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BitCandy’s Top 3 for 2013

BitCandy is back to share some top new music compliments of a guest post via blahblahblahscience. So as you’re stocking your stuffings…without further a-darn-do, here are our Top 3 Picks for 2013 (queue celebratory trumpets)!

Kids Without Instruments

19 & 20 year old whiz duo, Kids Without Instruments, are not even outta college yet, but these talented Californians are already making solid art pop that could give Purity Ring and The XX a run for their moolah in 2013. We’re loving this preview of their new video, “Nausea Nostalgia”:

NO CEREMONY///

Little is known about NO CEREMONY/// beyond their Manchester bearings. This city’s rich musical heritage has undoubtedly influenced the trio’s not-so-chillwave, which is all at once tranquil and turbulent – a hypnotic oxymoron which Diplo and Joey Santiago of The Pixies have most recently been digging on.

Kate Boy

The Knife are back in business after a six year hiatus, but they face serious competition in the form of Swedish-Australian force, Kate Boy. So, we admit, we have only heard the one song, but “Northern Lights” is so hot damn sassy, our guts tell us that this guy-gal duo will be the next big thang in electro pop.

All of these artists were discovered by Curators – find out more about those bros, here. Finally, our thanks to the awesome blahblahblahscience for hosting today’s guest blog post from music filter and free online radio via BitCandy.

BitCandy (Blog)

reviewed by
12-21-12

Foals – My Number

Oxford based Foals have released another track from their third studio album Holy Fire, due out on February 12th, 2013. The first single, “Inhaler” served a nice preview for the album, but the second track “My Number”, which recently dropped via their Youtube channel, is what has me sold. This math rock quintet wastes no time ripping right into the lively track with an upbeat feel throughout. Foals have a slew of live dates lining the beginning of 2013, but all in Australia and Europe. I assume they will come Stateside for the summer touring season, maybe a major festival or two? Fingers crossed. By Brian Litwin

Foals – My Number

Foals england (Official)

Rating 8.7

brown8

reviewed by
12-20-12

K H U S H I – Magpie

“Magpie” by London band Khushi can only really start to be described as indie pop of the supremest vintage and composed of that perfect nexus of great melodic writing, beautiful instrumentals, and phenomenal harmonies that assure Khushi are band we will be hearing much more of (we hope!) in 2013. (ATG)

Khushi (Facebook)

Rating 8.4

brown8

reviewed by
12-19-12

Mike Din – Losing You (Ryan Hemsworth Remix)

R. Hems latest remix victim is Canadian producer Mike Din’s track for “Losing You”. Mr. Hemsworth slowcoaches the track with atmospheres and layers “giving it a bath” of immersive sonics. High priced baths.

Ryan Hemsworth (Facebook)

Rating 8.4

brown8

reviewed by
12-19-12

Walking Shapes – Pusher

NYC band Walking Shapes (ex-Click Clack Boom) come up aces on their first major release “Pusher”. The syncopated drum/guitar combos and hooky melodies remind us a bit of Radiohead’s “15 Step”, if instead of being “really into” Flying Lotus and bowler hats, Thom Yorke hung out more at the beach. A+ track, boys.

Walking Shapes (Facebook)

Rating 8.0

brown8

reviewed by
12-19-12

Trinidad James – Gold On My MacBook (Terry Urban Remix)

Our Cleveland brother Terry Urban executes the “nice n’ smooth” on elaborate internet prank Trinidad James’s paean to metal-plated Apple products. Big UP.

Trinidad James – Gold On My MacBook (Terry Urban Remix)

Terry Urban (Official)
Miguel (Facebook)

Rating 8.3

brown8

reviewed by
12-19-12

Review: The Weeknd @ Orpheum Theatre in Los Angeles, 12/15/12

You couldn’t help but feel the hype as you walked pass the long entrance line at the Orpheum Theatre in Downtown LA on that crisp Saturday night. Despite the chilly weather, Abel Tesfaye’s (The Weeknd) fans waited patiently outside for their chance to see the R&B star. And they had nothing but smiles on all their faces in anticipation of the evening the ahead. Upon enterning the historic Orpheum Theatre, people we’re literally walking on top of black balloons with “XO” screened on them… which seemed a nice little touch for the sold out show.

I’ll admit, after seeing The Weeknd perform live during this year’s Coachella Music and Arts Festival, I’d grown slightly weary of his live presence. Fortunately, that Saturday night was not the case. Abel’s voice was in fine tune. His vocal expression displayed impressive control. Add his trusty 7 piece band, and some lighting thrills, and track’s like “Twenty Eight”, via his recent Trilogy release, culminated as cherry toppers for the evening. The Weeknd showed that his live show still has lots to say.

