Image

Yuck – Hold Me Closer

yuck

Get familiar with the stupendously catchy guitar-spun attitude of UK band Yuck on their scratchy-vocaled bright-beamed shoegaze gem “Hold Me Closer” which is the first track to release off the group’s third album, set for a 2016 release. With its awesome instrumentals and inviting hook we think “Hold Me Closer” outshines the group’s previous works (featured on B3) for possessing a more approachable more closely-refined style that could grant Yuck the momentum they need to break the ice of mass appeal. We love Yuck! If you are lucky enough to catch the foursome on their short and sweet upcoming Eastern US tour take photos and send them in to B3. Stay tuned as the group begins to reveal more tracks from their new EP. Reviewed By Erin Shay.

8/05 – Philadelphia, PA – Johnny’s Brenda
8/06 – New York, NY – River Rocks / Pier 84
8/07 – Baltimore, MD – Metro Gallery
8/08 – Raleigh, NC – Kings
8/09 – Atlanta, GA – The Wrecking Ball

Yuck england (Soundcloud)

reviewed by
07-10-15

Desert Sound Colony – Fashion (David Bowie)

desertsoundcolony

London three-piece electro/acoustic band Desert Sound Colony turns in a killer cover of David Bowie’s iconic funked-out new-wave alternative-underground wonder track “Fashion”; in which he relishes in an impressively reminiscent vintage-vibe pop-psychedelica sound that thoughtfully mimics the original track’s gentle repetitive rhythm and groundbreaking staccato vocal style. DSC creatively laces “Fashion” with a stellar highly-punctuated modern-twist guitar-riff and genius interludes of dub-based reverb that suit the classic 80’s hit to a T. In fact (sorry David), DSC elevates “Fashion” to a super danceable beat-driven track that we prefer (this rarely occurs). “Fashion” leads the pack as one of the best cover tracks of 2015 (thus far) and certainly takes the cake as one of the most solid twists on a classic Bowie track. Stay tuned as we await more incredible music from a new favorite artist-find DSC; who are currently working on their new EP (slated to release this Autumn) as well as a debut full-length album (out sometime in 2016). Reviewed by Erin Shay.

Desert Sound Colony (Soundcloud)

reviewed by
07-09-15

Dallas Cotton – Writer’s Block

dallascotton

In June we highlighted the lavishly atmospheric instrumentals and remarkable production talent of Portland producer/DJ Dallas Cotton on his fantastic disco-leaning house track “Sometime”. The versatile young rising-star producer impresses us again with a head-turning ultra-smooth sultry-saxed new one called “Writer’s Block”, which revels in a gorgeous evocative jazz groove and seamless sample from Tribe Called Quest’s epic tune, “1nce Again”. A short and sweet, inventive mesh of hip-hop and stunning jazz instrumentals “Writers Block” is one of the best fusion tracks we have heard in ages. We love it. Reviewed by Erin Shay.

Dallas Cotton oregon (Facebook)

reviewed by
07-08-15

Statik Selektah – In the Wind (Feat. Joey Bada$$, Big K.R.I.T. & Chauncy Sherod)

statikselektah

NYC-based radio-DJ/producer and Showoff Records founder Static Selektah chose an opportune 7/7 date to launch his new star-studded and seamlessly-executed Lucky 7 album; which includes an excellent talent-packed out-with-a-final-bang new single “In The Wind” that hit yesterday as a lead-in to Static’s midnight album-release party at NYC’s Santos Party House. Static’s new track “In The Wind” (which is Lucky 7’s fifth and final pre-release track after “Crystal Clear”, “All You Need”, “Top Tier” and “Beautiful Life”) excels for its wax-philosophical smoothly-stated rhymes and life-is-an-inspiration so lead by positive example equals power message. We also dig the track’s 90’s-esque lyrical styling, bass guitar accents from Brady Watt and distinctly-NYC quintessential-Static blend of hip-hop with soul and jazz instrumentals; including Static’s picturesque meld of beats and horns with heavy metallic percussion. We love the deeply-ponderous positively-charged rap-flow of Joey Bada$$, a sweet and demure chorus hook from Charlie Red’s Chauncy Sherod, and the creative “spittin’ bars” acapella-style ending from southern rapper Big K.R.I.T (who laments that Static won’t give him any beats). We’re into it and look forward to checking out the other songs on the album; although word on the street states that “In The Wind” is the standout track. Excellent song. Reviewed By Erin Shay.

