Gluttony Is The New

Dailybeatz Presents: A Blogwave Summer - Volume Four Was...

Tue, 21 May 2013 09:10:00 -0700

Dailybeatz Presents: A Blogwave Summer - Volume Four

Was honored to once again contribute to this great mix series that my friend Chris of Dailybeatz puts together every year. All your favorite music outlets pick their essential summer tune, then Chris mixes them all together to create one fantastic playlist. Enjoy!

Airbird & Napolian – In The Zone [dailybeatz]

Jessie Ware – Wildest Moments (Cousin Cole Soul Mix) [creamteam]
Autre Ne Veut – Counting [pigeons & planes]
Viceroy and French Horn Rebellion – Friday Nights (Bronx Night Dub) [the culture of me]
Janet Jackson – Someone To Call My Lover (Giraffage Remix) [smokeDONTsmoke]
Savages – City’s Full [the needle drop]
Isle – Bayview [i guess i’m floating]
FWY! – Garden Grove [stadiums and shrines]
Miguel – Do You… (Cashmere Cat Remix) [unholy rhythms]
Braxton/Palmer – Creeper (Part II) [gluttony is the new black]
Mikal Cronin – Shout It Out [turntable kitchen]
Postiljonen – Supreme [pretty much amazing]
Carousel Beach – Ayahuasca [we listen for you]
Mount Kimbie – Made To Stray [tastes like caramel]
Keljet feat. X Ambassadors – Love of a Life [discobelle]
Jodeci – Freak’n You (Marcus Jakes back to 98 booty) [the leaving scene]
Kisses – Air Conditioning [dipped in dollars]
Blue Hawaii – Sierra Lift [portals]
HAERTS – Wings [no fear of pop]
Autre Ne Veut – Play By Play [gorilla vs bear]

DJ Spinn and DJ Rashad: Breaking down boundaries with juke and...

Sun, 21 Apr 2013 11:55:50 -0700

DJ Spinn and DJ Rashad: Breaking down boundaries with juke and footwork

“Dancers from Chicago really like bass, claps, something crazy, something unexpected… that’s what we tried to keep up.”

Tales of the origins of juke and footwork from two of the originators, during their intimate lecture at Red Bull Music Academy Madrid 2011.

DJ Spinn and DJ Rashad talk of growing up in Chicago, the nightclub scene in their native city and how it played a role in their exposure to electronic music, plus the pair spin a slew of essential classics taking you on a musical history lesson on the origins of their distinct genre styles.Continuing my fascination with music and it’s evolution, this was definitely an entertaining watch, be sure take a minute and learn a few things.

“They made the clap four to the floor, with the bass”.

Shuffler.fm: Weekly Feature: Artist Profiles

Sun, 14 Apr 2013 15:44:44 -0700

Shuffler.fm: Weekly Feature: Artist Profiles:

Of course hearing the album hours after it dropped thanks to Crack In The Road tipping me off, I felt compelled to profile the young star for Shuffler’s weekly post. Check it out.

Jai Paul

They danced down the streets like dingledodies, and I shambled after as I’ve been doing all my life after people who interest me, because the only people for me are the mad ones, the ones who are mad to live, mad to talk, mad to be saved, desirous of everything at the same…

INTERVIEW: Introducing Lockah

Tue, 09 Apr 2013 09:00:07 -0700

Swirling synths in a variety of forms take on chameleon like qualities shaping Aberdeen’s brightest rising star Lockah, aka Tom Banks’ savagely inventive sound. Humming chugs of lofty bass marry with pitched vocal loops cascading into jungle-inspired beats. This menagerie of genres and concept sounds are then swirled together in a steaming pot of thick and chunky beats ready to elevate any mood.

The stalwart label head of emerging bass outfit, Tuff Wax, and playing a large part in the emerging scene in his hometown of Aberdeen, Banks is pushing more than just a new sound in 2013. Lockah’s music unearths new territories, blending an epic movie score quality with forward thinking production and a wildly creative style, landing him on labels like Mad Decent’s Jeffrees, Skrillex’s OWSLA, and most recently, on bass music trendsetting label, Donky Pitch.

One of the fascinating aspects of Banks’ music is his ability to elicit melodies out of heavy-handed synth, sparse techno beats and trembling glistens of effects, all of which create the most strangely fantastic pop ballads. Best Fit set out to find out where the young producer’s influences lie, what his new EP Only Built For Neon Nights is really about and if it’s possible to ever have too much synth.

Read my interview with Tom after the jump!

Your bio says you’re the “Founder of TUFF WAX – music on MAD DECENT / JEFFREE’S / MISHKA NYC / DONKY PITCH / OWSLA / SCION AV / NATIONAL ANTHEM”, but who is Lockah?

I’m a hardworking producer with ambition and a bit of an entrepreneurial spirit. I’m 27, but I’ve lived the life of a 40-year-old. I’m based in Aberdeen, Scotland, where I’ve spent my whole life.

If you had to pick a food or a dish to describe your sound, what would you pick and why?

>Maybe a spicy taco, or a juicy punnet of strawberries. Anything with some mad flavour that you could eat with your hands. I try to keep my music accessible and colourful and fun.

Paul Lester over at the Guardian described your music, saying, “Much of the music seems designed to soundtrack significant sports events or historical battles.” Do you agree?

I’m not into sports or historical battles but I understand what the guy’s saying. I think it’s the love of brass samples or just those brassy, stabby synth sounds – plus I’ve been known to loop crowd noise under things at times so it may even be subliminal. When you can capture that fanfare type sound, I suppose it creates a kind of epic atmosphere if you’re in the right listening mindset.

I personally would have to agree, especially after spending some time with your Mishka release, Lockah – Please Lockah, Don’t Hurt ‘Em. It has this Billy Joel stadium feel to it. Where does that influence come from?

Yeah, that EP was pretty much an experiment in how huge I could go with my sound. The slightly discordant piano stabs are a jungle/rave thing for sure. I was into all that stuff as a child before I hit double figures. Where that interest sprung from, I’ve no idea. And with no friends, older siblings etc. into it, I grew out of it and into guitar music as I got into my teens. Back then though, I used to try and recreate the piano riffs on my toy casio keyboard, so I’m drawing on decades of experience here!

You’re great at creating melodies out of the most unexpected of sounds.

It’s something I’ve been doing since the moment I started producing, but unfortunately it seems to be regarded as a staple of identikit ‘trap’ production now…

When listening to Only Built 4 Neon Nites the first time, I thought, “This is the most epic of video game dance parties I will ever go to.” Where did this concept come from?

