When we initially saw the lineup for Adult Swim’s singles program, we definitely had this jj/Ne-Yo collaboration as our most anticipated of the set. Does the icy “We Can’t Stop” live up to expectations? We’re “not sure yet”. Let us know what you think.
jj – We Can’t Stop (Feat. Ne-Yo)Rating ???
Various Cruelties, one of our fav new bands of 2011, are back with a strong return in the form of new single “Chemicals”.
Various Cruelties – Chemicals
Various Cruelties: (Facebook) (Bandcamp)
Rating 8.1
Wayne actually sounds pretty tough on this. Surprise! Production by Bangladesh.
Lil’ Wayne – Put the Light On Me (Prod. Bangladesh)Lil’ Wayne 
(Official) (Facebook)
Rating 7.8
Things continue to pick up for the Kids These Days crew. In what amounts to their biggest gig yet, the young Chicago band will play their hometown festival this weekend, Lollapalooza. And recently, they’ve opened for Raphael Saadiq and Snoop Dogg (pretty sweet). “Summerscent” plays like its title might suggest. Its pillar to post sunshine-y vibes, good time rhymes, and feelin’ great vox. If that sounds cool to you, you’ll probably wanna hit that play button about now. Do it now. Go.
Kids These Days – SummerscentKids These Days 
(Facebook)
Rating 8.0
There isn’t anything we don’t love about this track; the languid jazz guitar textures, the subdued vocal sample on the 1’s, the overdubbed claps on the downbeats. “Hook Up Mics” is legit. Get into Bulgarian beatmaker Kay Be below.
Kay Be – Hook Up MicsKay Be 
(Bandcamp)
Rating 8.3
Ambassadors sound a lot like the soul/electro-informed indie sound of 2011. Like the concept of that sound, not any actual band. No actual band sounds exactly like that really. There are contenders; TV on the Radio, and uhmmm I don’t know, tUnE-yArDs. Anyway, these blokes sound like TV on the Radio. A TVOTR that are playing high stakes. Ambassadors, with a track like “Unconsolable”, are band that is absolutely gunning for major label notice.
Ambassadors – UnconsolableAmbassadors 
(Myspace)
Rating 7.8
The Bullitts via Pink Floyd, David Bowie, and Supergrass link up w Mr. Badu for a psych-r&b (did we really just take it there) jam that sounds not quite like anything you’ve likely heard before (except those above bands).
The Bullitts – Run & Hide (Feat. Jay Electronica)
The Bullitts 
(Official) (Twitter)
Rating 8.3
Two popular LA bands play “Pass the Remix”.
Foster the People – Pumped Up Kicks (Grouplove & Captain Remix) Grouplove – Colours (Foster the People Remix)Foster the People 
(Official) (Facebook)
Grouplove (Official) (Facebook
Rating 8.0 / 8.4
Whoa! (Joey Lawrence) Get to steppin! (Martin Lawrence)
Just 21, Gemini could be massive very soon.
Gemini – Elevate
Gemini (Soundcloud) (Facebook)
Rating 8.4
“In the Wind” is wayyyy too big a song not to be getting more blogoverse run. The track by Russians On-The-Go is epic, anthemic, uplifting in all the right club-filling, crossover sort of ways. In the right hands, “In the Wind” can do big things. MUST. PLAY. AGAIN.
On-The-Go – In the Wind via TBEOn-The-Go 
(Myspace) (Facebook)
Rating 8.5
The ubiquitous Alpines track is excellently remixed by Maya Jane Coles a/k/a Nocturnal Sunshine. Ms. Coles spins a darker, dub-ier, almost techno-tinged wrap onto the mix. We like it. What do y’all think?
Alpines – Cocoon (Nocturnal Sunshine Remix)Maya Jane Coles (Official) (Facebook)
Rating 8.2
Have you ever wondered what Kings of Convenience might sound like on top a bedroom electro beat???
Superhumanoids – Malta (Get People Remix)Get People (Official) (Facebook)
Rating 8.3
