Haha, try doing a google image search for “China Rats”. We dare you! WARNING: There is some gnarly shit in store for you if you do. Liverpool’s China Rats debut single “To Be Like I” has decades worth of nostalgic jangle pop compressed into a single sticky-sweet 2 minute long garage session. We’re into it. Get familiar with China Rats below.
China Rats 
(Facebook)
Rating 8.1
By Stephen Dobrinich
K’naan’s track ‘Nothing to Lose’ gets a whole new feel here, courtesy of Will.I.Am, and it’s hard to overstate the transformation. In the original, the quality delivered flow of both Nas and K’naan is all but wasted because of the choices in production. Between the exaggerated hook, contrived inspirational tone, and that fucking annoying dinging noise it’s enough to turn this listener off. Meanwhile, Will.I.Am’s mix rides a soulful sample that brings the cool cool heat.
K’naan 
(Facebook)
Rating 8.5
Too nice. K.R.I.T. absolutely smashes this. New track “I Got This” is fire. Go and get it.
Big K.R.I.T. 
(Facebook)
Rating 8.6
LA-based band The New Division remix Keep Shelly in Athens’ “DIY” track from last year. We’re loving the wide open big beat feel TND have selected for on this mix. Listen.
The New Division 
(Facebook)
Rating 8.2
Compton native YG grabs MMG soldier (and one of the hottest in the game right now) Meek Mill for new track “I’m a Thug”. DJ Mustard, who produced “Rack City” is on the beat here, crafting an instrumental that is like its predecessor very repetitive but also insanely catchy. “I’m a Thug” is a bit of a throwback to the great ignant rap shit of c. ’06-’07 (the peak for ignorant rap in the mainstream) with its minimalist-styled arpeggiated beeps and dirty south-esque bass. Look out for YG’s 400 Hunnid Degreez mixtape due March 26.
YG (Facebook)
Rating 8.1
Swedish band Francis’ new single “Birds Down South” is awesome. There is definitely some great songwriting knowhow at work on the track. We don’t really know that much else about the band but we’re psyched to hear more! Get familiar (with us) below.
Francis 
(Facebook)
Rating 8.2
We (still) love “Video Games” and “Blue Jeans”. We’ll stand behind LDR on those tracks through for better and for worse; but the original “Diet Mtn Dew” track sucks. Despite that, Lana’s rhythmic ghostly hooky vocal line on the song is seemingly too much for remixers from all corners of the planet to resist messing with. The tract of “DMD” remixes is lengthy. Urban Noize’s mix, which interpolates rhymes from Jay-Z, just might be the best (that we’ve heard at least). Taking the unlistenable shitbrick that is the original and turning it into the fresh hip hop-influenced urban pop song the track’s creators probably first envisioned it being. Don’t miss this one.
Urban Noize 
(Facebook)
Rating 8.4
Hot off the press! b3sci favs A.Skillz & Nick Thayer mold the smooth sounds of Foreigner’s “Cold As Ice” into a full flex bonecrusher (never scared) of a remix. Look out!
A.Skillz (Facebook)
Rating 8.5
Our girl Marina goes in on her latest single “Primadonna” (the first official single from her upcoming Electra Heart LP) with this piano/acoustic guitar-driven rendition. “Primadonna”‘s class melody is on full offer here with an off-beat syncopated piano providing it an excellent countermelodic frame. The ideal arrangement for this song is, in reality, probably somewhere between this more spare version and the souped up clubby take that’s on the single. We love Marina on the club sound but this song, this particular melody, definitely sounds better dialed back a little bit.
Marina and the Diamonds (Facebook)
Rating 8.2
We got our ninjas in London and they goin’ gorillas. This shouldn’t be so awesome (seriously could another artist-title combo strike more fear of shittiness?) but Kay Kay absolutely slays this. Here’s Katy’s “Niggas in Paris” cover from today she cut on Radio 1’s live lounge. (DoML)
Katy Perry – Niggas in Paris (Jay-Z & Kanye West Cover)Katy Perry (Facebook)
Rating 8.7
Melanie Fiona links up with Drake (who co-wrote the track) on new song “Been That Girl”. “BTG” is squarely in the 90’s-influenced backbeat-driven R&B slow jam column. There are definitely more modern touches on the track, hints of Drake’s Take Care sort of sound can be heard but this one is no doubt styled as a throwback.
Melanie Fiona (Facebook)
Rating 8.1
“The Don” is Nas’ second and latest single to surface from his forthcoming Life Is Good LP. “The Don” selects for a hot 5-star/alarm Salaam Remi beat and, a dare we say, a ?hungry Nas. Nas sounds at least on a level with his better latter days records, ripping through a series fresh 16’s on the track. Get game below.
Nas 
(Facebook)
Rating 8.5
