Check out the expertly constructed beats-pop ode to rat-poison turpentine martinis “Universe Is Blessed” from Dovecote artist Wise Blood. Excerpted from his forthcoming debut full-length id Wise Blood a/k/a Christopher Laufman impresses with a tour de 2013 beats (he cites Zomby and SpaceGhostPurpp as inspirations) on the orchestral-loops heavy-on-the-ones-driven track. id is due June 25th.
Wise Blood – Universe Is BlessedWise Blood
: (Facebook)
Rating 8.3
“Last Forgiven” is a new favorite. The track comes from NYC based artist Luke Rathborne in anticipation of his forthcoming LP, SOFT, which is set for release July 3rd. The album was produced by Emery Dobyns and Albert Hammond Jr. While you can definitely hear Hammond Jr’s arrangement experience on some vertical qualities in “Last Forgiven”, more than that, “Last Forgiven” has a timbre that ushers in the sound of summer and all the menacing fun in life that’s yet to come. Rathborne performs May 14th in New York City at Glasslands, be there.
Rathborne – Last ForgivenRathborne 
(Official)
Rating 8.5
This Saturday night The Bootleg Gallery welcomes Brooklyn DJ, producer and multi-instrumental musician extraordinaire, Chrome Sparks to headline an amazing evening of nonstop jams. Downtown Lobby presents the night’s festivities which will also include performances from Tropicool, Ruckus Roboticus, Surf Ambassador Hendo and Channel One. B3SCI has got a pair of tickets for this show to give away to one lucky reader. For your chance to win, email us here and say that you’d like to be entered in the Chrome Sparks ticket giveaway. We’ll be picking our winning email submission at random this Saturday morning (one entry per person). You can get more information on the show here. Good luck and see you on Saturday!
The Bootleg 
(Info and Tickets)
Right, Get with B3 and get in that SOUL HOLE w the hero Nasty Ill Brother S.U.G.I.. Spoilers: the soul hole sounds a bit like if Dilla (R.I.P.) and FlyLo linked up got really high and then put re-runs of Alien Nation on the VHS. (which sounds pretty awesome to us, OK). Get thee to the soul hole.
NASTY ILL BROTHER S.U.G.I 
(Soundcloud)
Rating 8.4
The awesome “Other Voices”, the title track from Chicago kids The Orwells upcoming EP, is the sound of a band not only rounding into form but operating with a confidence and self-belief that, as much as it is an anachronism in the year 2013, is really very refreshing. Look out for “Other Voices” to drop on June 25th via East End/Canvasback.
The Orwells 
(Facebook)
Rating 9
The capable hands of our friend Charlie Yin a/k/a Giraffage well manage one of the greatest (and most difficult to remix) dance tracks ever, with his dreamy new take on Stardust’s iconic “Music Sounds Better With You”
Owl Eyes – Closure (Giraffage Remix)Giraffage (Facebook)
Rating 8.5
Death, taxes, American Idol & The National. What do our Ohio-born friends have in common these other three entities? CONSISTENCY. But in contrast to those lame to not so awesome things, The National are consistently great. “Sea of Love”, The Big N’s latest single from the forthcoming sixth LP Trouble Will Find Me, is just the most recent in a decade-plus collection of really fine classic music. Sample the new single below.
The National (Official)
Rating 8.7
Rapidly working their way through a host of un-google-able band names such as “Youth” and “Books” Bella Unions latest signing seem to have finally settled on “Money”, and this is their new video for future album track “Bluebell Fields”. Comparisons are being made to the likes of early Verve records and with the elusive nature of this Manchester outfit so far, the late summer release date for their debut record is already a highly anticipated one. It’s also worth taking a listen to their recent session with Amazing Radio to further appreciate the emotional capacity of their beautiful reverbs and heart-wrenching songwriting. By Nathan Hetherington
MONEY 
(Facebook)
Rating 8.5
What a way to kick off Lure’s Private Label concert series. The combination of Lure being one of the hottest nightclubs in LA and having some of the hottest DJs perform is pure gold. During a Bondax and Breakbot concert that I reviewed back in late March, I noticed how the DJ stage was on the side of the venue rather than the center, making the feng shui a bit odd. On Friday night May 3rd, Lure had a nice setup with lighting rigs, an open roof and the DJs directing the crowd from a riser in the back, facing all of the audience.
First up was a man who has been everywhere in LA, and basically has a stronghold on what is popular in up and coming music, KCRW’s Jason Bentley. Being a Music Director with impeccable taste is one thing, and having a nice feature in LA Weekly is another, but the man has always been a tremendous DJ. Serving as a great opener on the night, the crowd was responsive to his bumping set.
People started to really pile in as the hands were switched to Aussie born Plastic Plates. Felix Bloxsom has amassed a nice following over the past couple of years and has been featured on a couple of Kitsune’s compilations. Being on this bill seemed to only make the most of sense. Felix’s set was a perfect prelude to Bag Raiders, using similar elements of a house heavy set. A highlight from the set had to be PP’s awesome remix on the super catchy “Cast Away” by Strange Talk.
Plastic Plates left the stage to a rowdy audience, only to usher in another Aussie act. Bag Raiders arrived to a loud applause. The house duo from Sydney, consisting of Chris Stracey and Jack Glass, got things started quickly, and everyone in the buidling was ready. The duo started playing off of their 2010 self-titled release. Momentum shifted when Chris Malinchak’s infectious single “So Good To Me” took over the speakers. Almost like a taste of what’s to come next Friday at Lure, Bag Raiders let the track just play and took it easy to enjoy the beauty of it. The rest of the set was a mix between originals, remixes and some new stuff that was very well received. The climax of the whole set was easily their big single, “Shooting Stars”. The club seemed to be sucked into a trance with the gradual rise of the verse and the monster drop into the chorus. A perfect way to end a Friday night.
Reviewed By Brian Litwin
Photos By Corey Armend
Lure (Facebook)
You might not know it yet but you (will) know Joe Janiak. Other than his vocal and co-write feature on Bondax’s mega track “Gold,” Janiak apparently has his own arsenal of pop tracks to complement those serious vocals chops. “Steel Toe Boots” ‘fires at will’ with a patient and well conducted arrangement of sparse guitar and piano work, atmospheric effects, beats… and that voice, seriously check out that voice! Get familiar with Joe Janiak and grab a free download of “Steel Toe Boots” below.
Joe Janiak (Soundcloud)
Rating 8.3
Brooklyn duo Steel Phantoms (ex-Islands) have a new S/T EP in the works (their second) of which the catchy indie rock and roll of “Curtain Call” is the lead single. Reminiscent a bit of a heavier (instrumentally) yet less Rod Stewart-y (vocals) Walkmen, “Curtain Call” brings the pace, energy and joyousness as well as sound songwriting execution to its genre that in 2013, etc that has been all and too well missed/missing.
Steel Phantoms (Soundcloud)
Rating 8.3
