We’re pretty big stans for Detroit producer Sango. Here, Sango lets go a soft & subtle bit of (non-cliched) late-night R&B beats that would do sound right at home on the new Drake record.
Sango 
(Facebook)
Rating 8.3
We’re pretty big stans for Detroit producer Sango. Here, Sango lets go a soft & subtle bit of (non-cliched) late-night R&B beats that would do sound right at home on the new Drake record.
Sango (Facebook)
Rating 8.3
Check out the subdued R&B-informed tones of b3 faves Gold Fields’ excellent latest track, “Happy Boy”. Replete with tidal washes of synth & guitar, 80’s soul-style production, aerophone percussion & a great live strings track “Happy Boy” indicates a further high water mark for the Aussie band. If you’re in the US, and in a place like our hometown of Cleveland (!), get psyched because Gold Fields have just announced their first headlining American dates, which you can scope out below.
Gold Fields U.S. Dates:
02/04: Washington @ U Street Music Hall
02/05: Baltimore @ Rams Head Live
02/06: New York @ Bowery Ballroom
02/07: Philadelphia @ TLA
02/08: Boston @ Brighton Music Hall
02/09: Providence @ The Met
02/11: Toronto @ The Drake Hotel
02/12: Detroit @ The Shelter
02/13: Columbus @ The Basement
02/14: Cleveland @ Beachland Ballroom
02/15: Chicago @ Lincoln Hall
02/17: Minneapolis @ Triple Rock Social Club
02/19: Colorado Springs @ The Black Sheep
02/20: Denver @ Larimer Lounge
02/22: Salt Lake City @ In The Venue
02/23: Missoula, MT @ Elks Live
02/24: Seattle @ Crocodile Cafe
02/25: Portland @ Crystal Ballroom
02/28: Los Angeles @ Troubadour
03/02: Santa Ana, CA @ Constellation Room
03/05: San Diego @ The Casbah
03/06: Phoenix @ Crescent Ballroom
03/08: Las Vegas @ Hard Rock Cafe
Gold Fields 
(Facebook)
Rating 8.3
2012. It was a year. We made it through the hurricane, we survived the apocalypse, we shined bright like diamonds, etc. As we toast 2012 and look forward to a major 2013, join the b3 crew in popping the cap on all our individual favorite songs and albums of the past year. See y’all in 2013!
