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Track Reviews

Rita Ora – RIP (I’m Ready For Ya Remix) (Feat. Tinie Tempah & Drake)

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So if you’ve had urban/pop radio on at any point in the last couple weeks you’ve likely heard new Roc Nation ingenue Rita Ora’s RIP track. If you’ve been on the Drake train for a little while, then you’ll likely recognize the hook from his “I’m Ready For Ya” song from a couple years ago. (Oh and that other hook, “can you hear my heart is beating” that’s Nneka’s – “Heartbeat” song from ’09, which maybe more famously was then remixed by Chase & Status). Through the magic of the internet, all of R.I.P.’s component parts have now been fused together into one cohesive (monster) mix. Seems like a bit of a trend has emerged in hip hop (again probably though the magic of the internet and just the broadening of the emerging music dialogue/dynamic/audience) in sampling relatively current hit indie tracks Drake’s Jamie xx/Gil Scott-Heron sampling “Take Care” immediately comes to mind. Spin it and let us know what you think.

Rita Ora england (Facebook)

Rating 8.2

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reviewed by
03-24-12

Death in the Sickroom – Council Estate / Bitter Laughter

By Trevor Meyer

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Death In The Sickroom, four lads out of Bluebell, Ireland offer up some excellently crafted jangle pop. Here are two live cuts from the guys, “Council Estate” and “Bitter Laughter.” We love Irish bands here at b3sci! Keep these guys on your radar.

Death in the Sickroom ireland (Facebook)

Rating 8.7

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reviewed by
03-24-12

Alesso – Years (Vocal Mix)

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The WMC weekend bombs continue to drop as (although Alesso dropped this new vocal mix for “Years” as part of his Radio 1 Essential Mix the other night), the Slinging Swede did have this brand new mix in his Masquerade Motel set in Miami tonight. Give your boy some ears with this one below.

Alesso sweden (Facebook)

Rating 8.2

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reviewed by
03-24-12

Being There – 17

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Being There tick all the right boxes for UK band to watch. They’ve got a great lead single (17), they’ve got a sound (think hazy 90’s alternative chopped up with some more modern pop-focused influences) that while relevant to the current UK indie scene is still unique enough to set them a neccessary length apart from it, and they’ve got BUZZ (NME, BBC Radio, the UK blogosphere are all in support). Check out the “Boys Don’t Cry-y” lead track and vid for “17” below and let us know what you think.

Being There england (Bandcamp)

Rating 8.1

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reviewed by
03-24-12

Only Real – The Drivethrough (Feat. Childhood)

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Yeah, so we scoured the internet, searched wide and far, etc and came up empty on information about the artists involved in this track. Obviously from the accent it sounds like Childhood is of some UK isles extraction and so we’re throwing a soft bet out there that Only Real is British too. (EDIT: We found his Soundcloud, our dude is from London.) Identity verification issues aside “The Drivethough” is a great UK pop/hip-hop track you need to be listening to. Listen.

Only Real england (Soundcloud)

Rating 8.2

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reviewed by
03-24-12

Stalley – Hammers & Vogues (Feat. Currensy)

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Last time Stalley and Spitta linked up was for the awesome “Address” which was one of our favorite tracks of 2010. The two MCs hook up again here on the smooth jazz-inflected “Hammers & Vogues” which will appear on Stalley’s upcoming debut LP Savage Journey to the American Dream. The soft rhodes, hushed hi-hats breed beat on “Hammers & Vogues” is the sort of thing $$$$ could rap over in his sleep (or high) (decide which of these two are true) & is the sort of beat that’s right square in Stalley’s wheelhouse too. “H&V”‘s not quite as good as “Address” but it still knocks pretty nicely.

Stalley ohio (Facebook)

Rating 8.2

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reviewed by
03-24-12

Avicii – Last Dance

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It’s that “special time of the year” when the world’s indie EDM glitterati descend on Austin Miami for SXSW the Winter Music Conference. Avicii’s playing the Ultra main stage tomorrow night and he’s got a little (if not the only) something special to drop into his headlining mix, it’s a brand new tune and it’s called “Last Dance”. Get it girl.

Avicii sweden (Facebook)

Rating 8.2

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reviewed by
03-23-12

Bassnectar – Vava Voom (Feat. Lupe Fiasco)

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The internets have been buzzing about this Bassnectar/Lupe collab all week. Teasers, previews, blog promos, etc, etc, the promotional build-up has been extensive. So how’s the track stack up? First, it doesn’t sound really at all like anything we thought it would. (which is probably a good thing.) With its HEAVY bass bang, slowed vocal chop ups, and beefily synthed arpeggios, the track’s pedigree is more Dirty South rap than EDM, L.A.S.E.R.S. or whatever else. Swerve to it.

Bassnectar california (Facebook)

Rating 8.3

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reviewed by
03-23-12

Rita Ora – R.I.P. (Delta Heavy Remix)

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Ruh roh. Roc Nation’s new Young Queen, Rita Ora has been fitted with a Drake-written Chase & Status-produced first single in “R.I.P.”. Here, up and coming UK up and comers Delta Heavy sully up that Roc $$$$ shine a bit with his new mix for “R.I.P.” Delta Heavy are producing at a high level and this “R.I.P” mix is a further A+ in the duo’s output.

Delta Heavy england (Facebook)

Rating 8.3

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reviewed by
03-23-12

RAVE’S FAVES: Miles Kane – First Of My Kind

By Bruce Rave

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Finally the “other” half of the Last Shadow Puppets has a solo album about to drop. Miles Kane turned down a chance to join his mates in Arctic Monkeys because he is a front man at heart. His prior band, The Rascals, showed promise a few years ago, but it was the collaboration with Alex Turner that Miles is best known for. He has written sweet pop songs all along, but “First Of My Kind” has a Last Shadow Puppet feel about it. That’s a good thing.

Miles Kane england (Facebook)

Check out Bruce’s “Go Deep” show on Fridays 1-3 pm Pacific, 4-6 pm Eastern, 9-11pm GMT. Also listen to past shows at Bruce’s blog and follow Bruce on Twitter.

reviewed by
03-22-12

Bondax – Just Us

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And we just found our new favorite band. With the crazy good weather we’ve had on the East Coast this week, the usually reserved for summer 90’s soft R&B bangers (KP & Envyi, Total, Something for the People, etc) have been raining down all over b3sci HQ the last few days. So, Lancaster UK dance duo Bondax (who are definitely painting, at least partially, from that “My Love Is The Shhhhh” palette) are fitting nicely into our current 85 degrees in March quiet storm tip. If you’re not up on these guys yet, do not sleep, Bondax are serious.

Bondax england (Facebook)

Rating 8.5

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reviewed by
03-22-12

RAVE’S FAVES: POND. – Fantastic Explosion of Time

By Bruce Rave

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As Day 3 of SXSW gets under way, Pond are by far my most pleasant shock. Maybe pleasant isn’t the word because these guys simply blew us out of the state. The last thing you would expect is that this is a side project for the drummer and bass player of Tame Impala. This fave track makes you expect a hard garage live feel, but they blend that with the power and instrumental parts of the best 70’s and 80’s metal bands. They came out so intense that many of us initially wondered whether it was the same band. The music shredded, there was always something happening visually, including singer Paisley Adams literally hanging from the rafters. See them when you can.

POND. australia (Facebook)

Check out Bruce’s “Go Deep” show on Fridays 1-3 pm Pacific, 4-6 pm Eastern, 9-11pm GMT. Also listen to past shows at Bruce’s blog and follow Bruce on Twitter.

reviewed by
03-22-12