Tsar B, who wow’d us back in November with the very cool dark pop sound of “Escalate” is back today with a follow-up track in the form of “Myth”. “Myth” cuts a similar all-black-everything feel as “Escalate” but has works with wider and emptier spaces which allow the track’s decidedly Middle East-tinged quality be its prime aesthetic mover.
The punchy “Rectifier” will be Manchester band Spring King’s first release for Island Records. Out digitally now and physically on March 25, “Rectifier” succeeds on its well-sculpted sense of melody and it’s cool juxtaposition between that more poppy sense of melody and a barrage of full on distorted guitars and crashing drums. March 25 is the date to know for “Rectifier” 7″ vinyl release.
Photos by Russ Ramos
Our man Russ shot last week’s (2/8) rad Donna Missal show at Bardot and picked out a few of his favorite photos from the set which are available for your perusal below.
B3 recently covered Jerusalem-based producer SwuM. for his uniquely-creative dreamy beat-punctuated atmospheric hip-hop beauty “Lucid”. We are psyched to recommend to you his stupendously catchy hip-hop jam “Finesse”; a xylophone melody driven beat track that features a dynamic set of melodic tones and playful, terrifically blunt lyrics. We’re enjoying this song (almost) too much and its cover art is fabulous! Reviewed by Erin Shay.
Previewed below is “The Sheboygan Left”, the lead single from RJD2 upcoming new LP Dame Fortune. Dame Fortune will be the Philly-based RJ’s first album in three years and “Sheboygan” sets a best/soulful foot forward with its feel good classic soul samples and an airtight rhythmic production. Give it a listen below.
Disco-bented (synth pop) gem “Yeah!” is a highly recommendable song to get you up and moving onto the dance floor. Created by Sydney (Australia) artist LIF, “Yeah!” is an extremely likable dance track with a technicolor melange of synth-y vibrance and straightforward minimalist pop vocals (with a catchy hook). If this song won’t get you out on the dance floor shaking your thing (lyrics are classic disco) nothing will! Reviewed by Erin Shay.
Polydor will release Arthur Beatrice’s sophomore LP Keeping The Peace on May 20th. “Real Life” the album’s latest stream finds an added immediacy almost ecstatic quality to the Arthur Beatrice sound that enhances and elevates the band’s already stunning writing and songs to a level/position ripe for a wide-scale breakthrough.
Talented Parisian (French touch) artist Thomas Fontana (covered here for tracks “Somewhere” or “Changes”) creates a bright energetic co-mingle of elements on “Confused”; a soul-based diddy which we like for its fluttery trap rhythms, natural hand percussion (cow bell!), and golden guitar-laced instrumental feels (which he mixes beautifully with contrasting scratchy synth textures and a saucy sashe of reverberant vintage-vibe female hip-hop vocal theatrics). Be sure to check out how he tops off ”Confused” with the sound of waves. A stunning end. Great song! Reviewed by Erin Shay.
“In The Air” the breakthrough single for UK duo Ten Fe is the recipient of a strong remix from longtime B3 fave Star Slinger. The Hypem No. 2 “In The Air” is set through a “Gotta Get Through This” Daniel Bedingfield frame and set to a cosmic soul-driven bit of rhythm. If that sounds about your speed (it’s definitely ours!), stream below the B3 Premiere of Star Slinger’s remix of “In The Air” for Ten Fe.
Turn yourself onto the soulfully-delivered, drop dead gorgeous vocals and tender-hearted sensational-vulnerability poetic warm-hug lyrics of “Fragile”; a recent melodic b-side down-tempo slow burner produced by Deventer, Netherlads artist Wantigga. Featuring the gentle sweetly-expressive vocals of Amsterdam artist Mar., the very lovely “Fragile” follows a-side gem “Stonecold” ft. Sasha Vee on Wantigga’s “Pillow Tal”k EP (out now via Roche Musique). Reviewed by Erin Shay.
2015 electric-soul hotlist duo HONNE have been on an exquisite streak of beautiful music since last year, with a slew of excellent singles. We’ve covered a number of their songs and rate them all as top notch in the pop, soul, and singer-songwriter genres (we placed HONNE on both of our 2014 year end lists and “No Place Like Home” made it to our staff top-10 lists for 2015). Their latest perfectly-pleasant sensitive-emotive singer-songwriter genius is apparent on their recent masterpiece “Woman”. The English duo’s vocals are so soulful and intimate (beautiful background melodies too) on the song that it honestly feels like they are singing directly at you (wouldn’t that be nice). You could also say that the sweet sentiment in the lyrics (love song) are exactly what any person might want to hear so therefore the track is anthemic. For anybody looking for a pick me up, the recent release has the steely emotive feel of their previous productions (maybe less sad and love-lorn) yet it manages to convey even more emotion and beauty. HONNE are indeed honing their style into a very classic sound. Reviewed by Erin Shay.
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