B3SCI STAFF TOP 20 ALBUMS LISTS
Mike Clemenza
01. Alt-J – An Awesome Wave
02. Miguel – Kaleidoscope Dream
03. Jessie Ware – Devotion
04. Lana Del Rey – Born to Die
05. Frank Ocean – Channel Orange
06. Michael Kiwanuka – Home Again
07. Keaton Henson – Sweetheart What Have You Done To Us
08. Two Door Cinema Club – Beacon
09. Usher – Looking 4 Myself
10. DIIV – Oshin
11. Tame Impala – Lonerism
12. The xx – Coexist
13. Tallest Man on Earth – There’s No Leaving Now
14. Spector – Enjoy It While It Lasts
15. The Vaccines – Come of Age
16. Ellie Goulding – Halcyon
17. Spiritualized – Sweet Heart Sweet Light
18. Flying Lotus – Until the Quiet Comes
19. The Maccabees – Given to the Wild
20. Lucy Rose – Like I Used To
Troy Meyer
01. Miguel – Kaleidoscope Dream
02. Kendrick Lamar – good kid m.A.A.d. City
03. Jessie Ware – Devotion
04. Frank Ocean – Channel Orange
05. Tame Impala – Lonerism
06. Killer Mike – R.A.P. Music
07. Fiona Apple – The Idler Wheel
08. Spiritualized – Sweet Heart, Sweet Light
09. DIIV – Oshin
10. Sharon Van Etten – Tramp
11. Cloud Nothings – Attack On Memory
12. El-P – Cancer For Cure
13. Grizzly Bear – Shields
14. Chromatics – Kill For Love
15. Leonard Cohen – Old Ideas
16. How to Dress Well – Total Loss
17. John Talabot – fin
18. Actress – R.I.P.
19. Cat Power – Sun
20. Jeremih – Late Nights
Christopher Gedos
01. Bob Dylan – The Tempest
02. The Dirty Projectors – Swing Lo Magellan
03. Michael Kiwanuka – Home Again
04. Lianne La Havas – Is Your Love Big Enough?
05. Alt-J – An Awesome Wave
Bruce Rave
01. Django Django—Django Django
02. Muse—The 2nd Law
03. The Vaccines—Come Of Age
04. Jack White—Blunderbuss
05. Silversun Pickups—Neck Of the Woods
06. Howler—America Give Up
07. The Ravonettes—Observator
08. Hot Chip—In Our Heads
09. Madness—Oui Oui, Si Si, Ja Ja, Da Da
10. Metric—Synthetica
11. Passion Pit—Gossamer
12. The Walkmen—Heaven
13. The Hives—Lex Hives
14. Soft Swells—Soft Swells
15. Bloc Party—Four
16. Divine Fits—A Thing Called Divine Fits
17. Cloud Nothings—Attack on Memory
18. The Royalty—Lovers
19. Reel Big Fish—Candy Coated Fury
20. Father John Misty—Fear Fun
Erin Routson
01. Kendrick Lamar – good kid m.A.A.d. City
02. Prinzhorn Dance School – Clay Class
03. Fiona Apple – The Idler Wheel
04. 2 Chainz – Based On a T.R.U. Story
05. Ke$ha – Warrior
06. Freddie Gibbs – Baby Face Killa
07. Frank Ocean – Channel Orange
08. Spiritualized – Sweet Heart Sweet Light
09. Tanlines – Mixed Emotions
10. Sharon Van Etten – Tramp
11. The xx – Co-Exist
12. Neil Young and Crazy Horse – Psychedelic Pill
13. Tame impala – Lonerism
14. Kendrick Lamar – good kid m.A.A.d. City
15. Kendrick Lamar – good kid m.A.A.d. City
16. Kendrick Lamar – good kid m.A.A.d. City
17. Kendrick Lamar – good kid m.A.A.d. City
18. Kendrick Lamar – good kid m.A.A.d. City
19. Kendrick Lamar – good kid m.A.A.d. City
20. Kendrick Lamar – good kid m.A.A.d. City
Jon Herriot
01. Frank Ocean – Channel Orange
02. Of Monsters and Men – My Head Is an Animal
03. Mumford and Sons – Babel
04. The Shins – Port of Marrow
05. Kendrick Lamar – Good Kid M.A.A.D City
06. Rah Rah – The Poet’s Dead
07. Said The Whale – Little Mountain
08. Metric – Synthetica
09. The Lumineers – Submarines
10. Lana Del Rey – Born To Die
11. Passion Pit – Gossamer
12. John K Samson – Provincial
13. Bahamas – Barchords
14. Hoodie Allen – All American
15. Macklemore x Ryan Lewis – The Heist
16. Santigold – Master of My Make-Believe
17. Hannah Georgas – Hannah Georgas
18. Grimes – Visions
19. The xx – Coexist
20. Yukon Blonde – Tiger Talk
Nathan Hetherington
01 Alt-J: An Awesome Wave
02 NZCA/LINES: NZCA/LINES
03 Pond: Beard Wives Denim
04 Polica: Give You The Ghost
05 Andrew Bird: Break It Yourself
06 John Talabot: Fin
07 Django Django: Django Django
08 Tame Impala: Lonerism
09 Mac Demarco: 2
10 xxyyxx: xxyyxx
11 Melody’s Echo Chamber: Melody’s Echo Chamber
12 Lower Dens: Nootropics
13 Allah-las: Allah-las
14 Chairlift: Something
15 The Luyas: Animator
16 Yeasayer: Fragrant World
17 Negative Pegasus: Looming
18 Clock Opera: Ways To Forget
19 Daphni: JIAOLONG
20 Dark Dark Dark: Who Needs Who
Brian Litwin
01. Purity ring – Shrines
02. Kendrick Lamar – good kid m.A.A.d. City
03. The Lumineers – The Lumineers
04. Grimes – Visions
05. Alabama Shakes – Boys & Girls
06. Poolside – Pacific Central Time
07. Tame Impala – Lonerism
08. Bat For Lashes – The Haunted Man
09. Alt-J – An Awesome Wave
10. Death Grips – The Money Store
11. Passion Pit – Gossamer
12. Dirty Projectors – Swing Lo Magellan
13. Japandroids – Celebration Rock
14. Yeasayer -Fragant World
15. The M Machine – Metropolis Pt. 1
16. Macklemore & Ryan Lewis – The Heist
17. Frank Ocean – Channel Orange
18. The xx – Coexist
19. Jessie Ware – Devotion
20. Grizzly Bear – Shields
Russ Ramos
01. Ellie Goulding – Halcyon
02. Lana Del Rey – Born to Die Paradise Edition
03. Frank Ocean – Channel Orange
04. Kitten – Cut It Out
05. Jessie Ware – Devotion
06. Krewella – Play Hard
07. JMSN – Priscilla