Unfortunately there was absolutely no photography was allowed inside the venue that night. Hopefully this video will give you a taste of what it was like inside. By Russ Ramos

The Weeknd canada (Facebook)

reviewed by
12-19-12

Review: Alt-J @ Fonda Theater, Los Angeles 12/12/12

Writen by Bruce Rave / Photo Credit: Timothy Norris

I hit last week’s Alt-J show at the Fonda in Los Angeles not knowing what to expect. I’d heard how incredibly good the band were at Bardot and The Bootleg on a prior trip to town, but I decided not to ask many questions. What I soon found on stage was a talented and personable band that plays with purity and preciseness.

Alt-J gave it straight to the delighted, sold-out and packed Fonda Theater. Any industry types standing in back were swaying to the group’s knack for unique beats. Having been recently crowned the Mercury Prize winner’s in 2012, the band’s set actually brought prior Mercury Award alumni Elbow to mind. Not that the two bands sound alike, but the presentation is similar with positive vibes and no frills. It’s all about the musicianship with these guys. Alt-J effectively interpret album versions of their tracks in a live setting, intricately playing off of each band member in way that seems so simple, yet you know is complex. The biggest responses of night from the crowd were for their single “Fitzpleasure”, as well as “Something Good”, and “Breezeblocks”.

The band’s very evenly paced set lasted a little under an hour. While Alt-J’s set dynamics could use some growing in to, their consistent energy level works fine for now. Chatting with the band after the show, the guys reflected on what a blur these past seven months have been since things started to blow up for them in England. They anticipated that the Fonda would be a small club, similar to what they’ve been playing in the US. What a pleasant surprise for them to discover that it’s a 1300-person venue and that it was jammed!

Alt-J (Official)

*Check out Bruce’s Moheak Radio “Go Deep” show on Sunday nights 7-9 pm Pacific, 10-12 am Eastern, 3-5 am GMT. Listen to past shows at Bruce’s blog and follow Bruce on Twitter.

reviewed by
12-19-12

Flux Pavilion – Do Or Die (ft. Childish Gambino)

EDM star Flux Pavilion get’s him some Glover on “Do Or Die”. From the forthcoming Blow The Roof EP release on January 28. Get your taste of what all of the hype is about below.

Flux Pavilion (Facebook)

Rating 8.5

brown8

reviewed by
12-19-12

Walk off the Earth – Reckoning Song (One Day) (Asaf Avidan Cover)

Canadian band Walk Off the Earth turn out a vibrant indie cover of Asaf Avidan’s “Reckoning Song” complete with a soaring vocal harmony and jivey folk vibe. The five member group (best known for their snappy well-played covers, use of eclectic instruments and clever low-budget videos) went viral this year with a brilliantly understated video for their cover of Gotye’s “Somebody I Used To Know”. The video which features the entire band playing one guitar is one of this years most notable vids. WOTE rounds out a reasonably good 2012 with the release of their R.E.V.O. EP and the recent premiere of their latest video for the EP’s uplifting original track “Gang of Rhythm”. Good stuff. We look forward to hearing more from this multi-talented and refreshingly playful group of rising stars. By Erin Feathers

Walk off the Earth – Reckoning Song (One Day) (Asaf Avidan Cover)

WOTE (Facebook)

Rating 8.1

brown8

reviewed by
12-19-12

A-Lyrc – Hip Hop

Anthony Gaskins (also known as A-Lyrc) kicks it lo-fi and gets rhetorical with the righteous and smoothly methodical rhyme “Hip-Hop”. By Erin Feathers

A-Lyrc (Soundcloud)

Rating 8.0

brown8

reviewed by
12-19-12

Moon Holiday – Switching Sides (demo)

Future Classic backed Aussie Alexandra Ward, aka Moon Holidays, is yet to be discovered to much of the blogosphere. Recently though, Ward has found some traction with a featured spot on Flume’s track “Insane” as well as her self-titled EP. This new demo of “Switching Sides” has a certain something about it. I don’t know what it is, call me a sucker for a pretty girl with a great voice and an electronic-pop track, but this track has got me. By Brian Litwin

Moon Holiday – Switching Sides (demo)

Moon Holiday (Facebook)

Rating 8.0

brown8

reviewed by
12-19-12