Contributed by Trevor Meyer
I recently took a listen to Luise Pop’s single, “Black Cat.” This four piece is based in Berlin and Vienna. “Black Cat” is a truly enjoyable song. The song has a multifaceted range, featuring crescendos, decrescendos, tempo increases and decreases, and a nice bouquet of harmonies to boot. This is the Luise Pop’s third release and I recommend checking out their earlier music as well. I can’t wait to hear more from this band.
Luise Pop 
(Official)
Rating 7.9
Jakwob delivers a strong return on “Electrify”. The track still holds to some dubstep elements but grabs on to pieces of current pop dance music, house and rave. It’s a big tune that should only expand Jakwob’s sphere into the new year.
Jakwob – ElectrifyJakwob: (Myspace) (Official) (Soundcloud)
Rating: 8.1
Tyrese & Rozay take it all the way back on this remix for “Stay”, as the pair are joined by the one and only Faith Evans for this smoothed out spin on the track. The original’s 2005-era R&B as 2011 R&B sound is replaced for a full on 90’s throwback. You can imagine Faith bleeding it out in 3D Jurassic Park-style cgi in front a waterfall or bonfire on the beach. Bad Boy for life.
Tyrese – Stay (Remix) (Feat. Rick Ross & Faith Evans)Rating 7.9
Here goes some beautiful remix work by UK artist S.Maharba of Shlohmo’s equally beautiful “Ghosts Pt. 2”. S.Maharba drops a nice heavy pulse to frame up Shlohmo’s gorgeous harmonies and melodics. We are into it.
Shlohmo – Ghosts Pt. 2 (S.Maharba Remix)S.Maharba 
(Soundcloud) (Facebook)
Rating 8.3
Fiend (yes, that same Fiend that was on No Limit Records about 10 years ago) steps up to something smooth and buttery. Rappers get old too. And on a Friday night at age 35 a couple Hank Mobley 45s sound a bit more real than Silkk Tha Shocker. (word up to Silkk.)
Fiend – Take a Pull (Feat. Smoke DZA)Fiend 
(Wikipedia)
Rating 8.0
Hood goes in, Busta raps the same flow for the 5000x time, and Yelawolf takes the track. “Shit Done Get Real” is off Ace Hood’s The Statement 2 mixtape which drops in full on Friday.
Ace Hood – Shit Done Got Real (Feat. Busta Rhymes & Yelawolf)Ace Hood 
(Official)
Rating 8.1
The indiesphere loves Perfume Genius. Will the indiesphere still love him after he releases an album called Put Your Back N 2 It? (due Feb) Stay tuned. For now, take a listen to the bare, emotive, great track “All Waters”.
Perfume Genius – All WatersPerfume Genius 
(Facebook)
Rating 8.5
The Raveonettes cast their line out into the tempest that is the holiday song. Originally recorded in 2001, “The Christmas Song” (I expected this to be a Mel Torme cover too, but sadly, no.) doesn’t exactly sound like your typical Christmas song, it sounds much more like your typical Raveonettes song (+ some jingle bells). So we’re offering this simple phrase for Raveonettes fans from 1 to 92, MERRY CHRISTMAS.
The Raveonettes – The Christmas SongThe Raveonettes 
(Official) (Twitter)
Rating 7.9
Contributed by Trevor Meyer
Oxford’s Zulu Winter recently signed with Play It Again Sam. “Never Leave” is haunting and beautiful at the same time. The song has a climactic build up, almost like it’s fortifying to its apex, which then leads to a dreamy bridge transition. Zulu Winter has all of the qualities of a promising newer band. We are definitely psyched about them.
Zulu Winter – Never LeaveZulu Winter
(Soundcloud)
Rating 8
Contributed by Trevor Meyer
Music from the North! The 2011 album, To The Treetops from Norwegian group Team Me is a nice collection of songs that certainly brings to mind some well-known Canadian rockers such as Broken Social Scene and The Most Serene Republic. “With My Hands Covering Both of My Eyes I Am Too Scared to Have a Look At You Now” has a driving melody that keeps you grooving the whole time. This track features a powerful chorus by infusing choral chants, and choral harmonies. It’s pop with passion, direction, and vision. Very pretty.
Team Me – With My Hands Covering Both of My Eyes I Am Too Scared To Have a Look At You Now
Team Me 
(Facebook)
Rating 8.1
X-Factor wooden host dude’s (seriously Simon, we love you but you need to can this guy.) favourite rapper Tinie Tempah is readying a new mixtape entitled “Happy Birthday”. Wretch 32 and Jermaine Cole appeared on mixtape release one, the neat “Like It Or Love It”. This time its Big Sean’s turn on feature with the WizzyWow produced “Lucky C_nt”. Get into it.
Tinie Tempah – Lucky C_nt (Feat. Big Sean)Tinie Tempah (Official) (Facebook)
Rating 8.0
Jess Mills drops her brand new single for “Pixelated People”. Produced by UK electro artist Sam Frank (whom you may know from his collaborations with Skream), “People”‘s heart lies in the breaks of early aughts progressive house, that sound topped with some modern melodic refs and hooks. Ms. Mills on some definite UK chart material.
Jess Mills – Pixelated People (Prod. Sam Frank)Jess Mills (Official) (Facebook)
Rating 8.1