08. Meg Myers – Daughter in the Choir
09. Grimes – Visions
10. Zedd – Clarity
11. Kimbra – Vows
12. Sleigh Bells – Reign of Terror
13. Fun. – Some Nights
14. Gotye – Making Mirrors
15. Best Coast – The Only Place
16. Calvin Harris – 18 Months
17. Frank + Derol – Frank + Derol
18. Imagine Dragons – Night Visions
19. Skrillex – Bangarang
20. Alexander Spit – A Breathtaking Trip
B3SCI STAFF TOP 20 SONGS LISTS
Mike Clemenza
01. Yuna – Live Your Life
02. Frank Ocean – Thinking Bout You
03. Big Sean – Clique (Feat. Kanye West & Jay-Z)
04. Tom Odell – Another Love
05. The xx – Angels
06. Muse – Madness
07. Madeon – The City (Feat. Zak Waters)
08. Trails and Ways – Nunca
09. Carly Rae Jepson – Call Me Maybe
10. Rhye – The Fall
11. Schoolboy Q – Hands On The Wheel (Feat. A$ap Rocky)
12. Electric Guest – This Head I Hold
13. The Neighbourhood – Sweater Song
14. The 1975 – You
15. Everything Everything – Cough Cough
16. Jessie Ware – Running
17. Dan Croll – From Nowhere
18. Purity Ring – Odebear
19. Blondfire – Where The Kids Are
20. Chris Malinchak – So Good To Me
Troy Meyer
01. Usher – Climax
02. Frank Ocean – Pyramids
03. Jessie Ware – Running
04. Kanye West – Clique (Feat. Jay-Z & Big Sean)
05. Jai Paul – Jasmine
06. Solange Knowles – Losing You
07. Miguel – Adorn
08. Kendrick Lamar – Bitch Don’t Kill My Vibe (Feat. Lady Gaga)
09. Lana Del Rey – Ride
10. Rihanna – Diamonds
11. Yuna – Live Your Life
12. Ke$ha – Die Young
13. Purity Ring – Obedear
14. Rhye – The Fall
15. The xx – Sunset
16. Meek Mill – Amen (Feat. Drake)
17. The Neighbourhood – Sweater Weather
18. Nicki Minaj – Beez in the Trap (Feat. 2 Chainz)
19. Peace – Follow Baby
20. Father John Misty – Hollywood Forever Cemetery Sings
Bruce Rave
01. Foxy Shazam—I like It
02. Django Django—Default
03. Gold Fields—Moves
04. The Vaccines—Teenage Icon
05. Passion Pit—Take A Walk
06. Fun—Be Calm
07. The Presets—Ghosts
08. The Vaccines—Bad Mood
09. Tilly and the Wall—Heavy Mood
10. Diamond Rings—I’m Just Me
11. Bloc Party—Octapus
12. Battle Tapes—Sweatshop Boys
13. Dirty Projectors—Gun Has No Trigger
14. Beach House—On the Sea
15. Citizens!–True Romance
16. Crocodiles—Endless Flowers
17. The Walkmen—We Can’t Be Beat
18. Citizens!–(I’m In Love With Your) Girlfriend
19. Father John Misty—Nancy From Now On
20. Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros—Dear Believer
Trevor Meyer
1. Peace – California Daze
2. Gabriel Bruce – Sleep Paralysis
3. George Barnett – Lone Rose
4. Kendrick Lamar – Enjoy
5. Saint Motel – 1997
6. Big Boi – Lines
7. The Record Company – This Crooked City
8. Natural Child – Derek’s Blues
9. The #1s – He’s Too Good For Everyone Else, But He’s Not Good Enough For You
10. Fast Years – Young Hearts
11. Porcelain Raft – Something In Between
12. Tayyib Ali – I Ain’t Scared
13. Sam Sparro – Happiness
14. Wild Nothing – Only Heather
15. Triptides- Bright Sky
16. Azealia Banks – Fuck Up The Fun
17. Tame Impala – Mind Mischief
18. Mike Higbee – The Waltz of Dead Love
19. Go Back To The Zoo – Weekend America
20. Dan Croll – From Nowhere
Erin Routson
01. Solange – Losing You
02. A$AP Rocky – Fuckin’ Problems (Feat. 2 Chainz, Drake & Kendrick Lamar)
03. Meek Mill – Amen (Feat. Drake)
04. Carly Rae Jepsen – Call Me Maybe
05. Kitty Pryde – Okay Cupid
06. HAIM – Hold Me
07. YN Rich Kids – Hot Cheetos & Takis
08. Pac Div – Cross Trainers
09. Chief Keef – I Don’t Like
10. Santigold – Disparate Youth
11. MIA – Bad Girls
12. Fun – Some Nights
13. Kindness – Swingin’ Party
14. Big Boi – Higher Res (Feat. Little Dragon and Jai Paul)
15. Taylor Swift – We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together
16. Blur – Under the Westway
17. Danny Brown – Grown Up
18. The Hood Internet – These Things Are Nice
19. Kanye West – Clique (Feat. Jay-Z and Big Sean)
20. Sinkane – Runnin
Jon Herriot
01. Santigold – Disparate Youth
02. Frank Ocean – Pyramids
03. Capital Cities – Kangaroo Court
04. The Royal Concept – D-D-Dance
05. Passion Pit – Carried Away
06. The Shins – Simple Song
07. Of Monsters and Men – Little Talks
08. The Tallest Man on Earth – 1904
09. The Lumineers – Ho Hey
10. Everything Everything – Kemosabe
11. RAC – Hollywood (Feat. Penguin Prison)
12. Azealia Banks – 212
13. Joey Bada$$ – Survival Tactics
14. Kendrick Lamar – Swimming Pools (Drank)
15. Rah Rah – Prairie Girl
16. Calvin Harris – Sweet Nothing (Feat. Florence Welch)
17. Grimes – Oblivion
18. Wiz Khalifa – Remember You (Feat. The Weeknd)
19. Carousel – Where Have You Gone?
20. Alabama Shakes – Hold On
Erin Feathers
01. Yuna – Lve Your Life
02. Usher – Climax
03. The Lumineers – Ho Hey
04. Jai Paul – Jasmine
05. Grimes – Oblivion
06. Miguel- Adorn
07. Alabama Shakes – Hold On
08. Alt-J – Breezeblocks
09. Kendrick Lamar- Swimming Pools (Drank)
10. Frank Ocean – Pyramids
11. Big Boi – Lines (Feat. A$AP Rocky & Phantogram)
12. Death Grips – The Fever (Aye Aye)
13. Tame Impala – Elephant
14. Schoolboy Q – There He Go
15. PS I Love You – Sentimental Dishes
