Saturday, August 31, 2013

Adventure Club & Yuna Make Gold Together


Last weekend I did my best to organize six months worth of music into a data cd mix for a friend. That friend isn't as up on music and how it has evolved over the past year, so I found myself trying really hard to divide up EDM into sub-genres. What I ended up doing was creating four sub-categories: Slow Pop EDM, Trap, Fast EDM and Dance. The only sub-genre I really had trouble with were dubstep tracks like the one below from Adventure Club. I found that there wasn't enough pure dubstep in my collection to warrant a full folder, so I ended up putting most of the substep tracks into Slow Pop EDM.

If push came to shove that's what I would have dubbed Gold because it has it's fair share of build ups and drops, but the slow and steady tempo is much more suited for radio than a club. Yuna's vocals will draw you in the same way Ellie Goulding with here comparably sultry vocals. The real highlight of the track happens around the 2:57 mark where Adventure Club do their best to show out and prove why they're one of the best. Even if you're not a fan of the slower EDM ballads, you'll appreciate the ending of the track if you enjoy dubstep, so don't give up on it prematurely...#AdventureDub

Adventure Club feat Yuna - Gold

Friday, August 30, 2013

Videos of the Week August 29th


I'm gonna put it right out there and state that if Jay Z's Holy Grail video doesn't win some sort of video of the year award, there's a problem. I not only appreciate the dark aesthetic the video captures, the screwing and chopping for effect does a great job of defamiliarizing you with a song you already know very well. That's not easy to do in video and I'll take it a step further in saying that most artists wouldn't even try to undertake that ambitious of a task.

In other news, Big Sean snaps a kids neck then gets hacked to death in Fall Out Boy's new video for The Mighty Fall. I was a little underwhelmed at the simplicity of Daft Punk's video, but the Bingo Players made up for that lack of creativity with their new video. Seeing the Made in America trailer really makes me miss Philly. So many great shows every week, such a great city...#PhillyLove
Jay-Z feat Justin Timberlake - Holy Grail (Video)

Fall Out Boy feat Big Sean - The Mighty Fall (Video)

Daft Punk feat Pharrell - Lose Yourself to Dance (Video)

Bingo Players - Buzzcut (Video)

Jay-Z Made in America Tour (Trailer)


Photo credit: Facebook

Thursday, August 29, 2013

"I Would Fight a Samurai, Just To Be With You"


It's hard to think of anyone in electronic music that better embodies the term progressive house like Afrojack. His ability to weave together high pitched synths with club rocking beats is something we've all become accustomed to. This time, he hooked up with Clinton Sparks, who is more of a jack of all trades type of DJ. I've heard him DJ so many Hip Hop tracks that when I saw he was featured on Afrojack's new single, my interest was piqued. Since it's generally uncool to do anything longer than an EP in EDM, you can expect this one to hit iTunes and Beatport by it's lonesome self. Chalk this one up to another really awesome collaboration between two really talented DJs...#EDM

Afrojack feat Clinton Sparks - Be With You

Wednesday, August 28, 2013

"If We Go Down, We All Go Down Together"


Hate on Krewella if you want, but I'm becoming a big fan of their brand of party music. Their mix of pop and dubstep is novel, but their schizo electronics are what set them apart from the usual pop group. I'm super pumped for their upcoming album, Get Wet, which is scheduled to hit iTunes in about a month on September 24th. Live For the Night was a big hit and I wouldn't be surprised at all if this one surpassed it in sales when all is said and done. If you're just arriving to college and need a go-to for this weekend's lineup of three-day weekend ragers, feel free and add this one to the mix...#WeGoDown

Krewella - We Go Down

Tuesday, August 27, 2013

"Grow Your Beard Out, Just Weird Out and Go Berzerk"


We've been anticipating it all summer and it's finally here. The lead single of Eminem's upcoming Marshall Mathers LP 2 is here and it's as rowdy as you'd expect. On the track, Em takes it back to the 90s with a Beastie Boys sounding vibe that is crafted brilliantly with the help of the wise whitebearded Hip Hop legend Rick Rubin. The beat samples Billy Squier's The Stroke and there are a ton of great fiercely delivered one liners that Slim Shady has become know for. Check out the audio below...