Well straight up, everyone picked up on the obvious nod to the Raekwonalbum title, Only Built For Cuban Linx, but not a lot of folks seemed to give any further thought to where I was coming from. That happens to be my favourite rap album ever, by the way. I had read this old XXL interview on the making of it, one of those fantastic articles where they get a shitload of different interviews then chop it up into a flowing commentary. If you read it, you can really get into the the mindset of the RZA back in those days. It was early, before the movie soundtracks and all that. Instead of just a record he helped Raekwon to make an incredible combination of a rap album, a cinematic soundtrack and even something with the vibe of an actual movie. I wanted to try and capture that same feeling, just simplified and shrunk down – so the main influence is Wu-Tang and classic Hollywood, not computer games as such.

What is Only Built 4 Neon Nites about?

In a real, personal and slightly boring sense it’s supposed to be a soundtrack to a midnight drive. If you live around Aberdeen, especially out in the middle of nowhere where I grew up, most people get around in cars cos of the shitty public transport. I’ve spent a fairly decent amount of time driving places in the middle of the night, often in the interest of seeing girls I suppose. Which kind of brings me into the more fantastical train of thought, that it’s a cinematic nod to movies like Drive, Akira, even Tron… call it Neo(n)-Noir, romance, whatever. The 5 tracks spell out the story – the intro leads into the beginning of the journey in ‘Young Neon Countach’, ‘Guards Red Carrera’ is supposed to sound like a struggle such as a fight or a lighting storm, the calm sets in halfway through ‘Let The Cool Air Breeze’ and sets us up nicely for a little rain ‘n’ romance on ‘Platinum Blonde’.

I was obsessed with When U Stop Feeling Like A Weirdo & Become A Threat when it dropped. What’s changed from that release to Only Built 4 Neon Nites?

Well, when I listen back to When U Stop… I’m often really taken aback by the raw/lo-fi feel some of it had. That definitely wasn’t by design…I was trying to create the cleanest, sharpest production I could at the time! I’m not sure people really knew what to make of it – the press release even called it ‘undanceable’. Back then, some of my stuff had an almost UK Garage swing to it. Also I actually made those tracks in late 2011 – before the ‘trap’ movement as such, even though that production style had been creeping into everything that had influenced me up to that point. Tracks like Rustie’s ‘Tempered’, SX’s ‘Woo Riddim’ or Girl Unit’s ‘Wut’, the sound was there but the buzz-word and mania wasn’t – the UK has been using it in club productions for more than half a decade at least. I probably didn’t even know who Lex Lugor was back then, I just used to call that type of production ‘Rick Ross beats’! So in a way I reckon the unfocused influences and rawer production endeared it to people. WithPlease Lockah, I was so focused on tightening up the sound that I had to go the complete opposite way with the new EP. I’m not competing with anyone in making this sound big or loud. It’s a pop EP straight up, you have to compete with me on the melodies and feel instead.

I read you’re heavily influenced by southern rap, couple that with this new-age bass flip, almost jungle and juke’s love child, with hints of mainstream pop peeking through at every turn. Of course all of these elements give your music this infectious rap anthem quality. Yet you haven’t worked with many rappers, it’s been mostly samples.

The strange thing is I never really DJ’d Southern rap, East Coast always led the way in my record collection. But freestyle electro & miami bass got me hooked on the 808 and eventually there was no turning back. Early on though, when I used to mess about with MPCs and the like, my dream was really just to dig for samples on dusty records and make beats for rappers. It was only when I started checking out the LA beats, Brainfeeder and so forth pushing their sound, that I realised that ‘beats’ could stand on their own too. Since then I’ve done a couple of official rap remixes, so in a weird turn of events, shunning the idea of making beats for rappers has actually led me to work with a few.

Who would be your dream collaborator?

Without a doubt, it has to be Riff Raff. I probably drop at least 2-3 of his jams in every set.

Can there ever be too much synth?! What’s your take on using synth when it comes to your music?

Lockah

BY ANDRIANA ALBERT, 8 APRIL 2013

I was obsessed with When U Stop Feeling Like A Weirdo & Become A Threat when it dropped. What’s changed from that release to Only Built 4 Neon Nites?

Who would be your dream collaborator?

Without a doubt, it has to be Riff Raff. I probably drop at least 2-3 of his jams in every set.

Can there ever be too much synth?! What’s your take on using synth when it comes to your music?

In my experience, there unfortunately can and many a time I’ve had to do a synth channel ‘cull’ on a track that’s just got too busy. Synthesis is definitely the backbone of any of my productions. Drum programming I can take or leave, half the time I just knock together a drum machine loop in 5 minutes to keep a beat to the melody and only develop the percussive side of it later. To me, resampling recordings of other people’s synths is only useful for basic sounds and I prefer to work from scratch most of the time. That said, some sounds i’m in love with are just presets that have been modified slightly – it all depends on what’s going to work best to deliver the sound or melody i’m dreaming up.

What’s the music scene in Aberdeen like? How has living there influenced the type of music you make?

I think a lot of folks would agree that the music scene here is pretty poor. Places like Glasgow often host more acts that I’d love to see on a single midweek night than I’d get the chance to see in a month up in Aberdeen. In terms of getting to see the type of guests I’d be keen to check out, Aberdeen usually does very little for me. The main thing I’m interested in musically here is what myself and my friends are doing.

Do you play a lot of shows in Aberdeen, or around the UK? If so, are they live sets, or just DJ sets? What are your shows like?

I rarely play in Aberdeen to be honest, and my gigs seem to be about 50/50 UK and Europe-based at the moment. I started out DJing all-vinyl and nowadays it’s turntables and Serato. A live set would be so much fun but I’m gonna need some guidance from others on how to get started – I attempted it last year and just couldn’t get my head around it. I can be a bit of a moody DJ at times, not a great deal of smiling and dancing! The sets stay pretty far away from familiar and mainstream tracks, and are usually 50%-75% unreleased Lockah stuff or dubs from others. I like to sway between big hip-hop tracks and slow jams and usually end up moving pretty frantically through the songs towards the end of a set. I’m a big fan of pull ups, fast cuts and mucking about with doubles so nothing’s yet been able to tempt me away from turntables too long.

I read somewhere that your ethos is “If you want to do something, do it quickly and as well as you possibly can. Then do it again, but better.” So what’s next for Lockah?

That’s more like my advice for any producer starting out. It used to bother me knowing people who were making interesting music and sitting on it. Luckily most of the people I roll with are now confident about sharing their stuff, and usually it pays off! As for me, I’ve got a bunch of collaborative projects in the works, some of which are more finished than others, and I’m slowly amassing a few hours of material with the aim of turning the best bits into the debut LP.

