Australian Charles Murdoch is Future Classic (Flume, Jagwar Ma, Flight Facilities) latest signing. Sampled here is the gorgeous slow-motion garage of new track “Dekire” which will feature on Murdoch’s upcoming “Weathered Straight” EP due in August. 10 out 10, 5 out 5, A+, etc; We’re loving it.
Charles Murdoch 
(Facebook)
Rating 8.3
Yeah, we’re definitely into this. “I Saw You”, from deep in the dark woods of Washington state hailing Beach Vacation, is about as strong a reverb-washed jangle pop track as there is. The melodic quality both vocally and in the guitar lines suggest a band who’s talent far eclipses their profile at this juncture; something we don’t expect to last too much longer. Listen to Beach Vacation!
Beach Vacation 
(Soundcloud)
Rating 8.4
Today, Aussie electro duo Contrakids unleash a fresh pair jams via b3sci! New original “Games” is rich both in synthesized lushness and contemporary R&B melody. While the new remix on The Dolls’ “Summer of 93” nostalgia cruises; taking us back, yes- 1993 summer back… (and for the sake of our American audiences) like “Wild and Crazy Kids”, “Hey Dude”, “Saved by the Bell” graduation years back. For those of you in the Land Down Under, the duo will be performing in Sydney at Upstairs Beresford on August 31st. The show is definitely a do not miss. Press play for tunes below.
BONUS!
Contrakids (Facebook) (Twitter)
Rating 8.0
“This is Mike Skinner, you got an garage?” Mike Skinner co-signs on Context’s brilliant “Small Town Lad Sentiments” with this classic-Streets-sounding flip. We can’t seem to get enough of this 2-step vibed, garage jam from the Midlands rapper , and it’s cool we’re not the only ones (Hi Mike Skinner!). Peep this rip of the Skinner Remix courtesy of a recent Mistajam BBC 1 Radio set.
Context 
(Facebook)
Rating 8.5
Who doesn’t wanna have a go at people that think their ‘being bigger than the world’? Newcomer and Auckland-native Cavell slick R&B vocal chops and vibrant chiller beats breathe life into that story and more in “Supernova”. Song is dope. Have a sample at the track and new video for “Supernova” below.
Rating 8.2
“The Date” is excerpted here from Brooklyn rapper ScienZe’s just released Ella LP. Featuring A+ production from the likes of Ski Beatz, Blu & Lord Quest (who’s featured here on “The Date”), we’re on about the more laid back easy to love “The Date” which plays out with ScienZe recalling on a particularly fly romantic interlude. You can stream Ella in its entirety on bandcamp.
Scienze 
(Official/a>)
Rating 8.2
Already a success in France (Her Together Alone LP went to #1 there), the vocal power that is Alex Hepburn gears up to release her first single in the UK, the b3sci rec’d “Pain Is”. To mark that single release, Ms. Hepburn lets loose a stunning vocally-leaves-it-all-out-there cover of Neneh Cherry’s mid 90’s track “Woman”.
Alex Hepburn (Facebook)
Rating 8.2
Montreal DJ/producer takes an uncharacteristically summertime on the yacht approach to Laura Welsh’s glorious “Cold Front”. Although a bit of a departure sonically for CFCF (major keys, non-obtuseness in the arrangement) we’re most definitely digging the mix. Get a bit of Mediterranean summer in yr headphones below.
CFCF 
(Facebook)
Rating 8.4
Nashville via Arizona duo Brotherun (the pair are actual real life brothers) release new single “The Dissonance Between Us”. Previewed from Brotherun’s debut s/t EP due later this summer, the dark pop of “The Dissonance Between Us” marks a maturation for the Tillery Brothers as writers and arrangers. Neat and inventive bits of layering in the rhythm tracks and in the song’s flourishes of synth do well to complement the pacing and phrasing of “Dissonance”s excellent swath of emotively precise melodies. Check the b3 premiere of Brotherun’s “The Dissonance Between Us” below.
Brotherun 
(Official)
Rating 8.3
Back at it again, Blackedout casts a mesmerizing spell on Ri Ri’s 2005 single “If It’s Lovin’ That You Want”. Seriously, I am taken aback by the production of each of the tracks that Blackedout has put on showcase. The young producer has really taken the blog scene by suprise and I am just glad we caught on early. By Brian Litwin
Blackedout (Soundcloud)
Rating 8.4
UK trio F.U.R.S. release second single “Just Kids”. The track (& band), another great find for Loose Lips Records (Chad Valley, Mausi, Night Works), tick all the anthemic UK indie rock boxes (rather amazingly actually) incredibly accurately & well. Every bit of the modern rock song formula is represented here and executed quite flawlessly; a huge singable chorus, a rumbling hooky bass & drums, a neatly melodic but still neatly lo-fi vocal, etc.
F.U.R.S. (Official)
Rating 8.4
PAPA continue their crushing of the indie rock and roll game on the reg w/ latest track “Young Rut”. Previewed from the band’s debut LP due in the Fall, “Young Rut” is an excellent further realization of the PAPA sound; soulful rock tinged with enough “modernness” and “relevance” to make accessible good feeling music to even the coldest of cold indie music critics & dudes.
PAPA 
(Facebook)
Rating 8.5
