This was supposed to be a Comedown Sunday, then it was going to be a Comedown Monday, but now today is Tuesday so it's just a really chill song. Fakest Year Ever, (love that title) by New Jersey hip hop producer Clams Casino, is a downtempo instrumental jam driven by bending guitars, a steady piano accompaniment, and even well-placed synthetic woodwinds. Oh, and it's really good. Sometimes I feel like I'm having the fakest year ever; Clam Casino's production perfectly captures those moments of detachment, when I pause to tell myself "just take it easy." Clams Casino's The Rainforest EP comes out at the end of June on Tri Angle.
[found via Potholes in My Blog]
Hi everyone, this is my first blog as a member of the Loose Lips family so I’ll give you a quick bio about myself so I’m not just some random words on a web page. First off, my name’s Sean, I’m from Toronto (Canada, I think there’s at least one other city by that name in the U.S.), so if you’re wondering why I spell colour with an ‘ou’ – now you know. I’m in my early twenties and I’m currently trying to sweep up the last few bits of a business degree so that I can hopefully get a job that has absolutely nothing to do with my major. Professional blogger anyone? This gig just doesn’t cut it pay-wise. That’s probably enough for now… on to the nerve-racking first song of my time here:
I chose to make my first post about a song from my homeland, actually he’s from a few kilometers down the road from where I was born. Shad, or Shad K is a Canadian hip hop artist from London, Ontario, whose career has been picking up steam as of late. I was first introduced to his talents when I saw him open up for another artist about four or five years ago at a show in T.O. and was immediately blown away. What really separated him from artists I’d seen/heard in the past was when he picked up an acoustic guitar and proceeded to spit some of the most amazing bars I’d ever heard while playing a reasonably intricate guitar part. That song is called Rock To It if you’re inclined to hear it. Ever since I’ve been hooked and lately a lot more people have started to catch the Shad itch.
The reason Shad stands out from the pack is his ability to take on a variety of topics while providing wordplay that has you playing the song over and over just to make sure you got everything. The song that I’m posting – Rose Garden - is a perfect example of this, and his other strong point: His beat selection is always on point. The sample (you’ll come to realize I love finding the samples of hip hop songs) I believe is from an old country cover of (I Never Promised You A) Rose Garden by Dobie Gray, the best known version was performed by Lynn Anderson. This song was the lead single of his 2010 album TSOL that won him a Juno (Canada’s less prestigious version of the Grammy’s) for Best Hip Hop Album over Drake (thank God!). If you like the song, check out his other stuff and buy the album! It’s worth the money and Shad definitely still falls under the starving artist category. Last thing: Check out the video for Rose Garden, it’s pretty awesome.
I wrote about Morgan Kibby, a.k.a. White Sea, a few months back when I featured her stomping powerhouse Ladykiller and an accompanying Gigamesh remix. Now I've got another song to share with you, the second single off her This Frontier EP, called Mountaineer. Remember how I said that she's the girl from M83? Well you can definitely hear it in this single. Mountaineer is nearly a complete 180 from Ladykiller, replacing the latter's dark, sexy strut with delicate picking guitars, ethereal synths, and Morgan's voice floating lyrics of teen dreams (very reminiscent of Saturdays=Youth) and disappearing in to the night. A not-to-miss for any M83 fan, or really anyone who is a fan of soaring melodic electronic pop. Which, as far as I'm concerned, should be everyone.
Another success story from our neighbors to the north, Canada’s The Rural Alberta Advantage has found its folk-tinged indie rock in heavy rotation in my playlist as of late. Departing, the band’s sophomore effort, was released in March on Saddle Creek Records. Even though it’s not quite as uniformly awesome as the ’09 debut, it still features some of the RAA’s best work. As a whole, the band is cohesive and fun to listen to. Singer Nils Edenloff’s vocal style is somewhere in between Neutral Milk Hotel and The Tallest Man on Earth, and it absolutely works. It’s the surrounding members who make this possible – The Rural Alberta Advantage is a trio and they’ve obviously achieved that hard-to-master three-piece sound. So many bands try to trick themselves up in search of being the next epic band; to be the next Arcade Fire or Broken Social Scene or whatever (Canadian powerhouses!). The RAA is a well-rounded group that packs a punch when it comes to indie rock, but knows when to slow it down and tug on heartstrings.