What do you want the world to know about Lockah?

I’m out here and I’m going for it. With any luck, you’ll be hearing a lot more from me!

Coma My Orbit (Dauwd Remix) Germany’s hottest duo, Marius Bubat...

Mon, 08 Apr 2013 17:43:21 -0700

Coma My Orbit (Dauwd Remix)

Germany’s hottest duo, Marius Bubat and Georg Conrad, whom make up the production alias, Coma recently released their ‘My Orbit’ single, an amuse bouche of a track, offering fans a taste of what’s to come on their highly anticipated second release for Kompakt, In Technicolor. This week Pictures/Ghostly rising production star, Dauwd offers a sexy take on the Cologne stomp original.

Turning the deep, darkness of ‘My Orbit’ into creeping synth and static clacks along with a haunting vocal ellipsis, Dauwd builds off those pensive moments that still linger early on in the night. Creating his signature warming glow, Dawud melts away inhibitions and relaxes the mood, as edges of circumstance begin to soften and the evening comes into full effect. Atmospheric swirls, bursts of effects and the subtle blair of jazzy horn effects round out the track just before the sun begins to rise again.

Listen to the original that premiered on Pitchfork a few weeks back, in case you missed it!

Benihana. Festivals / Night As we’ve mentioned many times this...

Sun, 07 Apr 2013 11:31:24 -0700

Benihana. Festivals / Night

As we’ve mentioned many times this year, Ireland’s burgeoning music scene is not to be overlooked. Today we bring you Benihana, a duo out of the North of Ireland, Kildare to be exact.

What’s fascinating about the emerging electronic acts from this region is how they all manage to intertwine this beautiful atmospheric feel into their sound.As if providing a geographical guide to their quaint homeland, Will Molloy & Billy Archbold lead you through sun-glinted pitch shifts, rapid bursts of swirling synth, and dark building basslines rolling along mysterious, unpaved roads.

A cinematic history brought to life through bold, brassy synth, dancing bouts of organ notes, and the ever so subtle bit of sexiness.

INTERVIEW: Iceage: "Sometimes it’s a big release and I can kind of lose myself and not really know who I am anymore, it’s a kind of feeling of ecstasy."

Sat, 06 Apr 2013 09:00:25 -0700

When it comes to bands, the ones that are a bit sheltered often end up coming off as the most genuine. Such is the case with Copenhagen punk band Iceage.

The band have just released their second full-length album You’re Nothing on Matador – an album which does more than just give the finger to authority, it tells a story – a very relatable story. Instead of building a narrative around characters, vocalist Elias Rønnenfelt’s hard pressed lips breathe raspy poems into the microphone with the few audible words that we can make out seeming to be the only words that matter. Guitar progressions spell out the phrases that the record’s listeners so desperately wanted to say, while emotion rips through pensive air, exploring much more ground than just punk rock.

The real beauty of it all lies in the album’s carefully crafted ambiguity. Iceage are a band who leave a lot up to the listener. They make music the way they know how – they don’t ask you to care or understand how they feel, instead they place a very real experience in our hands and let us decide what we want to do with it. It’s probably the most punk rock thing a band can do.

If you’re looking for a revival, or a dawning of a new punk scene, you’ve got Iceage all wrong. Their brilliance lies in their insularity. They embody the ideology more than a style of music made popular in the 80s – they didn’t even know punk was dead, because it never died to them.Best Fit sits down with frontman Elias Rønnenfelt to find out more about the story of the band, as well as how their new album You’re Nothing came to life.

Read my intimate interview with Elias Rønnenfelt of Denmark’s future punk heroes, Iceage after the jump.

The Great Gatsby Trailer w/ New Music by Beyoncé x Andre...

Thu, 04 Apr 2013 14:23:39 -0700

The Great Gatsby Trailer w/ New Music by Beyoncé x Andre 3000, Florence + The Machine, Lana Del Rey + more

“For a while these reveries provided an outlet for his imagination; they were a satisfactory hint of the unreality of reality, a promise that the rock of the world was founded securely on a fairy’s wing.”

I.Cant.Wait.

Out May 10th in 3D.

Ifan Dayfdd Llonydd (feat. Alys Williams) After partaking in...

Mon, 01 Apr 2013 12:05:31 -0700

Ifan Dayfdd Llonydd (feat. Alys Williams)

After partaking in some intense rehabilitation due to the soul melting effects of Ifan Dafydd’s first single ‘Celwydd’, we’ve completely relapsed and are in a state of utter elation over his latest jaunt. Literally translating to mean “quiet” or “calm”, our young grasshopper craftily strings his listeners along by ensuring ‘Llonydd’ is anything but that.

Leaning more on the theatrical, storytelling side in comparison to ‘Celwydd’’s lighthearted nature, ‘Llonydd’ clings to a part of the day when the moon is high above and bubbling tempos beckon for your being to do anything but stand still. Singer, Alys Williams’ translucent words reverberate through shadowy walls, and pitched cries that peek out from darkened corners, as she makes her way through billowing organ synths and piano key flecks. With both ‘Celwydd’ and “Llonydd’, Dafydd weaves this flirtatiousness song and dance element throughout, eliciting a charming infatuation with his music you just can’t ignore.

Recordiau Lliwgar‘s second installment in their vinyl compilation series, Y Record Las (The Blue Record) is out 1st April (today). The double 10″ vinyl compilation features new material from four of Wales’ rising stars; Ifan Dafydd, Ymarfer Corff, Llwybr Llaethog and H Hawkline, we promise you don’t want to miss out on this release.

(I wrote this for The Line Of Best Fit today)

Grown Folk The Boat/Druture Purple City Fashion Week This was a...

Fri, 29 Mar 2013 12:00:16 -0700

Grown Folk The Boat/Druture Purple City Fashion Week

This was a post that kind of turned into an artist profile I did on my friend, DRU for The Line Of Best Fit. Da future you know.

Earlier this year, San Francisco’s Icee Hot label officially introduced us to Montreal production duo, Grown Folk, with the release of their “The Boat / Keep Few Near” release. Since then, the duo have released a long awaited collaborative EP, Cloud City, with bay area rappers, Main Attrakionz, which includes two stellar remixes from futuristic producer, Kuedo, and today, the duo explores another dimension of their creativity with one half of Grown Folk, Drew Kim’s new endeavour he’s dubbed, Druture.

Experimenting with pitch and bpms throughout a track is a fascinating ability that not enough producers utilize, probably because they’ve never thought to. It’s also an art. Looping possibly the coolest line ever uttered, ‘I Get Paid’, through oscillating beats that reflect kaleidoscopic fragments of light at the most fantastic of angels, Grown Folk draw you towards their pretty, sparkly things almost instantly.

