UK indie band The Heavy just came out with their second studio LP, The House That Dirt Built …like woah. Difficult to know where to begin on this album with a schizophrenic sound that jumps track to track from garage punk to reggae, Mo-Town soul to Zeppelin-era rock. At times it’s amazing to think a five member band could produce such a wide variety sounds, and more impressively, all of them good.
Nothing says “time to hang out with my friends” like a new album from People Under The Stairs.
This is the group that, for me, revived hip-hop in the early 2000s when it was for all intensive purposes, dead. Coming out of L.A. and bringing all of laid back sunshine, chill vibes, and green smoke you’ve come to expect from the easy-livin land to the west.
PUTS (Thes One and Double K) came out in the late 90s with The Next Step and 5 albums since have been regarded as one of the top acts in underground hip hop along with other acts such as Aesop Rock, Hieroglyphics, Digible Planets, Pharcyde. and so forth.
In short, this is what hip-hop is supposed to be. Smooth, melodic instrumentals, carefully crafted beats, and rhymes about nothing else than hanging out with friends, sipping on some cold beverages, examining the green documents, and seeing where the night takes you. And so, a People primer for the weekend.
There’s nothing quite like taking stab into the endless ocean of new music and coming up with your hands full of great stuff.
So Seek Magic is a great new EP from a great new band, Memory Tapes. Equal parts Cut Copy and Fleet Foxes, with a little more jazzy feel. These guys have great vocals over a smooth synth backbone. While a little less poppy than their Australian counterparts, some of these songs are just screaming to be remixed.
DISCLAIMER: Yes, this is a Modest Mouse post. Yes, you can probably find this elsewhere as they are popular, easily found on the Internet, and typically much less obscure than the stuff we normally like to toss up here.
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will blog for food
That being said, this is a new Modest Mouse album and it is awesome. Awesome in all the ways that made you like them in the first place; catchy, folksy, occasionally depressing, and altogether redeeming.
More than enough songs in an 8-track release that you’ll find yourself listening to as you discuss worldly issues with your friends at 3am.
More than enough songs that will have you listening again and again.
Shit happpens. Like exploding your car while racing a McClaren Mercedes at 4am at speeds exceeding 200 miles an hour.
The key is not to panic. Chill out, collect yourself (literally), listen to The xx, and run as fast as you possibly can.
But seriously, xx by The xx is a great way to take a few minutes and get it together. Equal parts Chris Issac, Marcy Playground, and Interpol; just what the doctor ordered to escape your flaming wreck of a Wednesday.
Y’know, just hours ago I was complaining that all of the best new music I’ve found was so depressing / couch inducing (see previous post). Depressing music is ok and all, but goddammit it’s hump day and I need something to get through the rest of the week. Maybe it’s not Friday rage inducing (see upcoming megamix), but good enough to get get excited for tomorrow.
Luckily, someone in the vast world of the Internets was listening, and down came Wild Beasts to pull me out of the mid-week vacuum. A pleasant surprise of an album through and through, reminds me at times of VHS or Beta + female vocalist (see song 2) and other times a whole different…animal.
Might as well enjoy it while we still got the taste dancing on our tongues
What happens when popular Italian electronic artists are bitten by radioactive remixing spiders?
wall adhesive powers included
You get the Bloody Beetroots. Their new album, Romborama is tuned for your next party, including a bunch of quality guest appearances by a wide range of artists including The Cool Kids and Steve Aoki. Good luck not breaking something.
Neon Indian. Created by random pair from Austin and Brooklyn, and just what you need to come down from your summer of poor life decisions. Think Air France crashed into MGMT’s place nearby and the sad people that climbed out of the wreckage decided to start creating lo-fi electro.
