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Premiere

Premiere: Saba Abraha – Pathway

“Pathway”, new from Ethiopian-born singer Saba Abraha, is a cool unexpected swerve on the sound of modern alt R&B. On the track, which we’re very pleased to premiere here at B3, Abraha both melodically and in the song’s arrangement takes her time allowing “Pathway”‘s pacing to introduce mood and echo thematically its lyrical narrative. A narrative Abraha says, “is a reminder to take off the armor and to trust whole-heartedly without fear.” We’re digging the approach and the song’s refreshing sound. Stream the B3 Premiere of “Pathaway” from Saba Abraha below.

Stream the best new songs in emerging music with our Top 12 of the Week playlist

reviewed by
04-19-18

Premiere: Conrad Clifton – Beautiful Tragedy (VIP Remix)

Conrad Clifton is a Brooklyn-based producer that loves to elude categorization. We’re happy to premier his newest single, “Beautiful Tragedy (VIP Remix),” a laidback mingling of downtempo and synthpop with some harder drum and bass to get you gyrating. Static soaked keyboards weave in and out of the foreground with a few simple notes rattling off in the distance. I think I’ll take this track with my morning coffee, please.

reviewed by
04-18-18

Premiere: Kidsmoke – Sister Sadness

We loved “Sister Sadness”, the latest single from one of our favorite new bands Kidsmoke, back in February so we’re especially stoked to premiere the video for the jangly magnetic track. If you’re in England or Wales you can check out the Wrexham band live in the coming months (dates included below) starting tomorrow night in London at The Finsbury.

Stream the best new songs in emerging music with our Top 12 of the Week playlist

6th April – The Finsbury, London

7th April – Night & Day Cafe, Manchester

25th April – Clwb Ifor Bach, Cardiff *supporting Bryde*

11th May – Focus Wales, Wrexham @ Ty Pawb

12th May – Focus Wales, Wrexham *acoustic show supporting Gaz Coombes*

24th June – Chester Live Festival, Chester

reviewed by
04-05-18

Premiere: Sama Dams – Western Love

Sama Dams is an emerging indie group from Portland that’s got an infectious minimalist rock vibe I keep coming back to. We’re honored to be premiering “Western Love” off their upcoming LP, Say It. Take a gander at those vibrato synths, melancholy vocals, and soft tambourine. The track’s tenderness is worth your time.

Stream the best new songs in emerging music with our Top 12 of the Week playlist

reviewed by
04-04-18

Premiere: Colin Magalong – Blossom

“Blossom” is the first track online from SF native and LA-based Colin Magalong. On “Blossom”, Magalong packs big-time crossover-ready vocal into a hooky instrumental influenced by heroes MJ, Daft Punk. Magalong calls “Blossom” “a song inspired by my first impressions of East LA nightlife.” “Blossom” is a soulful feel-good number that will be stuck in your brain just as quickly as it will have your toes-tapping and head-nodding. A strong debut. Stream the B3SCI Premiere of “Blossom” from Colin Magalong below.

reviewed by
02-22-18

Premiere: CAPYAC – Down In It (Feat. Caroline Watson)

“Down In It” is brand new (premiere! premiere! premiere!) from French band CAPYAC. Vets of SXSW, Austin City Limits, Euphoria Fest, Sound on Sound Fest, the group traffic in expertly executed warm Francophone synth-driven textures and melodies. The track features vocalist Caroline Watson and may/may not be an insight into the direction of the band’s forthcoming EP “Who Is Donny Flamingo”. To quote (and follow carefully), “In 1612, on the 15th night of the first month, when the moon was half, centered in the sky and the village’s families in their beds, there was a local magistrate who pondered the great questions in his mind. He found his quill and his ink and began to, without filter, press his thoughts into the page. This is a similar feeling that we had writing the song “Down In It”. We want the page to reveal the shapes that correspond with letters and enunciations, corresponding to feelings that we’ve had and that the universal “we” have also had. There is no use rewriting the books, because we have printers. This gives you a glimpse of insight into our writing process. As a whole, how does this song fit into our next EP “Who is Donny Flamingo”? It remains to be seen. Certainly, Donny Flamingo is a curious character that is difficult to define, a complex villain, a tale as old as tails, so I don’t think we have the answers, not yet at least.”

Stream the B3SCI Premiere of “Down In It” from CAPYAC.

Stream the best new songs in emerging music with our Top 12 of the Week playlist

reviewed by
01-25-18

Premiere: Koalas – Two Loves

The impeccable synth-pop of “Two Loves” is new from Manchester UK duo Koalas. Propelled from its start position by peppy minor chord synth stabs, a percussive main vocal melody and a kinetic rhythm track, “Two Loves” is magnetic from the off.

