Image

Track Reviews

Ballerina Black – Heaven Sent

ballerinablack

Get into the timeless, emotionally-captivating brand of 80’s-inspired gloom/synth-pop from Ballerina Black on the LA trio’s new luscious radio-ready summer dream track, “Heaven Sent”, which features moody-broody vintage-tinged Depeche Mode-vibe new wave style vocals, a vibrantly receptive guitar riff and that ever-present melody-laced synth-line that is beautifully characteristic of the genre. “Heaven Sent” is off of Ballerina Black’s newest EP “Whails”, out now. Reviewed by Erin Shay.

Ballerina Black california (Soundcloud)

reviewed by
07-13-15

Beshken – Know You Well (Feat. Mothica and Mayo)

beshken

Santa Monica producer Beshken woos us with subtlety on his new wonderfully dynamic synth-driven percussion-accented track “Know You Well” which is steeped in an excellent ultra-dramatic male-female vocal duet featuring B3 new-fave artist ethereal songstress Mothica and Chicago Cudi-school rapper Mayo. From the Alanis-style sad-undertone I-am-woman-hear-me-roar message and sweet sultry beats to the cheerful-uplifting vibe instrumentals and Mayo’s slick reassuring rhymes, we love this song. Get into it. Reviewed by Erin Shay

Beshken california (Soundcloud)

reviewed by
07-13-15

SWIMM – All the Time

swimm

LA-based Floridians SWIMM are a psych-pop duo who recently dropped their guitar-driven EP second single “All The Time” off their upcoming “Beverly Hells” EP which is out via 24west Records on August 28th. A summery tropical-vibe follow up to the EP’s debut self-titled single, their new track “All The Time” has a sweet layer of hazy guitar riffs, punctuating hand-drum grooves, lush undulating synth and outstanding choppy-yet-melodic reverb-ed out Bono-vibe vocals with lyrics that address the duo’s awesomely close relationship to one another despite being opposites. We especially like the befuddled chorus “I want it all the time” and “you worry all the time” which according to SWIMM is “basically talking about how a couple people in a band can have stars in their eyes, feel as though every little decision they make could be life-changing, and that what they’re doing is super important, they are on the edge of everything… But maybe there is a lingering thought in the back of the mind that maybe it’s nothing?”. Don’t worry, we think you are on the edge of something really very good SWIMM and we look forward to hearing more great tracks from you on your new upcoming EP! Reviewed by Erin Shay.

SWIMM (Soundcloud)

reviewed by
07-13-15

Ryan Egan – Restoration

ryanegan

B3 recently covered the ingenious lavishly-spun Tei Shi-featuring LUCA solo-side-project first track “Best On” from Luca Buccellati; one half of Brooklyn-raised producer duo Yellerkin who also produces music for an array of emerging-talent artists. We’re knocked out by his latest collaboration, “Restoration” for its soulful, deeply-percolating ambiance, vibey drawn-out beats and divinely-gorgeous tender heart-felt vocals from a new-find singer-songwriter Ryan Egan who makes his career debut online with the track. We’re taken with Egan’s emotive beyond-excellent refreshingly-vulnerable falsetto vocal style and big-picture deeply thought-out lyrics. As Egan indicates, ”It’s a song about hitting the reset button, a rebirth. It’s something that will and should happen many times throughout our lives, artistic and otherwise. It’s good to acknowledge where we’ve gone wrong and not be afraid to expose our faults so that we can move forward and grow in a positive way. I think everyone can relate to that.” We whole-heatedly relate to that and very much look forward to hearing more from the superbly-talented little-known artist Egan who we think has incredible promise. Stay tuned for more from both artists who are surprisingly (in a sense) at the same fresh and enthusiastic place in launching their respective solo careers. Excellent collaboration. Reviewed by Erin Shay

Ryan Egan (Soundcloud)

reviewed by
07-13-15

Oslo Parks – Slipping Away

osloparks2

Zone out to the sublime atmospheric alt/synth-pop vibe of multi-instrumentalist producers Rob Flynn & Ian Booth, also known as Oslo Parks, on their new synthed-out luminescent-guitar-accented beauty track “Slippin Away”, which follows the Brighton-based indie duo’s B3-featured soft-edged new wave wonder track “Dress For That”. We really enjoy the dreamy up-beat 80’s-vintage sound of Oslo Parks! Reviewed by Erin Shay.

