Sharon Van Etten - Your Love Is Killing Me

When it kicks off with its marching drums and funereal organs,

it almost sounds like a RZA concoction. Then that haunting 

voice cuts through and you realize one of indie folk's most

spellbinding singer-songwriters has returned

Off her fourth album 'Are We There' out May 27th

via Jagjaguwar, this stunner finds Sharon Van Etten

honing her mastery of magnetic melancholia. With

lyrics that are simple yet gut-busting and instrumentation

more lush than her last album, it is a miracle

how she fashions a doomed dysfunctional love into

a thing of grace and catharsis.

Royksopp & Robyn - Do It Again (Lyric Video)

It's kinda ridiculous the magnitude of this collaboration.
It is not the first time. Even more insane, their unions
have resulted in hits like "The Girl & The Robot"
and "None of Dem". "Do It Again" fits right into
the canon.

This earworm is from their upcoming mini-album
of the same name out May 26 via Cherrytree/Interscope.
Somehow Royksopp and Robyn have joined forces
to create a monstrosity that is a sexy electro party jam
doubling as a workout anthem.

Protein shake not needed....

HAIM - If I Could Change Your Mind (Cerrone Funk Mix)

HAIM made a great impression last year with Days Are Gone

their smashing debut. It showed a trio of young yet seasoned

performers taking a note from R&B and pop of the 70s and 80s. 

While HAIM have been remixed, the work of French disco legend

Cerrone sets itself apart from the rest.

Ross/Kanye/Sean - Sanctified (Brenmar Remix)

Kanye West already knocked this out the park when

he slid Rozay this gem. A lot of people were glad to see

him out of Yeezus-mode for the original version. Trust,

Brenmar to make the banger a lot more club friendly.

The way he uses the classic Rick Ross adlib to segway

out of the hook is truly masterful. Then he cherry picks

the best brashest lines from the song and turns them into a

sweaty manifesto.

100 million dollars and a bad bitch?

 Most certainly.

Leif Knowles - Dinas Oleu (Album)

If it took this guy 10 years in the music business to finally

drop an album, that shit better be bonkers. Luckily, this 

deep house beauty is worth the wait. 

DJ/Producer Leif Knowles has crafted a lush majestic journey

with 'Dinas Oleu' out now via Fear of Flying. This

is house music littered with orchestral flourishes, 

natural sounds, reverb, oddly rooted in ambient

downtempo chillout.

The engineering/production through out is a marvel.

It's not every time a mix just breathes like this.

Disclosure - Latch (DJ Premier Remix)

Disclosure's 'Settle' was one of the biggest dance/electronic 

albums of 2013. Not long since they announced that

they would be dropping a remix album, that we get hit

with, of all people, - DJ Premier's contribution.

Nothing else to say. It's DJ Premier.

Tinashe - Vulnerable (feat. Travi$ Scott) [VIDEO]

Tinashe just hit us with a third mixtape - Black Water,
to round out Reverie and In Case We Die,
both generally well received.
 Over a Boi-1da twilit trap soundscape, Tinashe
tells how she will get you in a vulnerable...position.

G.O.O.D. Music artist Travi$ Scott drops by
at the end and absolutely slaughter's
his verse.

It's up there for a rap and R&B collab.

AZEKEL - In The Zone '13

Your whiskey you will do neat but you'd like your R&B

with a twist. Fair enough, how about a Nigerian born

London based velvet voiced crooner? Moist yet?

Good. Say hi to AZEKEL.

Off his just released Circa EP via Generator and THNDR

LGHTNG Recordings, this cut is a slice of spacey soul

led by a subtle guitar riff, intergalactic synths and his

ridiculously smooth vocals.

Miguel, the Weeknd and all 'em better watch out....

Aluna George-Outlines

Fans of Disclosure or any London female vocalist over electronic loungey down-tempo beats will love this.  A painful, joyful, cliche-ful get over the person you were seeing. Let it go.

It's not like a déjà vu 
And it's not an illusion 
But sometimes I feel you through 
All the confusion 

It doesn't always make me feel sad 
But it never really makes me feel glad 
Because all the good times we had could never be back 

Caspian - (Hymn For) The Greatest Generation

Caspian, the instrumental post rock band from MA, fell upon
tough times recently with the passing of their bassist Chris Friedman
on Augusts 25. In the wake of that misfortune, they are prepping
the release of their new EP 'Hymn For The Greatest Generation'
teasing us with this majestic tune by the same name.

Their last album was voted Best Post Rock Album of 2012

by SPIN. Clearly, mourning or not, they have not lost a step,
taking us on a contemplative seven minute journey with
twinkling guitars slathered in reverb and decay, building gently
till they give way to the sweetest of sweeping strings.

Tom Neville & Zen Freeman featuring Aaron Paul - Dance Bitch

Now and then we all indulge in a novelty item, no matter

how frugal you are...or not. But what if that novelty item

was a song? A song that reminded us of the countless

hours we spent tracking the exploits of Walter and Jesse

from AMC's 'Breaking Bad'. Don't we need reminders

even more in the absence of what once was? 

Alright maybe this transcends being a novelty item.

