#17

Horchata vs. Pina Colada- Vampire Weekend mashup

Milkman- Controversy

Benny Benassi- California Dreamin

Diamond from sierra Leone-Kanye West remix
 
Example- Watch the Sun Come up: (2 good remixes)
Devil's Gun Zeitgeist Remix
Moam mix

Pollyn, please

I just came across the LA-based trio Pollyn yesterday and was immediately hooked.  The combination of Genevieve Artadi's deep voice with the sporadic strumming of Anthony Cava on guitar and Adam Jay Weissman mixing some funk in, makes me wanna close my eyes, sway from side to side, and croon along.

Relatively fresh to the music scene, the band just released their debut album "This Little Night" in June and have subsequently put out a few EPs. Check out a couple of their songs, "Gave It Up" and "Can't Get Into It" below. "Gave It Up," my personal favorite, is a perfect middle ground between a fast-paced get-me-out-of-bed song and one that makes you sigh and fall asleep.  New go-to morning drive song? Check. 

-G

Get ready for Skins UK Season 5

That's right, the bigger, badder, and better version of Skins - the original UK version - is coming back this Thursday, January 27th. With a completely new and relatively obscure cast, the show is sure to be met with some criticism (since losing characters like Tony and Cassie after the second season was hard enough). Yet all the same, its Skins - the rawest drama out there and the only show I've heard of where real world teens directly take part in the writing process. The first episode focuses on Franky (fourth from the left in the picture), a boyish and artsy girl complete with a pixie cut and a plethora of black and plaid clothes.  Although the premise - kid moves to a new town (from Oxford to Bristol in this case) and goes to the local school where she encounters mean girls and makes friends with outsiders, only to have the mean girls later be suspiciously nice to her - seems cliche, I'm pretty confident the show will spice it up with the usual innovative and "controversial" material that will make the US version seem even more prude in comparison.

So as I gear up to watch the second episode of Skins US tonight and try and keep an open mind, I can't help but be very excited for Thursday to see Skins as it should be - almost completely uncensored in its glory of British accents and slang, swear words, and unforgettable Bristol late nights/early mornings that are hard to remember.

But now I'm just left wondering two things:
1) Where can I get a quality online stream of the episode that I can watch here in the States?
2) Do you wont to go to ah pahr-ee?

Check out the latest previews and clips here.

-G

#16

alors on dance- stromae/ kanye west

KapSlap- Deadmau5 mix

Wolfgang Gartner- illmerica

Parks & Recreation

Dynamite California Girls

The Submarines release new single "Birds" for free!

"The linear versus the abstract thinker," "The studio tinkerer versus the bedroom balladeer," and "Boy versus girl" are but a few ways The Submarines describe themselves. But after listening to their newest single, "Birds" over and over again, I would call Blake Hazard and John Dragonetti talented musicians who flawlessly blend mellow and musing lyrics with springy guitar riffs and piano melodies.  The song is a lot more easy-going, and perhaps even catchier, than the husband-wife duo's more famous "You Me, and the Bourgeoisie" that was featured on an iPod commercial a couple years ago. It's the first single from their third album "Love Notes/Letter Bombs" planned for release on April 5.

Get "Birds" for free HERE.

-G

COACHELLA 2011

Arguably the most important music festival of the 21st century, Coachella, has just released its 2011 lineup. Continuing a strong history and following up one of the most talked about lineups from 2010, the list is nothing short of perfection. The lineup includes big alternative names like Kings of Leon, Arcade Fire, and the Strokes; up-and-coming indie artists like Sleigh Bells, Phantogram, and the Radio Dept; stellar electronic bands like Crystal Castles, Bloody Beetroots, and Animal Collective; not to mention a continuation of the hip-pop headliner with Kanye West. This is all not to mention Erykah Badu, Cold War Kids, the Tallest Man on Earth, Twin Shadow, Delorean, Boyz Noize, Best Coast, Robyn, the Black Keys, Duck Sauce, Bright Eyes, the Broken Social Scene, and MANY, many more.

Having gone last year, I can personally tell you that the festival lives up to the lineup. The atmosphere is perfect: endless fields and stages sprawl out for acres under the warm Palm Springs sun. There is ample room for the crowds, one rarely feels claustrophobic, unlike Treasure Island Festival. And to top it off, Coachella usually books some crazy visual artists. Last year featured a massive origami statue and sculptures that shot spirals of flames up into the air.

Just go. Arcade Fire's past performances at Coachella were apparently breathtaking, and I'm sure Kanye won't let his be forgotten. This may be a bold statement, but Coachella is the closest thing we're gonna get to Woodstock.

