose today to her fans this sharp new Diplo-produced demo “Takes 1 2 Know 1”. The song is Co-written by 90’s R&B star and collaborator on Switch’s great “I Still Love You” track from last year the awesome Andrea Martin (!). Between that Usher “Climax” track and that massive “Express Yourself” heater Diplo’s kind of had something of a week and “Takes 1 2 Know 1” is an excellent bit of punctuation to it.

Yasmin – Takes 1 2 Know 1 (Prod. Diplo)

Yasmin scotland (Facebook)

Rating 8.2

brown8

reviewed by
02-18-12