I think my favorite one liner on the track has to be:
"They say that love is powerful as cough syrup and Styrofoam
All I know is I fell asleep and woke up in that Monte Carlo
With the ugly Kardashian
Lamar, oh sorry yo, we done both set the bar low"
I'll invite you to follow along with the lyrics thanks to Rap Genius because there are more than a few well conceived gold nuggets of wittiness on Berzerk.

In general, I've always been very black and white when it comes to Eminem. Half his albums are barely listenable, drug induced pop albums and the others are nothing short of classic Hip Hop. Based on his lead single, I'm gonna bet that on November 5th, I'm going to be a happy camper when his album drops...#MMLP2

Eminem - Bezerk (prod by Rick Rubin)

Monday, August 26, 2013

"Let Me See Ya Hands Up One Time"


As much as I dislike the token Hip Hop tracks that feature everyone, their friend and their friends' momma's friend, I'll make an exception if there's some high quality production. Case in point Swizzy's recently released lead single off his upcoming Haute Living album. The reverberating percussion throughout the track is what kept my interest, but I gotta admit, other than Weezy's verse, I wasn't really impressed. Still, with all the high powered name recognition and hook that finds it's way into your brain, it's only a matter of time before this one gets eaten up by the masses. Feel free to beat them to the punch and pull a snobby music critic by letting them know the song is already too overplayed...#HandsUp

Swizz Beatz feat Rick Ross, Nicki Minaj, 2 Chainz & Lil Wayne - Hands Up (prod by Swizz Beatz)

Sunday, August 25, 2013

"9/11 Not the Day, But That's the Whip"


2013 has been kind in a lot of ways to Wiz Khalifa. He's now got a son and new shoe collection with Converse. Now that he's into the business of selling shoes, it's no big surprise that the lead single off his upcoming album is called Look What I Got On. Matter of fact, Wiz just debuted the single last night at Hennessy’s Pre VMA Party...
On first glance, I was pumped when I saw that his first single was produced by Stargate. Then I listened to it and I'll put it this way, don't expect another Black & Yellow. It's a catchy track, but comparatively speaking, not my favorite single by Wiz. You'll probably find yourself singing along at some point, but Wiz does his best Twista impression on the track, which is a different look. Still, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't looking forward to his upcoming album...#BlaccHollywood

Wiz Khalifa - Look What I Got On (prod by Stargate)

Saturday, August 24, 2013

"You Take Me to Nirvana, I Don’t Think This Will Last"


Man this Sam Smith is really somethin' else. I have yet to hear anything new from him that I was less than thrilled with. You can include in that statement his sappy new ballad Nirvana that will absolutely tear at your heart strings. His soulful high-end vocals cover such a range of emotions and work so well with the blues guitar lead beat, it's a really well done track. I'd be remiss if I didn't give a shout out to Craze & Hoax and Jonathan Creek for setting the mood right on the track.

No word yet on a studio album, but the track below will surface on Sam's upcoming Nirvana EP along with his previous single Safe With Me. The EP is slated to hit iTunes on October 7th, so we have a little over a month and a half to look forward to the four track release. At this point I have little to no doubt that Sam Smith is going to soon be a household name...#Nirvana

Sam Smith - Nirvana (prod by Craze & Hoax and Jonathan Creek)

Friday, August 23, 2013

Videos of the Week August 23rd


The sheer fact that Major Lazer got Terry Crews (comedian, Old Spice guy) to play the role of Major Lazer in their latest video made my week. Who cares if the video is slightly over the top and corny, I really hope the continue to get Terry to personify the guys they keep putting on their cover art. In other news, Big Sean is still tearing up the promo circuit in preparation for his new Hall of Fame album dropping. Was it me or are the flames a little over the top in the video below?

