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The Raveonettes – The Enemy

Everyone’s fave Danish duo ring in a decade of hauntingly sweet records with their forthcoming and impressively solid seventh studio album Observator. The album of which was recorded in an incredible seven days with producer Richard Gottehrer (credits include Blondie, Go-Gos, Richard Hell), holds true to The Raveonettes signature sound and prolific pop song appetite. New single “The Enemy” previewed here, particularly showcases the bands affinity for those glittery guitar songs, harkening bands from The Smiths to The Beatles, and those between (plus we’re sure some NME puns intended).

The Raveonettes – The Enemy

The Raveonettes denmark (Official) (Twitter)

Rating 8.4

reviewed by
09-04-12

TIX GIVEAWAY! Mini Mansions @ Central SAPC in LA on 9/8/12

Mini Mansions – Monk

Here’s something for socal retro pop-ficeonados to be psyched about. LA super-trio Mini Mansions will headline Saturday night (9/8) at the Central SAPC with support from Harriet, Line & Circle, Jesse Kivel (Kisses/Princeton) DJ Set, and some very special guests! If you’re yet to get familiar with the brilliance in records like “Monk” then check out the track above. For those already in the mix, then mark this one on your calendars and grab your tickets here, or drop us a line and we’ll enter to you to win a FREE pair of tix to this show. Email us here and let us know that you want to see Mini Mansions to get entered in our random drawing taking place on 9/7/12. (day before the show). Good luck!

The Central S.A.P.C. california (Tix Info) (Facebook)
Mini Mansions: california (Official)

reviewed by
09-04-12

Zak Waters – The City (Acoustic) (Madeon)

Zak Waters (the featured vocalist on the original track) re-spins the pretty much perfect melody on Madeon’s “The City” into a really neat piano ballad. Waters’ vocals are especially powerful/visceral/emotionally-laid-wide-open here; he pulled us in immediately with his tone, emotive quality & vulnerability – almost too good. Do yourself the favor and give this really really good take on Madeon’s “The City” a spin below.

Zak Waters – The City (Acoustic) (Madeon)

Zak Waters (Facebook)

Rating 8.4

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reviewed by
08-30-12

Wolf Cub – Desverre

The UK garage/R&B/future house train rolls on with the latest from Fat! Records artist Wolf Cub. “Desverre” goes full fathom from push to go, transitioning in instrumentation and feel several times throughout.

Wolf Cub – Desverre

Wolf Cub (Soundcloud)

Rating 8.2

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reviewed by
08-30-12

Lecrae – Mayday (Feat. Big K.R.I.T. & Ashthon Jones)

Houston gospel rapper Lecrae’s got a new album in the offing Gravity due Sept. 4. “Mayday”, which features K.R.I.T. & American Idol-alum Ashthon Jones, is the latest leak from the project. Ashthon’s powerhouse vocals turn what’s an otherwise ok-to-good rap track to a great rap track. We knew Ashthon could sing; but, girl, we need more! A K.R.I.T.-produced Ashthon Jones album, make it happen!

Lecrae – Mayday (Feat. Big K.R.I.T. & Ashthon Jones)

Lecrae (Facebook)

Rating 8.4

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reviewed by
08-30-12

Ty Segall & Mikal Cronin – Pop Song

Bay Area maniac Ty Segall grabs his broham-in-arms Mikal Cronin for new guitar bruiser “Pop Song”. Thx R&G

Ty Segall & Mikal Cronin – Pop Song

Ty Segall & Mikal Cronin (Facebook)

Rating 8.3

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reviewed by
08-30-12

Peace – California Daze

UK act Peace are one of our favorite new bands. The Brit four-piece’s sound exists at that exactly perfect vertex where melody, heaviness & soul meet to create the best rock and roll. New track “California Daze” should make you a believer if you’re not already. Get into it below.

Peace england (Facebook)

Rating 8.4

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reviewed by
08-30-12

Bon Iver – Towers (Stop the Car Remix)

Had enough Bon Iver remixes yet? Ready for another one? Well we’ve uncovered one (with a tip to our friends at DoML) that clearly stands out amongst its peers and deserves your attention. C/o Manchester UK producer Stop the Car, this new remix of “Towers” packs some really neat/interesting/different melodic & rhythmic changes. Get a sample below.

Stop the Car (Facebook)

Rating 8.2

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reviewed by
08-29-12

Tiombe Lockhart – Baby

The irrepressible Tiombe Lockhart delivers a sweet refashion of Jacob Miller’s classic reggae track “Baby I Love You So” over a King Tubby instrumental. If you’re cool, you know that you’ve just hit the reggae covers jackpot; and Ms. Lockhart does not disappoint. Tiombe’s “Augustus and Me” EP is available now.

Tiombe Lockhart – Baby

Tiombe Lockhart (Facebook)

Rating 8.4

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reviewed by
08-29-12

Phreshy Duzit – Make My Money (Feat. Rich Flyer & Cory Gunz)

“Make My Money”, new from NYC MC Phreshy Duzit (we hadn’t heard of him either but he does have a new mixtape that dropped yesterday that’s pretty fresh), features one of the best (and most idiosyncratic) beats of the year. Equal parts Kirko Bangz “Drank in My Cup” and some wild gospel vocal & organ samples, the track’s seemingly disparate dynamic works phenomenally well; add to the mix solid features from Rich Flyer & (in maybe his first b3sci feature) Cory Gunz and you have all the ingredients of a standout rap track.

Phreshy Duzit – Make My Money (Feat. Rich Flyer & Cory Gunz)

Phreshy Duzit (Facebook)

Rating 8.2

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reviewed by
08-28-12

Everything Everything – Cough Cough

Manchester UK act Everything Everything offer a strong return with new single “Cough Cough”. This newest iteration of the EE sound (the band’s ’09 single “MY KZ, UR BF” was one of our favorites of that year) is a bit more precise, a bit more syncopated, a bit more confident. The blokes new LP Arc which is due in January (whoa 2013!) is likely now first on our list of Most Anticipated Releases of 2013.

Everything Everything (Facebook)

Rating 8.1

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reviewed by
08-28-12

Calvin Harris – Sweet Nothing (Feat. Florence + the Machine)

Wait for it.. Wait for it.. Wait for it… and…. YES. The Harris-Welch connection links up again (CH’s mix of “Spectrum” is one of our fave remixes of 2k12) on brand new track “Sweet Nothing”. It’s pretty standard going for Calvin Harris; big choruses, even bigger builds, and that “Calvin Harris bounce” (you know what we mean!) you’ve come to expect from the Scottish producer. Lets see that track.

Calvin Harris – Sweet Nothing (Feat. Florence + the Machine)

Calvin Harris scotland (Facebook)
Florence + The Machine (Facebook)

Rating 8.4

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reviewed by
08-28-12