The first single off the record, Stamp, might just be my favorite song to date by the Toronto indie rockers. It’s definitely the rock-influenced apex of the record, fast paced and full of driving force. Stamp is a song that won’t take long to get stuck in your head, and I haven’t wanted it out of mine at all in the past week. There’s not much more to ask for in a song these days than it sounding great. There’s meaningful lyrics, pulsing guitars, righteous drum fills and killer cool keyboards. Oh, and the girl in the band is hot. Just sayin’.
Dallas, are you ready for more disco? Of course you are. (I'm imagining a raucous chorus of whoops and "yeah!"'s here.) Well good news. This Wednesday, Treasure Fingers, Atlanta's reigning filter king (actually, he might be the US' to be quite honest) is making a stop in The Big D. Last time he came through town, about a year ago when he played Lizard Lounge, the turnout was criminal. Let's not have that happen again, eh? I caught him a few months ago in Paris, and his set was absolutely fantastic; thus I can guarantee you Wednesday is going to be a good time. Nay, an excellent time.
The best news about this event is it's free if you're 21+. Actually, the best news is that Treasure Fingers is going to be in our city...so the second-best news is that it's free.
Recently I've noticed something about myself: whenever I'm listening to a song that just blows my mind, I unconsciously bite my lower lip and wrinkle my nose. It looks much akin to this. This physical reaction is my ultimate measure of a song's awesomeness, and so I've decided to start classifying songs that garner this type of reaction as 'lip-biters.' Lip-Biters are gold star, two thumbs up, blue ribbon type tunes. The bi-continental collaborative group Ride The Universe (made up of Germany's Digitalfoxglove and LA's Fiero) ring in this new classification system with their remix of Chromeo's Hot Mess. It's a winner, all right. Just wait until the beat drops a minute in, and chances are it'll get a physical reaction out of you, too.
Some people have a natural ability when it comes to songwriting, and even though he's had a lot of time to perfect it - Jonah Matranga is definitely one of those. The Massachusetts-born musician moved to California in '87 and has been there cranking out kick-ass tunes ever since. More recently, he's dropped his Onelinedrawing moniker and has embraced some pretty innovated practices in making music. He'll take requests for covers, craft a personal song for you if you want, or even make a whole album with you - for the right price. Jonah's latest album, You're All Those Things And Then You're None, was recorded as two versions. The first time through was a super minimalistic approach - just Jonah and an acoustic guitar. It's the second version, though, that really puts a smile on my face. The songs are the same, but completely fleshed out with the help of over 50 people from around the world. Did I mention Jonah has never even met most of these people?
Secret World is nothing out of the ordinary for the singer-songwriter; it’s witty, fun and super catchy. I love all of Jonah’s work, but it’s the songs that are easy relate to that I listen to over and over. This time it’s a jam about love, and thankfully Jonah keeps it super poppy and positive. Everyone knows what it’s like to share a private world with someone and how fragile it can be. Secret World shows that even at 41, Jonah can still craft songs with the same vigor and message as he did when he first hit the scene. Listen to Secret World and make sure to check out Jonah Matranga’s expansive online store, which he runs himself. You can buy either version of You’re All Those Things… or even request any version of any song Jonah has ever recorded through the years.
Finally, after months of waiting, today marks the release of Peter & The Magician's (the nu-disco power duo comprised of Yuksek and The Magician) Twist. If you want a memory refresher, I said a few words on the collaboration and the song back here. It's out on Kitsuné Maison Compilaition 11: The Indie-Dance Issue. I'm not sure this disco tune is quite 'Indie Dance,' but you can be sure it's amazing, whatever genre it is. Dance track of the summer? Perhaps of the year.
A month ago I posted up the first-ever LOOSE L!PS M!X with the promise that there would be more to come. Well, here's the second! While last months was all about 'Spring Music,' this one is all for summer. Specifically, my favorite summertime activity: being completely and utterly useless while lounging by the pool. As far as I'm concerned, it isn't really summer until I'm propped up with a book by the side of that crystal-clear chlorinated water, smelling like tanning oil and without a care in the world. Here's a playlist for those moments. At just under an hour long and filled with breezy, dreamy electro. It's perfect, uplifting background music while also being chill enough to allow you to nod off for a mid-day nap. This mix is tested and true (though certainly not tired) : Though a few of these songs are new, the majority are from last summer, where they faithfully served as my daily playlist.
