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Track Reviews

TOKiMONSTA – Put It Down (Feat. Anderson Paak & KRNE)

Tokimonsta

TOKiMONSTA will release her Fovere LP through Hardly Art on January 29. “Put It Down” features the current blog fave Anderson Paak on the vocal with Bay Area producer KRNE chipping in a behind the back assist on the instrumental. “Put It Down” is a really cool blend of styles (mainstream hip hop, trap, more esoteric dance music), sort of a one track microcosm of TOKi’s main stylistic lanes. TOKiMONSTA’s on tour right now and those upcoming live dates are available for your perusal below.

11/25 Detroit, MI – Populux
11/27 Toronto, ON – Mod Club
12/01 Cambridge, MA – The Sinclair
12/02 New York, NY – Bowery Ballroom
12/03 Brooklyn, NY – Rough Trade
12/04 Philadelphia, PA – The Foundry
12/05 Washington, DC – U Street Music Hall
12/08 Atlanta, GA – Terminal West

reviewed by
11-23-15

Your Friend – Heathering

yourfriend

Your Friend, aka Domino Records artist Taryn Miller, will release her debut full-length Gumption in January. The melancholic melodic whirl of “Heathering” is the LP’s beautiful first track. Slow motion reverb, down-in-the-mix percussion and an expansive frame of scintillating (in the twinkling sense) electronics and bobs of circling guitar taps mark “Heathering”s cinematic sound. Spin the top track below.

Your Friend (Facebook)

reviewed by
11-23-15

JackLNDN – Streams

jacklndn3

At the beginning of the month we covered B3 fave artist deep-house style-god JackLNDN for his beautifully-smooth mellow-expansive lush and sunny golden-vibe synth-spun late-night dance floor stunner called “Hit Refresh” (which is one of four tracks off LNDN’s latest eclectics-leaning deep house EP “Summer Never Ends Vol. 2”). If you adore the song as much as we do (we’re very into LNDN’s sound at the moment) prepare to groove into your week with “Streams” the entrancing melody-textured vocals-centered trumpet-y upscale-jazz-club bombshell which is the already-released lead song off the same EP. Reviewed by Erin Shay.

JackLNDN (Soundcloud)

reviewed by
11-23-15

Brandyn Burnette – Down

Brandyn Burnett

We like the sweetly dynamic progressive soul vocals of St. Louis singer-songwriter Brandyn Burnett (new to B3) on his seductively exquisite vocals-led gem “Down” which is the first track off his recently released “Made of Dreams” EP. Reviewed by Erin Shay.

Brandyn Burnette (Soundcloud)

reviewed by
11-23-15

Krs – Faking It (Feat. Mars Today, Khary, Maurice Moore & Bnjmn)

krs3

After enjoying a number of style-setting dance-oriented dynamics-loaded dancehall-heavy bootlegs from Toronto-based producer and Film Noir: Sound founder Krs, we are thrilled to discuss the launch of his long-awaited debut album S.I.W.A.H. (no clue what the name stands for or how to pronounce). The man Krs. sets off his own debut’s momentum like a charm with a potent first single called “Fakin” which is flawlessly produced by Krs. along with his pals SF-bred LA-based vocalist/producer Mars Today and Toronto producer Bnjmn.. New one “Fakin” features an artfully juxtaposed line-up of radiant-sublime odd-match songwriting chemistry and a clever-opposite combo of smash-hit vocals (from Mars Today, Canadian r&b songwriter/vocalist/producer Maurice Moore and Providence-based hip-hop artist Khary). We particularly recommend “Fakin” for its fine-tuned meld of impeccably catchy and hypnotic knockout-seductive (c’est la vie-vibe) catchy-refrain-driven vocals from Mars Today, Maurice Moore’s superbly sexy-sensitive songwriter swoon and Khary’s contrasting on-point quiet calamity of poetic-romantic hip-hop vocals (which have a slightly-gritty love-lamenting perspective that we can appreciate). Great collaboration! Reviewed by Erin Shay.