The most noteworthy video I found to be Linkin Park's collaboration with EDM extraordinaire Steve Aoki. The track is supposed to hype up Linkin Park's new online game LP Recharge. Haven't looked into the game, but the track has some serious potential. In other news, RZA/Wu Tang and martial arts are mixing again, which is a surprise to no one. Have a good weekend y'all...#SummersOver
Major Lazer feat Peaches, Timberlee & Terry Crews - Scare Me (Video)

Big Sean Performs Fire in Studio For Sirius XM

Linkin Park & Steve Aoki - A Light That Never Comes (Trailer)

Madden 25: Running Back Sons (Commercial)

The Grandmaster Trailer (Narrarated by RZA)

Photo Credit: YouTube

Thursday, August 22, 2013

"Let It Go, Let Go, of Your Fire"


What the hell, might as well keep the feel good vibe going this week with RAC (Remix Artists Collective)'s new uplifting single Let Go. The track, featuring vocals from Kele Okereke (Bloc Party) and MNDR, is a mixture of get up out yo seat funk and dance like nobody's looking pop. I really appreciate the subtle intricacies of the percussion that take this track from being run of the mill to a true standout.

The great part about Let Go is that it's original material from RAC, rather than the usual remix of a song you've already heard of. It's usually a big step for any artist, so when someone does it really well, it makes this nostalgic DJ a happy camper. Keep an ear out for RAC's upcoming Don't Talk To EP that is scheduled to hit iTunes on October 1st...#LetGo

RAC feat. Kele & MNDR - Let Go

Wednesday, August 21, 2013

"Gotta Keep Ya Head Up, Sit Back and Just Breathe"


Summer is damn near over, but that didn't stop Chiddy Bang from dropping a carefree single that puts listeners on relaxation to the max. Nobody is ever going to question Chiddy's lyrical ability on the mic, but I already miss the duo of Chiddy and recently disbanded member Xaphoon Jones. The song below is great, but the duo is what made the group Chiddy Bang formidable. I'll concede that with the help of Yuri Beat$, Chiddy's solo lead single Breathe did exactly what a lead single should do...build hype for an upcoming album.

Case in point, I now know that the title of his upcoming album is Baggage Claim and it's due out before the end of 2013. Not sure if will be a separate effort or not, but we can also expect a Baggage Claim mixtape to drop sometime in the next month or so. I'm gonna guess that this one will also find it's way on the mixtape/album, but either way, there's a lot coming from the land of Chiddy that's worth looking forward to in the near future...#BaggageClaim

Chiddy Bang - Breathe (prod by Yuri Beat$)

Tuesday, August 20, 2013

"I Be Stunting, Stunting Like I Got My First Chain"


This right here is some high quality Hip Hop. The type of storytelling based, spittin' bar after bar over a real smooth head nod worthy No I.D. beat. I know it's my M.O. to give producers the lions share of the credit for the success of tracks, but I can honestly split it 50/50 on My First Chain. Anyone who doubts that Big Sean is one of top lyricists in Hip Hop need to listen to this then think real hard about why he thinks his favorite rapper is better. You better believe Sean Don brought his A+ game after getting recently upstaged by Kendrick on Control.

Oh and I haven't even mentioned the Nas verse yet. Veterans have been known to lose a step over the years, but Nasir Jones simply refuses to let loose a half-assed verse. In comparison, I was a little let down by Cudi's verse, but that's more of a compliment to Big Sean and Nas because their verses were so on point. The real moral of the story is that Big Sean's upcoming album has gone from an noteworthy album to a must-listen album over the past few weeks. Hall of Fame hits stores in exactly a week and I for one am excited as hell...#HOF

Big Sean feat Nas & Kid Cudi - My First Chain (prod by No I.D.)

Monday, August 19, 2013

"You Got a Dream, It's Simple, Live It, Wake Up"


You could imagine how I had to pick my jaw up off the floor when the remix below found it's way into my inbox today. Mr. Worldwide on Avicii's Newgrass hit? Hmm...I wonder what this is going to sound like.

