Image

Delilah Holliday – Devoted 2 U

Artist: Delilah Holliday

Track: Devoted 2 U

Release: Single

Label: YELLOW CAKE

Location: London, UK

Listen to B3SCI’s favorite new tracks on Spotify

reviewed by
04-02-21

BECOME x XYLO – Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea

become

Hypem chart toppers XYLO are the recipients of a remix from BECOME on latest smash “Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea”. BECOME who made a auspicious debut online with a mix for B3 Recs’ track “She Talks Too Much” by Elohim, chooses for a compressed mix built on kinetic clattering snare drums and synth sonics. Get into it.

BECOME (Soundcloud)

reviewed by
07-10-15

Raury – Devil’s Whisper

raury

Get into the multi-faceted talents and all-encompassing genreless musical range of young Atlanta bred singer-songwriter and B3 favorite artist Raury who is best known for his hit lead single “Gods Whisper” off his heavily-buzzed-about debut 2014 Indigo Child mixed tape. Raury, who we featured on our B3SCI Best of 2014: Artists to Watch in 2015 list, recently landed an appearance on Annie Mac’s much-lauded Hottest Record In the World segment for his new darkly-jubilant explosively thought-provoking “techno spiked gospel rock” track “Devils Whisper”; which according to Raury exemplifies the devils advocate dark-side polar-opposite of his gorgeous folksy career-opener track “God’s Whisper”. After a recent personal awakening, Raury currently embodies a new depth of purpose on “Devil’s Whisper”, which like “God’s Whisper”, straddles several genres from folk to gospel to rock with a touch of hip-hop in the midst (on the new track he excels by adding a brilliant techno tinge). “Devil’s Whisper” with its beautifully intoxicating cinematic depth, looped gospel chants, philosophical waxing-poetic word-to-the-wise lyrics and a spicy rap vocal interlude gives listeners a distinct and unifying message for anyone and everyone to seek enlightenment, take action against injustice and buck the establishment in order to change the world. Raury, who boldy exemplifies the devil at the beginning of the track, truly inspires the listener to also join up with their own demons in awareness and begin to make a positive difference in the lives of others. Raury, who is launching a mid to late july European festival tour (with an opening performance at the Village Underground on July 13th) is also about to take part in his own creation, the second annual Raurfest; which is a one day music festival in Raury’s native town Atlanta where he will preform with other “like-mided” artists on the indigo path including Big K.R.I.T. and Trinidad Jame$. Reviewed by Erin Shay.

13/7 Village Underground, London
15/7 Melkweg, Amsterdam
16/7 Dour Festival, Belgium
17/7 Melt Festival, Germany
18/7 Lovebox Festival, UK
19/7 Longitude Festival, Ireland

Raury (YouTube)

reviewed by
06-17-15

Oyinda – The Devil’s Gonna Keep Me

reviewed by
04-08-15

Oyinda – The Devil’s Gonna Keep Me

oyinda

The dark pop of “The Devil’s Gonna Keep Me” is new from Nigerian-born New York-based singer/producer Oyinda. “The Devil’s Gonna Keep Me” is stark and spare. The track’s Bass piano chords, synth mechanizations, and flourishes of strings are all effective rudiments which help power Oyinda’s arresting vocal and phrasing.

Oyinda (Soundcloud)

Rating 8.5

brown8Joey Bada$$

reviewed by
10-14-14

Reva DeVito – Friday Night (Prod. Kaytranada)

revadevito

Poutine lover and Canadian beat sensation Kaytranada puts some of the creative vitality that over the last eighteen months has boosted his profile exponentially underneath Portland-based Reva DeVito‘s new single for HW&W Reva DeVito. “Friday Night”, while sounding at times like a C&C Music Factory deep cut (this is meant as a compliment), is electric as the dynamic between Kaytranada’s fast-motion glossy dance&b and Reva’s propulsive sultry tone is quite special. Listen.

reviewed by
04-17-14

Jonwayne – The Come Up (ft. Scoop DeVille)

reviewed by
01-07-14

TREE – Devotion (Get It) (produced by Tree & Bink!)

TREE

B3SCI and Tree get reacquainted for the occasion of the soul vocal-sampling crusher “Devotion”, excerpted here from the Chicago MC’s Sunday School II project.

TREE (Facebook)

Rating 8.3

reviewed by
05-01-13

Interview w/ Jason Karaban plus “Devil That I Know”

We recently had the chance to chat with good-songs-man Jason Karaban about conspiracy theories, songwriting in the biz and more! Check out our conversation below and listen to “Devil That I Know”, a new collaboration with Lucy Schwartz previewed here from his forthcoming Shift (9/4) release.

Jason Karaban – Devil That I Know

B3: Why is it you’ve found recorded music to be your ideal way to share songs?

JK: With technology and the internet, recorded music is the quickest and most convenient in terms of sharing your music… it takes seconds to get your music out there and can be accessed from anywhere in the world.

