Audio Bullys - We Don't Care (House/Electronic)

This one is a big blast from the past for me. Audio Bullys is an electronic music duo from London that began in 2003 with their debut album Ego War. They released another popular album in 2010 called Higher than Eiffel, and in 2012 announced that one of the two (Thomas Dinsdale) had left the group. Nonetheless, this particular track has that early 2000s, Fatboy Slim feel, and it was featured on the SSX 3 soundtrack (where I first heard it). It's a pretty good song, and the SSX games all had a pretty killer soundtrack if you feel like checking them out. Here's We Don't Care (there's a music video too, but embedding is disabled by request).

CHLLNGR - "Datter" Yalls Remix (Dub/R&B/Electronica))

CHLLNGR, Copenhagen based producer, has been rapidly rising through the ranks of producers with a slew of remixes and a debut EP entitled Haven released in May of 2011. He has a mellow and somewhat haunting sound and uses a lot of mournful samples and heavy synths layered on top of one another to produce a unique, murky feel. But to be honest, I'm posting this remix because of Yalls: I really like Yalls. Dan Casey comprises the whole of this funky, pop, ambient electronic band from Berkeley, California, and I recommend you peel open those heary things on the side of your head to both CHLLNGR and Yalls.

Armin Van Buuren ft. Ana Criado - Suddenly Summer (Heartbeat Remix) (Trance/Uplifting)

If you don't know who Armin Van Buuren is, you'll be surprised to learn that he's one of the most well known DJs in the entire world; he was #1 in DJ Magazine's top 100 in 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, and was second in 2011, and he hosts one of the most popular radio shows in the world A State of Trance with about 15 million weekly listeners. I was certainly surprised. Of course he's also Dutch because every mega famous DJ and their grandmother comes from Europe.

Anyways, he recently released a pretty solid track that I gave a listen. I always like these European super-DJs because they consistently produce really solid jams - there's no big cheesy hook, the songs dont revolve around some massive "uber-stinky" bass drop, and they're really designed just to rock out to for hours on end. If you listen too closely though you might become a little fed up with the female vocals - drop - plateau formula, but try not to listen to closely. Here's Suddenly Summer (Heartbreak Remix):

 

Rural Alberta Advantage (Canadian Indie Rock)

This is a very guilty post for me. I hadn't even heard of Alberta Rural Advantage until today, when I heard them on the radio, plebeian I know, and there was nothing unique from the average Canadian indie rock (sorry), but I was strangely attracted to it. That's what music is all about right? Enjoying yourself? Well I enjoyed this song.

The chord progression is simple, somewhat overused, but compelling nonetheless. The vocals are mostly lazy and soft, but sometimes bore that little Creed-esque edge that fills in some emotion to the track, and the lyrics are relatable but not overpoweringly present. Lay back and listen to In the Summertime, and be not ashamed.

Rural Alberta Advantage - In The Summertime

Little Women - Throat (Avant Garde/Contemporary)

So this album has a lot of people GOING CRAZY in the music world. Some people hate everything about it and ardently posit that anyone who listens to Throat is a pretentious fuck, and some people champion it's complete and smashing brilliance in all aspects and how it'll change your life after one listen: just take a look at this, or this.

Little Women, the men behind Throat, are a quartet from Brooklyn and are the self-proclaimed weirdest band in the world, but I am simply not moved one way or the other. Yes, this music is very weird, and it is also very cool as avant-garde goes, but at the same time it honestly sounds like it could have been completely improvised - you may be surprised what trained musicians can pull out of their butts when put on the spot. But apparently a LOT of people think this album is one of the greatest they've ever heard.

And history has seen a lot of this phenomenon: Anthony Burgess said he wrote a Clockwork Orange in only two weeks trying to pick up some extra cash, and it's hailed as one of the greatest books of all time. I'm not saying it's a bad book, I'm saying that just because it's weird and different doesn't mean it's genius. And if you've read Ayn Rand's The Fountainhead, you'll recognize this social pattern immediately. In the novel, the main villain takes control of a major media outlet to promote avant-garde writing and music, similar to Little Women,  as "only for the most advanced and infastidious citizen," and people completely buy into it, which drives the overall standard for art into the ground (the villain was a communist, by the way). I feel like that's happening here, people think they're really smart and advanced for liking this sort of music, and the more they praise it, the more people will respect them for their extraordinary musicality.