While he was not always responsible or reliable, 

Jesse Pinkman could be counted on to expel the expletive

'bitch' with comforting regularity. Well, Tom Freeman and

Zen Freeman knew he would come through, to yell 

at you, several times over the course of this surprisingly

enjoyable electro-house joint -

"DANCE!..........bitch."

Here's proof that every club night needs a Jesse Pinkman.

LODRO - If Life Was Like A Movie

Just as Daft Punk wowed us this year with their big budget
major studio produced album, other artists are scaling down and
going dirty in the comfort of their modest Brooklyn apartments.

Comprised of Jeremy Cox and Jigmae Hann of Royal Baths
and  Lesley Hann of Friends, LODRO barely have tour plans
or an album in the works. But they are working, unfurling hazy
rocking jams influenced by noir films like
this lurching testament to trenchcoat swagger.

As if we haven't been inundated with enough new genres,
they have blessed us with this slice of 'neo noir punk'.
Skip the femme fatale in the red dress and
check out the rhythm section and that guitar riff.

FKA twigs - Papi Pacify (Video)

FKA twigs made quite a dent in the R&B landscape
last year when she dropped her EP. In four tracks,
this mysterious siren from Britain guided us through
her dark sensual R&B funhouse. Her next release
EP2 will be out 10/19/13 on Young Turks.

This new joint is a storm in slow motion produced
by Arca, fresh off his hand in Kanye West's 'Yeezus.'
With cavernous percussion, globs of reverb
and stately strings, he sets the stage for FKA twigs
to plea for a lover's assurance.

The video, directed by Tom Beard, features her in the arms
 of a burly ambiguously menacing dreaded lover whose
caresses border on sinister.

Better still, there are copious amounts of body glitter.
Let your jaw drop and finally admit....
you like glitter.

Freddie Gibbs & Madlib - Deeper

The pairing of Freddie Gibbs literally sounds like a no-brainer

though somewhat a left-field, unexpected move.

Who woulda thunk the Baby Face Killa, the last Mohican

of pure gangsta rap would ever coast over a blunted groove

from Stones' Throw incognegro Madlib? 

Few could have seen that coming.

Well, they actually got an album due February 4 via Madlib Invazion

titled 'Pinata' (originally titled 'Cocaine Pinata',  *a way sicker title!*).

This single here is our first drag of audio kush.

Madlib, souful as ever, loops a violin (the 

world's smallest) with Gibbs in full storytelling mode,

chronicling his misadventures with a scandalous ho.

It's a gangsta soap opera....i.e. AWESOME.

Jeremih - Love Hangover

Jeremih, despite previous retail releases, really made
a critical splash with his previous mixtape
Late Nights With Jeremih, hosted by DJ Drama.
On it, Jeremih displayed savvy pop instincts while
choosing beats that were a bit more left-field
than some of his other contemporaries.
A quality addition to the ever-growing pool
of solid R&B men. Plus the cosign from
Mr. Gangsta Grillz did not hurt.

Now we get to catch up with the Chicago crooner
as he preps the release of his next proper release
subtly titled 'Thumpy Johnson' via Def Jam.

Over a bed of
woozy synths that sound like warped guitars at
points in the song, he pulls off the difficult task
of making a hangover sound....dreamy.

Future Brown - Wanna Party (feat. Tink)

Future Brown is a basically an indie electronic supergroup,
composed of Fatima Al Qadiri, Nguzunguzu and J-Cush.

This first single from the trio finds Chicago female emcee Tink
inviting you to turn up with her over a cavernous apocalyptic
trap beat.

Well what are you waiting for?

SOPHIE - BIPP

SOPHIE is yet again another mysterious dance music producer
from London. This euphoric joint is the side A cut from
 his/her 12" out on Numbers.

The best thing about it is how it is so-90's-rave yet so futuristic
at the same time.

It'll make you feel better.

Magical Mistakes - We're Not Going Home

A Californian ends up in Japan making psychedelic juke.
This is the story of Erik Luebs - the man behind Magical Mistakes.
Signed to Japanese label Day Tripper Records , he dropped his
last full length 'Everything Uncertain' in December 2012.

His new joint 'We're Not Going Home' finds psychedelia and
footwork/juke-kinda percussion congealing into a lush ethereal
transportative piece typical of Japan's burgeoning electronic beat
scene.

Being away from home sounds pretty good.

iamJENI - Stay (Rih-make)

Rihanna had a smash with 'Stay' a while back. It became

one of those songs that had scores of DJs remixing it.

After Frankensteining Justin Timberlake's 'Suit & Tie,'

and a killer live bedroom cover of SBTRKT's 'Wildfire' 

she comes with an incredibly lush take on Rihanna's hit.

You know it's Rihanna's song 

but iamJENI's sound is its own world.

Raekwon - Son of Sam

Raekwon struck gold last go around with the sequel to his debut

'Only Built 4 Cuban Linx'. At the beginning of this year, 

he announced he was working on his next full length project

'Fly International Luxurious Art' - 'F.I.L.A'.

Produced by Frank G. and Roadsart, Raekwon spits fire over a

dusty lounge-ready beat which goes straight Rat Pack on

the hook when the sample rides.

The Chef maintains this quality through F.I.L.A., due in June 2013,
 and he will have another masterpiece on his hands.

That witty unpredictable....