Australian singer CVIRO (Cairo) & producer GXNXVS (Genius) debut “Benjamins”. The 90’s heavy track (don’t cringe just yet, as “Benjamins” makes up for any played-out-ness in style with turns of melody and production that are truly special) finds the Aussie twosome channeling the tunefulness of Joe or Craig David through a lens of still “old school” but modernized backbeats.
CVIRO & GXNXVS 
(Soundcloud)
Rating 8.3
The prodigious Recycle Culture (our man has already released an album and an EP this year) streams title track from newest EP “AYA”. Truly vast in its palette, running wall to wall from obtuse shoegaze to immediate indie pop, “AYA” is remarkable in just how accomplished it is. Listen.
Recycle Culture (Bandcamp)
Diplo dials up the “Climax drums” for hitmaker Ty Dolla $ign’s anthemic new one “Stand For”. As big a track as Hip Hop #1 “Paranoid” was for Ty Dolla’s career, “Stand For” is decidedly not the monochromatic club-ready “Paranoid”; it’s ambitious and it’s outside current rap radio’s comfortable DJ Mustard zone. We love it.
Mazzy Star 
(Soundcloud)
Father John returns, with his I Love You, Honeybear album due to drop in February. The first “official” single will come in a few weeks but this appetizer is a main course in itself. Starting with his strong vocals over only a piano and then with strings added later, the single sounds like something that could be a cross between Elton John and Hozier. He adds a laugh track to the lines “They gave me useless education, and a sub-prime loan on a craftsman home, keep my prescriptions filled, and now I can’t get off but I can kind of deal.” His first solo album Fear Fun was highly regarded and if “Bored” is any indication, I Love You, Honeybear may turn out to be one of 2015’s best. Reviewed by Bruce Rave.
Hear Bruce’s “Go Deep With Bruce Rave” weekly new music show on Indie1031/Los Angeles, KX 93.5-FM/Laguna Beach, and WSUM-FM/Madison. Details and archived shows can be found on his blog and be sure to follow Bruce on Twitter too!
Father John Misty (Facebook)
“Drip Away” is the latest sample of sooth pop from Adelaide, AU trio FLAMINGO. Buoyed by featured singer Madeleine Hunt’s emotive counterpoint vocal, “Drip Away” exists in a low touch nexus between R&B, house, and current indie pop. Stream “Drip Away” below.
FLAMINGO (Soundcloud)
Rating 8.3
OOFJ is the duo of Danish musician Jenno Bjørnkjær and South African singer Katherine Mills-Rymer. Track “You’re Always Good” is cinematic percussion-heavy bit of current wave boy-girl pop done as its highest and most forward thinking level.
B3SCI Presents Cascine Records band Yumi Zouma next Friday November 21st at the Bootleg Hi-Fi in Los Angeles. The New Zealand group’s dreamy and romantic rhythm-focused pop and self-titled EP have been lauded widely by Pitchfork, Gorilla vs. Bear, etc. B3 favorites Brett and Taken By Trees’ Victoria Bergman (DJ) support. Details and ticket information on the November 21st show can be found here.
Yumi Zouma 
(Facebook)
Rating 8.2
The Luca Buccellati-produced (Tei Shi, Yellerkin) “Time” is the debut track from New York popstress Renee Orshan a/k/a RÉN. Ms. Orshan’s neatly melodic melodic vocal is “Time”‘s central mover around the track’s not one note of place instrumental. “Time” is one of Fall 2014’s best debuts.
RÉN (Soundcloud)
Rating 8.4
Basement Jaxx and Snakehips collaborator Meleka further explores the alternative sound of those artists with just announced “The Funkin’ 90’s” EP and single “You Don’t Know”. A cover of girl band 702’s late 90’s track, “The Funkin’ 90’s” EP will feature seven covers of 1990’s songs.
Meleka 
(Soundcloud)
Rating 8.4