Building a track from the ground up, that will eventually become more than just digitized drums and a 4/4 beat, Grown Folk’s love of vintage synthesizers can be heard billowing through excruciatingly precise xylophone pings, and insanely infectious loopa. Reconstructing beats out of pitched vocals that rasp, and rub your speakers raw, juxtapozed with wildly dancing bells, ass slapping rhythm divised through cleverly EQ’d claps, and bass that chugs along as if climbing a mountain, Grown Folk take the concept of house music and graudate it five steps forward.

With Druture, Kim explores his love of southern rap, taking the beats behind those lyrics to new heights through a handful of freshly released hip hop tracks. Ranging from ethereal, spaced out ripples of drum patterns and pulsing effects of the headbob persuasion on ‘Purple City Fashion Week’, to the ode to dupstep hero, Skream on ‘Texas Skresh’, consisting of a collection of throbbing, desolate pulses surrounded by shuddering percussion and Kim’s signature clouds of big bass airiness. With Druture, Kim proves his production style and musical tastes run deep.

When Drew Kim was little and he asked for more bass, what they got instead was heaps and heaps of VERSATILITY. It’s safe to say, the Future for this emerging producer is looking extremely bright.

Decades In Sequins (Video) I premiered this on The Line Of Best...

Fri, 29 Mar 2013 09:00:00 -0700

Decades In Sequins (Video)

I premiered this on The Line Of Best Fit yesterday. Finally found a band I can love.

In our humble experience, it’s always the most sheltered of beings that create the most organic of art. They construct bridges, hooks and melodies from a limited vantage point, which in the end, ends up being one of their greatest strengths. If you’ve never been to Rome, you can’t do as the Romans do, if you will.

It’s been so long since we’ve heard a band with the ability to illicit such range from slightly iridescent wails, reverbed heartaches and textural dissonance, without being too polarizing in their approach. With Decades, nothing’s forced, there’s no ego or disingenuous demeanor in an attempt to attract a particular audience– the music they make is all they know. If our memory suits, the last act able to pull off such a feat, is well, The Rapture.

Drinking up a heavy dose of Gang of Four and Joy Division influences, Decades imbibe the best of what the British post-punk era greats left as a lasting impression, and then they do something very special, they take that sound and make it their own. Splattering hints of pop and glam across a blurred post-punk existence, what materializes just beyond the horizon, Decades, is the sound we’ve been yearning for, before we even knew what it was. Watch the video for ‘In Sequins’ to see what exactly what we mean.

Decades self-titled debut album, is out 30th April on White Girl Records.

Tracklisting:
1. Tonight Again
2. Any Wonder
3. Celebrate
4. Old & Aging
5. Only After
6. In Sequins
7. Move Me
8. Can You Love Me Now
9. For From Me
10. Washed

Photo by Laura Lynn Petrick

MY 2013 SXSW Wrap Up: #FOMO and Loathing @ the Music Festival

Thu, 28 Mar 2013 09:00:20 -0700

Here’s the version of my wrap up that didn’t make onto The Line Of Best Fit. Photos by Tonje Thilesen.

A trip to Austin’s infamous South By Southwest festival is not complete without experiencing a set of extreme emotions - from the disappointment at missing a set or not getting into your party of choice, catching surprise guest performances, free swag you actually want and the IRL hangs with online pals. SXSW has become about much more than just music, it’s become a showcase of your culture. What your outlet, be it a label, booking agency, clothing brand, or Taco Bell represents on a larger scale. Where you choose to sit says a lot about where you stand. The below wrap up includes a mix of music, parties and showcases in an attempt to summarize the best moments of a seriously intense week.

For reasons still unknown to modern man, Wednesday’s party itinerary happens to be the most stacked day of SXSW this year. With amazing line-ups and events spanning Austin’s dusty concrete plains, I manage to take in a good mix of it all without feeling like I’ve just run a marathon without proper training (not recommended).

Music website Pretty Much Amazing - along with Danger Village PR - host a free day-party that includes green Danger Village tote-bag survival kits, packed with boxes of delicious Vita Coco Cafe Latte drinks (they tasted like coffee and the milk after you eat Cocoa Pebbles), chapstick and more.

While I down as many coconut waters as I can to avoid the impending hangover, I’m treated to a performance by Brooklyn’s Empress Of. Recently signed to Double Demin and having played their first show ever only last October, singer Lorely Rodriguez garners a sweetly earnest performance that’s captivating in such a pleasantly surprising way. Delicate harmonies looped on-the-fly dance across wailing synths and sexy guitar riffs, as the crowd sways along to her words. In any other circumstance this setup might come across as lackluster but Lorely’s innocent charm and earthly vocals marry all of the pieces of this live set together wonderfully.

The highly anticipated Megablaag event, hosted by blogs Ears of the Beholder and Yvynyl - along with music discovery site Exfm - kick off on Wednesday with a private two-hour open bar, music/tech mixer. The party flows from the inner bar and DJ area of Lipstick 24 to the back patio where guests groove to DJ sets by San Francisco producer Giraffage, and producer/drummer/singer, Jeremy Malvin aka Chrome Sparks.

Though just a DJ set, the rising producer-to-watch plays a smokin’ upbeat mix of new and old tunes, as well as tracks from his fantastic, recently released Sparks EP that has the crowd buzzing off more than just the free alcohol.

As the open bar comes to a close and the larger part of the venue opens up for acts Autre Nu Veut, High Highs, Alex Bleeker and the Freaks and more, the party overflows with music fans and industry folks alike looking to catch some great acts while mingling with the people writing about them for your favourite sites.

The Hype Hotel - which has less of a first-year-at-University feel this year - seems more like a modern art gallery space, except the art is the glowing (and free) Tito’s Vodka and Monster Energy drinks and the ability of otherwise self-respecting show goers to consume aggressive amounts of Taco Bell products in one sitting.

Hype also includes free massages, an interactive photo booth, a massive light and sound system and of course killer line-ups curated by music sites every day and night of the festival. I catch great performances by St. Lucia, MØ and !!!, all three showcasing their star quality throughout their sets that only deepens my love affair with them. MØ almost makes me shed a tear (which I didn’t know was still possible) with her sheer uninhibited passion and stage presence.

