0:24. The point in “Black Rivers” when UK singer Kate Miller’s vocal first enters the track; that moment is really all that’s necessary to know how serious a talent with whom we’re being confronted. Of a similar vocal cloth, at least tone-wise, of the latest crop of breakout UK female vocalists like Banks and London Grammar’s Hannah Reid; the standout qualities of Kate’s vocal are all her own.
Kate Miller
: (Official)
Rating: 8.4
Blackedout, whom we’ve covered a couple times before on B3, returns with a new one today in the form of the lowtempo creeper “Champagne”. The quality and variety of sounds and production techniques (seriously, the stylistic variation (but still coherent) here is blowing our minds) is indicative of a young producer of considerable talent.
Blackedout 
(Soundcloud)
Rating 8.4
“Lacuna” is the follow-up to Swedish band Last Lynx’s chart topping “Killing Switch” single. “Lacuna” does share some of the strains of soul & r&b contained within “Killing Switch”s DNA but pushes the hooks and choruses more out front; where “Killing Switch” was subtle, “Lacuna” is its more straightforward (still great) cousin. Look for “Rifts”, Last Lynx’s new EP, later in the year.
Last Lynx 
(Facebook)
Rating 8.2
Bombay Bicycle Club are one of those few bands in Indieverse 2013 that continously push themselves stylistically. The band, too, have proven their ability to innovate while still managing to be tuneful; to still write great songs in the context of new sound and arrangement structures. “It’s Alright Now” with it’s magnetic hypnotic vocal hooks and totally fresh melodic rhythmic elements sounds totally brand new and is off a level of originality that demands attention. “It’s Alright Now” is the first single from Bombay Bicycle Club’s fourth LP So Long, See You Tomorrow
Bombay Bicycle Club : (Official)
Rating: 8.4
The first lady of Mad Decent, LIZ returns today w/ a fresh new track. “All Them Boys” is produced by Hawaii’s best trap producer Mr. Carmack and fellow Decent artist Colta. Built on the back of the same 90’s R&B pulse of the great “U Over Them”, with some more early 90’s house rhythms thrown in. Well done.
LIZ 
(Facebook)
Rating 8.3
Welsh-born but now Angeleno like the rest of us songwriter Cate Le Bon performs live at the Bootleg in L.A. on Saturday Night (12/14). The show, which also features support performances from Woodsist artist Kevin Morby and folkie Hush Arbors, starts at 8 PM sharp. Tickets are $10.00 advance and $12.00 at the door. You can purchase tickets and get more info on the show here. *OR* you can spin the magic B3SCI wheel for a shot to win the pair of tickets to the show we’re giving away! To win just email us here and let us know you’d like to be entered in the ‘Cate Le Bon Giveaway’ contest. Our winner will be picked at random from the pool of submissions by Saturday morning 12/14, so keep an eye on your inbox (one entry per person). Good luck!
The Bootleg (Event Info)
The beautifully plantive new tune from Marika Hackman “Skin” is the second A side to the also great “I Hold”; both tracks make up a combined 7″ from Marika and another B3 fave Sivu. On “Skin”, the duo trade captivating/somber/great melodic lines over a quietly strummed acoustic chords creating an atmosphere that is equally magnetic and moving.
Marika Hackman 
(Facebook)
Rating 8.0234
“Salt” is excerpted from SoCal band Bad Suns’ forthcoming “Transpose” EP. A neatly compact bit of rhythm-driven indie pop, “Salt” succeeds especially on its very hooky bridges and choruses (try not getting “I raaannn til’ I couldn’t, and I scceeeamed til my voice was gone” stuck in your head) and its very clever and effective use of harmony in at all the right turns in the track. “Transpose” is out Jan. 21st on Vagrant.
Bad Suns (Facebook)
Rating 8.1
The mega-talented Torontonian vocalist Rochelle Jordan releases her first new material in nearly a year w/ the vibed-down ambient R&B of “Follow Me”. Ms. Jordan casts here a more confident, melodically more sophisticated line on “Follow Me”. Her Pressure project, and particularly “Shotgun”, were great but the growth indicated on “Follow Me” suggests Rochelle is primed to breakout.
Rochelle Jordan: (Facebook)
Rating: 8.7