16. Purity Ring – Obedear
17. RZA – Baddest Man Alive (Feat. The Black Keys)
18. Beach House – Myth
19. The Artic Monkeys – RU Mine
20. Spiritualized – Hey Jane
Nathan Hetherington
01 Grizzly Bear: Yet Again
02 Everything Everything: Cough Cough
03 Purity Ring: Obedear
04 Four Tet: Lion (Jamie xx Remix)
05 Major Lazer: Get Free (Feat. Amber Coffman)
06 Savages: Husbands
07 Bat For Lashes: Laura
08 Jacques Greene, Koreless: Arrow
09 Liars: No. 1 Against The Rush
10 Odd Future: Oldie
11 The 1975: You
12 Daughter: Medicine
13 Porcelain Raft: Is It Too Deep For You
14 Nicolas Jaar: And I Say (With Just One Glance) (Feat. Scout LaRue and Will Epstein)
15 The xx: Angels
16 Splashh: Vacation
17 Foxygen: Shuggie
18 El-P: $Vic/FTL (Me And You)
19 Fear of Men: Green Sea
20 Egyptian Hip Hop: Yoro Diallo
Brian Litwin
01 – Frank Ocean – Pyramids
02 – Alt-J – Fitzpleasure
03 – Grimes – Oblivion
04 – Dirty Projectors – About To Die
05 – Bat For Lashes – Laura
06 – Purity Ring – Fineshrine
07 – Japandroids – The House That Heaven Built
08 – Kendrick Lamar – Swimming Pool (Drank)
09 – Alabama Shakes – Hold On
10 – Disclosure – Latch (Feat. Sam Smith)
11 – Santigold – Disparate Youth
12 – Death Grips – Get Got
13 – Yeasayer – Longevity
14 – AlunaGeorge – Your Drums, Your Love
15 – Tame Impala – Elephant
16 – The xx – Angels
17 – Macklemore & Ryan Lewis Thrift Shop (Feat. Wanz)
18 – Chris Malinchak – So Good To Me
19 – HAIM – Send Me Down
20 – The Soft Pack – Bobby Brown
Russ Ramos
01. Ellie Goulding – Don’t Say a Word
02. Lana Del Rey – Gods & Monsters
03. Frank Ocean – Pink Matter (Feat. Andre 3000)
04. Kitten – G#
05. Jessie Ware – Night Light
06. Krewella – Alive
07. JMSN – Love & Pain
08. Meg Myers – Curbstomp
09. Shlohmo – Changes (Shlomo Remix)
10. Santigold – Disparate Youth
11. Kendrick Lamar – Swimming Pools (Drank)
12. Zedd – Clarity (Aylen Remix)
13. Flinch Light It Up (Feat. Heather Bright)
14. Yuna – Lullabies (Adventure Club Remix)
15. Alexander Spit – B.N.E. (Feat. C.B.G.)
16. Knife Party – Fire Hive (Krewella Remix)
17. Kavinsky – Nightcall
18. Iggy Azaelea – My World
19. The Weeknd – Gone
20. Nero – Must Be The Feeling (Delta Heavy Remix)
50. Mikky Ekko – Pull Me Down
49. Blondfire – Where the Kids Are
48. Gap Dream – Generator
47. The 1975 – You
46. Fun. – Some Nights
45. Bat For Lashes – Laura
44. Nicki Minaj – Beez in the Trap (Feat. 2 Chainz)
43. Meek Mill – Amen (Feat. Drake)
42. Electric Guest – This Head I Hold
41. Alt-J – Fitzpleasure
40. Twin Shadow – Five Seconds
39. Disclosure – Latch (Feat. Sam Smith)
38. Dan Croll – From Nowhere
37. Santigold – Disparate Youth
36. Muse – Madness
35. Everything Everything – Kemosabe
34. Alabama Shakes – Hold On
33. Ke$ha – Die Young
32. Polica – Lay Your Cards Out (Feat. Mike Noyce)
31. Daughter – Smother
30. The Tallest Man On Earth – 1904
29. Gold Fields – Dark Again
28. Kindness – House
27. Taylor Swift – We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together
26. Grimes – Oblivion
25. Fiona Apple – Every Single Night
24. Ellie Goulding – Anything Could Happen
23. Tom Odell – Another Love
22. The Neighbourhood – Sweater Weather
21. Trails and Ways – Nunca
20. Chris Malinchak – So Good To Me
19. Rhye – The Fall
18. Grizzly Bear – Yet Again
17. Lana Del Rey – Ride
16. Schoolboy Q – Hands On The Wheel (Feat. A$AP Rocky)
15. Carly Rae Jepsen – Call Me Maybe
14. Solange Knowles – Losing You
13. Calvin Harris – Sweet Nothing (Feat. Florence Welch)
12. Madeon – The City (Feat. Zak Waters)
11. Rihanna – Diamonds
10. Jessie Ware – Running
09. The xx – Angels
08. Miguel – Adorn
07. Kanye West – Clique (Feat. Jay-Z & Big Sean)
06. Jai Paul – Jasmine
05. Purity Ring – Obedear
04. Kendrick Lamar – The Recipe (Feat. Dr. Dre)
03. Yuna – Live Your Life
02. Frank Ocean – Pyramids
01. Usher – Climax
We recently had the chance to chat with good-songs-man Jason Karaban about conspiracy theories, songwriting in the biz and more! Check out our conversation below and listen to “Devil That I Know”, a new collaboration with Lucy Schwartz previewed here from his forthcoming Shift (9/4) release.
Jason Karaban – Devil That I KnowB3: Why is it you’ve found recorded music to be your ideal way to share songs?
JK: With technology and the internet, recorded music is the quickest and most convenient in terms of sharing your music… it takes seconds to get your music out there and can be accessed from anywhere in the world.
B3: What lessons come from the Jason Karaban school of hard knocks that you’d like to share with any self-proclaimed reclusive-type musicians out there?
JK: It does help to understand what you are up against. I believe that the growth of technology and the rise of the independent artist is a great thing, but if you want to embrace it, you need to learn about it… If you aspire to be a musician who wants to make a living from making music than know the business that you are in. Unless of course you get very lucky and find someone who can do it for you.