Well...it's about what you'd expect. It's more or less the same as the original, but with a Pitbull lead in and brief verse during the electronic cresendo of the track. Make no mistake about it, there are very few artists who can calmly hype a track during the intro like Pitbull. He's led off so many great, crowd inspiring tracks that you almost expect to be awed by the outcome. That being said, his energy was almost too hype for the beat on his verse. While there were more than a few quoteables to go around on well constructed verse, the verse as whole felt a bit cut and pasted. Still, it was cool to hear Pitbull take a swing at one of the best songs of 2013...#dale

Avicii Ft Pitbull and Aloe Blacc - Wake Me Up (Worldwide Remix)

Sunday, August 18, 2013

"Baby I'll Rule, Let Me Live That Fantasy"


Can't say I thought I'd ever post a track from a 16 year old pop sensation from New Zealand, but in a world where the internet makes everyone a next door neighbor, nothing is out of the ordinary anymore. Enter Ella Yelich-O'Connor aka Lorde, who found a way to get The Weeknd's attention with her Alternative Billboard chart topping single Royals. Check the original before passing Go and collecting your $200...

Not gonna lie, she kinda resembled Fergie in that video. Looks aside, she's got a mystique about her that far exceeds her age. The hook on Royals finds a way to be memorable, which is more than half the battle. Lyrically she'll appeal to teens and capture the big city demographic with Hollywood dripped lyrics like...
"But every song's like gold teeth, Grey Goose, trippin' in the bathroom
Blood stains, ball gowns, trashin' the hotel room
We don't care, no we don't, we're driving Cadillacs in our dreams
But everybody's like Cristal, Maybach, diamonds on your timepiece.
Jet planes, islands, tigers on a gold leash
We don't care, oh no, we aren't caught up in your love affair"
Oh and if you're expecting a significant vocal contribution from The Weeknd, check those expectations at the door. The remix is noticeable different because it embodies The Weeknd's usual synth driven sound. Still, the key takeaway here is watch out for Lorde, she's won over the hearts of the big US cities, which means she's on the verge of stardom with her upcoming debut album Pure Heroine...#Lorde

Lorde – Royals (The Weeknd Remix)

Saturday, August 17, 2013

"All My Life, I've Been Waitin For Someone Like You"


With Avicii's debut full length studio album a month away and Wake Me Up continuing to ride the iTunes top 10, it's safe to say the excitement is building for True. For example, I'm still steady pressing F5 on the internet to hear a studio version of Hey Brother without the "Avicii exclusive mix" drops.

Speaking of Hey Brother, it won't be the second single. Instead, his new one, All My Life, will serve as the follow up single. The track isn't country at all if that's what you're hoping for, but thanks to the vocals of Salem Al Fakir, you'll be singing the hook long after you listen to it. I found myself walking through a State Park today humming this track wondering where I had heard it and what song it was. Yep, it was that catchy as hell new Avicii single with the high pitched synths and Indie vibe. If you like pop dance music, this one will sit well with you because it's fun and extremely repeatable.

If you like opening presents before Christmas, feel free and preview the entire album thanks to Fistintheair. Alternatively, if you enjoy opening presents the day of Christmas feel free and hit the pre-order...#AviciiTrue

Avicii feat Salem Al Fakir - All My Life (Someone Like You)

Friday, August 16, 2013

Videos of the Week August 16th


Interesting mix of interviews, videos and commercials this week from some of my favorites. In my opinion, it's a toss up between Big Sean and Mike Posner for top video of the week. For those who weren't living under a rock this week and caught Kendrick Lamar's lyrical assault on Hip Hop, you're probably more than a little interested about how Big Sean felt about being called out on his own track. As the story goes, Big Sean laid down his verse first and then received Kendrick's after the fact. He made the decision to not go back and change his verse after being called out and actually got excited about the effect that it would have on Hip Hop. +10 pts for Big Sean taking the high road and releasing the track as is for the betterment of Hip Hop.

