Jamiroquai - Smile

Smooth new track with serious bedroom groove from the geniuses behind the classic "Canned Heat."

Nicki Minaj - On Top Of The World

Here's some unreleased Nicki Minaj I could actually get down with - none of that weird voice flow and stupid effects, but back when she was tryna do straight hip hop. This probably originates from a few years back, before Nicki signed with Young Money went all Gaga. It's not exactly amazing hip hop but its got a solid beat, a nice hook, an uplifting message, and it's good to hear a female rapper actually trying to rap.

Gym Class Heroes - Stereo Heart (Feat. Adam Levine)

LoL I don't think anyone was begging for more Gym Class Heroes but this actually isn't bad. Featuring Adam Levine of Maroon 5 fame who lends some catchy vocals.



(via 2dopeboyz)

Cee-Lo Green - (You're So Square) Baby, I Don't Care

Cee-Lo Green once again killing it with the covers. This one's an homage to Buddy Holly's "(You're So Square) Baby, I Don't Care," which was also performed by the likes of Elvis, among other notable artists.

The cover appears on the upcoming tribute album, Rave On Buddy Holly, and Cee-Lo joins an impressive list of artists who lend their renditions some of Buddy Holly classics to the compilation, including Sir Paul McCartney, Julian Casablancas, The Black Keys, Florence + the Machine, She & Him, and many more.

Rave On Buddy Holly comes out June 28th.

Mathieu Santos (of Ra Ra Riot) - "I Can Hear The Trains Coming"

Mathieu Santos, best known as the bassist from Syracuse natives Ra Ra Riot, is slated to release some music as a solo side project on July 29th.

"I Can Hear The Trains Coming" sounds a lot like a Ra Ra Riot tune minus the strings and frontman Wes Miles' vocals. That's not to say that the track sounds empty, as Mathieu fills the audiospace with his own echoing falsetto (which sounds much like Miles') and an evolving beat. It's no surprise that the bass is the most impressive element in the arrangement.

Though it doesn't sound as polished as we're used to hearing from Santos and his bandmates, it's a solid solo effort that's worth a listen.



(via treeswingers)

DISCOVER: Bibio - K Is For Kelson

Stephen Wilkinson, aka Bibio, is a producer from the UK who works with an interesting blend of folksy-electronica that he calls "a balance of the familiar and the non-familiar."

"K Is For Kelson" comes off of his latest album, Mind Bokeh and sounds a little like a summer stroll down Sesame Street, right down to the spelling out of Kelson, whatever/whoever that is. Most of his vocals are mostly vague or nonsensical and work almost as another instrument, while fun, upbeat guitar and synth lines take the fore. You'll also hear a lot of influences from Paul Simon's Graceland.

If that sounds like something you can get behind, take a gander at its throwback-style video or snag it below.

DISCOVER: Pomegranates - Prouncers

Pomegranates is a lo-fi indie surf rock outfit from Cincinnati, Ohio. Draw comparisons to The Drums, Best Coast, The Beach Boys, etc. The perfect piece of background music for the summer season comes off of their latest effort, One of Us.

Stream it and grab it for the price of an email.

Curren$y - You See It

New joint from one of the most prolific rapper's in the game right now. The New Orleans Hot Spitta does not stop putting out music. More of the same old same old, but if it ain't broke don't fix it.
Look out for his fourth studio album in two years, Weekend at Burnie's (preceded by Covert Coup and Pilot Talk I & II), dropping June 28 via Warner Brothers.


Curren$y - You See It

DISCOVER: Kraak & Smaak - Call Up To Heaven (Feat. Lex Empress)

This little monster from production team Kraak & Smaak snuck past my radar, but I'm glad I finally found it. "Call Up To Heaven" is a funky little electro ditty featuring the soulful, jazzy vocal stylings of Lex Empress. It's got a bit of a Bond-theme vibe going on and I dig it.



If you haven't heard any Kraak & Smaak before, check out the inventive video for "Squeeze Me" from a while back below.

DISCOVER: The Postelles

The Postelles is a four-piece rock group from NYC, with a sound akin to "Is This It" era The Strokes and good-old sixties rock. Their fun and energetic tunes are sure to keep your spirits up as you beat the summer heat.

The Postelles' self-titled LP is out now on itunes, Amazon and vinyl. Go to www.thepostelles.com for all the links, and sample 123 Stop below.