B3: Roughly speaking, how many songs are chill in and unreleased in the Karaban-archives?
JK: Thousands. Roughly speaking of course.
B3: What is it about writing music that brings you peace, or a level of serenity?
JK: The process itself… because whenever anything truly creative happens you’re on auto pilot. Once you start thinking about it it becomes something else. The content becomes more important than the art, which in my experience doesn’t hold up too well.
B3: How has Los Angeles factored into your evolution as a musician and person?
JK: In a word, access. Los Angeles seems to be one of the meccas to where musicians and artists flock which puts a lot of great talent all in one place. As a person i’ve become a lot more humble and gracious after coming across so many artists who work twice as hard as I do and are so talented but are still struggling to be recognized.
B3: Do you think the music biz allows great talent to slip through the cracks for alterior benefits?
JK: Not on purpose…. otherwise we’d be getting into conspiracy theories.
B3: Have you written music especially for film or TV? How would you compare it with your album(s) material?
JK: Yes, I have, and the process is quite different because the overall objective and concept is being dictated by the film or TV show. And if you are the kind of writer who is a bit ambiguous in your writing, then you need to balance your ambiguity with something that people can understand and connect the song back to the subject you are writing about. It’s the difference between relying on your GPS for directions or just winging it… The trickiest part is that you have to deliver what whoever you are working for is trying to accomplish but at the same time you want to put your own stamp on it and keep it somewhat representative of who you are as an artist.
B3: If there is one thing that you would like people to take away from your new album Shift, what is it?
JK: I leave that entirely up to the listener…
B3: Are there any songs in particular on Shift that you feel especially close to?
JK: Yeah, but actually it varies from day to day depending on my serotonin levels.. at the moment I’d say “Pay with a .45”, “What Do You Say (To That)” and “Misplaced”.
B3: We can’t get enough of that tuba and trombone arrangement on “Succeed 101”.. it just seems like there must be a story behind it?
JK: One of the producers I worked with, Shane Smith, didn’t want any of my acoustic guitar parts to sound standard or recognizable as an acoustic guitar, so he did something to it with some sort of effect that emulated a tuba. After listening to it we decided to cut a tuba which the other producer, Barrie Maguire, managed to do using a sample.
B3: How did you connect with your label Ascend Records? It seems like it’s been a fitting relationship?
JK: I recorded an album for Maverick Records that ultimately wasn’t put out. The Ascend guys came across it and were enthusiastic about the music. They started Ascend Records basically to put out that record and we’ve worked together ever since. They are one of the few labels that I feel actually care more about the music and the artists than the business.
B3: Are there any contemporary artists that you are a fan of?
JK: Well, I’m a fan of everyone I’ve worked with on my records. Other than them… Tom Brousseau, Lykke Li, Conor Oberst, Jeff Tweedy, Paul Westerberg and my brother Dave Karaban come to mind.
B3: So we’ve got this serious Time Machine over at B3SCI HQ. Who is your dream collab with?
JK: Ideally both John Lennon and Nick Drake
Jason Karaban 
(Facebook)
Rating 8.3
Jason Karaban is an interesting type of talent. A unique type of pop-leaning artist that puts his craft before any limelight. While you’ll be lucky to ever catch a live performance or appearance from Jason, you can hear the syrupy lines of commercial friendly song pour out him on record. His forthcoming full-length Shift will be available September 4th via Ascend Records, and the lead track “Misplaced” serves perfect example of what to expect. The song showcases Jason’s ability to cross the roads between writing and arranging aptness where strings meet guitars, Alex Ebert meets Nick Drake, and everything meets overall inspirational moments. Jason will be performing select live dates in NYC and LA leading up to the release of Shift, these sets are a don’t miss!
Jason Karaban – MisplacedJason Karaban (Facebook)
Rating 8.3
Ruh roh. Roc Nation’s new Young Queen, Rita Ora has been fitted with a Drake-written Chase & Status-produced first single in “R.I.P.”. Here, up and coming UK up and comers Delta Heavy sully up that Roc $$$$ shine a bit with his new mix for “R.I.P.” Delta Heavy are producing at a high level and this “R.I.P” mix is a further A+ in the duo’s output.
Delta Heavy 
(Facebook)
Rating 8.3
Tyga grabs Medium Sean for Take Care-styled vibed out track “I’m Gone”. The Drake comparisons are obvious here. Tyga’s not really hiding it at all. The Weeknd-aping in the drum track and vocal samples, the R&B-fashioned atmospherics, even Drizzy’s flow sounds bit a touch here. Now with that said, the track itself is still pretty solid. Like we’re still spinning it. We would still tip to it. Tip to this.
Tyga – I’m Gone (Feat. Big Sean)Tyga (Facebook)
Rating 8.1
It’s like Kid Ink has already gone and inked in his own Top 40 appeal. On “Time of Your Life” the young MC conducts his pop with the conviction of the rest of ’em, Wiz Khalifa, B.o.B, Drake, Lil’ Wayne? But as prolific? #MMAYBEMUSIC
Kid Ink – Time Of Your Life (Prod. by Ned Cameron)Rating 8.3
Although we’ve come to the end of the road, still Adele we can’t let you go. We’ve reached 2011’s closing hour and now it is time: b3sci presents it’s Top 50 Albums of 2011. No one’s even come close to having the year Adele’s had. The most albums sold in a single year since 2004, two of the biggest singles of the year, etc, a truly international breakthrough both commercially and critically on a level we haven’t seen in a long time. Adele, our girl, the crown is yours. 21 is b3sci’s Album of the year.