Koalas’ Samuel Jones adds about the track’s genesis and inspiration, ““We wanted the song to act like a modern Eurythmics’ Sweet Dreams but written from a more positive perspective. I like the idea of a song alluding to themes around human love and kink but without ever being too obvious or explicit, demanding an emotional response and not just physical. Musically the track is a bit of a ride with stark contrasts in dynamics and density between the different sections of the song. It’s a favourite for us to play live as there’s probably the most room in this tune to go off map. ”

“Two Loves” is a component part of a new AA single from Koalas (with “Lover”) for label Low Four. Stream the B3SCI Premiere of “Two Loves” below.

Stream the best new songs in emerging music with our Top 12 of the Week playlist

reviewed by
11-30-17

Premiere: Payton Odom – At My Door

“At My Door”, the debut track online from Brooklyn via Texas songwriter Payton Odom is one of those extraordinary at-the-beginning moments when a great lyric and melody and perfectly-tuned production come together for a new artist in a most remarkable way. On “At My Door”, Odom matches a spare piano-driven aesthetic to subtle electronics and a cool midtempo rhythm track to a wonderfully plaintive lyric. Odom describes writing “At My Door”, “I wrote ‘At My Door’ while rumbling underneath the East River on my morning train ride from Brooklyn to Manhattan, which is always a bit of a lucid dream. For me, the song is about knowing how to stay safe by staying alone, and wondering about whether the push-pull of a relationship will ever settle.” Stream the B3SCI Premiere of “At My Door” from Payton Odom below.

Stream the best new songs in emerging music with our Top 12 of the Week playlist

reviewed by
11-16-17

Premiere: mAsis – Brother

Glendale, CA band mAsis address a complex fraternal relationship on “Brother”. The band whose members have worked with Rhye, Banks, and Mr. Little Jeans and have gained the support of Radio 1, KCRW, Fader among others temper on “Brother” a spare but no less magnetic aesthetic to a potent, direct, and experiential lyrical narrative for a particularly standout track.

About the track mAsis said, “And still, through all of the changes made, through all we were and all we are not, our DNA can never change. It will always be the same, yours and mine. To turn my back on you would be to turn back on myself.”

Stream the B3SCI Premiere of “Brother” from mAsis below.

reviewed by
11-02-17

Premiere: Desert Moons – Deep Water

“Deep Water” is new from talented Aussies Desert Moons. The twosome of singer Jake Dobson and brother Simon Dobson, “Deep Water” follows on from strong debut track “Rough Trade” and traffics in a drum machine-led sound of cinematic string sweeps and good dark pop melodics.

Frontman Jake Dobson describes “Deep Water”, “‘Deep Water’ is a metaphor for feeling outside your comfort zone. Just like deep ocean waters, the idea of being in uncharted territory can be a confronting concept. At times in my life, I’ve had no choice but to face my demons head on, however ended up in a more advantageous position by addressing these challenges. It’s helped define my character and realise that fear is only a delusion created by the mind”.

Desert Moons will perform their first live show tomorrow night (technically tonight in AUS) (9/29) at Rare Finds #33 held at Oxford Art Factory’s Gallery Bar in Sydney. Enjoy the B3SCI Premiere of “Deep Water” from Desert Moons below.

Stream the best new songs in emerging music with our Top 12 of the Week playlist

reviewed by
09-28-17

Premiere: Cautious Clay – Cold War

We love this song! “Cold War” new from Cautious Clay blends a diverse melange of styles into a remarkably accessible and listenable pop song (this song could be a hit on pop radio right now) that we can’t stop spinning. Born and raised in our hometown of Cleveland and now relocated to Brooklyn, Cautious Clay is the project of musician Josh Karpeh. Josh describes the track, “A lot of times, love for someone begets patience and/or complacency, but not the other way around,” he reflects. “That’s why catching feelings is simultaneously uplifting and disruptive to personal identity for many people.” Stream the B3SCI Premiere of “Cold War” from Cautious Clay below.

reviewed by
09-22-17

Premiere: Upstairs Open – You Got Love

“You Got Love” is the debut track from Upstairs Open, the UK-based duo of Daniel James and Courtney Paynter. Buoyed by magnetic set of melodies and a cinematic in style arrangement and rhythmic churn, the James Earp-produced (Fickle Friends, Bipolar Sunshine) “You Got Love” introduces Upstairs Open as very talented arbiters of alternative pop. Stream the B3SCI Premiere of “You Got Love” from Upstairs Open below and look for a forthcoming debut EP from the band soon.

reviewed by
09-21-17