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11-20-15

Hubie Davison – Sanctified

hubiedavison

The Commodores “I Feel Sanctified” is the source material for Irish musician in London Hubie Davison’s feel good disco jam “Sanctified”. A modernization of The Commodores track galvanized with a more muscular rhythm structures and looped up vocals and instrumental bits, “Sanctified” sounds as fresh as the Fresh Step + Fresh and Easy + Fresh Prince of Bel Air (and that’s really really fresh). “Sanctified” is out on November 27th on Midland’s ReGraded label.

Hubie Davison (Soundcloud)

reviewed by
11-20-15

Mereki – Dth Buny

mereki

Press play on this new one from L.A.-based Mereki and shit gets immediately rowdy. The SoCal singer brings a charming raucousness of industrial and punk noise to her well-informed and balanced pop songwriting craft. It’s been too long since we’ve from heard from Mereki, and it seems now between collaboration and live stints with the likes of Goldroom, she’s also been hard at work on more original material, and if “Dth Buny” serves an indication – those upcoming tracks are poised to impress. Be sure to check her out live before the New Year if you’ll be in L.A. area.

November 20th – Upstairs at Ace Hotel / Flood Magazine/ ASCAP
December 17th – The Satellite / ‘A Very Merry Christmas Benefit Show

Mereki (Soundcloud)

reviewed by
11-20-15

Brasstracks – Say U Won’t

brasstracks

B3-lauded Brooklyn musician/producer duo and electronic-brass-hybrid style mavericks Brasstracks amaze us (yet again) with their quintessential collage of exquisitely robust-brassy-horn-laced instrumentals and energetic soulfully-expressed complimentary beats on their new swanky trumpet-saturated lounge-dynamo original named “Say U Won’t” (which is seemingly the slightly-more-polished and showy anthesis to a previous melody on Brasstracks’ quite-excellent recent production “Say U Will”). We think its safe to assume the brilliant transformation in style on the latest track is a toe-tapping bright-quality indication of what fans can expect on the duo’s upcoming buzz-worthy yet-to-be-titled album that is set to release sometime early next year. With such incredible style there is a good chance of the NY-duo gracing our December year-end lists! Reviewed by Erin Shay.

Brasstracks (Soundcloud)

reviewed by
11-20-15

Tsar B – Escalate

tsarb

Yes! The new marching orders in new wave-R&B have been emphatically called out by Belgian newcomer Tsar B. “Escalate”, Tsar B’s debut track, is brimming over with cool new ideas, creative turns of arrangement and some seriously strong melodic sensibility. “Escalate” isn’t so much a debut as a proclamation and it needs to be heard.

Tsar B (Soundcloud)

reviewed by
11-20-15

SWUM – Lucid

swum

We’re pleasantly perplexed by the deeply expressive montage of uniquely creative beats, quiet subtle-touch guitar riffs and divinely-inspired picture-perfect seductive-expansive ambient background vocals on new dreamy fave “Lucid”, an outstanding hip-hop-influenced beauty created by Jerusalem-based producer Swum Beats. Reviewed by Erin Shay.

SWUM (Soundcloud)

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11-20-15

Basic Tape – Not Afraid

basictape

We’re psyched on the brilliantly vibe-y indie dance triumph “Not Afraid” from French-electro duo Basic Tape (a.k.a Sav and Ben) who we think bring a cool magnetic minimalist style worth keeping an ear on. Reviewed by Erin Shay.

Basic Tape (Soundcloud)

reviewed by
11-18-15

Neil Thomas – Home

neilthomas

Get acquainted with the distinctly catchy pop songwriting talents and dazzling velvety vocals of new-find London-based singer-songwriter Neil Thomas on his excellent new radio-ready guitar groove layered pop gem “Home”. Reviewed by Erin Shay.

Neil Thomas (Soundcloud)

reviewed by
11-18-15