New York’s St. Lucia has packed the large venue space for a 2pm show, filling the room with a warm, magnetic energy. South African born singer, Jean-Philip Grobler and his band’s charming, polished mix of percussion shakes, pulsing synths, heartfelt falsettos and slightly worldly feel have garnered all of my attention, and I’m getting nervous, as I think I’m falling in love. It’s a giddy kind of polished, with this love ballad quality that is just so irresistible. As Jean-Phillip claps his hands together and motions for the crowd to follow, I look around and the entire place is fixated, hands clapping above their heads and taking part in this communal lean towards the stage, just to feel that much closer. It’s a pretty magical moment.

My Thursday itinerary turns out to be mostly emerging electronic and bass music, but one of the best days for intimate parties and encounters with friends and great acts I really respect.

You can’t help but start your day off on a high when your first stop is the Ninja Tune loft to interview Bonobo on the rooftop terrace overlooking East 6th Street. My day gets even better when I met up with friends at the Under The Radar bash at Flamingo Cantina, an intimate indoor venue with stadium seating, and a balcony for viewing acts on the stage below.

I watch the LA disco/dance group Poolside soundcheck for just about as long as they play their upbeat tropical grooves (with a full band) to a somewhat entertained crowd. I decide to stick around for Jagjaguwar-signed Foxygen, and I’m glad I do. They manage to wake up and slightly freak out the crowd of day-partiers with a theatrical take on indie rock, complete with harmonies ranging from soothing to spastic, in between bouts of playful crowd banter. Think Flaming Lips and Rolling Stones live show energy, doused in shitty whiskey and high on that pure shit I didn’t know you could still get.

I still don’t know if any of this is a good thing, but I hope so.

My friends that run the site Live For The Funk are holding a party that includes free booze and Cashmere Cat, so naturally I make sure I’m there. The Norwegian producer with battle-champion beginnings is an explosive ball of energy, mixing tracks from his debut EP Mirror Miru, with current favourites that drive the crowd absolutely insane.

Ensuring the drops are huge and the vibe continues to build, Cashmere Cat warms up the crowd for a hilarious and charismatic Ryan Hemsworth, who takes the stage next. He drops new edits of his own tracks, unreleased bangers from producers-to-watch, and all kinds of on-the-fly remixes that make it feel like the roof of [host venue] the Joie de Vive hair might blow off at any minute. Hemsworth proves once again why he’s such a star in the producer game. Names to know in bass music - everyone from LuckyMe Records labelheads, to Dubstep pioneers Skream and Mala - can be seen casually hanging out, just taking it all in.

I close out Thursday with a party that never disappoints, Ghostly Internationa l and Flower Booking’s Official Showcase.

Throwing their party on two stages at the indoor/outdoor venue, Holy Mountain (formerly Beauty Bar), the space plays host to several of Ghostly’s emerging stars - which is refreshing considering most of the shows at SXSW this year boast acts already signed to major labels. There are no Kendrick Lamar’s emerging anymore; he has passed go and collected much more than $200…which is probably what the acts that played Ghostly’s fantastic showcase got paid.

Stand out acts include Baths (above), Best Fit favourite Seams, Seattle’s Lusine and particularly Dauwd. The deep house producer with mainstream appeal pulls in the crowd with his aural glow of muted humming bass, pitter-patter rhythms and pitched breathy cries. Yet Dauwd’s true talent is flooding the room with a sexy feeling that you just can’t ignore.

My week of freeness continues with the amazingly swagged out ASOS Music Lounge day party. Feeling more like the swanky Coachella party I never seem to be on the guestlist for than a free SXSW event, the multi-level, indoor/outdoor space includes shaded bench areas covered with buckets of Red Bull and Vita Coco Coconut water of every flavor, and tote bags filled with magazines, keychains, coupons for discounts and other goodies.

Bars serving a list of six different custom Don Julio creations greet you with boozy, open arms as you approach any of the set-ups throughout the event. The inside area not only holds yet another two bars but also includes also included a Red Touch Media center where I get a demonstration of the company’s “Redbox for Digital Music” take on distribution from the VP of Marketing himself. Oh yeah, I also now own every Michael Jackson and Juicy J album ever released. It just felt right.

Feeling like every person at the party was just a little too hot to be at SXSW, I decide some sun would do me some good - plus I’m starving. I pass the ping-pong tables and DJ booth to the lower level of the party, with a stage for performances, a partially-covered area with couches, a taco stand serving up more free deliciousness and, of course, another bar awaits. After my third Smoked Ruby Grapefruit Don Julio drink I post up on a couch to catch Dan Croll, Ghost Beach and Angel Haze.

Liverpool’s Dan Croll and band take the stage shortly after I site down, and despite the sun’s bright shine peaking just above me, a young and brooding Dan Croll manages to come off soothing and heartfelt as soon as his lips hit the microphone. His words are so sweet and tender, I’m not buzzed from the free booze yet, but it definitely feels like it. He digs into the lyrics of his single, ‘Marion’, and I swear I can hear every girl in the crowd simultaneously exhale a high shrilled, ‘awwww!’.

As I sway along to a sound I find hard to put my finger on, I can’t help but think Dan’s recordings don’t do him justice at all. Dan Croll live is earnest and heartwarming, with this worldly, pop sound that’s so much more infectious than I ever expected. As his guitar begins to strum the chords, ‘From Nowhere’, Croll’s heart begins to bleed onto the stage in the form of drawn out love poems that have melted my limbs into a puddle of my former self. I look around to see if anyone notices, and the entire crowd is fixated on the stage. Dan’s vintage twangs that I wouldn’t exactly call folk, perhaps more of a mellow psychedelic feel, in the vein of acts like Beirut mixed with this undeniable, old-time rock n’ roll influence that instantly reminds me of Austin’s own, Okkervil River, make my heart do these tiny flips inside my chest, as the full band chimes in for the chorus of ‘Home’.

Complexing my comprehension even further, Croll brings in a slightly tropical feel with the help of vintage synths, flowy, larger-than-life harmonies, and breezy percussion, serenading me through his new single ‘Compliment Your Soul’, which closes out his set on such a high note, that most of the crowd is still standing and just cheering as Dan and his band pack up and are quickly exiting the stage.

“Grit Pop” duo, Ghost Beach are starting off their set with track that is a mix of tropical and psych-pop and the guys have decided the entire crowd needs to dance for this song. So I stand and try to dance, but their mix of midi effects and abrupt digital delays, covered in a thick layer of synth is just a bit overwhelming. Maybe the bass is turned up too much, but I can’t really hear the vocals, so it sounds like every pop band USA right now. I will stand for two more songs since I am friends with their manager and don’t want to be a dick, but after that I am going back to my shaded swag table to watch from afar. I think I will try to catch them at another show this week, but so far this show is not holding my attention, especially after Dan Croll’s fantastic set earlier.