Coming in second is Mike Posner's adorable video for The Way It Used To Be. Long story short, he spends the majority of the video working together with his friends to convince the girl he was with to stay with him and not break up. I won't ruin the ending, but it's got a twist and it works out for Mikey in the long run. You can file that video under sh*t that doesn't happen in real life. Rounding out the list is some new Haim and an interesting short film with Just Blaze, Baauer and Jay Z...#Higher
Introducing The Wiz Khalifa Collection From Converse

Mike Posner - The Way It Used to Be (Video)

Big Sean Breaks Down Control (Interview)

Haim - The Wire (Video)

Just Blaze & Baauer feat. Jay Z - Higher (Short Film)


Photo Credit: YouTube

Thursday, August 15, 2013

"Make It Last Forever, We Can Waste Time Together"


Fear not dance music fans, although Hip Hop has taken center stage this week, The Chainsmokers are here to save the day with another great remix. This time, they injected a shot of progressive house into up and coming British band Fenech-Soler's new single Last Forever. Below is the original track for those of you who, like me, had never heard of the band before...
Fenech-Soler has sort of Matt & Kim synth-pop feel to their music that will no doubt translate well to the Indie movement in the US. Their upcoming album doesn't hit stores for another month, but here's the iTunes link if you feel so inclined.

At this point it's par for the course for The Chainsmokers to 1) introduce me to a new group/song and 2) remix it in a way that I will like it more than I would have the original. It's like someone asking you would you like some frozen yogurt or would you like some frozen yogurt with fudge and popping bobas? (Quick sidebar, popping bobas are the tits, you should try them).

Anyways, you catch my drift at where I was going with that, The Chainsmokers take songs you probably haven't heard yet and make them awesomer. I'll take it one step further and say that I'm excited to hear their never tasted before original material that is currently in the oven. Do them a favor a hype them up so they can continue their awesome movement...#LastForever

Fenech-Soler - Last Forever (The Chainsmokers Remix)

Wednesday, August 14, 2013

Eminem Answers the Call of Duty


For months, we've been waiting for some new material from Slim Shady. Now a day after Kendrick calls out Hip Hop, a new Eminem track leaks. Coincidence? Maybe, but it wouldn't have been a bad move for the folks in charge of the new Call of Duty: Ghosts to release their Eminem led trailer today...

Yea, I'm gonna go out on a limb and say that anytime you've got an exclusive new single from Eminem to promote your game, it's going to boost sales. The tricky part is, the game doesn't hit shelves until November 5th.

As far as the track is concerned, it's as hype as you'd expect. The guitar riff driven beat by DJ Khalil elevates the energy level to a point that suits the raw delivery of Em. The Liz Rodriguez hook sounds strikingly like Skylar Grey, which isn't at all a bad thing at all. If you haven't heard of Liz, she's a member of writing, producing, recording group The New Royales who have been known to help the likes of 50 Cent, Drake, Pitbull and Slaughterhouse craft hits. Word has it, this isn't supposed to be on Eminem's forthcoming album, but a lead single from the album won't be far behind. Sounds like it's going to be an eventful fall...#Survival

Eminem feat Liz Rodriguez of The New Royales (prod by DJ Khail) - Survival

Tuesday, August 13, 2013

Kendrick Lamar Just Killed Complacency in Hip Hop


So...remember how Kendrick Lamar used to be the up and coming dude who was as unassuming as he was talented on the mic? Well...all that changed last night when he set the internet ablaze by calling out all of your favorite rappers. Actually, if your favorite rappers include K Dot, Nas, Jay Z, Eminem or Andre 3000, you might not have been effected by his wrath filled verse. Before I go any further, check out the offending lyrics below or fast forward to the 4:51 mark on the freestyle below...
"I heard the barbershops spittin' great debates all the time
Bout who's the best MC? Kendrick, Jigga and Nas
Eminem, Andre 3000, the rest of y'all
New ni**as just new nig**s, don't get involved
And I ain't rockin no more designer sh*t
White T’s and Nike Cortez, this is red Corvettes anonymous
I'm usually homeboys with the same ni**as I'm rhymin' wit
But this is hip hop and them ni**as should know what time it is
And that goes for Jermaine Cole, Big KRIT, Wale
Pusha T, Meek Millz, A$AP Rocky, Drake
Big Sean, Jay Electron', Tyler, Mac Miller
I got love for you all but I'm tryna murder you ni**as
Tryna make sure your core fans never heard of you ni**as
They dont wanna hear not one more noun or verb from you ni**as
What is competition? I'm tryna raise the bar high"
The part of the verse that really sticks out to me is where he calls out Big Sean and Jay Electronica who happen to be joining him on the freestyle. That tells me his barbs are more about how he strives to be the best and everyone else needs to step their game up. I know this is going to sound surprising, but Twitter didn't seem to share the same reaction. Luckily for you, NME put together a list of top tweets relating to the freestyle. Below are my three favorites...