So where the fuck is Adele on many of these respected-indie-press-dude best of lists? That period between Nov 2010 when “Rolling in the Deep” first broke and the lead up to the album’s release in late January, Adele ruled the blogosphere, the fold was united. Then “RITD” got overplayed to the point of absurdity, your mom bought the record, probably your grandma bought it too; those bros that listen to Foo Fighters and Deadmau5 started bumping “Someone Like You” out their trunk. Soon, the “wrong people” liked 21 and Adele’s brief moment atop the indiesphere was over. Right.
Thanks for reading this year, y’all. We’ve got some big plans for 2012. Stay tuned. Much love.
01. Adele – 21 (Buy It) (Read)
02. The Weeknd – House of Balloons (Buy It) (Read)
03. Drake – Take Care (Buy It) (Read)
04. James Blake – James Blake (Buy It) (Read)
05. Kendrick Lamar – Section.80 (Buy It) (Read)
06. Gil Scott-Heron & Jamie xx – We’re New Here (Buy It) (Read)
07. WU LYF – Go Tell Fire on the Mountain (Buy It) (Read)
08. Jay-Z & Kanye West – Watch the Throne (Buy It) (Read)
09. The Horrors – Skying (Buy It) (Read)
10. M83 – Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming (Buy It) (Read)
11. Wye Oak – Civilian (Buy It) (Read)
12. Girls – Father Son, Holy Ghost (Buy It) (Read)
13. Real Estate – Days (Buy It) (Read)
14. A$AP Rocky – Live Love A$AP (Buy It) (Read)
15. Sepalcure – Sepalcure (Buy It) (Read)
16. PJ Harvey – Let England Shake (Buy It) (Read)
17. The War on Drugs – Slave Ambient (Buy It) (Read)
18. Charles Bradley – No Time For Dreaming (Buy It) (Read)
19. Metronomy – The English Riviera (Buy It) (Read)
20. SBTRKT – SBTRKT (Buy It) (Read)
21. Oneohtrix Point Never – Replica (Buy It) (Read)
22. The Vaccines – What Did You Expect From the Vaccines (Buy It) (Read)
23. Destroyer – Kaputt (Buy It) (Read)
24. The Antlers – Burst Apart (Buy It) (Read)
25. tUnE-yArDs – w h o k i l l (Buy It) (Read)
26. Beyonce – 4 (Buy It) (Read)
27. Wild Flag – Wild Flag (Buy It) (Read)
28. Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds – Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds (Buy It) (Read)
29. Big K.R.I.T. – Return of 4eva (Buy It) (Read)
30. Clams Casino – Instrumentals (Buy It) (Read)
31. Gillian Welch – The Harrow and the Harvest (Buy It) (Read)
32. Low Roar – Low Roar (Buy It) (Read)
33. AraabMUZIK – Electronic Dream (Buy It) (Read)
34. Active Child – You Are All I See (Buy It) (Read)
35. Fleet Foxes – Helplessness Blues (Buy It) (Read)
36. Raphael Saadiq – Stone Rollin’ (Buy It) (Read)
37. Cults – Cults (Buy It) (Read)
38. Radiohead – The King of Limbs (Buy It) (Read)
39. Florence + The Machine – Ceremonials (Buy It) (Read)
40. Alex Clare – The Lateness of the Hour (Buy It) (Read)
41. Nicolas Jaar – Space Is Only Noise (Buy It) (Read)
42. Jhene Aiko – Sailing Soul(s) (Buy It) (Read)
43. The Stepkids – The Stepkids (Buy It) (Read)
44. Freddie Gibbs – Cold Day in Hell (Buy It) (Read)
45. Gardens & Villa – Gardens & Villa (Buy It) (Read)
46. Laura Marling – A Creature I Don’t Know (Buy It) (Read)
47. Kurt Vile – Smoke Ring For My Halo (Buy It) (Read)
48. Foster the People – Torches (Buy It) (Read)
49. Explosions in the Sky – Take Care, Take Care, Take Care (Buy It) (Read)
2011. What wasn’t to love? The rise of weirdo R&B, the fall of chillwave, the end of R.E.M. We started the construction of this list over a month ago. One truly epic and extensive Google spreadsheet later, we arrived at this Top 50. We sorted and sorted and sorted, listened through a TON OF STUFF, “traded jabs” on whether James Blake or Jamie Woon put on the tougher persona, etc. Thanks for reading and we hope y’all enjoy the list!