The Postelles - 123 Stop

STREAM: Beirut - East Harlem

Some great, waltzing new Beirut for a lazy summer drift. The only new material from Beirut since 2009's March of the Zapotec EP. Zach Condon's full but soft vocals meld perfectly into the sounds of the backing instruments - complete with strings, horns, and drums.

Stream below and buy it on vinyl along with B-side "Goshen" here from Pompeii Records. mp3s are available starting June 14th.
Beirut - East Harlem by Revolver USA

VIDEO: Kimbra - Cameo Lover

Eclectic New Zealand songstress Kimbra releases the visual treatment for her latest single.

Kiwi soul/pop/jazz singer/songwriter Kimbra Johnson follows up her sensational first single, "Settle Down" with an upbeat, summer-ready pop tune. "Cameo Lover" the versatility of Kimbra's vocals which have been compared to the likes of Nina Simone and Ellla Fitzgerald. The verse seduces with a bubblegum kick drum and a sultry bassline matched with some shimmering xylophone dings before giving way to the chorus, which features a big sound. The track bursts into a polka dot pop explosion at the 2:20 mark. The video is similarly colorful and cheery to complement the song's optimistic message.

STREAM: Shake Aletti - Dancefloor (Russ Chimes' Dark Disco Remix)

Apparently this slipped under my radar for about a month now. Russ Chimes is one of my favorite producers. Hailing from the UK, Russ Chimes arranges some of the cleanest electro pieces that I've ever heard, with less of the hard hitting dirt and grime that's prolific in the world of electro and dubstep today.

Shake Aletti - Dancefloor (Russ Chimes' Dark Disco Remix) by Russ Chimes

If you haven't already, check out the full video for the Midnight Club EP below.

STREAM: Bon Iver - Bon Iver

Though Bon Iver's sophomore album has leaked all over the internet, Justin Vernon offers a legal alternative method of peeping the hotly anticipated LP, which drops June 21 via Jagjaguwar.

Jump to stream it.

DISCOVER: Jhameel

Jhameel is an under-appreciated indie artist who takes his (yes, his) influence from the likes of MGMT and Phoenix, although the most apparent similarity I hear is Modest Mouse. Jhameel's signature sound is very percussive and drum-driven, with hard-hitting, marching band-style drumlines backing his varied instruments which rely not only on the go-to piano/guitar/bass combo, but also expands to a bigger, more impressive sound with horn and string arrangement. He thus brandishes a breezy brand of pop-rock that also has a rougher edge brought about by the big-bang drums and the raw-twinge in his voice, which, at times, borders a little on Gerard's affected whining from My Chemical Romance. There's a better, more flattering comparison to be made about his vocals, and though I can't seem to put my finger on it, that very fact describes them well: familiar, but hard to place, and markedly unique as well.

His full-length, The Human Condition, is straight indie-pop/rock, with sing-along chants, whoops, harmonies, and catchy melodies. Title-track sounds almost straight off of Modest Mouse's Good News for People Who Love Bad News, complete with a jangly guitar, stomping drums, handclaps, and full trumpets. Other standout tracks include "THC" and "How Many Lovers."


Jhameel - THC

Jhameel's latest effort has a little more updated sound, an aptly titled Dance EP which utilizes more synths and drum machines, but still includes orchestral arrangements to create a bold and eclectic brand of electro dance pop that is a little effervescent but more self-consciously audacious, which demands more attention and strives for something more than the simple, transient bliss of a summer pop tune. The whole EP is worth a listen, but check out "Foundation," an anthemic, uplifting tune with blips and boops backed by an underlying string arrangement. On the other hand, the second track, "Shut Up," is a funky, bass-driven tune that samples "Funky Town" with a guitar and violin. The vocals on this track are extremely raw and fantastic.


Jhameel - Foundation


Jhameel - Shut Up

It's all free on his website: www.jhameel.com

Drake - Marvin's Room

More new material from the OVO camp. This track is very classic "So Far Gone" Drake - emotive crooning over a moody, 40-produced beat. Drake sings about drunk-dialing over an appropriately muddled and ambient beat, which is all underwater drums and soft chords. Drake raps two short verses near the end and there's also nice piano instrumental outro, but this song is mostly an ambient R&B cut à la The Weeknd/Drake own older stuff.

Hopefully this means the studio execs are letting Drake get away with more earnest, vibey, indie shit that hyped up "So Far Gone," instead of trying to commercialize like they did on "Thank Me Later."


