The blue-eyed soul of L.A. duo Electric Guest has us doing the mash potato, the alligator and the watusi all over b3sci HQ. If we were betting men (and a distingushed gentleman never tells) we’d say Electric Guest has the chops and positioning to have a big 2K12.
Electric Guest – This Hand I HoldElectric Guest 
(Facebook)
Rating 8.2
Monarchs a/k/a Celeste Griffin drops a free hip hop & r&b mixtape called Ft. Celeste featuring the Austin singer-songwriter vibing over beats by Dilla, Jake One, Clams Casino and this sweet feel good Javelin beat on “Loose in the Knees”. Catch a little 2010 below.
Monarchs – Loose in the KneesMonarchs 
(Facebook)
Rating 8.0
Today JMSN drops his debut and self-produced LP Priscilla.”Something” is the third single from the 16 track album, and showcases a 2012 R&B-influenced sound with worldly influence and a heart-wringing punch in the drum track. We are into it.
JMSN – SomethingRating 8.1
Girl put in work. We really like this. Eliza, email us/tweet at us, we want to write songs with you.
Eliza Doolittle – The Morning (The Weeknd)Eliza Doolitle 
(Official)
Rating 8.7
By Trevor Meyer
Vancouver natives, Panther & The Supafly just dropped their debut EP, Nkazi. “Diamond in the Africa Rough” is a sick fusion of jazz, hip-hop, and pop. This track is driven, inspirational, and poised for greatness. Give these guys a spin.
Panther & The Supafly – Diamond In The Africa Rough Panther & The Supafly – ChroniclesPanther & The Supafly 
(Download at Bandcamp) (Facebook)
Rating 8.3
Jesse Futerman drops off this nice vibed-out bit of jazz-influenced beats excerpted here from his “Super Basement” EP. We’re guessing the Horace in question is the legendary pianist Horace Silver who recorded about two dozen LPs for Blue Note, most of which are must listens.
Jesse Futerman – A Tribute to HoraceJesse Futerman (Bandcamp) (Soundcloud)
Rating 8.2
If you know us, you know we’re massive stans for the genius Sly Stone. To cover a Sly Stone song is task only properly acquitted of by only the most soulful, powerful, emotive of artists. It’s a very high bar to reach for, indeed. Here, Millennial Territory Orchestra links up with Antony Hegarty (a soul brother you may have heard of) to tackle “Family Affair” and puts down maybe the best Family Stone cover (one of the best 70’s soul covers, period) that we’ve ever heard. It’s really that good. The pace is a slow walk, the sauntering swaying horns are perfect, and Mr. Hegarty is 100% on point vocally. Spin it below.
Millennial Territory Orchestra – Family Affair (Feat. Antony Hegarty) (Sly & The Family Stone)Millennial Territory Orchestra 
(Official)
Rating 8.6
By Trevor Meyer
Here’s a stellar piece from new London-based artist, EMiL. This song has a killer chorus hook and a beautiful string arrangement throughout. It’s the kind of song that gives you that feeling like you’re on fire and every spot is your “sweet spot” on the basketball court. This track brings the heat all day. EMiL is set to officially release “Deadwood” on March 25. I am counting down the days.
Rating 8.3
Whoa… what have we here? Beyond a beautiful and promiscuously toned video, oozes the gospel tinted blues and shoegaze of Oslo, Norway exports Phone Joan. Soak yourself in the vulnerable timbre of their dynamic new single “Damned” and be sure to pick up a copy of Phone Joan’s sophomore LP +47 91799466 due March 14th.
Phone Joan – DamnedPhone Joan 
(Facebook)
Rating 8.5
Contributed by Trevor Meyer
Still swimming in nostalgia from the return trip to California, I took a few listens to Old Soul’s self-titled 2011 release. The album features a nice collection of folk tunes and blends elements of soul and pastoral ambience. My favorite tracks are the waltzy, “People Are Talking” and the dynamic “Red & Gold,” a track that draws parallels to older Coldplay and A.A. Bondy. Also, “Caught A Train” is a well-knit piece woven together by a fusion of soul, acoustic, and alternative rock. This album has a lot to offer its listeners. I highly recommend checking these guys out.
Old Soul – Caught A TrainOld Soul 
(Bandcamp)
Rating 8
Contributed by Chris Gedos
It should’ve been your New Year’s Resolution to listen to more Motown – especially when antiquated b-sides by minor artists are so enjoyable, as is the case with “I’ll Cry Tomorrow” by The Serenaders. From January of ’64, the song’s doo-wop proclivities will sound even more outmoded by the time Mary Wells and The Supremes break big with “My Guy” and “Where Did Our Love Go”, respectively, later that year, but the melodramatic intro into a verse underpinned by shala-wala-walas is difficult not to adore. Don’t be fooled by this grainy, lo-fi cut, for it’s a solid performance of a song with infectious structure and arrangement.
