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Track Reviews

Cults – Abducted

cults

Just in case you were anticipating something more, Cults are releasing “Abducted” on Record Store Day as a limited edition 7-inch. This is a great record.

Cults – Abducted

Cults: (Bandcamp) (Purchase Info)

Rating: 8.5
brown8

reviewed by
04-15-11

Tribes – We Were Children

tribes

Tribes remind me why I loved music in the mid-90’s, when people in the States actually cared about good guitar bands. Their sound is more reminiscent in music today rather than influential to new bands. Aside, it has a familiarity that all great sounds have. The fact that they are from the UK is even more interesting, boasting a sound that inspired the popularity of brit-pop in the UK and the demise of quality alternative rock around the world. And it still feels genuine. More to come from these guys.


Tribes – We Were Children (Demo)

Tribes: (Myspace) (Facebook) (Twitter)

Rating: 9
brown93

reviewed by
04-15-11

Wilson Pickett – Get Me Back On Time (Danny Massure Edit)

wilsonpickett

It ain’t funky enough in here! We need to make it more funky! Sticky Wicket, make it funky. Make it funky, Icky Ticket. Make it funky, I said.


Wilson Pickett – Get Me Back On Time (Danny Massure Edit)

Danny Massure: (Official) (Myspace) (Facebook)

Rating: 8.2

brown8

reviewed by
04-14-11

Skream – Where You Should Be (Shy FX Remix)

skream

Mistajam debuted this Shy FX remix of Skream’s “Where You Should Be” a couple weeks back. The beats, the drum and bass, all that is cool but there’s a definite 90’s urban feel to Shy FX’s mix with the additions of an R&B flavored female vocal and some smoothed out synth stylings. Check it out.

Skream – Where You Should Be (Shy FX Remix)

Shy FX: (Myspace) (Facebook) (Twitter)

Rating: 8.3

brown8

reviewed by
04-14-11

Dom Kennedy – CDC (Feat. Casey Veggies & cARTer)

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Carter does manage to drop a Miss Cleo ref into his 16 bars but, no doubt, Dom went in on this. No contest.

Dom Kennedy – CDC (Feat. Casey Veggies & cARTer)

Dom Kennedy: (Official) (Myspace) (Twitter)

Rating: 7.8

brown71

reviewed by
04-14-11

Beastie Boys – Make Some Noise

beastieboys

Contributed by Erin Routson

Let’s be real: I didn’t listen to the last Beastie Boys record. I know what it was called, but I honestly ignored it. To the 5 Boroughs took them too far into a PC/preachy territory that I admire in their award acceptances/interviews but it’s a turn off when it comes out too heavy in their music. Other than that anomaly, I can still rap along with pretty much every record; something I find puzzling because I can’t even remember how to do math most of the time. Before I listened to “Make Some Noise”, I was wary. What if this track suffered the same fate I find Snoop in? (Too old to rap.) Luckily for me, MCA, Ad-Rock and Michael Diamond, it doesn’t. “Make Some Noise” is the Beasties aging without losing the funk and energy that permeated their earlier work. I don’t expect them to stay young forever, but I know they’re all still creative dudes. This delivers on that.

Beastie Boys – Make Some Noise

Beastie Boys: (Official) (Myspace)

Rating: 8.3

brown8

reviewed by
04-13-11

Jensen Sportag – Pure Wet

jensensportag

Jensen Sportag’s “Pure Wet” is killer; such a unique sick mix of diverse yet complementary sounds, from the smooth to the sleepy to the visceral, the track is packed, loaded. Cheers to one of our favorite blogs, Yes Yes Y’all, for the tip on the track.

Jensen Sportag – Pure Wet

Jensen Sportag: (Official) (Myspace)

Rating: 8.5

brown8

reviewed by
04-13-11

Adele – Set Fire to the Rain (Plastic Plates Remix)

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Our girl Adele gets a little funky c/o of LA mixman Plastic Plates. Turn this one way up.


Adele – Set Fire to the Rain (Plastic Plates Remix)

Plastic Plates: (Souncloud) (Facebook) (Twitter)

Rating: 8.3

brown8

reviewed by
04-13-11

Ntjam Rosie – In Need

ntjamrosie

Great. “In Need” features great vocals (the falsetto notes she breathes out into are just phenomenal) and great arrangement and instrumentation (the melodic jazz guitar and laid back rhythmic stylings do well to frame and support the song’s melodies). Like serious top of the game type stuff. Ladies of R&B, jazz, and soul (really all singers) take notice “In Need” is how you do it.

Ntjam Rosie – In Need

Ntjam Rosie: (Official) (Myspace)

Rating: 8.4

brown8

reviewed by
04-13-11

JCB – Embracing Solitude (Blackmill Remix)

blackmill

Blackmill’s take on Ellie Goulding’s “Your Song” was one of our fav remixes of 2010. #1 on Hypem for what seemed like ages, close to 1,000,000 views on YouTube, tweeted by Ellie Goulding herself, the track’s run punctuated a major moment for both our blog (it was a privilege to first discover the mix) and likely for the artist too, Blackmill. That said, Blackmill’s newest joint is a remix of “Embracing Solitude” by DnB producer JCB. We LOVE it! Blackmill’s feel for melody and its relationship with rhythm and cadence is really tops. Big things are in store for Blackmill, dude’s talent is next level. Stay tuned.

JCB – Embracing Solitude (Blackmill Remix)

Blackmill: (Soundcloud) (Facebook)

Rating: 8.7

brown8

reviewed by
04-13-11

Emancipator – When I Go (Stephan Jacobs Remix) (Feat. Taho Nguyen)

emancipator

Fresh.


Emancipator – When I Go (Stephan Jacobs Remix) (Feat. Taho Nguyen)

Emancipator: (Official) (Myspace)
Stephan Jacobs: (Official) (Myspace)

Rating: 8.2

brown8

reviewed by
04-13-11

Lykke Li – Velvet (The Big Pink Cover)

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Your love keeps lifting us higher. Higher and Higher. Go on, shake a tambourine, throw your hands to the sky and catch a little holy ghost on this recent Lykke cover of The Big Pink.

Lykke Li – Velvet (The Big Pink Cover)

Lykke Li: (Official) (Myspace)

Rating: 8.2

brown8

reviewed by
04-13-11