Whoa whoa whoa. “West”, the new track from artist/producer Tommy Paxton-Beesley aka River Tiber is PHENOMENAL!!! Modern R&B, indie R&B, neo-neo-soul, alt-R&B, whatever “West” is melodically one of the strongest songs of the year. A must listen.
One of our favorite new indie pop voices Lara Maxen is back with a new collaboration with production extraordinaire Mickey Valen on the cool R&B/electropop blend “Man Up”. Loaded up with hook on hook on hook (those sped up vocal countermelodies in the chorus are particularly special), “Man Up” is some very strong pop writing we are 100% backing. Listen below.
The thoughtfully crafted electronic pop of “Home” from Draper (collaborator with Iggy, Rita, Lapsley, etc) will be released as a single on March 4th via Circus Records.
Popstress Moxie Raia gets a cool lyrical assist from emcee Jimi Tents on 90’s R&B-leaning “Rudimental”. An impressive melange of high level UK chart melodics and early career Aaliyah-reminding instrumentals, “Rudimental” is strong bit of modern pop from the newcomer.
Welcome Beauty Sleep to B3SCI. The Belfast band impress in a major way on the Phoenix-tinged boy/girl pop of track “The Dark”. Very good.
Favorite ambience-setting hip-hop producer SwuM. keeps the excellent songs coming with a sublimely smooth r&b-vibe vocals-led Drake-sampling hip-hop diddy named “Owls”. Reviewed by Erin Shay.
A cousin melodically to Leon Bridges and vocally to Anthony Hamilton the anonymous Seramic channels some of the run of soul music history’s apex moments on “People Say”. Built on an almost cosmic choral base instrumentally, “People Say” is so uplifting it’s heart wrenching to listen to. It’s one of the best tracks of the year so far.
We love the emotive sexy-seductive combination of hip-hop vibe street rant and slick r&b vocal atmospherics on “Stay Up” the latest smooth-talking hip-hop joint production from Ottawa, Canada artist Maurice Moore and Toronto-based producer BNJMN (both artists featured here). The lyrics and vocals (the centerpiece of the song) have a deeply resonant effect of calm and cheer while remaining up-beat and energetic. Love love love it! On repeat. Reviewed by Erin Shay.
SoCal band Private Island follow-up first online hit “Enough” with 70’s rock-referencing new track “Drugs”. While sonically in line with the heavy guitar leads of rock’s pinnacle period of excess, “Drugs” is sneakily very modern in its arrangement, maneuvering structurally within an at the same time concise neatly hooky frame. “Drugs” is previewed from “Sunbreak”, Private Island’s new EP which is due later this year.
Tune into the amazing new song from new-to-B3 Swedish artist Tacocat (fab name). Wow. After merely hearing one of their songs its safe to say we dig the sound of Tacocat!! A veritable cornucopia of clever lyrics, playful vibe vocals, basic instrumentals (dig the guitar riff) and a perfect slice of pent-up aggro emotion, Tacocat’s “Talk” is the second single from the Hardly Art artist’s Lost Time LP (out April 1st on Hardly Art records). Reviewed by Erin Shay.
We’re spinning Hezekiah’s cool new mix of The Life of Pablo’s most meta track “I Love Kanye”. Sampling Joslyn Brown’s “Somebody Else’s Guy”, Hezekiah pushes “I Love Kanye” further down the meta rabbit hole by fixing KW’s bars to a “Old Kanye”-esque bit of fast moving chopped up soul. Love.