// You can preview/stream/listen-to-on-your-iPhone the entire mix via 8tracks. The player is embedded above. get it on your iPhone via the 8tracks App.
// You can download the entire playlist (minus the Moullinex track--you'll have to buy that on Beatport here) below in a Zip Folder.
// Or, if you're the type that doesn't like to commit to 12 new songs at once, you can download a choice handful by clicking on the track names in blue below.
LOOSE L!PS M!X 02: Take It To The Pool
An hour's worth of easy breezy dreamy music,
meant to accompany every poolside bronzing session of summer.
Tracklist:
1. Sometimes (G.L.O.V.E.S. Remix) - Miami Horror 2. Heatwave - Fabian
3. Cruisin' - Zimmer
4. Tear Club - Moullinex
5. Keep On Shining - CSLSX 6. Hot Girlz In Love - FM Attack
7. Unspoken (Anoraak Remix) - Pacific!
8. Proof - Banxter
9. I Think I Like U 2 - Jamaica
10. Hammock - Million Young 11. Destination Pt. 1 - Damn Arms
12. In Love With You - The Paradise
*If you like this mix, be sure to check out the blogs Binary and Kiyoshi. At least 50% of these songs of from one of those blogs. They're both fantastic. Binary also provided me with the sexy picture, so if you're into hot girls in minimal clothing to accompany your music, it is the blog for you.
Now, take it to the pool!
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Junior Boys are a Canadian electronc duo who have been around forever (well, since the early 2000s), and released 3 albums to varying degrees of brilliance. Their latest album, It's All True is due June 14th on Domino Records. Banana Ripple is the first single off the album, and marks a slight departure from the norm for the group because…it isn't overwhelming melancholy. In fact, it's almost bouncy. Turns out melody can be deceiving though, as Junior Boys pointed out on their Twitter with the statement: "very pleased that people are enjoying 'banana ripple'….our 'summerjam' about emotional meltdown"
Is this what emotional meltdown is supposed to sound like? If so, sign me up.
And just in case you're missing that melancholy, download the classic In The Morning. It is quite possibly the sexiest song of all time, off their 2006 album So This Is Goodbye, which is probably the sexiest album of all time.
I have to say, I don't listen to a lot of hip hop - I really wish I did. Regardless, I'm a big fan of all things Anticon Records. And I don't know how it slipped past me, but there's a big release coming from the Oakland-based, hip-hop centric label. Finally, there's a new 13 & God record on the way, and it's coming out next week. It's only been six years since we've heard anything from the electronic/hip hop supergroup. The collaboration continues between Themselves' underground hip hop and the electronic, indie-rock crooners from Germany - The Notwist. Old Age is the first single from new record Own Your Ghost, and it's a great indication of how the finished product will sound. It may be a little lighter than the heavy atmosphere of the 2005 release. The track is more or less like a Notwist song on steroids - the beats more refined and prominent, and Markus Acher's vocals definitely revitalized since The Notwist's 2008 release. The Devil, You + Me. Old Age is another great addition to the incoming slew of summertime songs. It's warm, upbeat and I can't get enough. It's an absolutely refreshing feeling to hear material from either side of 13 & God's coin. I'm just glad to be hearing it like this.
Guys, something wonderful has happened. Every band that I truly loved in 2007 has made a return to the scene this year. First there was the Strokes, then Justice, then Death From Above 1979, then Beiruit announced album plans, Daft Punk's tour is imminent, and now, Matt Pond PA is back! You'd think I'd want to move on to fresh and shiny young things, but I cannot get enough of my old guard. And this Matt Pond PA? Oh it is perfect. I've been looking for upbeat, non-electronic spring music for the past month, and Love To Get Used is the answer. It's not that I don't like electronic music (obviously), but when I'm looking for something to accompany sunny skies and walks in the park, I tend to look for songs that feel a little more organic. This song is exactly what I'm looking for: big and bright, with a strong kick, dancing guitars, and collaborative vocals from Austin's Ariel Abshire (look at that alliteration; heaven). One of Pond's greatest singles to date, I honestly can't listen to this song without beaming. It makes me want to be in love. Or I guess, just give love to get used.
