It’s indie! It’s afrobeat! It’s actually good! “The Dive” by L.A. band Fool’s Gold represents a strong return for the much talked about five piece. The track marries 70’s West African-style guitar riffing with 2011 indie pop via 1985ish British new wave (lol how far apart are those two things right now anyway?). “The Dive” is great and is likely to be a staple of the summer blogoverse playlist. Get a first listen below.
Fool’s Gold – The DiveFool’s Gold 
(Official) (Facebook
Rating 8.6
The class of North Carolina chillwave, Washed Out, dropped into the Sirius XMU studios recently to cut a live session. This blissed-out five-alive take on Chris Isaak’s “Wicked Game” was one of the highlights of the session.
Washed Out – Wicked Game (Chris Isaak)Washed Out 
(Facebook) (Blogspot)
Rating 8.2
If you’re an Oasis fan, make that if you’re a music fan, then you have waited for this. You’ve likely contemplated at some point, ‘what would Noel Gallagher do if he weren’t in Oasis?’ (of course, your worse fear being that it would just sound like Oasis).
A few days ago Noel released a choral and strings version of a track that we had first heard of from a soundcheck in Brazil in 2009. Clearly the song has gone places. Noel has completed 2 studio LP’s which are seeming less like a Le Noise approach in favor of something more George Martin, more Burt Bacharach, more cinematic, more “The Importance of Being Idle”. Not that we’re complaining, “The Death Of You And Me” is epic and High Flying Birds is sure to be nothing short.
Noel Gallagher – The Death of You and MeNoel Gallagher 
(Official) (Facebook) (Noel’s 50 Funniest Quotes)
Rating 8.5
R.I.P. Amy
Amy Winehouse – Love Is a Losing Game (Live)
This time of year hip hop blogs are FLOODED with shitty songs with “Summer” in the title. “Summer Jam” this ” etc. Just hustlers trying to get a piece of that summer jam bread. “Middle of Da Summer” by MMG-repper and Philly native Meek Mill is actually good. With a beat that actually feels something approaching worthy that summer jam shine, and a hook that doesn’t put us in a heat-aided lame coma, “Middle Of Da Summer” is a track that might find its way on to your summer playlist.
Meek Mill – Middle of Da Summer (Feat. Mel Love)Meek Mill 
(Facebook) (Twitter)
Rating 8.0
Your girl Katy’s got a new single. “Witches Brew” got a coveted spin during the front segment of Annie Mac’s Radio 1 show tonight. While it’s maybe not quite “On a Mission”, “Witches Brew” is certainly shoulders above “Easy Please Me” or “Broken Record”. That and we love British accents! Sing it Katy!
Katy B – Witches BrewRating 8.3
Is it? Could it be? Why yes, why yes it is. It’s new RAPTURE. Come and get it.
The Rapture – Sail Away
The Rapture 
(Official) (Facebook)
Rating 8.3
We usually run the fuck away (Real McCoy style) from synth-driven plural nondescript noun bands. Cause chances are, they’re either boring, shitty or some sort of combination of both. On “Young Hearts”, Dutch electro outfit Routines rise above their plural noun band peers with the help of a great soulful vocal, well constructed arrangement, and none of that _____wave haze synth-setting shit. Get behind Routines below.
Routines – Young HeartsRoutines 
(Soundcloud) (Facebook) (Twitter)
Rating 8.0
SUR FER is a new production duo out of New York. One of the duo, George, is just 17! 17 or not, this is a great mix that get your head bobbing almost instantly. See look there it goes: bob, bob, bob.
Gold Panda – Marriage (SUR FER Remix)SUR FER (Facebook) (Soundcloud)
Rating 7.8
Just on the band name alone, The Fearless Vampire Killers had us hooked. They didn’t have to sound fucking awesome. But they do! Give “Tell Me What You’re Trying to Say” a spin below and meet your new favorite band name (and band!).
The Fearless Vampire Killers – Tell Me What You’re Trying To Say
The Fearless Vampire Killers 
(Official) (Facebook)
Rating 8.4
Photek’s remix of Birdy’s rendition of “Shelter” is DRAMATIC. XX dramatic. Like the Middle School cafeteria the afternoon before a school social dramatic. CINEMATIC. Photek tethers Birdy’s lighter-than-air vocal to a gorilla-sized instrumental track. It’s all a menancing synth atmosphere here, a 13 yr captain of the volleyball team there, and a drop as ugly as homemade sin. (Somewhat in that order.) Dance starts at 7:30!
Birdy – Shelter (Photek Remix)Photek (Soundcloud) (Twitter)
Rating 8.5
“Days Are Forgotten” is rumored to be the next single off Kasabian’s Velociraptor, due 19 Sep. “Days” tends more towards the sound of Kasabian’s first couple records than first single “Switchblade Smiles”. “Days Are Forgotten”, from its punchy tense verse to its anthemic choruses, screams radio single. Kasabian dudes, we need the hook up on those Noel solo record promos. I know you guys can help. Tweet at us.
Kasabian – Days Are ForgottenKasabian (Official) (Myspace) (Facebook)
Rating: 8.5
