Happy new year from B3. See you in 2017. Thank you for reading and listening.
D.C. duo GEMS are back with their first new music since debut Kill the One You Love LP. “Blow Out The Light” is an excellent quieting bit of supremely constructed indie pop that picks up in terms of its quality just where Kill the One You Love left off. Stream “Blow Out The Light” below
Steve James and RKCB return with a future-laden blissful new tune called “In My Head”. When I noticed it recieved a Kwon remix treatment, I knew I had to give it a listen and was pleased by the unique sound design and vibes. Stop by SoundCloud for more. Enjoy.
Leeds upstarts Team Picture slug out hulking excellent new exercise in far-off guitar music on “Potpourri Headache”. Set on a circadian groove of considerable punch, “PH” is a multi-layered psych-ish experience on to itself anchored by a great recording and some inventive instrumentation ideas. Well done.
Dreamy Geordie crew Seeing Hands follow-up “I Knew You” from back in August with equally strong (and dreamy), “It’s True”.
Australian pair North Elements and Wayfarer collaborate on new track “Break” with Denitia (from “Divided” duo Denitia and Sene). The producing team select for a warm pads of deep in the mix synths as the frame for Denitia’s quieting but no less potent vocal. Spin “Break” below.
Anonymous Dublin-based duo St. Francis Hotel impress on “You’d Gotta Be Alive”. Constructed around a steady syncopated groove and cool minor-keyed guitar leads and harmonies, “You’d Gotta Be Alive” takes the UK dark pop sound of the past few years to a more rock and roll direction. A++.
The Pith Boys are back with a fresh new track and a slew of December East Coast dates. The new song comes in the form of “Medusa” which is yet another unexpected sound swerve from the DET duo. Featuring tremolo acoustic guitar and that Ty Dolla $ piano pad (pamp pamp pamp) GP ably wrap up the stylistic disparate-ness with a cool melodic groove that we’re into. Pith are working on new tracks at the abandoned church/recording space Assemble in Detroit (where other D artists like JMSN and Danny Brown chill) and are keen to release more music in the new year. Sample the B3 Premiere of “Medusa” below.
Dec 10 – Philadelphia, Ortleib’s
Dec 11 – DC, Songbird’s
Dec 13 – NYC, Mercury Lounge
Dec 16 – Detroit, Masonic Temple *w/ GRiZ
Dec 17 – Toronto, Drake Underground
Miami’s MRKI sports a sound similar to two of my favorite contemporary female vocalists, Phantogram and Purity Ring. If you’re into their edgy indie pop style you’ll definitely dig this artist’s latest tune “Weird Nights.” Stream it here and enjoy.
“Easily” is the latest from North London new favorite Bruno Major. The ease melodically with which Major operates through a comparatively difficult narrative of a relationship evolving beyond its earliest phases; creates a particularly potent juxtaposition we dig.
