B3SCI in July = All FTSE all the time. No other artist, in any genre has captured as much of our attention or listening hours as much as the UK-based producer. Check out FTSE’s latest mix for London psych-pop outfit Cloud Control and their track “Dojo Rising”.
FTSE 
(Soundcloud)
Rating 8.2
Photos and Words by Russ Ramos
While walking up a busy Hollywood Blvd on my way to The Fonda Theater this past Monday night, I passed a sea of people (about 90% ladies) waiting in line anxiously outside of the club. Upon entering the venue I grabbed myself an overly priced beer and headed straight to the photo pit. As the opening DJ pumped out trap jams, locally based new R&B sensation JMSN prepared for his set on stage. JMSN (pronounced Jameson) wasn’t just an opener, he was one the most captivating lead acts I’ve seen in a while. There was no counting-down minutes until The Neighbourhood took stage, from beginning to end, JMSN had an energy that resonated throughout the theater. Here’s some photos from his set below.
JMSN 
(Facebook)
More EDM hits filled the house speakers as The Neighbourhood’s team prepped for the band’s set. At first, the band took stage minus frontman Jesse Rutherford. As all of the girls in the audience were flipping out, Rutherford finally made his presence. There was a moment of hysteria and you would’ve almost thought Justin Bieber himself had taken stage. Every track The NBHD played was like a sing a long. The crowd held their hands up high, shouted the lyrics and just gave off great vibes. These pictures help say it all. Once again, The Neighbourhood comes back to The Fonda in LA next month on August 15th. Don’t sleep on this.
The Neighbourhood (Tumblr) (Facebook)
“Astronaut” will be the title track on South London producer/performer Joel Compass’ upcoming due in September EP. Premiering last night on Mistajam’s 1X show last night, the brand new “Astronaut” does the R&B/garage revival thing very very well; complete with bits of melody and instrumental that are light years past many of the genre’s biggest current purveyors.
Joel Compass (soundcloud)
Rating 8.0
Timberlake is back (again) w/ the lead single from his upcoming 20/20 Experience sequel and this time he’s brought along Michael Jackson. “Take Back the Night” is an Off the Wall-era Michael pastiche for sure but it is a very good pastiche and if it means it’ll grab away any playlist slots from that awful new Bruno Mars “Treasure” song, all the better.
Justin Timberlake 
(Official)
Rating 8.4
Recalling now the heady days of August, 2012 when a cool blog called blahblahblahscience.com premiered the debut track from a then unknown artist out of Liverpool called Dan Croll. Nearly a year & a couple of hit singles later (I’ll never forget losing my mind in the car when I heard “From Nowhere” on the radio here in SF), the Croll man is back with a new deal on a Universal imprint, mentions in The Guardian, etc etc. Mr. Croll’s first major release is the once-again-very-strong wide net casted wordly synth pop of “In/Out”.
Dan Croll (Facebook)
Rating 8.3
Today, Aussie electro duo Contrakids unleash a fresh pair jams via b3sci! New original “Games” is rich both in synthesized lushness and contemporary R&B melody. While the new remix on The Dolls’ “Summer of 93” nostalgia cruises; taking us back, yes- 1993 summer back… (and for the sake of our American audiences) like “Wild and Crazy Kids”, “Hey Dude”, “Saved by the Bell” graduation years back. For those of you in the Land Down Under, the duo will be performing in Sydney at Upstairs Beresford on August 31st. The show is definitely a do not miss. Press play for tunes below.
BONUS!
Contrakids
(Facebook) (Twitter)
Rating 8.0
Yesssss. Body Language make their much-awaited return to B3SCI with the summer in the city bounce of “Well Absolutely”. The first single from BL’s upcoming Grammar LP due out in September, “Well Absolutely” is floor to frame loaded with hooks; hook after hook after hook (It’s like aw shit, that verse was great, and damn @ that prechorus, and then the chorus pushes the track into some previously unrealised 6th or 7th gear or something and then forget it, it’s all toe taps and hip shakes from there on out.) Get into “Well Absolutely” now before everybody on yr block is bumping out their boombox below.
Body Language 
(Facebook(/a>)
Rating 8.2
Amason, a Swedish indie supergroup of sorts (the Stockholm-based band features members of Miike Snow, Idiot Wind & Little Majorette), make their B3 debut w/ the compact rhythm-driven indie pop of “Went To War”. The track ticks the boxes (quite well actually) of being great melodically and conceptually as well as lyrically but is particularly memorable for it’s excellent set of horn-led hook-sealing counter melodies (you will recognize them instantly when you first hear them) that are of a quality characteristic of the best songwriters (like Miike Snow’s Pontus Winnberg).
Amason (Facebook)
Rating 8.3
The very very talented UK up and comer Elli Ingram releases her debut “Sober” EP. A tantalizing (and we don’t use that word lightly) mix of current R&B and pop sensibilities w/ the powerhouse vocal quality and performance of the best and most well-lauded of the current wave female British singers; and, oh yeah, there’s this absolutely crazy re-work of Kendrick’s “Poetic Justice” that closes the EP and is our pick from the set.
Elli Ingram – Poetic Justice (Retrial) (Prod. Felix Joseph & Rudi Redz)Elli Ingram (Facebook)
Rating: 8.5
We were probably not alone in the music blogging game in scratching our heads at the notion that newcomers Lovelife were a partial extension of the once very well-hyped UK guitar band Viva Brother. That same band (or most of it) is now getting on well enough in their new digs as NYC-based 80’s dream-synth-poppers, Lovelife. We unlocked some of the band’s mystery during an interview before their recent Echo/Popshop West Presents show in L.A. We spoke briefly with producer/instrumentalist Ally Young and guitarist Samuel Jackson about their past, their new single with tastemakers Neon Gold, life on the road and more.
Lovelife (Soundcloud)
NYC bros-in-DJ’ing Armand Van Helden and A-Trak a/k/a Duck Sauce a/k/a Goose Marmalade a/k/a Eagle Tapenade a/k/a The Ol’ Dirty Chinese Restaurant make a successful return to the $$$$ window w/ the playful kitsch of “It’s You”. Skip along to this one below.
Duck Sauce (Facebook)
Rating 8.3
To mark their summer tour with The Neighbourhood, favorites JMSN release a new 7-incher “Fool”. The dreamy, a bit more far off in sound “Fool” further shows the BK band’s versatility and ability to move between style with skill and ease.
Rating 8.1