Statik Selektah newyork (Official) (Facebook)

reviewed by
07-07-15

Charlotte Cardin – Big Boy

charlottecardin

Quebec-based 20-year-old model, songwriter and jazz vocalist Charlotte Cardin perfects a seductively sultry Amy Winehouse-esque R&B-fusion vibe on her phenomenally-vocaled new track “Big Boy” which energetically revels in slow modern-angle jazz instrumentals and a spectacular female led jazz-crooner sense of style. Look for Miss Cardin at Montreal’s Jazz festival this weekend (July 4-5th) and stay tuned for her debut EP slated for release this fall on trendy Montreal-based indie label Cult Nation. Reviewed by Erin Shay.

Charlotte Cardin (Twitter)

reviewed by
07-03-15

Gallant – Weight In Gold

gallant

Recently signed Mind of Genius talent and B3 LA-brethren fave-artist Gallant, who we recently featured for his stunningly innovative second-EP single “Talking In Your Sleep”, wins us over wholeheartedly with his beyond-gorgeous vocals and catchy melodic hook on “Weight in Gold” his new seductively languid Zane Lowe featured third-release which (like the EP’s previous two tracks) is a 10 out of 10 on the forward-thinking electronic-laced R&B style meter. Stay tuned for Gallant’s upcoming summer-release EP. We sincerely look forward to hearing it in full. Excellent song. Reviewed by Erin Shay.

Gallant (Soundcloud)

reviewed by
06-30-15

Rejjie Snow – All Around the World

rejjiesnow

Young London-based Dubliner Alex Anyaegbunam a.k.a. Lecs Luther and better known as hip-hop poet-mystic rapper/producer Rejjie Snow whose unique R&B rapper lyrical style features a careful soft-edged flow that our attention back in 2013 on “Black Pancakes” releases new track. “All Around the World”, Rejjie’s genre-blurring Neptunes-influenced Annie Mac-featured Cam O’bi-produced latest song waxes philosophical about such reverberating tides as “love and death”. The track is one of the first releases to follow Rejjie’s 2013 “Rejovich” EP. Reviewed by Erin Shay.

Rejjie Snow ireland (Soundcloud)

reviewed by
06-26-15

The Internet – Girl (Feat. Kaytranada)

internet

Tune into the straightforward-vibe female-wile lyrics, stunningly sensual golden-touch Syd Tha Kid vocals and captivating experimental-flow R&B-blessed sweet-rapture ending of “Girl” the fastidiously-crafted Kaytranada-produced second single off Ego Death which is the third album from LA-based collaborative The Internet. Ego Death releases on June 30th via Colombia Records and it apparently features some big name vocal talents such as songstress Janelle Monáe, rapper Vic Mensa and singer-songwriter James Fauntleroy. Stay tuned. Reviewed by Erin Shay.

The Internet arizona (Twitter)

reviewed by
06-25-15

Krs – All of U (Feat. Roy Woods)

krs

B3 just covered Toronto producer and Noir Sound (Film Noir) founder Krs. for his joint-effort acoustic-leaning fix of D.R.A.M track “Cha Cha” (feat. Tierra Wilson) that he created with Texas producer pal Romby. We love the endearing, artfully-inspired minimalist style and long-view creative vision gift of Krs. who is rapidly becoming well-accomplished in making bootleg remixes and introducing the world to some incredibly promising vocal acts. Krs. impresses again on his newest bootleg endeavor “All Of U” which is a slightly more upbeat percussively-textured bass-heavy take on talented 19-year-old Brampton (Toronto suburb) vocalist homeboy Roy Wood$; who’s track “All of You” features his own very attractive, superbly impassioned MJ-reverbing vocal talents that have indeed captivated us. Stay tuned and be sure to check out Roy Wood$’s upcoming project EXIS which is scheduled to drop sometime in 2015 and follow Krs./Film Noir for some lavishly modern minimalist cross-genre R&B/Hip-Hop roots hybrid electro-tinged tracks. Reviewed by Erin Shay.