Personally, I don't buy into any of it. You can check out the album on Grooveshark, because I don't have it on my computer anymore.

Hope and Social - Sleep Sound (Indie/Alt Rock)

In perusing through the musical blogs of music that I peruse I noticed a little influx in new indie rock tracks; and I listened to all of them; and I decided they were all somewhat underwhelming. But they did all, however, remind me of this 4 year old, England-based band, Hope and Social, that I think deserves a little more publicity (not implying my blog counts as publicity).

To me, they are a breath of fresh air in the indie rock world as they generally stray away from the generic chord progressions you find in a lot of the radio-alternative anthems (I-V-vi-IV). In addition, they use a lot of different vocal styles, from full choruses to five part harmonies; they don't shy away from introducing new instruments to each track; and they infuse a healthy amount of that PunchBrothers/Mumford&Sons folk feel to create a relaxing new flavor. Check out their website hopeandsocial.com, and listen to my favorite song off of their first ever album Sleep Sound below:

Hope and Social - Sleep Sound

Joey BadA$$ ft. CJ Fly - Hardknock (Hip Hop)

Instead of trying to fit in the with electro-trap, hipster-hop trends popping up in new hip hop, Joey Badass takes us back to a more old school feel. Featuring production from big names like MF DOOM, Lewis Parker, and J. Dilla, Mr. BadA$$ maintains a 90s and early 2000s feel, and I really dig it. There's no yelling, no growling, no booties, just a beat that sits way back in the pocket and decent lyricism. If you like the song below try his mixtape 1999.


Joey BadA$$ ft. CJ Fly - Hardknock

Surkin - Never Let Go (House/Jam)

Just one post for today so I'm making it count. This song filled a little bit of a hole in my heart; like when you have a penchant for certain kind of music, a certain feel, but you don't know what it is and much less where it is. Surkin (Benoit Heitz - French house and electro DJ) sated my desires with his song Never Let Go Ft. Kevin Irving. It's a really solid jam that feels neither like straight electronica or like it's acoustic; and it just vibes as a single, solid piece of music, which is always a treat. The vocals are tight, the 80s-style bass is tight, the switching from cut time to double time is tight, the 80s drums are tight, the seagull sounds are tight, everything is just really tight, and it makes me want to dance. Give this song, and the rest of the album USA, a listen if you so desire.

Surkin - Never Let Go (Ft. Kevin Irving)

Diplo - Enter the Beat Portal Mix (Moombahton)

Diplo (Thomas Pentz) is a man in the electronic dance music industry I really respect. He has the brazen tenacity to pump out track after track after track working with people I've never heard of, producing tracks that always have something new, and just generally making his listeners want to get naked. He started his own record label called Mad Decent and has worked with a lot of celebrities with production or mixtape projects, and I'm sure we'll be seeing much more good stuff from him in years to come.

About two weeks ago he released a Beatport exclusive mix, which I will simply link and hope that you check him out - he lists a lot of tracks, and it would be arduous for me to plug them all here, so just shuffle your little butt on over there. He describes his intentions writing, "[For] The first half of this mix I wanted to highlight the lasted and greatest in moombahton while showcasing some of the classics. The second half is all bangers featuring tracks I've been playing to crowds all over the world."

Check out Diplo here: http://mixes.beatport.com/mix/1018

Noisia - Imperial EP (Drum and Bass)

A little more than a month ago, Noisia, a Dutch electronic music trio, released Imperiali, and it really lives up to Noisia's standard. Their Split the Atom is still one of my favorite drum and bass albums, and they continue the tradition of uptempo excellence here. They collaborated with German drum and bass producer Phace as well as with New Zealand DnB duo The Upbeats, which gave the cuts some nice, juicy variation, but it's still very much hardcore drum and bass with that busy, electro-style Noisia spin. I'd give it a listen.

Noisia & Phace - Imperial EP

Noisia - Tryhard

Noisia & The Upbeats - Dustup

Noisia - Containment