Lots to dig about Beaty Heart’s latest, “Kanute’s Comin’ Round”. The dark tropical textures of ‘Kanute’ are as inviting as they are full of intrigue and it continues to be exciting to learn of the unsuspecting pop explorations of Beaty Heart. The track is previewed here from the band’s forthcoming Mixed Blessings debut album expected this spring.
Beaty Heart 
(Soundcloud)
Rating 8.4
Starting out like a lullaby, and then turning into a slice of dreamy alt-pop heaven, summates LA band Blondfire’s anticipated forthcoming album, Young Heart — due out February 11th. The album is painted throughout with light-hearted guitars and bass lines that any indie pop/rock enthusiast can get lost in. Add body moving rhythms and delectable vocals, and you’ve got your next favorite daydream.
Young Heart has a little something for everyone and is bound to be a summer favorite. The album’s title track kicks-off the album with a gentle, smooth, euphoric tune that can soundtrack even your best day. “Where The Kids Are”, from their 2012 EP release of the same name, is a proven anthem. Other standouts include the incredibly catchy “Walking With The Giants”, which bursts with positivity and is bound to put a smile on your face and some pep in your step. With love songs, tracks for best friends, theme songs for your next crush, and party anthems, Young Heart has the potential to be a standout release in 2014.
At the end of the day, if you like upbeat, positive music that will make you dance, then this album is definitely for you. So go ahead, grab your boom box and chase the Polar Vortex away this winter with the audible a burst of sunshine that is Young Heart.
Young Heart from Blondfire is Available everywhere February 11th.
Reviewed By Cher Dunn
Blondfire 
(Facebook)
Rating 8.1
Burger Records got soul! The venerable L.A. label links up w/ Atlanta singer (& former back-up vocals for Cee-Lo Green) Curtis Harding to release his debut LP, Soul Power. “Keep On Shining”, the album’s lead single is an excellent blend of classic soul sounds like The Four Tops & The Dramatics with the more contemporary tones of an artist like Anthony Hamilton. It’s a really good record, don’t sleep. Soul Power is due April 22.
Curtis Harding 
(Facebook)
Rating: 8.6
I feel ya Chicago. Being born and raised in Chi-town and enduring the brutality of those snowstorms, sub-zero tempuratures and winds truly does suck at times. But cheer up to this new track from one of your own. Chicago’s Gilligan Moss creates a happy landscape full of life and warmth. Considering that this is the second single from the artist, of relatively unknown status, I will be anxiously waiting the next one. Reviewed By Brian Litwin
Gilligan Moss 
(Soundcloud)
Rating 8.1
What we like most about “Last Century Man”, a new track from London-based Solomon Grey that will be featured on an upcoming Kitsune compilation, is that it’s different. There’s no trap beats, or “weird found sounds” or robitussin sippin’ R&B samples; “Last Century Man” is built on great melody, a compelling thematic quality and a very strong arrangement (cinematic builds, dynamic vocal looping, interesting voicings in some of the chords/arpeggiations). The aforementioned new Kitsune compilation that “Last Century Man” can be found is out Feb. 24.
Solomon Grey (Facebook)
Rating 8.4
Today Joel Little (Lorde) collaborators BROODS released their debut EP to their Soundcloud. (You can hear the EP in its entirety here). The hook-heavy minor-keyed pop of “Coattails” is our pick from the set. The NZ brother/sister duo will get a physical release for their self-titled EP through Polydor/Capitol on February 2nd.
BROODS 
(Facebook)
Rating 8.2
We loved UK indie artist Khushi’s infectious debut single from the fall “Magpie”. “Phantoms”, the lead track from Khushi’s upcoming first EP of the same name, has more of the thoughtful lyricism, romantic/engaging melodies and breakout quality that made “Magpie” so great. The “Phantoms” EP is out March 4th on Laissez Faire Club Records.
KHUSHI (Facebook)
Rating 8.3
Remix rainmakers The Chainsmokers are taking the plunge into the arena of original tracks with a slapping new jam called “#SELFIE”. A ‘#selfie’ raging valley girl curates the track throughout to it’s resonating drops. We can’t get enough. Grab the new single soon via Dim Mak.
The Chainsmokers 
(Soundcloud)
Rating 8.1
“Letters” is new from soulful indie outfit Wake Owl. Taken from the Vancouver band’s Richard Swift-produced debut The Private World of Paradise LP, single “Letters” does well to focus Wake Owl’s compact, hook-driven, emotive through the sound lens of Swift’s band The Shins (in that the production pulls from a similar palette of wistful tones and lo-fi atmospheres). The Private World of Paradise is out March 4th on Vagrant.
Wake Owl
: (Facebook)
Rating: 8.7
NYC’s highest FlyLo stan (guessing) Smoke DZA takes to Until the Quiet Comes instrumental “Getting There” and clocks through a solid run of bars doing well to smoothly navigate the tricky beat. “Just My Thoughts” is taken from Steve-O’s “We Are Alive #7” podcast coming out next week.
Smoke DZA : (Facebook)
Rating 8.0
The ineffable SAINT PEPSI, who tore up the indiesphere earlier this month with “Mr. Wonderful”, debuts a sunny disco-leaning mix for our very own B3SCI Records single “Drifter”. In exchanging the Psychic Twin-featuring “Drifter”‘s choppy drum stabs and vocal slices PEPSI a/k/a Boston College student Ryan DeRobertis selects for a “he just turned this thing around 360 degrees” melange of smooth, buttery, yacht-day grooves. Turnt it up.
Saint Pepsi (Soundscloud)
Beat Culture 
(Soundcloud) (Purchase 7-inch)
Rating 8.4
Låpsley, fresh from her breakthrough single “Station” from a couple weeks ago, links up with Belgian producer BABEL for a soothing bit of heavy on mood/atmosphere deep house. That we all love, BUT THEN, there’s this sax-driven break that crashes into the track at around 2:20 and pushes “Life Of Eve” into a fifth or sixth gear of sorts that is just simply euphoric. “Life Of Eve” is excerpted from BABEL’s “Matthew I” EP. (HD)
BABEL 
(Soundcloud)
Rating 8.0
