The Hundred In The Hands

I have the biggest crush on ELEANORE EVERDELL'S VOICE! HOT! The Hundred In The Hands straight out Brooklyn just signed with Warp Records and are out with a new EP titled 'This Desert' that kills it! I REALLY LOVE IT. I picked my 3 faves below but it was a tough call as every song is good! For my Cali & NYC peeps - they are touring in your respective hoods next week so I would go to a show if you can make it! Do it for me! Love from Sydney x

Building in L.O.V.E

Sleepwalkers

Ghosts

Moss Of Aura

Moss Of Aura is J. Gerrit Welmers, keyboardist for Future Islands. His most recent album, March, is full of tropical instrumental jams that are beautifully layered and filled with subtlety. If you dig Future Islands, you'll love this... it's the type of music that just begs to be listened to around this time of year.

Every track on the album is great, but here are three of my favorites.

Moss Of Aura - Team

Moss Of Aura - Shallow

Moss Of Aura - Climb

TO DOWNLOAD: Click the link(s) above & then click the 'Download' link in the top right corner of the box.net web page that appears.

William Fitzsimmons

Lil Stel asked me to play this song.  She was putting on her make-up.  I put the song on, and she then proceeded to run her hair dryer.  Noise pop in front of the mirror.

William Fitzsimmons - So This Is Goodbye (Pink Ganter Mix)

TO DOWNLOAD: Click the link(s) above & then click the 'Download' link in the top right corner of the box.net web page that appears.

Ellie Goulding - Guns & Horses (Tonka Radio Edit)

So, Ellie Goulding does not need much of an introduction.  To be frank, I recently have been feeling a bit of Ellie overload, same goes for Marina & the Diamonds.  Maybe its the female voice singing over synthy beats, I dunno.

Well, I'm back on board thanks to Tonka's remix of Guns & Horses.  Tonka, a German producer, keeps the original song structure mostly in place but adds a nice house beat in place of the original composition, bringing audible images of "Mr. Synth- Pop" himself, Fred Falke, to mind.

Check it out, it's Saturday!

Ellie Goulding - Guns & Horses (Tonka Radio Edit)

TO DOWNLOAD: Click the link(s) above & then click the 'Download' link in the top right corner of the box.net web page that appears.

Gorillaz

For whatever reason - most likely their commercial success and substantial branding - I have avoided the Gorillaz.  Well, until now.  Their most recent album, Plastic Beach, is actually quite good.  I have included two of my favorite tracks off the album below, one of which guest stars Little Dragon.  Pretty cool.

Gorillaz - On Melancholy Hill

Gorillaz - Empire Ants (featuring Little Dragon)

TO DOWNLOAD: Click the link(s) above & then click the 'Download' link in the top right corner of the box.net web page that appears.

Elite Gymnastics

Elite Gymnastics just released their first EP, Real Friends.  I like what these these 2 dudes from Minneapolis are doing, perhaps because I am having trouble labeling their sound as electro, chillwave, pop or anything for that matter.

Have a listen to three tracks off the EP and let me know what you think.

Elite Gymnastics - If U Love Me

Elite Gymnastics - Real Friends

Elite Gymnastics - Is This On Me?

TO DOWNLOAD: Click the link(s) above & then click the 'Download' link in the top right corner of the box.net web page that appears.

CocoRosie - Lemonade

 
































I really love CocoRosie's Grey Oceans album, especially the song "Lemonade" as I think their subtle voices are super relaxing against the dark beats. I give them props on their attempt at pushing the boundaries on the creative side, however I think they failed as the whole "i have a gnar gnar 'stache on my face" thing is straight up FUGLY. I dunno, I think the video for "Lemonade" is welldone and beautiful, but would be much cooler without the 'staches - you tell me!


CocoRosie - Lemonade


TO DOWNLOAD: Click the link(s) above & then click the 'Download' link in the top right corner of the box.net web page that appears.

A-Trak

Phucket Thailand! Yesterday A-Trak dropped a free 15 track mixtape called 'Dirty South Dance 2' that will indeedy ensure a sleepless night of dance and bad behavior. If you're into the NYC crunkish electro beats, then you'll be feeling what he's done this time around.

A-Trak - We Don't Want No Goblins

TO DOWNLOAD: Click the link(s) above & then click the 'Download' link in the top right corner of the box.net web page that appears. 

Sam Amidon

I usually reserve listening to soft, pretty, wistful music for the colder, darker, snowier months, but I've made an exception for this 28 year-old folk singer from Vermont. With a Will Oldham-esque delivery, Sam Amidon plays a stark and beautiful guitar or banjo while singing old folksy standards that you never thought could be so beautiful. His newest album, I See The Sign, has more original work, and its equally as good.

Below are two of my favorite tracks from his 2008 album All Is Well, along with a more recent R. Kelly cover. R. Kelly! I recently saw Sam Amidon live and he proclaimed that R. Kelly is the best songwriter of the decade. I think he may be right?