I have been wanting to drop by the Haus of Hipstamatic all week, but being a quaint little chateau on the Eastside, the house is packed moments after opening every day at 11am. With a full spread of grilled breakfast delights, a coffee bar, cocktails and a great lineup of acts, it definitely is the place to be. I get in line just in time to catch Los Angeles indie pop group, Wildcat! Wildcat!. With body tingling harmonies and vocal arrangements that lay somewhere between Local Natives and Passion Pit, Wildcat! Wildcat! are definitely exciting to watch, and have me up front singing along with their singles ‘Mr. Quiche’ and ‘End of the World Everyday’. I am loving this moment so much.

Leaving the Haus of Hip, I bump into my friend Beth who is running to catch Danish/Russian singer Fallulah, so I run too, and we get there just as she begins her second song. I can’t help but think to myself, “Could there be a hotter mix of heritages?” The voluptuous songstress is performing like she was on a world tour for hundreds and thousands of adoring fans. She has this Lykke Li star quality about her; the way she is working the room, flirting with the crowd, hopping off the stage to belt out the words of her super catchy new single, ‘Out Of It’.

Except Falluluh is no Lykke Li carbon copy, she’s this uninhibited, ball of energy story-teller. Through tambourine shakes, handclap sways and well, boobie shakes, Fallulah swirls around us, fully enveloped in her tale, and bringing us into the moment with her. Fallulah is now feeling more like a pop version of Alexis Krauss of Sleigh Bells, with her erratic cries and wild shakes as her backup singers chime in for the chorus of ‘Dried Out Cities’. I turn to Beth and say, “Wow. Fallulah is amazing.” Beth grabs me and replies, “I told you!” I’m so glad I ended up here. Like, where can I buy this record?

Part of my week which is not in the slightest bit planned include my attendance at more than a few hip-hop shows. With artists ranging from Action Bronson (with special guests Schoolboy Q, Ab-Soul, Danny Brown, Riff Raff and Hit Boys) at the open-bar Viceland Party, to the accidental amazing experience that is a Zebra Katz show at House of Blues, I feel like I lucked out by catching so many great sets but a bit cheated by missing out on smaller, lesser known performances. Nonetheless the rapper Ojay Morgan - who has already toured with Azealia Banks - aka Zebra Katz and female collaborator, Njena Reddd Foxxx have an onstage chemistry that makes me feel like I’m on the set of some big budget music video, watching the behind the scenes magic unfold.

The pair literally transform the daytime, makeshift venue into their own dark and playful world of hip hop: swinging on cables, rolling on the ground, and at one point getting the entire crowd jumping and chanting “I’ma take that bitch to college, I’ma give that bitch some knowledge” from Zebra Katz’ single ‘I’ma Read’. It’s 3pm in the afternoon.

Deciding the line at the Boiler Room’s party isn’t worth the wait considering I’d already seen most of those acts, and the thought of watching a malnutritioned Stefan Burnett of Death Grips barking on stage for an hour really isn’t how I wanted to spend my last night of SXSW - I decide to do the right thing and go see some UK talent at the Numbers Official Showcase.

If you have been reading Best Fit religiously (as you should), you’ll know at this point how much we love rising London producer SOPHIE. Recently signed to Numbers and Actress’ WerkDiscs label, his show was exactly what I’d hoped; a mix of Bicep and TNGHT styles and production techniques, both of which focus on building the crowd up and taking the climax and drops to new heights. Watching SOPHIE, I realize he’s a master at building anticipation while bringing a new type of dance energy- a much more universal vibe that you can’t help but be addicted to.

The Berlin and now London based artist known simply as SOPHIE stretches a plastic sheen of energetic fervor over static breaks and vintage sounding keyboard effects. Infusing his shiny aesthetic with sexy female vocal loops and punches of work out inspired ‘huhs’, SOPHIE is getting this party started whether I’m ready or not.

The crowd respond to SOPHIE’s new genre I’m calling, “Bubble and Squeak Bass” with lots of grinding, and sweaty dance moves they’d normally reserve for special occasions.OK, fine, I’m one of those people too, but can you blame me? This is definitely one of the highlights of my SXSW. This energy and sheer creative genius blaring from Barcelona Bar’s not-that-great speakers is turning this party on it’s head. I can’t say anyone else is making dance music like this right now. All I can say is, I am so glad I am here right now. This is amazing.

Numbers continued to bring the heat with sets from Oneman, Glasgow’s boy wonder, Rustie, and of course the king of the crowds himself, Jackmaster.

Exhausted but still shaking from a mix of Red Bull, free booze in a varieties of colours and flavours and the euphoria from the night’s events, I return to my house to find all of my friends around our dining room table with a mountain of McDonald’s (among other things) still keeping the party going. I don’t think it’s possible to end a week of SXSW events (no matter how many shows I missed) in a better way. See you next year suckers!

Captain Murphy The Killing Joke (Official Video) “He can...

Fri, 22 Mar 2013 13:39:00 -0700

Captain Murphy The Killing Joke (Official Video)

“He can be the outcast, he can make the choice that no one else can make, the right choice.”

Dark and scary in the best way.

Off Captain Murphy’s debut Duality Mixtape.

Two Truths & A Lie: Sweatson Klank – Fuck & Fight [Video...

Thu, 21 Mar 2013 13:27:00 -0700

Two Truths & A Lie: Sweatson Klank – Fuck & Fight [Video Premiere]

Yours Truly sits down with producer Sweatson Klank for an exclusive interview about the magic behind his forthcoming LP, play a game of Two Truths & A Lie, and debut the video for the lead single, ‘Fight & Fuck’ featuring rapper, Deniro Farrar.

You, Me, Temporary touches so deep into my personal understanding of the world, I appreciate that honesty more than you will ever know. And I could go on forever about why that title is meaningful, but for Sweatson Klank, What’s behind that album name?

It’s a bit of a Buddhist saying. It’s about how everything comes to an end, the cycle of life. Things start and then they end and then they begin again. With You, Me, Temporary, the concept relates to a relationship, or several relationships, life, mortality and how things come to an end, and start again. We as people are temporary, we are here temporarily, maybe our souls continue on after our bodies die, and some people read that as sad or somber, but to me it’s not that at all. It’s much more of a way of looking at life.

It reminds me of this famous Stanley Kubrick interview in Playboy, where they asked him the meaning of life, and he said something to the effect that once you realize there is no meaning to life, it sets you free to create your own destiny.

Yes, that’s really the idea. We don’t have too much control over the universe and whatever you believe in, you can manifest your destiny, and shape your path, but ultimately, you’re only here for a minute.