Oslo Parks (Soundcloud)

reviewed by
07-13-15

Sunflower Bean – The Stalker

sunflowerbean

B3 recently appreciated “I Hear Voices” the fast-paced hazy-vocaled deeply guitar-driven genre-bending indie single from young Brooklyn-based psychedelic trio Sunflower Bean which just released as a lead-in to the group’s new July 24-release EP out via Fat Possum. The EP’s dynamic second single “The Stalker” wows our sentiments completely with its divinely-interspersed blend of a dark-sided feedback-chaotic vibe meshed beautifully with an ominous and galactic Black Sabbath-esque guitar groove and melody laced with drama-excellent new wave revival boy-girl vocals. “The Stalker” is the 7-inch b-side to “I Hear Voices”. Incredible track. Reviewed By Erin Shay.

Sunflower Bean (Soundcloud)

reviewed by
07-10-15

Vandetta – Fly (Perk Pietrek Remix)

vandetta

21-year-old rising star DJ/producer, Perk Pietrek puts an inspired soulfully-minimalist bass-heavy D&B-touched dance-floor twist on original track “Fly” from fellow Singaporean radio-host, musician and producer VANDETTA (also known as Vanessa Fernandez); who is well known locally for rising up the ranks of Singapore’s music scene after winning a nationally broadcast talent show for her vocals when she was twelve years-old. Pietrek’s new remix is out on VANDETTA’s forthcoming Syndicate-rep’d August 4-release Remix EP that features different artist’s iterations of tracks from her 2013 self-titled debut EP. Reviewed By Erin Shay.

Perk Pietrek singapore (Soundcloud)

reviewed by
07-10-15

Laurel – Blood Blood

laurel

We recently showcased the beautiful vocal talents of UK songstress, Laurel on “Nothing Ever Hurts” the new Pete Tong recent-feature track from UK house dynamos Shadow Child and Ben Pearce and we also wrote about her in December for the broody modern-pop Sivu-featured Holy Water EP track “Come Together”. Laurel’s latest track “Blue Blood” features the singer-songwriter’s languid straightforward vocal tone and vastly-layered grandiose and emotional singing style that makes a dynamic dichotomy to the track’s larger-than-life dramatic synth, bellowing strings and mumbly whispery-quiet atmospheric ambient touches. Excellent. Turn it up ya’ll. Reviewed by Erin Shay.

Laurel england (Soundcloud)

reviewed by
07-10-15

Frances – When It Comes To Us (Feat. Ritual)

frances

Frances who wow’d us in May w online debut “Grow”, is back with follow-up track “When It Comes To Us” featuring upstart UK trio Ritual. “When It Comes To Us”‘s excellent dual female/male vocal dynamic comes off brilliantly in the context of the track’s narrative of relationship subject matter. Very believable.

Frances (Soundcloud)

reviewed by
07-10-15

MOTION CNTRL – It’s On You

motioncntrl

L.A. band MOTION CNTRL impress on new one “It’s On You”. Centered on a repetitious bass-driven groove and a cool alto vocal, “It’s On You”‘s obtuse atmospheres and more ethereal moments remind of Chromatics. Do not miss.

MOTION CNTRL california (Soundcloud)

reviewed by
07-10-15

BECOME x XYLO – Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea

become

Hypem chart toppers XYLO are the recipients of a remix from BECOME on latest smash “Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea”. BECOME who made a auspicious debut online with a mix for B3 Recs’ track “She Talks Too Much” by Elohim, chooses for a compressed mix built on kinetic clattering snare drums and synth sonics. Get into it.

BECOME (Soundcloud)

reviewed by
07-10-15

Evil Needle – Sunday Morning

evilneedle

Soulection artist and French beat-maker/composer Evil Needle recently released his beat-centric jazz-oriented new “Reminisce” EP. We are drawn to the compilation’s lesser-known beat-laced fizzy acid-jazz jam entitled “Sunday Morning” which mixes Evil Needle’s signature poignant deeply-soulful bass-driven electro-instrumental style with a poetic divinely-inspired accompanying piano vibe and ambient chirps that we really dig. Reviewed by Erin Shay.

Evil Needle (Soundcloud)

reviewed by
07-09-15