Love To Get Used is a single off of Pond's new EP, Spring Fools. Buy the EP here, and look out for Pond's summer tour, hopefully coming to a city near you!
You want more pop? Ok. Here's a beautiful little song I picked up over a month ago at Neon Gold, the NY-based label and blog known for their impeccable taste in pop acts. Keeping up with the trend, this song by Brooklyn's Savoir Adore is nothing short of magical. It's got a melancholic whimsy tied together by subtle, swirling synths and boy-girl vocal harmonies, making it of those odd little songs with sad lyrics but candy-sweet melodies. There's a dichotomy of form versus function here, such that your head is confused about having such a melancholic song stuck in it, but it sounds so good that in the end your heart wins out. Forget the lyrics and let this bright number be your new springtime staple. Savoir Adore's second album is to be released later this year, on Cantora Records. In the meantime, get Sparrow below, pick up their first LP here, and head over to their website to download the equally-as-sweet Loveliest Creature for free.
So, I screwed up. A week ago, I travelled from Paris to London in the middle of my exams week to see one of my all-time favorite bands, Death From Above 1979, after having waited 6 years for the opportunity. It was kind of a precarious situation time-wise: I had to get to London and back in 16 hours, just before my next exam was supposed to start. I knew I was cutting it close, but it was going to be worth it. So worth it. DFA1979 were the band, after all, who's ferocious and sexually aggressive anthems soundtracked my 'fuck the world' teenage years. (I was only 15 and hating everyone when You're A Woman, I'm A Machine was released.) The good news is, I made all of my trains and aced my tests. The bad news is: even though I had made it across the channel, and had been in London for a good 3 hours prior…I still somehow managed to miss the show.
And now? Now I can't even listen to DFA1979. What started as a simple miscalculation of to-the-gig-travel-time has become the ultimate 'you idiot' moment of recent memory, and I'm so miffed by the whole situation (SIX YEARS) that I find myself as-of-yet unable to play DFA1979, my ultimate beat-things-up music, for fear of becoming even more frustrated. But, there's hope. This hope comes in the form of a band called Knight Stalker, a trio based out of Los Angeles. They've been mailing me songs for months and I've rudely been ignoring them, until the other day I noticed a song in my library of theirs which claimed to feature vocals by Sebastien Grainger, the legend. Unable to listen to DFA, but still craving that croon, I swallowed my pride and put it on. Good choice. Bankok Hilton [sic] is a fuzzy piece of dark disco; sleazy yet dangerously sexy, indeed much akin to Thai hookers. This isn't music for beating things up, but damn is it good. I still haven't tried listening to DFA yet, but with this I'm totally ok for the time being.
In addition to collaborations, Knight Stalker also have a slew of impressive original work, encompassing a wide range of styles from lo-fi rock to house-influenced electro. Be sure to check out their funky, filtered piece of dancefloor heaven, We Don't Care.
In addition to psychedelic disco, Leno also makes some psychedelic doodles.
When I first heard Leno Lovecraft, I wasn't quite sure what to think. Well, besides "What the hell?" Take for example the track Princess, the first single off Leno's debut EP, out today on Paris' Maman Records. What starts off as gay (I mean homosexual) italo disco--complete with the lyrics "I'll be your Princess, sleeping on your spaceship made of crystal"--launches into the sunniest, bounciest chorus this side of Jupiter. It might be a bit bizarre at first listen (hence the previous expletive), but it ends up being pure fun. His entire debut EP adheres to that formula--an initial uncertainty followed by the inevitable succumbing of your judgement and your body to the pure, bright, joyful (albeit perhaps a bit strange) work of Leno. This is disco for those of you with a sense of humor and a penchant for fanfare. It's completely unlike anything else out there right now and sees Leno is carving out his own psychedelic, technicolor niche. It's the type of music I'd expect to be playing as I frolicked in a field of luminescent flowers on some distant moon. Wait, did I just use the word frolic? And did I really namecheck that scenario? Check out Leno Lovecraft, and you'll understand why.