Drake - Marvin's Room

Take Care

Rai Knight - Let Me Go

New Rai Knight. This cut is a little mellow and ambient - moody in a Lykke-li way, though not as raw/edgy or instrumental. The production is very hip-pop with some softly popping drums, a few synth lines and chords and some bells.

I liked her first upbeat offering, "New New," and "Mr. Postman" but sort of passed on her EP that came out a few months ago. Still, I dig her quirky pop with its hip-hop sensibilities.


Rai Knight - Let Me Go

DISCOVER: A B & The Sea - Bone Dry

Effervescent, care-free surf rock from unsigned Wisconsin-native California residents, A B & The Sea. These indie kids do well to modernize and make the 60's surf sound accessible: think The Beach Boys and The Beatles, complete with jangly guitars and catchy hooks. Check the myspace, where you can buy two EPs, then hit the beach. Stream below and download for the price of an email after the jump.


A B & The Sea - Bone Dry

STREAM: Beyoncé – Party (Feat. Andre 3000) (Prod . Kanye West & Consequence)

A fresh tune from the queen B, off of her upcoming album, 4. "Party" is one part dancefloor banger, two parts bedroom slayer. Kanye intros with some monster "Through the Wire" synths before Beyoncé sing/chants over a beat reminiscent of "Love Lockdown" if it were am after-hours commercial. I could do with more of those synths from the beginning, but the track's nice and Andre 3K is always a welcome addition. 4 comes out June 24th via Columbia Records.


Beyoncé – Party (Feat. Andre 3000) (Prod . Kanye West & Consequence) [Stream]

VIDEO: Pusha T - Alone In Vegas

Another set of visuals off Pusha T's most recent mixtape, Fear of God. Nothing revolutionary, but a nice complement to a solid track.

(via HYPETRAK)

VIDEO: Lloyd - Lay It Down (Remix) (Feat. B.o.B.)

Lloyd's Polow Da Don produced, ATLien assisted cut gets a visual. The remix transforms the generic, snoozeworthy original ballad by reequipping Lloyd's vocals with a bigger, stadium pop sound and some upbeat rhymes from B.o.B.

Joy - New York (Empire State Of Mind Remix)

This one popped up way back when on the Hype Machine - a beautiful electronic remix of Jay-Z's Alicia Keys assisted hit, Empire State of Mind. The duo does away with all but the instantly recognizable drumline, some chopped up vocals from Ms. Keys, and a bit of the piano. They fill the track instead with an intricately layered symphony of beeps & boops and a crunchy electro bassline.

Joy is comprised of French youngins, Lucas and Baptiste Malgoire, who maintain a low-profile Facebook page and a soundcloud with several tracks but few downloadables. Thankfully, they finally put this track up for grabs in glorious 320kbps yesterday, and I managed to snag one of 100 downloads.

Though their remix racked up a ton of plays on the Hype Machine, Joy remains in undeserved obscurity. These dudes have talent.


Joy - New York (Empire State Of Mind)

Head over to their soundcloud for more Joy.

Lil Wayne - How To Love

I'll admit, when I first heard that this was a song with Lil Wayne singing, I vomited and didn't even bother listening to it. A few days later I peeped it at my friend's insistence and was pleasantly surprised. There's no denying Lil Wayne has no singing talent and that his voice has been processed to kingdom come in order to be made bearable.

My advice, just pretend this isn't Lil Wayne and don't take it too seriously - even if Weezy himself does. Don't be fooled, Wayne doesn't rap or "rock" over this one as he's been known to do; he reveals another hidden talent: Wayne's a bonafide karaoke artist. You might find yourself mumble-singing along to this surprisingly earnest, uncharacteristically romantic Weezy track.

Though the sound is more suited to Wayne's one-time protégé, Drake (you might hear similarities between Drizzy and Weezy's "singing" voice) it's too cheesy to be a Drizzy joint - only Wayne could pull off wheezing "How To Love" over some refreshingly ridiculous woodwinds that sound like they belong on an oldies pop song. Kudos to Detail for the production, which takes the traditional ballad elements and brings big drums and handclaps and some obligatory 'ey!'s to counteract the sappiness of the song and give it some hip hop flavor.

"How To Love" is purportedly off the upcoming Carter IV, which is slated for a late August release.