01. James Blake – The Wilhelm Scream (Buy It) (Read)
02. The Weeknd – The Morning (Buy It) (Read)
03. Lana Del Rey – Video Games (Buy It) (Read)
04. Gotye – Somebody That I Used to Know (Feat. Kimbra) (Buy It) (Read)
05. Britney Spears – ‘Till the World Ends (Buy It) (Read)
06. Maverick Sabre – I Need (Buy It) (Read)
07. Drake – Marvin’s Room (Buy It) (Read)
08. Beyonce – Party (Feat. Kanye West & Andre 3000) (Buy It) (Read)
09. Jamie Woon – Lady Luck (Buy It) (Read)
10. Michael Kiwanuka – I Need You By My Side (Buy It) (Read)
11. Kendrick Lamar – ADHD (Buy It) (Read)
12. The Alabama Shakes (formerly The Shakes) – I Found You (Buy It) (Read)
13. Nneka – My Home (Buy It) (Read)
14. Rihanna – We Found Love (Feat. Calvin Harris) (Buy It) (Read)
15. DJ Khaled – I’m On One (Feat. Drake, Rick Ross & Lil’ Wayne) (Buy It) (Read)
16. Adele – Rumour Has It (Buy It) (Read)
17. Labrinth – Earthquake (Feat. Tinie Tempah) (Buy It) (Read)
18. Jay-Z & Kanye West – Otis (Buy It) (Read)
19. Flo Rida – Good Feeling (Buy It) (Read)
20. Bon Iver – Towers (Buy It) (Read)
21. Azealia Banks – 212 (Buy It) (Read)
22. Big Black Delta – Huggin’ & Kissin’ (Buy It) (Read)
23. Florence + The Machine – What the Water Gave Me (Buy It) (Read)
24. Flight Facilities – Foreign Language (Feat. Jess) (Buy It) (Read)
25. Cults – Abducted (Buy It) (Read)
26. Raphael Saadiq – Good Man (Buy It) (Read)
27. Spector – Never Fade Away (Buy It) (Read)
28. Marina & the Diamonds – Radioactive (Buy It) (Read)
29. Afrojack – Lionheart (Buy It) (Read)
30. Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds – If I Had a Gun… (Buy It) (Read)
31. Active Child – Playing House (Feat. How to Dress Well) (Buy It) (Read)
32. M83 – Midnight City (Buy It) (Read)
33. Radiohead – Lotus Flower (Buy It) (Read)
34. Madlib & Freddie Gibbs – Thuggin’ (Buy It) (Read)
35. The Rapture – How Deep Is Your Love (Buy It) (Read)
36. NO CEREMONY/// – Hurtlove (Buy It) (Read)
37. Ifan Dafydd – No Good (Buy It) (Read)
38. Bombay Bicycle Club – Shuffle (Buy It) (Read)
39. TOKiMONSTA – Little Pleasures (Feat. Gavin Turek) (Buy It) (Read)
40. Colleen Green – Cujo (Buy It) (Read)
41. Foxes – Youth (Buy It) (Read)
42. Jacques Greene – Another Girl (Buy It) (Read)
43. Grouplove – Gold Coast (Buy It) (Read)
44. Family of the Year – St. Croix (Buy It) (Read)
45. Lucy Rose – Middle of the Bed (Buy It) (Read)
46. LIPS – Everything to Me (Buy It) (Read)
47. Trophy Wife – Wolf (Buy It) (Read)
48. Dev – In the Dark (Buy It) (Read)
2011, it’s been real! To kick off our b3sci 2011 year end coverage, we start with Top 10 albums lists from each of b3science’s seven contributors. (We’ll detail our overall site picks in the next few days). 2011.
Troy:
01. Drake – Take Care
02. The Weeknd – House of Balloons
03. M83 – Hurry Up We’re Dreaming
04. Metronomy – The English Riviera
05. A$AP Rocky – Live Love A$AP
06. PJ Harvey – Let England Shake
07. James Blake – James Blake
08. Kendrick Lamar – Section.80
09. SBTRKT – SBTRKT
10. Active Child – You Are All I See
Mike:
01. WU LYF – Go Tell Fire to the Mountain
02. The Vaccines – What Did You Expect From…
03. Jay-Z & Kanye West – Watch the Throne
04. Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds – Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds
05. Low Roar – Low Roar
06. The Weeknd – House of Balloons
07. Wye Oak – Civilian
08. Explosions in the Sky – Take Care, Take Care, Take Care
09. Fleet Foxes – Helplessness Blues
10. Raphael Saadiq – Stone Rollin’
Chris:
01. WU LYF – Go Tell Fire To The Mountain
02. Girls – Father, Son, Holy Ghost
03. Giraffage – Comfort
04. The Vaccines – What Did You Expect From..
05. Washed Out – Within and Without
06. James Blake – James Blake
07. The War On Drugs – Slave Ambient
08. The Postelles – The Postelles
09. Harrison Hudson – American Thunder
10. Caveman – CoCo Beware
Trevor:
01. James Blake – James Blake
02. A$AP Rocky – Live Love A$AP
03. Wale – Ambition
04. Raphael Saadiq – Stone Rollin’
05. Harrison Hudson – American Thunder
06. Fiore – Fiore
07. Benjamin Francis Leftwich – Last Smoke Before the Snowstorm
08. M83 – Hurry Up We’re Dreaming
09. Mike Higbee – Secret Life
10. Chris Wollard & The Ship Thieves – Chris Wollard & The Ship Thieves
Erin:
Let’s be honest. I probably didn’t listen to ten complete LPs this year that I would somehow deem “best” – it just isn’t in me anymore, maybe. I did, however, have enough musical bests paired with actual full records I loved to complete a top ten. Let’s review my 2011 faves: there are ten, they are not ranked.
tUnE – yArDs, W H O K I L L (4AD)
If someone forced me to name my best record of the year, I’d bet this would be it. While I’ll never get over the late 90s stylization of her musical pseudonym, Merrill Garbus made songs that said things I wanted to hear couched in melodies and harmonies that push me from Africa to doo-wop to “America.” There is true joy in the music she makes, even if she’s talking about eating disorders or inner-city violence. High up on the “things I danced to alone in my room” list of this year.
turntable.fm/Spotify
While I’d consider turntable.fm mostly dead in my day to day life, it ruled my world for a few weeks over the summer. I heard more great stuff I know I would’ve never come upon on my own, but I guarantee you it wasn’t in dubstep rooms. I spent time chatting and playing jams with friends I wouldn’t see for months. Turntable gave me all of the plus factors of a 1996 chatroom backed with a way better soundtrack than I would’ve had then. Spotify swooped in a few weeks later, and now I find myself listening to nearly anything I want at any time while creating playlists with friends throughout the day. Not as immediate as turntable, but somehow less of a time suck. I don’t love the ads, but I know I can get rid of them if I want.