B3: What lessons come from the Jason Karaban school of hard knocks that you’d like to share with any self-proclaimed reclusive-type musicians out there?

JK: It does help to understand what you are up against. I believe that the growth of technology and the rise of the independent artist is a great thing, but if you want to embrace it, you need to learn about it… If you aspire to be a musician who wants to make a living from making music than know the business that you are in. Unless of course you get very lucky and find someone who can do it for you.

B3: Roughly speaking, how many songs are chill in and unreleased in the Karaban-archives?

JK: Thousands. Roughly speaking of course.

B3: What is it about writing music that brings you peace, or a level of serenity?

JK: The process itself… because whenever anything truly creative happens you’re on auto pilot. Once you start thinking about it it becomes something else. The content becomes more important than the art, which in my experience doesn’t hold up too well.

B3: How has Los Angeles factored into your evolution as a musician and person?

JK: In a word, access. Los Angeles seems to be one of the meccas to where musicians and artists flock which puts a lot of great talent all in one place. As a person i’ve become a lot more humble and gracious after coming across so many artists who work twice as hard as I do and are so talented but are still struggling to be recognized.

B3: Do you think the music biz allows great talent to slip through the cracks for alterior benefits?

JK: Not on purpose…. otherwise we’d be getting into conspiracy theories.

B3: Have you written music especially for film or TV? How would you compare it with your album(s) material?

JK: Yes, I have, and the process is quite different because the overall objective and concept is being dictated by the film or TV show. And if you are the kind of writer who is a bit ambiguous in your writing, then you need to balance your ambiguity with something that people can understand and connect the song back to the subject you are writing about. It’s the difference between relying on your GPS for directions or just winging it… The trickiest part is that you have to deliver what whoever you are working for is trying to accomplish but at the same time you want to put your own stamp on it and keep it somewhat representative of who you are as an artist.

B3: If there is one thing that you would like people to take away from your new album Shift, what is it?

JK: I leave that entirely up to the listener…

B3: Are there any songs in particular on Shift that you feel especially close to?

JK: Yeah, but actually it varies from day to day depending on my serotonin levels.. at the moment I’d say “Pay with a .45”, “What Do You Say (To That)” and “Misplaced”.

B3: We can’t get enough of that tuba and trombone arrangement on “Succeed 101”.. it just seems like there must be a story behind it?

JK: One of the producers I worked with, Shane Smith, didn’t want any of my acoustic guitar parts to sound standard or recognizable as an acoustic guitar, so he did something to it with some sort of effect that emulated a tuba. After listening to it we decided to cut a tuba which the other producer, Barrie Maguire, managed to do using a sample.

B3: How did you connect with your label Ascend Records? It seems like it’s been a fitting relationship?

JK: I recorded an album for Maverick Records that ultimately wasn’t put out. The Ascend guys came across it and were enthusiastic about the music. They started Ascend Records basically to put out that record and we’ve worked together ever since. They are one of the few labels that I feel actually care more about the music and the artists than the business.

B3: Are there any contemporary artists that you are a fan of?

JK: Well, I’m a fan of everyone I’ve worked with on my records. Other than them… Tom Brousseau, Lykke Li, Conor Oberst, Jeff Tweedy, Paul Westerberg and my brother Dave Karaban come to mind.

B3: So we’ve got this serious Time Machine over at B3SCI HQ. Who is your dream collab with?

JK: Ideally both John Lennon and Nick Drake

Jason Karaban california (Facebook)

Rating 8.3

brown8

reviewed by
08-20-12

Roane Namuh & Reva DeVito – Frozen

We love this. New duo Roane Namuh & Reva DeVito offer up something-fresh a take on RnB and soul. There’s a chemistry on their latest Cloudshine release. The album track “Frozen” is especially drenched in sultriness with a digable nod to the ’93 Top 15 (Billboard 100) “Rebirth of Slick”. Cloudshine is available to stream at their BandCamp. Give it a spin thru.

Roane Namuh & Reva DeVito – Frozen

Roane Namuh & Reva DeVito oregon (Bandcamp)

Rating 8.9

reviewed by
05-31-12

Miike Snow – Devil’s Work (Dirty South Remix)

miikesnow

Dirty South on an A+ remix of Miike Snow’s latest. Look out for that break at 1:33.

Miike Snow sweden (Facebook)

Rating 8.3

brown8

reviewed by
04-01-12

B3SCI PREMIERE: Dev – Naked (Static Revenger Remix) (Feat. Enrique Iglesias)

devnaked

b3sci’s got a brand new heater in your area. It’s the world premiere of Static Revenger’s official remix for Dev’s (<3 you Dev) new single “Naked”. Putting on a sound reserved for only the biggest of big rooms, Static Revenger transforms the Dev track into a hi-fi 5-alarm raver. Get it, girl.

Static Revenger california (Soundcloud)

Rating 8.4

brown8

reviewed by
01-26-12