Have you ever read ‘On Love: A Novel’ by Alain de Botton? Your record reminds me of that book so much. The ability to tell a story through your music is a gift. Can you talk about the concept for this album?

The concept is basically all life experiences, it’s about the life of a relationship from the beginning to the end. When you first meeting somebody and everything is super new and passionate and fun, all the way to the final stages. So the album starts out like ecstasy, when you’re on a high on that cloud, and you’ve got your love goggles on. For instance the song ‘Waiting’ with Viktor Duplaix, it’s about that feeling you have when you first enter into something with someone. Them coming back to your house, you’re about to have that first physical experience with them, everything is unknown, scary and exciting all at the same time.

From there the album progresses to where you have been in the relationship for a bit, things start to get a bit shaky, you still love that person, but all you do is ‘Fuck & Fight’, some issues have come up or whatever. There is turmoil, you know its not going to work but you hang on to it, thinking it can get better. Then finally the end of the record is when things start to fall apart and the relationship ends and you’re sort of lost without that person. The loneliness that comes with that. It’s a typical love story that everyone can relate to because everyone’s been through it in one form or another. Then at the very end, you come to this moment where you just accept what has happened, and that it’s time to let go and find yourself again, that’s where the album drops you off at.

You, Me, Temporary is heavy but not in a dark way, more in a bearing your soul way. There is so much raw emotion. Raw emotion in a number of forms, in a playful way on songs like ‘Fight & Fuck’. There are songs called ‘Morning After Pills’ and ‘Opium Scented’, and not for the shock value, but because that’s the truth. You get a grittier side of emotions on those songs. And just sexy passion on songs like ‘Waiting’. What this overwhelming amount of emotion intentional?

Not to get too personal, but this record is really about three different relationships that were tied into each other. I was in the thick of it all as I was making the album, and I find as an artists, that’s my muse– the feelings that life gives you, both good and bad. The hardships that life presents to you are the best for creating. I’ve been kind of silent musically the last few years because I was going through a lot of stuff, so when I started coming out of all of that is when all of the inspiration came, so I just went with it.

Can you walk me through how you create a song from start to finish?

One aspect that really helped make this a cohesive album that tells a story, is all of the guests that were involved on the record. I worked with them to really understand the concept, and where their song would fit into the story i was trying to tell. For instance, the track with Viktor, that was one of the last songs I did, and I told him I need a song that’s from the beginning of the relationship. I’m missing that part of the story. We sat down and wrote it out. And when I talked to Deniro, I was just in the midst of this tumultuous shit and I told him about it, and he just came with the perfect words to express what was going on..

Ango, Deniro Farrar, Doc Illingsworth, and more appear on the record, how did you decide who to collaborate with? For instance, Deniro works so perfectly, but I would have never guessed he would be on this record.

I picked some of my favorite artists, and felt like their voices could fit perfectly and express and tell the story the way I wanted to. Deniro I felt would just kill it over that sort of tear jerky, melodic club-banger beat. Doc Illingsworth over ’15 bucks’ was just perfect. Ango also had the exact vibe I was looking for, and after speaking with him, I knew he understood the concept. I actually sing on a track too.

You’re fantastic at building very intricate, complex tracks that don’t make the listener feel like they need to associate with any one genre to listen to it. It’s very universal, and feels very personal. Do you think a song is better if it’s about something that happened to you personally?

Yes. When you write from experience it’s the truest form of expression.

A lot of producers seem to over sample and feel the need to layer and layer, which just ends up sounding cluttered. This release has a smooth complexity to it.

Yeah I have a tendency to think like ‘But I can add more”, and I really tried to keep it more minimal on this one and remind myself that less is more.

What’s special about this release in relation to your past releases?

I think this release is the best thing I’ve ever done. I still like it, which is rare after listening to it for so long. Also moving forward I want to continue to work with vocalists, I’m sort of burnt out on making instrumental music. I’m really into having the added emotional vibe that working with the right vocalist can add. It’s funny, I started out doing hip hop and working with MCs, moved on to instrumental music, and now I’ve come full circle working with vocalists again.

Also, it’s pretty special that this release is coming out on triple vinyl!

To read the Two Truths & A Lie and get a free DL of the single, head over to Yours Truly.

(Was really excited to get to work on this project. This album is so special. Be sure to grab it!)

Your Ultimate 2013 SXSW Essentials Guide

Mon, 11 Mar 2013 09:30:00 -0700

SXSW has been around since 1987 (music) and 1994 (interactive and film) and has become THEE essential annual music networking event to attend. Being the SXSW veterans that we are, Best Fit has compiled a list of essentials to ensure you maximize your experience in Austin this week. From the gear you’ll need to keep you on top of your game, to where to find the best eats, what to do in-between parties, how to get around, the coolest apps to download on your smartphone and more. Of course we’ve also got a few words of wisdom to keep in mind as you head into one crazy week of music.

Be sure to follow @BestFitMusic on Twitter for live coverage and daily diaries recapping all of the glory of SXSW from the previous days. So without further ado, we bring you our 2013 SXSW Essentials Guide.

GEAR:

Reserve External Battery
We promise you will need this no matter how few snapchats you send

Plancast:
The hottest new productivity tool at SXSW Interactive, Plancast helps you find out about events and other social activities ahead of time so you don’t miss out on them. The Plancast online calendar can manage all your relevant plans with filters, and dynamically sync your calendar with other calendars like Outlook, or ical. It’s amazing.

Earplugs
Your ears will thank you.

Coconut Water
Whatever hangover remedy you think works, you’re wrong. Staying hydrated is the best way to avoid hangovers, headaches, hunger, and not dying. Coconut water actually hydrates better than any other fluid on the planet due to it’s massive amounts of potassium and electrolytes, your body will thank you.

Mini Emergency Kits for Him & Mini Emergency Kits for Her
Includes travel must-haves in a case the size of a deck of cards to toss in your bag: lip balm, dental floss, breath freshener, hairspray, nail polish remover, emery board, stain remover, mending kit, safety pin, extra buttons, earring backs, clear elastics, deodorant towelette, pain reliever, tampon, and an adhesive bandage.

B100 Vitamins
This complex vitamin made up of mostly B6, B12, Thiamin and Folic Acid is what celebrities get shots of when they have to perform but are feeling like shit. It’s great for sluggish mornings, sobering you up if you got drunk too quickly, and just feeling on top of your game. These are my lifeline.

Face and Body Spray Sunscreen:
Liquid makes a mess + you already put makeup and clothes on. Sunscreen wears off after a few hours in most cases, use this handy spray on your face and exposed body parts after a few hours in the sun. You don’t even have to rub that shit in!