Stream Princess on the player, then be sure to go buy the EP HERE.
Let it be said: I love pop music.
I used to think I was too cool for pop. My junior high years had me realizing I was 'way ahead of my time,' and so were filled with music from the New York garage rock revivalism movement; high school saw me turning to post-rock and post-hardcore (so many posts) to fuel my teen angst; while the beginning of college saw me start doing drugs and thus turn into a little raver (I still have David Guetta in my top-3-most-played on my Last.FM profile to show for it…ugh). But today, I'm older, sober, and only wish I were too cool. So now? I'm all about the feel-good. And that's why I love pop music. Because it too is all about the feel good.
Then imagine how excited I was this week when not only one but TWO amazing pop songs were released, by none other than the leaders of the feel-good music pack, LOOSE L!PS favorites Gigamesh and RAC. (In case you missed them, check out past words on Gigamesh here and RAC here.) This week saw them both drop remixes for Los Angeles' Foster the People, who's debut album, Torches, is set for release May 24. Gigamesh and RAC both had the opportunity to work their magic on two upcoming singles, and the results don't just feel good, they feel GREAT. RAC's remix of Houdini, sees Andre's production tasteful as ever, but this time incorporating a healthy dose of disco--the world's second-greatest genre. It's considerably more dramatic than the original, complete with an urgent baseline and an acapella chorus commanding you to "focus on your ability," and to get out to the dance floor. Gigamesh's remix of Pumped Up Kicks, on the other hand is, well…pumped up. Exuberant keys and claps, coupled with a driving beat should have your hands in the air and a smile on your face in 5 easy, breezy minutes.
To download the RAC remix, click the downward-pointing arrow followed by the "Buy" button on the Player. I promise, it's really free. Foster The People - Houdini (RAC Mix) by RAC
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Here's something we've been waiting for for a while. A new track off of SebastiAn's upcoming debut LP was just premiered last night on the BBC's Radio 1. Here's a radio rip of the new single, titled Love In Motion, courtesy of the French blog SeekSickSound. Featuring soulful crooner Mayer Hawthorne on vocals, it's deep funk bass line, filtered guitars, and overtly sexual Prince-esque vocal colorations make it perfect baby-making music. Yeah, this is sexy. Between Embody and now this, it seems as though this upcoming album, Total, out May 30th on Ed Banger, will be everything we hoped for...and perhaps even a bit more.
Maybe it's just because I like the name (it reminded me of a certain David Bazan), but when I got an e-mail from singer-songwriter Grandpa Was a Lion, I made sure to check it out. Although the sound is a lot more folkier than the aforementioned lion of another name, Brooklyn's Justin D'Onofrio has a handful of interesting and witty tunes in his arsenal. Apparently, he recorded most of his stuff with an old iBook, a cheap mic and a tape deck. The super lo-fi atmosphere of D'Onofrio's work is why it works so well, and what gives it so much charm. Not to mention, the songs are actually well-written.
Dancer, a track off Grandpa Was a Lion's The Whalestoe Tapes, is definitely one of the highlights of the Connecticut native's work. It's easy to get absolutely lost a couple minutes into the song after the buildup - D'Onofrio starts layering even more vocals (a recurring theme of his). It's simple stuff from a guy in a basement who lacks any real professional equipment. What he doesn't lack is the ability to craft some really heartfelt songs. I think that's what makes it so damn endearing.
Check out Grandpa Was a Lion's bandcamp and give this guy's music a listen.
Lack of posts, but not only am I super busy, I'm rather uninspired. I just have no time for new music because I can't stop listening to Kanye's My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy. This happens every once in awhile, just because it is potentially the greatest album of the decade. Perhaps of our generation. Don't fight me on this.
Here's an edit of the infamous and amazing Monster. Every one knows Nicki Minaj's verse is the best part of the song, and this edit whittles the 6-minutes-plus number down to 3.5, showcasing Minaj's spit in all of its deserved glory. I didn't make this edit, I actually can't remember where I found it (if you made it email me and I'll credit you), but whoever did...thank you.