The Serenaders – I’ll Cry TomorrowThe Serenaders (YouTube) (Purchase)
Rating 8.5
Although we’ve come to the end of the road, still Adele we can’t let you go. We’ve reached 2011’s closing hour and now it is time: b3sci presents it’s Top 50 Albums of 2011. No one’s even come close to having the year Adele’s had. The most albums sold in a single year since 2004, two of the biggest singles of the year, etc, a truly international breakthrough both commercially and critically on a level we haven’t seen in a long time. Adele, our girl, the crown is yours. 21 is b3sci’s Album of the year.
So where the fuck is Adele on many of these respected-indie-press-dude best of lists? That period between Nov 2010 when “Rolling in the Deep” first broke and the lead up to the album’s release in late January, Adele ruled the blogosphere, the fold was united. Then “RITD” got overplayed to the point of absurdity, your mom bought the record, probably your grandma bought it too; those bros that listen to Foo Fighters and Deadmau5 started bumping “Someone Like You” out their trunk. Soon, the “wrong people” liked 21 and Adele’s brief moment atop the indiesphere was over. Right.
Thanks for reading this year, y’all. We’ve got some big plans for 2012. Stay tuned. Much love.
01. Adele – 21 (Buy It) (Read)
02. The Weeknd – House of Balloons (Buy It) (Read)
03. Drake – Take Care (Buy It) (Read)
04. James Blake – James Blake (Buy It) (Read)
05. Kendrick Lamar – Section.80 (Buy It) (Read)
06. Gil Scott-Heron & Jamie xx – We’re New Here (Buy It) (Read)
07. WU LYF – Go Tell Fire on the Mountain (Buy It) (Read)
08. Jay-Z & Kanye West – Watch the Throne (Buy It) (Read)
09. The Horrors – Skying (Buy It) (Read)
10. M83 – Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming (Buy It) (Read)
11. Wye Oak – Civilian (Buy It) (Read)
12. Girls – Father Son, Holy Ghost (Buy It) (Read)
13. Real Estate – Days (Buy It) (Read)
14. A$AP Rocky – Live Love A$AP (Buy It) (Read)
15. Sepalcure – Sepalcure (Buy It) (Read)
16. PJ Harvey – Let England Shake (Buy It) (Read)
17. The War on Drugs – Slave Ambient (Buy It) (Read)
18. Charles Bradley – No Time For Dreaming (Buy It) (Read)
19. Metronomy – The English Riviera (Buy It) (Read)
20. SBTRKT – SBTRKT (Buy It) (Read)
21. Oneohtrix Point Never – Replica (Buy It) (Read)
22. The Vaccines – What Did You Expect From the Vaccines (Buy It) (Read)
23. Destroyer – Kaputt (Buy It) (Read)
24. The Antlers – Burst Apart (Buy It) (Read)
25. tUnE-yArDs – w h o k i l l (Buy It) (Read)
26. Beyonce – 4 (Buy It) (Read)
27. Wild Flag – Wild Flag (Buy It) (Read)
28. Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds – Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds (Buy It) (Read)
29. Big K.R.I.T. – Return of 4eva (Buy It) (Read)
30. Clams Casino – Instrumentals (Buy It) (Read)
31. Gillian Welch – The Harrow and the Harvest (Buy It) (Read)
32. Low Roar – Low Roar (Buy It) (Read)
33. AraabMUZIK – Electronic Dream (Buy It) (Read)
34. Active Child – You Are All I See (Buy It) (Read)
35. Fleet Foxes – Helplessness Blues (Buy It) (Read)
36. Raphael Saadiq – Stone Rollin’ (Buy It) (Read)
37. Cults – Cults (Buy It) (Read)
38. Radiohead – The King of Limbs (Buy It) (Read)
39. Florence + The Machine – Ceremonials (Buy It) (Read)
40. Alex Clare – The Lateness of the Hour (Buy It) (Read)
41. Nicolas Jaar – Space Is Only Noise (Buy It) (Read)
42. Jhene Aiko – Sailing Soul(s) (Buy It) (Read)
43. The Stepkids – The Stepkids (Buy It) (Read)
44. Freddie Gibbs – Cold Day in Hell (Buy It) (Read)
45. Gardens & Villa – Gardens & Villa (Buy It) (Read)
46. Laura Marling – A Creature I Don’t Know (Buy It) (Read)
47. Kurt Vile – Smoke Ring For My Halo (Buy It) (Read)
48. Foster the People – Torches (Buy It) (Read)
49. Explosions in the Sky – Take Care, Take Care, Take Care (Buy It) (Read)