Lil Wayne - How To Love

DISCOVER: Capital Cities - Safe + Sound

Here comes a great debut from LA's own Capital Cities. The outset kicks off with a electropop synths as big and beautiful as those of Alphabeat. The vocals are a little reminiscent of the Foo Fighters, but less gratingly alt rock and more anthemic - think Empire of the Sun's "Walking on a Dream". The synthy trumpets are almost Eurovision-status, but instead of being cheesy, they add mass to the already big sound. This is summer electropop. Watch out for their self-titled EP dropping June 18th.


Capital Cities - Safe + Sound

Find more on their bandcamp and look out for their debut EP landing June 18th.

(via Neon Gold Records)

Fabolous - You Be Killin Em

I don't really get down with Fabolous that often, but this track is pretty massive. Genius singer/songwriter/producer Ryan Leslie (who graduated from Harvard at age 19 and has since worked with the likes of Cassie, Britney Spears, Ne-Yo, Chris Brown, Jim Jones, etc. etc.) handles the knobs on this one, bringing a crunchy tune with big boom-bap drums.

The song got some surprise love on the Hype Machine a few weeks ago, and deservedly so. Fabolous rhymes generic, but his flow is impeccable over the raw R-Les beat.


Fabolous - You Be Killin Em

VIDEO: El Guincho - Bombay

EL GUINCHO | Bombay on Vimeo.

El Guincho is Spanish recording artist, Pablo Díaz-Reixa. Bombay is a fun, afrobeat, electronic indie track that screams tropical beach bums and waterfalls.

Bombay comes off of El Guincho's 2010 album, Pop Negro, which I'm going to have to check out.

I have no idea what he's singing, but I dig it.

Ra Ra Riot - Massachusetts (Kisses Remix)

LA indie-pop outfit Kisses remixes a song off of Ra Ra Riot's sophomore album, The Orchard.

You may not have heard of Kisses, an LA-based boy/girl duo responsible for some of the sweetest synthpop of 2010. On the other hand, Ra Ra Riot is an indie-rock band equipped with a sound similar to that of The Shins with strings. "Massachusetts" is a lengthy tune off of their sophomore effort which shows of their singnature sound - big drums, symphonic string arrangements, and the soft falsetto of lead vocalist, Wes Miles.

The remix takes "Massachusetts" to the West Coast; it reworks the drumline from frantic rock to a hip hop pace and couples it with echoing beeps and blips and synth organ chords and arpeggios. The pared down rendition turns the focus to Miles' earnest vocals, heightening harmonies and also keeps elements of the string arrangement in place, keeping the Ra Ra Riot spirit very much alive in the track. The track is reminiscent of Wes Miles' side project with Vampire Weekend's Rostam Batmanglij, Discovery, an 808 and 80's synth driven electropop adventure circa 2009; thus Miles' vocals sound perfectly at home over the harmonious synths laid down by Kisses.


Ra Ra Riot - Massachusetts (Kisses Remix)

Here's the original for comparison.

Ra Ra Riot - Massachusetts

(via Kisses)

DISCOVER: St. Lucia - The Old House Is Gone

St. Lucia, the latest addition to The Knocks' HeavyRoc Music lineup, provides summer pop/rock perfection.

The NY based production team, The Knocks, revealed the newest member of their label's family. St. Lucia hails from Brooklyn by way of the UK and South Africa and brings a brand of breezy indie-pop/rock that has proven to be a winning formula time and time again. "The Old House Is Gone" features the echoing ambiance and anthemic qualities of The Temper Trap, Delorean, and Empire of the Sun, with the same shimmering synth combinations that complement the arrangements of Cut Copy and Phoenix. Throw in some psuedo-afropop drums à la Vampire Weekend to make "The Old House Is Gone" a perfect addition to the lineup of breezy summer tunes.

The record starts off spare with some synths evocative of the sun and sea before slowly layering into a romping summer anthem. St. Lucia proves to have as nice a knack for infectious tunes as The Knocks, with the rolling, bubbling bassline which accompanies echoing vocals which sweetly insist, "keep your heart close to mine."

Keep your heart close to St. Lucia, who will surely be releasing more amazing tunes soon


St. Lucia - The Old House Is Gone

(via HeavyRoc Music)

Bonus Below:

The Weeknd - Do It

Unreleased material from before House of Balloons surfaces from Toronto R&B act, The Weeknd.