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Track Reviews

Misty Miller – Petrified (demo)

misty miller

The instrumentally spare but melodically quite accomplished “Petrified”, a new demo from London-based Misty Miller, is a track with its actual genesis in the songwriter’s early teens. Miller recalled recently re-discovering the song, “”I wrote this song when I was 15, but never recorded it and rarely played it live. In the past year I found it became relevant to my life again. So I worked on it, and what was once simply a song about a 15 year old girl afraid to meet up with a guy has now matured into complexity.” Misty Miller’s currently at work on an album which will be out sometime next year.

Misty Miller (Soundcloud)

Rating 8.1

brown8

reviewed by
11-18-13

Rejjie Snow – Black Pancackes

rejjie snow

The grimy “Black Pancakes” is the latest release from Irish rapper Reijie Snow. The follow-up track to Snow’s recent Rejovich mixtape, “Black Pancakes” school of Madlib instrumental does well to complement and support the Dublin rapper’s menacing but also oddly anodyne soothing flow and diction.

Rejjie Snow ireland (Soundcloud)

Rating 9.0

brown93

reviewed by
11-18-13

GDNA – Pour It Up (Free Honey)

GDNA - Pour It Up (Free Honey)

The Rihanna-sampling “Pour It Up (Free Honey)” is new from L.A. producer GDNA. The genre of molasses-dripped late night R&B remixes is quite the saturated one, “Pour It Up” is, from little subtle instrumental flourishes to the track’s unique broader texture, refreshingly inventive and interesting. Well done.

GDNA california (Soundcloud)

Rating 8.4

boreta - honey heart

reviewed by
11-18-13

Lion Bark – Longhorns

lion bark longhorns

Brighton kids Lion Bark (all members of the band are between ages 20-23) make their B3 debut w/ the very nice “Longhorns”. Featuring a neat mix of UK/post-punk-styled guitar and rhythm and frontman Guy Bangham’s (which is a breathtaking rock and roll name) subtle but affecting croon, “Longhorns” is a standout and is firmly indicative of band on the definite up.

Lion Bark (Soundcloud)

Rating 8.1

brown8

reviewed by
11-15-13

Yujen – Try It Over

Yujen

“Try It Over”, new from Melbourne-based Yujen, features a fresh mix of spaced-out electronics, deep water depth-charge beats and the pillowy croon of B3 fave Chet Faker on vocals. “Try It Over” is the title track from Yujen’s upcoming debut EP on Mr. Faker’s Detail Co. label.

Yujen australia (Facebook)

Rating 8.4

brown8

reviewed by
11-15-13

Sam Smith x Nile Rodgers x Disclosure x Jimmy Napes – Together

Sam Smith x Nile Rodgers x Disclosure x Jimmy Napes - Together

Method Records lets loose a crazy collab/line-up in the form of the infinitely cool & funky “Together” featuring of the moment vocalist Sam Smith, UK dance it boys Disclosure and the legendary Nile Rodgers (and some dude called Jimmy Naples whom we even googled but came up with no identity for). “Together” (besides sounding awesome) sounds just about what you might expect a Disclosure, Sam Smith, Nile Rodgers collaboration sound like, dope a f.

Method Records (Soundcloud)

Rating 8.1

brown8

reviewed by
11-15-13

GEMS – Ephemera

GEMS - Ephemera

The skillfully-constructed bliss pop w/ hooks of the GEMS “Ephemera” is the D.C.-based duo’s best track to date (which after the near perfect “Medusa” is quite a take). The band’s new “Medusa” EP dropped on Tuesday and if you haven’t secured yourself a copy you should sort that out ASAP/immediately.

GEMS (Official)

Rating 8.4

brown8

reviewed by
11-14-13

Blended Babies – See the World (Feat. Asher Roth & Chuck Inglish)

chuckinglish

L.A. via Chicago production duo Blended Babies have been knocking out soulful instrumentals on the reg for hip hop’s brightest (incl. King Chip, Chance the Rapper and Freddie Gibbs) for years. Here, the duo grab favorite collaborators Asher Roth & Chuck Inglish for the dreary R&B-lean of “See the World”.

Blended Babies illinois (Facebook)

Rating 8.1

brown8

reviewed by
11-14-13

King Avriel – Prelude

King Avriel

R&B newcomer King Avriel impresses with the fresh infusion (into an already stacked genre) of sounds & ideas on “Prelude”. The track, which as Pigeons and Planes reports, was inspired by and created as a response to Kendrick Lamar’s “Keisha’s Song”; with Avriel commenting the following on the song:

““I was inspired by the story Kendrick told in Keisha’s Song. I wanted to create a prelude to his story by using my own experiences, because I felt so connected to Keisha’s struggle. I hoped the song would shed light on the cycle of abuse and neglect of black women, and how it negatively affects everyone in our community on some level — even our men.”

King Avriel california (Facebook)

Rating 8.4

boreta - honey heart

reviewed by
11-14-13

Angel Olsen – Forgiven/Forgotten

angel-olsen

Previewed below is the excellent gritty latest track from Jagjaguwar artist Angel Olsen “Forgiven/Forgotten”. Built on a relentless guitar snarl, crashing drums and Ms. Olsen’s taking y’all to task vocal “Forgiven” is another standout song from the Chicago artist. Angel Olsen’s Burn Your Fire for No Witness LP is out February 18th on the aforementioned Jagjaguwar.

Angel Olsen (Purchase)

Rating 8.1

reviewed by
11-14-13

Glass Animals – Woozy (feat. Jean Deaux)

glass animals

Glass Animals’ ‘intelligent* indie’ sound is easily likened to Alt-J, but there is a whole other layer to this Oxfordshire four piece. The trippy electronic R&B twist on “Woozy” adds a little extra something and is particularly prominent with the addition of Jean Deaux and her laid-back flow. Glass Animals also have potential to be the better live band, and already succeed in delivering intricately produced tracks in a way that moves their audience with every woozy groove. Add the support of super-producer Paul Epworth’s new label Wolf Tone and you’ve got a pretty sure bet on a great debut album. Reviewed By Nathan Hetherington

*as intelligent as a band previously known as “Alligator Puffin Chicken Go Yeh Woo” gets anyway.

Glass Animals (Facebook)

Rating 8.6

brown8

reviewed by
11-14-13

Premiere: Triptides – Set You Free [Video]

Triptides Press shot

Triptides have their new sophomore LP Predictions at the ready. Noise around the trippy guitar jangle collective from Indiana has been building steadily with recent support from the likes of NME, DIY, Clash, and Rough Trade to name a few. To mark the November 18th release of the album, Triptides are letting loose on a new video for the hooky psychedelia of their single “Set You Free”. We’ve got you set up with the premiere for the video below, and be sure to pick up a copy of the Predictions on 11/18 via Stroll On Records.

*ALSO, we caught up with Triptides for a bit last year. Check out our convo here.

Triptides indiana (Official) (Purchase)

Rating 8.4

reviewed by
11-14-13