Little Daylight’s awesome breakthrough hit “Overdose” (seriously, “Overdose” could be the chorus of the year) gets the official remix treatment from Aussie born production team Twice As Nice. The Oz boys nail it; styling “Overdose” with some heavier electro flourishes and a bit more club-friendly drophammer of a beat. B3’s got you, as we’ve got the premiere for y’all to sample below! Get into it!
Little Daylight 
(Facebook)
Twice As Nice
(Facebook)
Rating 8.3
James Blake is a superstar. Demur, and yet so powerful, a style he has carried into his new track: “Retrograde” The track starts off slow, just has most of his stuff does. And then the trademark Blake “drop” comes in, and blows you away. His lyric, “Ignore everybody else, we’re alone now” stands out with a romantic, sensual feeling to it, where as previous Blake tracks and albums rode upon more of a theme of longing and sadness. It is assuredly one of his better songs to date. The vocals are stunning and Blake carries the song on what seems like one breath.
A follow up to James Blake’s debut self-titled album is to be released on April 8th, and he will be doing a US tour in late Spring and early Summer. (A live show that is not to miss.) By Phoebe Anne Severin
James Blake 
: (Official) (Label) (Myspace)
Rating 8.5
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
Deptford Goth is a solo project from British born Daniel Woolhouse. “UNION” is a dreamy, electronic track. It’s reminiscent of a more opulent “Holy Other” with a heavy base line that floats beneath ethereal synths. Woolhouse’s lyrics are powerful under the equally powerful music. The lyrics are oddly feel-good and sad all at once: “Making up, lovers on their own tonight, need to see how it’s done so I can change inside.” The song evokes a certain feeling of longing, a nostalgia so to speak, as the verse “I belong with everyone, everyone I’ve ever known.” echoes repeatedly through the song.
A full length album, Life After Defo, is scheduled to be released March 18th. How exciting is that?! By Phoebe Anne Severin
Depford Goth : (Facebook)
Rating 8.2
D.C. band on the rapid rise Brett (“Kate Moss” and “Confidence”) lace up a 90’s synth music-infused (we’re picturing Ross from Friends doing a nod w/ his Walkman) pop montage on “Visions”. The new track is part of the Rap Songs x Visions EP out on iTunes and Beatport via dFm February 26th. The EP will also include a remix of “Rap Songs” by Them Jeans. Be sure to keep on eye out for Brett performing in the D.C. area as well as in Austin this year during SXSW.
Rating 8.5
UK upstart John Newman, whom you may recognize from his recent hit collaborations with electronic act Rudimental, brings his soul-driven vocal stylings and expert songwriting skills (our man co-wrote both Rudimental hit tracks “Feel the Love” and “Not Giving In”) on the very good visceral pop of “Try”. Is “Try” the stuff of a Alex Clare-esque breakout for John Newman? Stay tuned.
John Newman – Try (Demo Version)John Newman 
(Facebook)
Rating 8.0
The Stockholm-based Josefina Sanner delivers a “Swedish surprise” with the exceptional pop track, “Do You Remember”. Outfitted chorus to verse with the sharpest hooks and crispest melodies, (and a cool guitar figure throughout much of the track that’ll feel like you’re in the middle of some sort of really cool Nordic sled race scene) “Do You Remember” is built for maximum quality and re-listenability. Already a critical darling in Sweden, Sanner is set to release more English language song this year and it’s not unreasonable to think she’ll conquer that linguistic sphere as well.
Josefina Sanner – Do You RememberJosefina Sanner 
(Facebook)
Rating 8.1
Aussie exports Them Swoops connect the stellar melodic dots with second single “Too Fast For Love”. The order for the track is choice indie rock melody, choice indie rock melody, and more choice indie rock melody, as the Oz band fires tuneful salvo after tuneful salvo on “Too Fast For Love”. If you’re in Australia (or just visiting!), look out for the band to be touring the country later this month.
Them Swoops (Soundcloud)
Rating 8.4
Sharkmuffin, out of Brooklyn, bless b3 with a power pop gem with “The Lake”. The track, although wall to wall packed with great melodies and hooks, has a nice overall dynamic to it; building tension and volume into the track’s awesome visceral finish. Frontwoman Tarra Thiessen, who’s vocal performance on the track is A+, reminds a bit (in a very good way) of Chrissie Hynde. Stay tuned for a 7-inch release of “The Lake” from Sharkmuffin later this month.
Sharkmuffin – The LakeSharkmuffin 
(Facebook)
Rating 8.3
The Lucius crew let loose an excellent soulful live version of their “Turn It Around” single. The Brooklyn band found themselves in lights last night as “Turn It Around” got a spin on the open of last night “Grey’s Anatomy” (which somewhat amazingly is still on). Lucius have a U.S. tour upcoming; with a start in Boston on Valentine’s Day (where by then the city’s snowmobile-based economy should be in full motion) and will continue throughout February and into March with multiple shows at SXSW.
Tour:
2/14: Boston, MA @ Great Scott
2/15 Philadelphia, PA @ Milkboy *
2/16 Vienna, VA @ Jammin Java *
2/17 Pittsburgh, PA @ Club Café *
2/18 Toledo, OH @ The Ottawa Tavern
2/20: Mechanicsburg, PA @ Messiah College
2/21: Kingston, NY @BSP Lounge
2/22: Hamden, CT @ The Outer Space
2/23: Williamstown, MA @ The Log
3/13: Austin, TX @ SXSW
3/14: Austin, TX @ SXSW
3/15: Austin, TX @ SXSW
3/16: Austin, TX @ SXSW
3/18: Little Rock, AR @ Juanita’s Cantina Ballroom #
3/19: Birmingham, AL @ Workplay Theater #
3/20: Nashville, TN @ The High Watt %
4/5: Brooklyn, NY @ Knitting Factory
* co-headlining w/ Hannah Georgas
# supporting The Mowgli’s & Family of the Year
% supporting Nicki Bluhm and The Gramblers
Lucius (Soundcloud)
Rating 8.3
Check out the soulful (& awesome) hip hop-informed space pop of Natural Self a/k/a Brighton-based producer Nathaniel Pearn and his track for “Machine”. The single will be available Feb 18th on Tru Thoughts. Get familiar. (TLOBF)
Natural Self (Facebook)
Rating 8.3
b3 faves The 1975 come through with possibly their most challenging track to date with “Head.Cars.Bending.”. The R&B influence hinted at in earlier songs like “You” & “Chocolate” is dialed up further here with the band embracing more untraditional song & rhythm structures for indie pop. “Head.Cars.Bending” is quite unlike anything we’re heard before (in the best sort of way) and we’re definitely co-signing this particular lane for the band. The 1975’s s/t EP is due March 3rd on Dirty Hit.
The 1975 (Facebook)
Rating 8.2