Lara Bars:
Partied too hard last night and missed all the free breakfast tacos this morning? Good thing you packed a snack! Available at just about every grocery and drugstore in America, vegan and gluten free, come in flavors like Cherry Pie and Peanut Butter & Jelly, and they surprisingly don’t taste like bark.

Streetwise Austin Map:
Austin isn’t that big, but when filled with thousands of festival goers, pop-up tents set up everywhere, spotty wifi, and events spread out all over the city, it’s easy to get lost and miss your party/show entirely. No matter how direction savvy you are/gps apps you have on your phone, a map is always a good thing to carry during a festival of this size. Plus this guy is laminated and in 3-D!

Flask:
As much as they say all the booze at SX is free, well that’s only half true. Plus how many Sweet Tea Vodka’s can you drink before you feeling like you might barf? Save yourself the energy and your lunch and get saucy on your 20 minute walk to the venue. There are liquor stores conveniently located just about everywhere to ensure you can refuel throughout the day.

Comfortable Shoes:
We’re not going to tell you what shoes to wear but just know Austin is mostly dirt, not to mention the thousands of people littering (yeah we’re sad too) in the streets, and just the sheer amount of walking you end up doing. Don’t be that asshole in heels/flip flops that has to buy shoes there.

Sunglasses:
Unless you like walking around all day scowling at the sun and working on your frown lines.

Layers:
It can get pretty cold at night.

I.D:
Just about every venue will ID you, regardless of badge, wristband or wrinkles.

Cash:
A lot of places don’t accept plastic.

To read the entire guide head over th The Line Of Best Fit.

Shuffler.fm: Pretty Much Amazing Presents: The Danger Village @ SXSW 2013

Tue, 05 Mar 2013 11:17:00 -0800

Shuffler.fm: Pretty Much Amazing Presents: The Danger Village @ SXSW 2013:

Come get boozey with me next week.

We’re so excited to be a part of Pretty Much Amazing’s The Danger Village (#PMAVILLAGE) SXSW Day Party next week!

WHEN: Wednesday, March 13th. 1pm-6pm.

WHERE: Empire Control Room – 606 East 7th St. (btwn. Red River and Sabine), Austin, TX.

DETAILS: Pretty Much Amazing and Danger Village PR present a free 2013 SXSW Day party! No RSVPs, badges, or wristbands are necessary, but you’ll probably want to show up early as we’ve got a stacked-as-hell lineup featuring live sets from six of our favorite new artists.

PERKS: Free #PMAVILLAGE Survival Kit goodie bags if you arrive in time. Partners UBER, are hooking everyone up with $15 off your first ride when you use the discount code PRETTYDANGER.

SET TIMES:
5:00 – ALPINE (Melbourne, AUS)
4:10 – MØ (Copenhagen, DK)
3:20 – Empress Of (Brooklyn, NY)
2:30 – Goldroom (Los Angeles, CA)
1:50 – TORRES (Nashville, TN)
1:15 – FALLULAH (Copenhagen, DK)

Plus DJ sets from Computer Magic and Noise Problem

Poster by Orphan Elliott

Szjerdene Arrow(s) Last week electronic-soul...

Mon, 25 Feb 2013 11:46:40 -0800

Szjerdene Arrow(s)

Last week electronic-soul artist Szjerdene graced the world with a rework of sorts, in which her fragile, folky words wrap themselves around compositions originally created by producers Jacques Greene and Koreless. Szjerdene’s cleverly titled version of ‘Arrow’ explores a world of paper thin harmonic layers that act as the missing chords tying wonderous fragments of fluid, rushing beats together, and in the process, giving them life.

The Ninja Tune prodigy’s ingenious single is only the beginning for the young star’s 2013 journey. Szjerdene is due to appear on two tracks off Bonobo’s forthcoming The North Borders album that drops 2nd April. For now relish in this sublime download that is absolutely free.

(I wrote this for The Line Of Best Fit. I promise, it’s the most lush thing you will hear today.)

Jon Phonics Feat. It’sNate FX WITH THE LIFE (Video) This...

Sun, 24 Feb 2013 10:00:09 -0800

Jon Phonics Feat. It’sNate FX WITH THE LIFE (Video)

This video is one of the best things I have seen this year. I wrote about Jon Phonics Rugers release for Best Fit, and can’t emphasize enough how crucial I believe these two players are to the game. Here’s what I had to say:

This week, UK beat producer Jon Phonics released his limited edition RUGERS cassette release on Bleep.com. Of course the50 run, purple tape cassettes are already sold out, but trust us, the download is still worth your effort (and money).

Thick syrupy beats glide through deep space effects, while heavy, funk-tinged insturments and odd ball samples round out Jon Phonics sound. Get involved with the producer’s exploritorium of breaks and beats, showcasing the various depths of underground hip hop’s current beatmaker scene.

Be sure to get the digital DL version of Jon Phonics RUGERS release from Bleep.

p.s. Sorry/not sorry if you are reading this early on a Sunday morning. So much FX WITH so early, but FX IT.

Decades Tonight Again (Video) Toronto band, Decades is...

Sat, 23 Feb 2013 11:00:25 -0800

Decades Tonight Again (Video)

Toronto band, Decades is everything we love about glam rock just before it gets too dark. Channeling the ghosts of Joy Division and nestling in just perfectly with that era of unstoppable bands like Arcade Fire, The Killers and Modest Mouse, Decades are so refreshingly quaint it hurts, and not in the slightest bit overdone.

Just a melting pot of garage-rock guitar riffs, enigmatic vocal shrieks and a bit of a soft side, everything you’d want from a rock band in 2013. Plus they make use of visuals to bring all those sounds to life, on their track ‘Tonight Again’.

Loving this band more with every listen, be sure to grab Decades’ self-titled album when it drops on April 30th via White Girl Records.

Kwabs Spirit Fade Last year London singer Kwabs, with thundering...

Sat, 23 Feb 2013 10:11:00 -0800

Kwabs Spirit Fade

Last year London singer Kwabs, with thundering gospel vocals that echo through a room like ghostly ripples of emotion you didn’t know you could possess, wow’d us with his cover of James Blake’s ‘A Wilhelm Scream’.

Well, the rising soul artist rumored to have signed a deal with Atlantic Records is back. ‘Spirit Fade’ is an ample origianl that showcases Kwabs’ many vocal talents beneath a sea of sexy R&B basslines and delicate acoustic guitar rhythms, all unfolding through your speakers in a way that gives you goosebumps you just can’t shake.

Because we love it so much, we included Kwabs’ James Blake cover for you below as well. Don’t say we didn’t ever gift wrap a rising soul star for you.