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Track Reviews

Portugal. The Man – Purple Yellow Red & Blue (Rambo Hollywood Remix)

portugal the man rambo hollywood

L.A.-based producer Rambo Hollywood constructs his latest mix, a vibed-down mid-80’s-styled of Portugal. The Man’s “Purple Yellow Red & Blue”, around Spandau Ballet’s oft-sampled 1983 single “True”. And while the sample is more famously the instrumentation around P.M.’s 1991 Billboard #2 “Set Adrift On Memory Bliss” (“Christina Applegate you gotta put us on”), we can’t help but hear Andre 3 stacks’ Whole Foods-ref’ing masterwork verse on Lloyd’s “You” remix (not that this is a bad thing!) every time we spin this Rambo mix. So excuse while we get thee to the B3SCI Ableton control panel now, thx. Great mix.

Rambo Hollywood (Facebook)

Rating 8.3

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reviewed by
09-05-13

Rick Ross Ft. Future – No Games

nogames

If we’re to believe anybody in the rap game is playing “no games”, it has to be our bro Rick Ross. And while the Future feature for what is Ross’ new LP’s lead single is a bit predictable, Ross’ flow and rhyme scheme on “No Games” is not. Maybe nobody in hip hop works as hard as the MMG chief does, listen to “Hustlin” (remember this is the same dude who rhymes Atlantic w/ Atlantic) or any of the early pre-Port of Miami Ross features and compare it w/ “No Games”, the progression/the labor put in is undeniable. Mastermind is due later this year.

Rick Ross (Facebook)

Rating 8.3

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reviewed by
09-05-13

Sir Sly – Gold (Gold Fields Remix)

sir sly gold fields

We love love love these Gold Fields remixes. The Aussie band’s quite accomplished house-leaning takes on Empire of the Sun and Chela are two of our favorite remixes of the year thus far. Here, GF turn up the eerie and melancholy and beef up the bass drum & counter rhythms of Sir Sly’s “Gold” record with very strong results.

Gold Fields australia (Facebook)

Rating 8.3

reviewed by
09-05-13

The Darcys – Hunting

the darcys

“Hunting” is the third single from Canadian band The Darcys upcoming Warning LP on Arts & Crafts. An engaging mix of visceral, punch-you-in-the-guts rock and roll immediacy and more artful bits contained in the neat harmonic voicings across the tune and in the instrumentation. The anticipated Warning is due Sept. 17th on Arts & Crafts.

The Darcys canada (Soundcloud)

Rating 8.3

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reviewed by
09-05-13

Premiere: Thunderbird Gerard – Firewurx (Caleb L’Etoile Remix)

Caleb L'Etoile

Washington D.C. producer/DJ Caleb L’Etoile gets deep on the Zane Lowe ‘Next Hype’-minted Thunderbird Gerard x FTSE produced jam, “Firewurx”. The result is a grooved out daytime disco gem, well deserving of any indian summer pooltime playlists. Caleb L’Etoile will keep heating things up with a new two song EP due out next month, so mark your calendars. Here’s your premiere for his remix on “Firewurx”.

Caleb L’Etoile maryland (Soundcloud)
Thunderbird Gerard (Soundcloud)

Rating 8.4

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reviewed by
09-05-13

Skanky – One More Night

skanky one more night

UK dance producer Skanky breaks off a bit of proper anthemic house w/ the limitlessly buttery and soulful new “One More Night”. Grown folks hands in the air.

Skanky england (Facebook)

Rating 8.2

brown8

reviewed by
09-04-13

Mick Jenkins – The Water

mick jenkins the water

Chicago rapper Mick Jenkins links up w/ new Fools Gold-signee High Klassified for production on “The Water”. The lead and title track from Jenkins’ upcoming mixtape, “The Water” finds the CHI rapper easy gliding all over H.K.’s cooly-tipped after hours-styled production. A++

Mick Jenkins (Twitter)

Rating 8.4

reviewed by
09-04-13

Tess Henley – Who Are You

tess henley

We are loving the Dice Raw (The Roots)-produced new track from soulstress/songwriter Tess Henley. A bit different look for Ms. Henley from the sunny warm R&B sounds of “Daydreaming” that we featured a little while back, “Who Are You” is that cool, neatly harmonized minor-keyed soul that we go totally nuts for here at B3. Check “Who Are You” below and look for Tess Henley’s High Heels & Sneakers LP out now.

Tess Henley (Facebook)

Rating 8.4

reviewed by
09-04-13

Yumi and the Weather – All We Can

Yumi and the Weather - All We Can

“All We Can” is new from Brighton UK artist Yumi and the Weather. The deeper tones of Yumi’s (real name Ruby Taylor) vocal as well as her melodic choices work quite well w/ “All We Can”‘s mid-tempo bounce. That, and the track’s nice blend of accessory instrumentals; including deep-in-the-verb XX-style guitars and kinetic horn lines. We’re into it Look for an EP also titled “All We Can” from Yumi and the Weather on 10/21.

Yumi and the Weather england (Facebook)

Rating 8.2

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reviewed by
09-03-13

Vaults – Cry No More

Vaults - Cry No More

“Cry No More” is the debut track from London-based Vaults. “Cry No More” built initially on a neat interplay of a repeated bells figure and a simple bit of piano chords morphs a bit in sound and theme in its later half as synth swells move in and out the mix to expand and contract tension. Well done.

Vaults england (Facebook)

Rating 8.2

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reviewed by
09-03-13

Freddie Gibbs & Madlib – Deeper

Freddie Gibbs & Madlib - Deeper

“Deeper” is both the newest track and the title of an upcoming EP (due 9/24) from Freddie Gibbs & Madlib. Another instant classic in the MadGibbs canon, “Deeper” again showcases the nearly perfect dynamic/symbiosis (why not?) between Madlib’s steady soul-driven production hand and Gangsta Gibbs’ A+ diction and rhyme schemes.

Freddie Gibbs indiana (Facebook)

Rating 8.9

brown8

reviewed by
09-03-13

Artwork Exclusive: The 1975 – An Encounter

anencounter

Today marks the North American release of The 1975’s self-titled debut and full-length album. The album has been a favorite of ours at b3HQ (you can stream the LP here), therefore when the band asked us to take part in their series of artwork premieres (there is a different piece of artwork for each song on the album) for their song “An Encounter”… of course we were more than obliged. “An Encounter” is a sort of compositional adhesion that, while short in length, paints a bridge of allure between musical statements. As frontman Matty Healy best puts it…

“An Encounter” acts as cinematically paced scene change that ushers in the album’s second phase, our personal ode to an eighties movie. Symbolising the moment the two characters from “Robbers” meet for the first time, “An Encounter” is a hopelessly romantic soundtrack to our Bonnie & Clyde’s first encounter …

The 1975 england (Official)(Facebook) (Read more about The 1975 on B3SCI)

reviewed by
09-03-13