Sam Amidon - Saro

Sam Amidon - Wedding Dress

Sam Amidon - Relief (R. Kelly cover)

TO DOWNLOAD: Click the link(s) above & then click the 'Download' link in the top right corner of the box.net web page that appears.

Aislyn

Aislyn is the side project of Passion Pit keyboardist, Ian Hultquist and his girlfriend Sofia Degli Alessandri.  The Brooklyn couple produce original music as well as remixes.  Always a fan of a good remix, here are two of my favorites.

Neon Indian - 6669 (Aislyn Remix)

Freelance Whales - Generator 1st Floor (Aislyn Remix)

TO DOWNLOAD: Click the link(s) above & then click the 'Download' link in the top right corner of the box.net web page that appears.

Memory Tapes (Re-Mixed)

Memory Tapes are the hybrid of Weird Tapes and Memory Cassette, who hit the ground running late last year with the release of Seek Magic.  The album is great, and includes two tracks that I played on repeat repeat repeat - Bicycle and Green Knight.

The two tracks have just received the remix treatment by Little Loud and Vision of Trees, both producing out of, where else, LONDON!  Yep, I can't wait to call the sweet metropolis across the pond my home.  I'll see you in September...

I included the originals as well as the remixes, just because.

Memory Tapes - Bicycle (Album Version)
Memory Tapes - Bicycle (Little Loud Remix)

Memory Tapes - Green Knight (Album Version)
Memory Tapes Green Knight (Vision of Trees Remix)

TO DOWNLOAD: Click the link(s) above & then click the 'Download' link in the top right corner of the box.net web page that appears.

The Kids Are Alright

I'm really loving this Passion Pit jam these days, due in no small part to the foot-tapping refrain of kids (or maybe just grown-ass folks who sound like kids ) chanting "higher and higher and higher!" When children are yelling about kicking your song into high gear you don't ask questions.. you just do it.

Here are some other killer tracks that employ tiny grownups. Am I missing any good ones?

Passion Pit - Little Secrets

Pnau - Baby

XTC - Dear God

Jay-Z - Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem)

TO DOWNLOAD: Click the link(s) above & then click the 'Download' link in the top right corner of the box.net web page that appears.

Bye Bye Blackbird

In honor of Mother's Day, here are a few new tracks as beautiful as the women who raised us.

Bye Bye Blackbird is a one man band making a totally infectious type of blissed-out electronic pop music.  And to make things even better, he's from San Francisco.   The dude is signed to Arcade Sound LTD, who also happen to have Your New Neighbor favorites Million Young and Memoryhouse on the bill as well.  The comparisons between Bye Bye Blackbird and Million Young are immediate.

Enjoy these and love your mom...

Bye Bye Blackbird - Happy High

Bye Bye Blackbird - So Sorry, Girl

Bye Bye Blackbird - Pure

If you dig the sound, you can go ahead and download the EP for free right here, along with some other great Arcade Sound bands, including Million Young and Memoryhouse.

TO DOWNLOAD: Click the link(s) above & then click the 'Download' link in the top right corner of the box.net web page that appears.

Nap Time

I included these two tracks on an iTunes playlist titled "Nap Time."  Anytime I come across songs that might be nice to fall asleep to, I add them to the playlist.   Now, that said, these two songs certainly would fit well into other playlists, i.e. "Sandy Feet," "Sunday Brunch," "Baja," "Family Heirlooms," or "Frozen Lemonade."

You get the idea.  Take a listen and enjoy your R&R, whenever you have the chance.

Frankie & the Heartstrings - Fragile

Pool Holograph - Fireworked Beach 

TO DOWNLOAD: Click the link(s) above & then click the 'Download' link in the top right corner of the box.net web page that appears.

Kavinsky v. Breakbot

Yes! I am feeling this track, and was happy to play it last night. Thank you Mr. Walker for passing it my way, and for sticking it out last night at Erase All Texts from start to finish. And thank you Lucas Walters for visiting us last night behind the decks. Rad times...

Kavinsky's new track "Nightcall", mixed by SebastiaN, produced by Daft Punk’s Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo and featuring CSS’s Lovefoxx, is a bit toned down from what we're used to hearing from the Frenchman. However, I'm a fan of the slow down, and especially a fan of this song. Breakbot, who has remixed Sebastian Tellier, PNAU and AIR, among others, took the original and added his own touch. We're left with one hell of a summer disco pop track...add this to your "on repeat."

Kavinsky - Nightcall (Breakbot Remix)

Here's another remix by Breakbot, this time of Sebastian Tellier. The dude always turns water into wine, or rather, wine into brandy ... since the originals are intoxicating to begin with.

Sebastian Tellier - Roche (Breakbot Remix)

TO DOWNLOAD: Click the link(s) above & then click the 'Download' link in the top right corner of the box.net web page that appears.