I also got a kick out of P&P's compilation of Lupe Fiasco tweets where he pretended to write a response for all of the rappers who were singled out. All in all, I'm excited as hell that he used his talents to light a fire under Hip Hop because it's been years since anyone dared call anyone out. The only thing that died today is complacency in Hip Hop, thank you Kendrick Lamar...#Control

Big Sean ft. Kendrick Lamar & Jay Electronica – Control (HOF) Freestyle (prod by No I.D.)

Monday, August 12, 2013

"These Battle Scars, Don't Look Like They're Fading"


With Lee Daniels' The Butler hitting theaters later this week, it's the perfect time to rewind the clock back to last August when Lupe Fiasco's Battle Scars dropped. The song plays a central role in trailer in the movie that is getting pretty solid early ratings on Rotten Tomatoes. Like the trailer to the movie, the video does a great job of visualizing the emotional vibe of the song...

The back and forth between Lupe and Guy Sebastian over the rolling piano beat is really well done. Lupe is second to none when it comes to writing and executing thoughtful, meaningful lyrics. The war torn psyche of a soldier isn't a pretty sight, but Lupe managed to storytell in a way that made it not so bad...#BattleScars

Guy Sebastian feat Lupe Fiasco - Battle Scars

Sunday, August 11, 2013

Who Doesn't Enjoy Them Some Duck Sauce


Full disclosure, I'm more than a little late to hop on the Duck Sauce bandwagon. The duo consisting of Armand Van Helden and A-Trak are steadily becoming a mainstay in EDM and to this date I have yet to give him any love. So why not start with his most well known track, It's You? Video below for the visual learners...

The high pitched synths give the track an unapologetically pop sound that can be a little bubble gum-y, but the sound sticks with you. The stark contrast between the 50s Doo Wop sample from Alan Sanchez and Bruce Patch's It's You and the quirky beat make for an EDM track with a unique personality. Call it disco house or pop EDM, whatever it is, it's new and interesting...#DuckSauce

Duck Sauce - It's You

Saturday, August 10, 2013

"Hey Let Me Give Ya My Lovin' If You Like It"


I'm gonna be honest by saying that I can't say I know anything about Azealia Banks. I'll say this though, she's definitely doing something right because the blogosphere makes it a point to post anything and everything she has touched of late. Despite her ubiquitous presence around Hip Hop circles, a recent collabo that she did with Paul Oakenfold failed to get the attention it deserved. Sure, most Hip Hop/R&B blogs don't usually make it a point to post electronic music, but Venus is an uplifting dance track with a big sound. Between Azealia's cheery island vocals, brief French verse and Paul's arena filling synths, the track jettisons into orbit...#CornyPun

Paul Oakenfold feat Azealia Banks - Venus (Radio Edit)

Friday, August 09, 2013

Videos of the Week August 9th


Great week for videos with Jay Z leading the way with his "performance art film" of Picasso Baby. Despite the fact that he's ruffling feathers with every new things he does, I respect his visionary approach to Magna Carta Holy Grail. When you have the resources to do it, why not try things that nobody else has done before?