PJ Harvey, Let England Shake (Island/Vagrant)
Overwrought concept albums can be a drag. (Confessional: I am a long-time PJ Harvey fan, guilty of knowing all of the words to “Rid of Me” by heart at a very young age.) If someone had told me a concept album by Harvey about England, bloodshed and warfare would be one of my favorite releases this year, I might have been a bit perplexed. The melodies, language, and instrumentation around this record, however, do more to transport listeners rather than alienate them. “Inaccessible” is a word often used to describe records, and I could see how some of Harvey’s records may be that way. This, however, works magic.
Jay-Z & Kanye West, “Why I Love You” (Roc-A-Fella/Roc Nation/Def Jam)
I know this record is on everyone else’s list, and that’s fine, but only one of its tracks got repeat plays with me. The production on Watch The Throne is amazing, I can’t deny it, but nearly nothing about that record sticks for me. I revisited it months after it leaked and I still couldn’t get into it as a whole. Jay-Z and Kanye West are two of my all-time favorites and I thought this record would be my dream. It wasn’t. “Why I Love You”, though, is a jam. Great sample, great chorus, okay-enough rapping.
Iceage, New Brigade (What’s Your Rupture?)
There will never be a time in life that I don’t like channeling my inner teenage dude. I know he’s there, just waiting for me to listen to the Stooges for another few hours or cackle while watching episodes of Beavis & Butt-head. 24-ish minutes of gothy punk energy (the longest track at 3:08), Iceage are my Ramones for 2011.
Drake, Take Care (Young Money/Cash Money)
I can’t stop playing this record. Merrill Garbus and Drake might have to duke it out. I thought Thank Me Later was lackluster – too much bravado and cameo, not enough actual persona. With Take Care, though, I feel like Drake is getting back to a place where he’s comfortable: an introspective, lonely look in the mirror at fame and alienation from where he thought he was a few years ago to now. On hip-hop records I’m usually disappointed if they’re not full of bangers but this one tempers enough production with the same amount of restraint.
Willie Mae Rock Camp & Kelly Clarkson, “Since U Been Gone” (RCA)
Over the summer, I volunteered for the first time at Willie Mae Rock Camp for Girls in Brooklyn. I spent an exhausting and fulfilling week making sure a bunch of 8 & 9 year olds made it to their instrument class, ate their lunches, and sort-of listened during workshops about the blues, gender, and other topics regarding women in music. Every counselor had her musical kryptonite and everyone very quickly found out Kelly’s jam was mine. I danced & sang to it all week when it played during various end-of-day dance parties, and one of the campers and I shared it as our best memory of the week from songwriting class. At the showcase wrapping up camp, the volunteer band played it as their song for soundcheck. I belted it just as I had every other day.
Party of Helicopters at Death By Audio, Williamsburg, February 13, 2011
I got my knees slammed into the stage all night long at this show, with terrible bruises to show the next day, but it was well worth it. They are my favorite band from my most formative years, the one whose album art my body will carry to my grave; every opportunity to relive that time while seeing them live is worth it. Even though they’ll never play “A New Kind of Power” for me no matter how many times I request it, I don’t care. I love them. Forever.
Björk, Biophilia (One Little Indian/Polydor)
There was a time growing up that I spent most hours lying on the floor in my room listening to records. Bjork was always a part of this ritual, and listening to this record sends me back to that time in my life (I am full of memories this year). “Crystalline” is a perfect hybrid of Telegram-style remixes and Vespertine vocals. “Cosmogony” hearkens back to the antics of Medulla. Everything is nostalgic, but everything is new. The David Attenborough-narrated companion iPhone app is an excellent companion if you can’t make up your own visuals in your mind.
Sharon Van Etten, “Serpents” (Jagjaguwar)
Seeing her play this live last Tuesday only further got me stoked for her record next year. Her voice is the most haunting to me, and this is that quality at its finest. Percussion and expansion of her sound into what it is on this track alone (I hear you, Aaron Dessner) bode well for the rest of Tramp. Can’t wait.
Bruce:
01. The Kills – Blood Pressures
02. Elbow – Build A Rocket Boys
03. The Airborne Toxic Event – All At Once
04. The Vaccines – What Did You Expect…
05. Foster The People – Torches
06. TV on the Radio – Nine Types of Light
07. The Black Keys – El Camino
08. Sleeper Agent – Celabrasion
09. The Rapture – In The Grace Of Your Love
10. The Wombats – This Modern Glitch
11. Honorable mention to My Morning Jacket and Teddybears
Elliott:
01. Alex Clare – The Lateness of the Hour
02. Nero – Welcome Reality
03. Thievery Corporation – Culture of Fear
04. SBTRKT – SBTRKT
05. Tyler, the Creator – Goblin
06. Bassnectar – Divergent Spectrum
07. Dave Nada – Blow Your Head Presents: Moombahton
08. James Blake – James Blake
09. M83 – Hurry up, We’re Dreaming
10. Crookers – Dr. Gonzo