Krs. (Soundcloud)

reviewed by
06-22-15

Luca – Best On (Feat. Tei Shi)

luca

We are happy to introduce the freshly-minted collaboration “Best On” from two of our favorite NYC emerging-talent artists, LUCA (aka producer Luca Buccellati who is one half of Brooklyn-raised producer duo Yellerkin) and Brooklyn-based Argentinian gal-pal producer-songstress Tei Shi who has garnered our attentions many times on the blog with her world-class vocal prowess and fresh minimalist production/collaboration style. In November B3 covered the two’s previous diverse-genre joint-collaboration track (created along with Dave Bayley of Glass Animals) called “See Me” which was Tei Shi’s much anticipated follow-up track to her 2014 gem hit “Bassically” that hit #1 on Hypem and also helped land her slot #11 on our year-end list of B3SCI Best of 2014: Artists to Watch in 2015. New track “Best On” in which Tei Shi contributes the vocal/lyrical complement to LUCA’s production know-how and seductive beats, is producer Luca Buccellati’s ingenious lavishly-spun means to announce the launch of his solo side-project as LUCA. Well played! With its poppy intrinsically-wound minimalist instrumentals and Tei Shi’s signature dreamy ultra-feminine soulfully-artistic R&B-tinged vocal harmonies and stunning lyrical wiles, the incredible impeccably-produced debut track “Best On” showcases not only a terrific start to LUCA’s repackaged-as-solo-sound but it witnesses Tei Shi’s upper-echelon caliber talent gracefully unfolding into a new slightly-softer and poppy, tempered-edge more-confident drop-dead gorgeous sound. We are psyched to say that Tei Shi, with the assistance of LUCA (who stated that he enjoys collaborating with other artists and helping them fine-tune their sound) has embodied a new catchy appeal and level of emotion with her vocals on par with “Bassically”. “Best On” which is about “putting your best on” for someone special is out via LUCA’s own label Garden Party Records. Reviewed by Erin Shay.

Luca newyork (Soundcloud)

reviewed by
06-22-15

Wild Ones – Dim the Lights

wildones

Get into the catchy off-kilter lyrical sensibilities, blaringly cinematic western-guitar groove and delicate harmonic draw of lead singer Danielle Sullivan’s vocals on the new synth-touched single from indie pop band Wild Ones called “Dim The Lights” which is the debut track from the Portland-based 5 piece group’s upcoming “Heatwave” EP that is out on August 14th via Topshelf Records. Readers take note; if you are a fan of the Wild Ones (who we included on our B3SCI Best of 2013: Staff Top 20’s list) they are set to embark on a West Coast summer tour alongside Oregon alt-rock duo The Helio Sequence. Reviewed by Erin Shay.

6/19 – Adrift Hotel – Long Beach, WA
6/20 – Adrift Hotel – Long Beach, WA
7/9 – Venue – Vancouver, BC
7/11 – Neptune Theatre – Seattle, WA
7/14 – The Independent – San Francisco, CA
7/15 – The Roxy Theatre – Los Angeles, CA
7/16 – Sophia’s Thai Kitchen – Davis, CA
7/19 – Project Pabst – Portland, OR
9/17 – 9/20 – Rifflandia 2015 – Victoria, BC

Wild Ones oregon (Facebook)

reviewed by
06-16-15

Katelyn Tarver – Nobody Like You

katelyntarver

Tune into the discernible poppy sugar-coated emotional angst lyrics and expressive heart-on-the-sleeve vocal prowess of LA-based Georgian-born indie pop songstress Katelyn Tarver on her excellent new guitar-driven track “Nobody Like You”; which is the second song from Miss Tarver’s upcoming debut album (out on Universal) that was produced with the expertise of producer Ludwig Goransson (Childish Gambino/Haim). “Nobody Like You” is a terrific attention grabber follow-up track to the album’s first-release pop hit “Weekend Millionaires” from earlier this year and a brightly lit indicator that we have more to look forward to from this stellar rising-star pop talent. Reviewed by Erin Shay.

Katelyn Tarver california (Soundcloud)

reviewed by
06-11-15