Cam'ron

Is it really ever a bad time for anti-snitchin' crusader Cam'ron? This first track kind of came and went a while back without making much of a splash, but its got summer jam written all over it. Here's some old school Cam'ron too... the more Cam'ron the better amiright?

Cam'ron - I Hate My Job

Cam'ron - Hey Ma

TO DOWNLOAD: Click the link(s) above & then click the 'Download' link in the top right corner of the box.net web page that appears.

Pierre Paulin - Summer Nights Mix

Since the weather seems to be warming up everywhere these days, I figured a mix was in order to help extend those hot summer days into warm summer nights.

I envision this mix being played at sunset, with a bucket of beers accompanying the transition from light to dark. Ahhh, the beauty of imagination...

Pierre Paulin - Summer Nights Mix

Most of the songs included in the mix have been posted on this blog. Mix track-list below (w/ links to download):

Wild Nothing - Chinatown
Delorean - Stay Close
Fan Death - Goodbye Horses (Q Lazarus Cover)
Ariel Pink - Round & Round
Memoryhouse - To the Lighthouse (Million Young Remix)
Hot Spa - Kiola Beach
Bruce Springsteen - Tougher Than the Rest (M Vogel Mix)
Kavinsky - Nightcall (Breakbot Remix)
Phoenix - Fences (Def Star Remix)
El Perro Del Mar - Change of Heart (Rakamonie Remix)
Discovery - So Insane

TO DOWNLOAD: Click the link(s) above & then click the 'Download' link in the top right corner of the box.net web page that appears.

Body Language

Brooklyn's own Body Language is Angelica Bess, Ian Chang, Grant Wheeler & Matthew Young, a four-piece that cut their teeth as a Brooklyn party act and remixing the likes of Passion Pit and Theophilus London, who they also backed up live on his tour, dressed as The Lovers. Back now to doing their own thing, with a LP out soon, the electronic indie crossover act is worth keeping track of.

Here's two remixed Body Language tracks. The Toro y Moi mix of "At A Glance" is laid back, while the Sammy Bananas and Yes Giantess mixes of "Work This City" are cut out for the late night house-party dance-party...aka, the best kind of dance party.

Body Language - At a Glance (Toro y Moi Remix)

Body Language - Work This City (Sammy Bananas Remix)

Body Language - Work This City (Yes Giantess Remix)

TO DOWNLOAD: Click the link(s) above & then click the 'Download' link in the top right corner of the box.net web page that appears.

Taken By Trees v. Memory Tapes

Taken by Trees is the solo project of Victoria Bergsman, former lead singer for The Concretes. Her Sweedish indie-folk music is a nice compliment to the warmth of Summer evenings...especially when Memory Tapes add their own subtle two cents.

Taken By Trees - Watch the Waves (Memory Tapes Remix)

TO DOWNLOAD: Click the link(s) above & then click the 'Download' link in the top right corner of the box.net web page that appears.

Bibio

Bibio is Stephen Wilkinson, a British producer and songwriter who makes a nice blend of electronic and folk music. His influences range from Boards of Canada to mid-century British Folk. Incorporate those influences along with his own found sounds and field recordings, and you get a unique sound altogether...and the perfect blend for summer.

Here are two track's off his most recent album, Ambivalence Avenue, including the title track.

Bibio - Ambivalence Avenue

Bibio - Lovers' Carvings

TO DOWNLOAD: Click the link(s) above & then click the 'Download' link in the top right corner of the box.net web page that appears.

Caribou

For some reason I never really got into Caribou (aka Dan Snaith and friends). After listening to their new album Swim, I feel like a grade-A dillhole. Its sinister melodies and layers upon layers of sonic catchiness make for a pretty stellar album. There are elements of many different genres and eras of music (disco, psych rock, minimal techno, 60s pop), and they work together seamlessly. Plus, any music made by a guy in that jacket holding a giant molecule HAS to be good!

Caribou - Odessa

Caribou - Found Out

Caribou - Leave House

Kid Cudi + Bob Dylan

A nice Sunday song for your day off. Bob Dylan provides the beat, and Kid Cudi does the rest....

Kid Kudi - High's N Lows

TO DOWNLOAD: Click the link(s) above & then click the 'Download' link in the top right corner of the box.net web page that appears.

Wild Nothing

I had heard of Virginia native, Jack Tatum's Wild Nothing last September after their release of "Cloudbusting", which I enjoyed tremendously. However, I nearly wet myself when I got my hands on their new single "Chinatown". This little pop jam with a repetitive, but catchy guitar hook could possibly be the song of the Summer.

Wild Nothing - Chinatown

Wild Nothing - Cloudbusting

Erase All Texts, 05.06.10

Sleigh Bells

I have to agree with Pitchfork:

"If you're half awake get ready to be wide awake. "Tell 'Em" is the first track from 2010's promising purveyors of all things loud and pop, Sleigh Bells. Fair warning: This thing will rumble your insides if played at high volumes, i.e. the more of those tiny boxes on your laptop screen are white, the better it sounds."

Sleigh Bells - Tell em