Oh, and in case you aren't tired of Miley's twerking ways, she played a starring role in Big Sean's new video. I probably would have given large amounts of money to be at either OVO Fest or TNGHT/Disclousure's Central Park concert. Maybe it was a coincidence that both took place in the same week, but jealous was running high this week...#GreatConcert
Big Sean feat Miley Cyrus - Fire (Video)

Jay-Z - Picasso Baby (Performance Art Film)

Jason Derulo feat 2 Chainz - Talk Dirty (Video)

Mayer Hawthorne Performs Her Favorite Song on Jimmy Kimmel

TNGHT Brings Out Mobb Deep & Perform Shook Ones II in Central Park

Thursday, August 08, 2013

"High Without You Now, Keepin' Up a Life Somehow"


One of the music exciting things happening in right now is the proliferation of Indie music into Hip Hop and EDM. It seems like every time week I hear about well-known Indie artists like Bon Iver collaborating with a Hip Hop or electronic artist. The latest collaboration of the Indie/electronic variety took place this week when dubstep wizard Dillon Francis hooked up with Orlando Higginbottom, aka the English Indie/electronic producer known as Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs on Without You. As a quick sidebar, he's got without a doubt one of the the best stage names.

The track starts off like your run of the mill mellow Indie track driven by mundane lyrics. Then, miraculously, the synths come in to save the day with a delightfully cheery pep that acts as a hook. It got my attention real quick and didn't take long to grow on me. If anyone is wondering how mellow can blend well with electronic music without the use of a hook, this is a sparkling example. Still no word when/if we're going to get a debut album out of Dillon, but who needs a full album when singles like this are leading the way...#TEEDinosaurs

Dillon Francis feat Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs - Without You

Wednesday, August 07, 2013

"I Don't Wanna Say Your Love is a Waiting Game"


If I had to pick a woman's voice that personified the word sultry, I would without a doubt pick BANKS. If you haven't heard of her, it's only a matter of time because she's got a deadly combination of soothing vocals and drop dead looks. She hails from LA and is about to embark on a North America tour with The Weeknd. Abel made a solid choice in choosing her to open because she a similar R&B appeal.

BANKS' new single Waiting Game is an introspective and emotion ballad. On the SOHN produced track, she openly laments in a way that is vocally reminiscent of many Lana Del Rey tracks. The slow and steady synths do a great job of laying the groundwork for her vocals to shine.

If you're like me, you're doing your best to play catch up and trying to consume as many BANKS tracks as you can. As my gift to you, below is the video to her most notable single to date, Warm Water...

Feel free to join the growing number of folks eagerly anticipating her debut album. Oh and in case you thought she wasn't accessible, she openly provided her cell phone number (323) 362-2658 in case you want to talk...#WaitingGame

BANKS - Waiting Game (prod by SOHN)

Tuesday, August 06, 2013

"Cause You're a Good Girl and You Know It"


Of course...the second I starting losing patience with Drizzy, he drops a funky, grown and sexy mid-tempo ballad that nullifies the mounting ill-will toward his recent musical direction. I'm now at a complete loss trying to figure out how he's going to blend tracks like Hold On, We're Going Home with the likes of All Me on Nothing Was the Same. Who knows, maybe the curiosity will reignite my hope in his upcoming release.

While we're on the subject of Drake, he reunited with Kanye last night at OVO Fest. As the story goes, Ye emerged and paid respect to Drake, giving him credit for motivating he and Hov to make Watch the Throne. Drake called it "the most important moment of his life." Check the video below of the highlights and interview after the show...
It's cool to see Drake so humbled by Kanye's presence and you can tell by his tone that they've had a distant relationship over the past couple years. But you got the feeling it meant the world to Drake that Kanye came and represented in his hometown. Just a good moment for Hip Hop in general and I selfishly hope it leads to a collaboration between the two of them...#OVOFest

Drake feat Majid Jordan - Hold On, We're Going Home

Monday, August 05, 2013

Mumford & Sons Have Never Been So Entertaining


Man, it must be awesome to be able to call on charismatic celebrities to play you in your own music video. Mumford & Sons may have made the video of the year by recruiting very identifiable actors/comedians to do the legwork on their most recent video. As it turns out, they got Jason Sudeikis (Marcus Mumford), Will Forte (Ted Dwane), Jason Bateman (Winston Marshall), and Ed Helms (Ben Lovett) channeled the band member they most closely resembled. Along the way they managed to dramatize Hopeless Wanderer to the point that the energy in the video ranged from folk to a heavy metal. You'll understand once you watch it...
Maybe it's cost or simply the lack of a dedicated following that prevent other bands from recruiting celebrities to play band members in videos. Whatever the case, I wish it happened more often because the video below was entertaining as hell. If you've been living under a rock, you'd enjoy living under a rock a lot more if you had Mumford's latest album Babel...#HopelessWanderer

