Image

RAVE’S FAVES: Miles Kane – First Of My Kind

By Bruce Rave

mileskane2

Finally the “other” half of the Last Shadow Puppets has a solo album about to drop. Miles Kane turned down a chance to join his mates in Arctic Monkeys because he is a front man at heart. His prior band, The Rascals, showed promise a few years ago, but it was the collaboration with Alex Turner that Miles is best known for. He has written sweet pop songs all along, but “First Of My Kind” has a Last Shadow Puppet feel about it. That’s a good thing.

Miles Kane england (Facebook)

Check out Bruce’s “Go Deep” show on Fridays 1-3 pm Pacific, 4-6 pm Eastern, 9-11pm GMT. Also listen to past shows at Bruce’s blog and follow Bruce on Twitter.

reviewed by
03-22-12

Bondax – Just Us

bondax

And we just found our new favorite band. With the crazy good weather we’ve had on the East Coast this week, the usually reserved for summer 90’s soft R&B bangers (KP & Envyi, Total, Something for the People, etc) have been raining down all over b3sci HQ the last few days. So, Lancaster UK dance duo Bondax (who are definitely painting, at least partially, from that “My Love Is The Shhhhh” palette) are fitting nicely into our current 85 degrees in March quiet storm tip. If you’re not up on these guys yet, do not sleep, Bondax are serious.

Bondax england (Facebook)

Rating 8.5

brown8

reviewed by
03-22-12

RAVE’S FAVES: POND. – Fantastic Explosion of Time

By Bruce Rave

pond

As Day 3 of SXSW gets under way, Pond are by far my most pleasant shock. Maybe pleasant isn’t the word because these guys simply blew us out of the state. The last thing you would expect is that this is a side project for the drummer and bass player of Tame Impala. This fave track makes you expect a hard garage live feel, but they blend that with the power and instrumental parts of the best 70’s and 80’s metal bands. They came out so intense that many of us initially wondered whether it was the same band. The music shredded, there was always something happening visually, including singer Paisley Adams literally hanging from the rafters. See them when you can.

POND. australia (Facebook)

Check out Bruce’s “Go Deep” show on Fridays 1-3 pm Pacific, 4-6 pm Eastern, 9-11pm GMT. Also listen to past shows at Bruce’s blog and follow Bruce on Twitter.

reviewed by
03-22-12

Swizz Beatz – Street Knock (Feat. A$AP Rocky) (Prod. AraabMUZIK)

swizzbeatz

AraabMUZIK is ON FIRE! Swizz Beatz is not a great rapper but with support from AM’s producing-out-of-his-mind level beat he sounds at least competent here (if not enjoyable). The hipster hammer A$AP Rocky is on the feature here and easily holds up his part of the song with a fresh set of rhymes.

Swizz Beatz newyork (Facebook)

Rating 8.3

brown8

reviewed by
03-22-12

Electric Guest – This Head I Hold (Acoustic)

electricguest

Check out this recently cut acoustic version of Electric Guest’s big hit “This Head I Hold”. You can really hear Danger Mouse’s (who produced the whole EG LP) hand in the melody with song pulled back like this. Give it your attention below.

Electric Guest california (Facebook)

Rating 8.3

brown8

reviewed by
03-22-12

Labrinth – Wildfire (SBTRKT)

labrinth2

Labrinth rolled through Zane Lowe’s Maida Vale studio yesterday and in addition to laying down ace live versions of “Last Time” and “Sweet Riot” dropped this great take on SBTRKT’s “Wildfire” jam from last year. Lab starts the cover slow on the roll with smooth electronics and subtle bass wobbles only to blow the track up in its final half with big guitars and heavy rock drums. Somehow it all works. Get a sample below.

Labrinth england (Facebook)

Rating 8.3

brown8

reviewed by
03-22-12

Saint Saviour – Midnight City (M83)

saintsaviour

The angels-on-high voiced b3sci fave Saint Saviour delivers again with a new A+ lush life send-up of M83’s ubersmash “Midnight City”. On the track, Ms. Jones’ on point vocals are framed by Cocteau Twins-esque synths and a great almost hip hop-feel backbeat. Be on the look out for more from Saint Saviour coming soon including a new album Union and new single “I Call This Home”.

Saint Saviour england (Facebook)

Rating 8.1

brown8

reviewed by
03-22-12

Tomas Barfod – Broken Glass (Shlohmo Remix)

tomasbarfod

Whomadewho drummer Tomas Barfod has one of his tracks remixed by the spectacularly consistent producer Shlohmo and it’s….(drum roll)……AMAZING. Shlohmo bends the track into an, at first, more ominous place (with slowed vocals and eerie programming), only to open the mix up a bit in the back half (a direction we don’t hear often from Shlohmo), leaving the listener (at least these ones) in a different place than before the song started (the best kind of music).

Shlohmo california (Facebook)

Rating 8.5

brown8

reviewed by
03-21-12

Tanya Morgan – Rock the Bells (Prod. Aeon)

tanyamorgan

Just a reminder: Our home state just (IRL trolled your brackets) put 4 teams in the NCAA Sweet Sixteen, including Cincinnati, which is not only the alma mater of one b3sci’s writers; (shouts to Erin) but also the hometown of Tanya Morgan members Donwill and Illyas. Right so you know now that Brooklynati is in a stage of full effect. The chill subtle heater “Rock the Bells” is new from the trio and some of the group’s best and most consistent work to date. OATW.

Tanya Morgan ohio newyork (Facebook)

Rating 8.3

brown8

reviewed by
03-21-12

The Black Seeds – Pippy Pip

blackseeds2

So we’re big fans of New Zealand act The Black Seeds’ fellow Kiwi soulmen Electric Wire Hustle (one of our standouts from SXSW, most definitely); and while The Black Seeds maybe have not reached the acclaim in the States (except maybe former Seed Oscar-winning! Bret McKenzie, who’s probably best known for his work on Flight of the Conchords) that EWH has, the Wellington dub act is no doubt a force to be familiar with. New track “Pippy Pip” is a great islands-tinged halfstep tune that while heavy on the reggae feel is light on any weird works-against-the-song white dude reggae wanking (you know what we’re talking about). It’s a really soulful track that while powerful grabs at you subtly; the sort of track that seeps in slowly. Soul business.

The Black Seeds newzealand (Facebook)

Rating 8.4

brown8

reviewed by
03-21-12

I Heart Sharks – Summer

i-heart-sharks

German band I Heart Sharks first hit our b3sci radars with new track and vid “Summer”. The Berlin-based collective hit on a sound that while relevant to “what’s happening” in 2012 indie sounds, at least in part, different. There’s definitely a bit of a broader sound palette at work here than many of IHS’ peers. Give “Summer” a spin and let us know what you denk.

I Heart Sharks – ‘SUMMER’ (HD) from Spike Morris on Vimeo.

I Heart Sharks germany (Facebook)

Rating 8.1

brown8

reviewed by
03-21-12

Marissa Nadler – Washington Parks (Robert Manning)

marissanadler

Marissa Nadler turns in this beautiful, spare version of “Washington Parks” by UK singer-songwriter Robert Manning for Mr. Manning’s “Music for MRI” project. Manning, who has MS, started the project as a way to raise money and awareness for the disease Multiple Sclerosis. You can read more about Robert Manning and this cause on his blog. What a gorgeous track.

Marissa Nadler massachusetts (Facebook)

Rating 8.6

brown8

reviewed by
03-21-12