Mumford & Sons - Hopeless Wanderer

Photo Credit: YouTube

Sunday, August 04, 2013

"You'll Learn to Love How to Dream"


I'm still trying to figure out whether The Weeknd is becoming a household name because of his music or whether his cult-like following has tipped the scales in his favor. Whatever the case, it feels like there's a lot of excitement building for his upcoming album Kiss Land. Both Kiss Land and Belong to the World were received with open arms and I'm gonna go out on a limb to say that I like Love in the Sky more than both of them. Check the teaser video below that The Weeknd let loose this week...
I swear he's about as close to MJ vocally as you'll find in the current music landscape. Add to that his at times edgy lyrics that he delivers in a way that makes the vulgarity easy to digest. It makes people turn their heads, but in a jarringly acceptable way if that makes any sense. Shoot it made sense to me when I wrote it, which is more than I can usually claim. New album hits stores on September 10th, get pumped...#KissLand

The Weeknd - Love in the Sky

Saturday, August 03, 2013

End of July = Summertime Sadness


Each year as summer winds down I usually post a nostalgic summer track that transports me mentally to a place where those summertime memories reside. Jay Z's Dear Summer might be my favorite summer memories track, but thanks to Cedric Gervais, I now have another to add to the group. Sure, Lana Del Rey's original version of the track could be grouped in the same way, but the uptemo-ness of Cedric's version gives such a successful contrast to the loathsome tone of the original. For reference, check the video for Lana's original below...
Wow, I didn't see her video reaching the 70 million hit mark after two weeks. That speaks to the distinctness of her style, there really isn't a good comp to her in music right now. And with a shot of electronics, Cedric took the track to another level. Anytime a DJ can get dance floor patrons singing along while dancing, it's a success. This remix should ensure that experience...#SummertimeSadness

Lana Del Rey - Summertime Sadness (Cedric Gervais Remix)

Friday, August 02, 2013

Videos of the Week August 2nd


Tough call on top video this week, but if I had a vote it would be between Krewella, JT and Avicii. I'm glad that the world is finally catching on to Avicii's Newgrass to the tune of a top 5 iTunes showing. If you haven't caught on to Krewella yet, you should probably hop on that bandwagon before it's full. They make fun music. Period. If you'r in need of a Hip Hop video fix, worry not Jay Sean and Nelly have you covered...assist to Nicki for the twerking...#Twerk
Krewella - Live For the Night (Video)

Justin Timberlake - Take Back the Night (Video)

Avicii feat Aloe Blacc - Wake Me Up (Video)

Jay Sean feat Rick Ross - Mars (Video)

Nelly feat Nicki Minaj - Get Like Me (Video)

Photo credit: YouTube

Thursday, August 01, 2013

"Understand That I’m on a Roll Like Cottonelle"


Sigh...I'm approaching a crossroads y'all. I've had to write this sentence a few times now, but in short, I'm not sure that I enjoy Drake's music anymore. Maybe it's because his storytelling was more engaging when he was on a come up. Maybe he used to be less about his music being judged and produced genuinely creative music that people could see eye to eye with. Whatever it is, the past four tracks he has released off his upcoming album have been so incredibly not like anything on his first two albums, that I'm left wondering if we're approaching a fork in the road. If he's gone by the way of hard core Hip Hop with dumbed down, mostly ignorant lyrics talking that played out I made it, look at me now business, then I've got a bad feeling that Nothing Was the Same may be our crossroads.

With all that being said, if you're not tired of 2 Chainz yet and have the time for a dope Big Sean verse, you may like All Me. Shout out to Key Wane on the beat and thumbs up to the Aziz Ansari Funny People clip (below)...

On the bright side, maybe his new album will be full of surprises that make September 17th the turnaround of my waning interest in my favorite artist's new musical direction...#NWTS

Drake feat 2 Chainz & Big Sean - All Me (prod by KeY Wane)

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