-C

US Skins: Poor Acting, Great Soundtrack

In order to seduce the Skins following that has grown to cult-like status in the US, MTV organized a pretty stellar lineup of songs for the show's US premiere. Mimicking the opening (along with almost every other) scene, the US version opened with Effie returning from a night of hard partying. As the camera switched from Effie to her older brother, giving audiences the first glimpse of the US Tony in action, My Girls by Animal Collective started. Just a few minutes later, When I'm Small by Phantogram transitioned in as students in the now Baltimore, once Bristol, high school walked to their classes.

MTV obviously did some research, which apparently took time away from the casting as many of the characters struggled to replicate the complexity and idiosyncrasies of their British counterparts. However, this is a music blog, so I'll leave the reviews of US Skins up to the TV critics. Check out the two highlights from the opening episode's soundtrack below.

-C

James Blake Breaks the Dubstep Trend

British electronic artist James Blake's official genre is Dubstep, but you wouldn't be able to tell from his music. In a world of ever-expanding genres and movements, Blake has taken the best from the recent electronic trends to create a unique, distinguishable sound. In his 3 amazing EPs, Klavierwerke, CYMK and The Bells Sketch, he mixes minimalist and drone techniques with classical and R&B sounds. His gift of song-making defies the typical chorus/verse system; instead, Blake relies on intricate structures of sound.

Given he's British, Blake has released his work earlier in his home country. According to his website, he has his first full-length album coming out soon, but we'll have to wait for the official US date. Check out his intense build-up in his song CMYK and the interesting voice modification in Tell Her Safe below.

-C

#15

Miami Horror- Holidays

Kap Slap- Better than Stereo Love

Mashmaticians- Please Don't go Mike Posner/Calvin Harris

Mac Miller- Don't Mind if I do

teach me how to say it aint so

KK wants you to listen to... Young Empires

Hai. Here is some Young Empires for you. They make music that makes you feel like anything can happen. And that's my kinda music.

Rain of Gold-Young Empires

White Doves(Demo)-Young Empires

(right/ctrl click titles to download)
-K

Die Antwoord + Nylon

Die Antwoord, the whole notha' level zef group all the way from South Africa has been recently featured in the January edition of my favorite magazine, NYLON. A fashion and culture mag, Nylon is almost too popular to be considered indie but alternative enough to not be mainstream (a la Urban Outfitters or American Apparel).

Anyways, Ninja and Yo-Landi have a two page spread in the mag which offers some insightful information (the two have a 5-year old daughter?!). Buy the issue, its cover story features Mila Kunis and her role in Black Swan.

And watch a short feature on Die Antwoord on NYLON TV below:




-G

The White Panda Playlist

if you like girltalk or any other mashup artist listen while you "work"...

The Weak Dayz

monday morning anyone?

'Sup monday morning. I can't believe you're upon us, and the weekend is over. I guess as a second semester senior I should appreciate the finite number of high school mondays I have left, but if you say that to me in a few hours when I have to wake up and drive to school, I'll probably fight you. In order to alleviate the ennui and frustration that one suffers while commuting to and from school, I make car CDs with songs that are just ridiculous enough to keep me from getting on the highway and driving until I don't come back. It's tempting. There's a little house music, a little reggae, a little dubstep, 50s soul and just a few in spanish. Lately I've had trouble making mixes with songs that relate to each other, thus I have decided to accept the randomness. You know those people you see singing alone in their cars? I'm proud to say that I'm one of 'em. So, whether you bike, drive, walk, ride the train or ski to school/work/wherever you waste 5 days of your precious week, these songs might help make the daily trip just a little more bearable.

Let It Out- Girl Talk

My Volvo (Sabzi Remix) - Grynch *
Once in A Lifetime - Talking Heads *
The Rain - Calvin Harris

Can You Kiss Me First (1928 Remix) - College

Indestructible (A-Trak radio Edit) - Robyn

Bam - Sharps

Abrazame (Hold Yuh Riddim) - Los Rakas *

Safe & Sound (Zion I Remix) - Rebelution

California Soul (Diplo/Mad Decent Remix) - Marlena Shaw  *
You & Me - Penny & The Quarters

Girls Fall Like Dominoes - Nicki Minaj

Da Cali Anthem - Rusko

Download this playlist for free on mediafire here!!!!

*= the catchiest

LOVE K

#14

 Miami Horror- Sometimes

Wiz Khalifa- Black Yellow Mix

Mac Miller- The Spins

Pnau- Baby Breakout mix

Basic Physics- Stuntin Wit a milli

Will Wiesenfeld of Baths releases a FREE Album

Will Wiesenfeld has caught a lot of attention lately, especially with his release of the spectacular Cerulean under the name Baths. Continuing his prolific streak of electronic music, Wiesenfeld has released another album titled Mend under the name Geotic. Unlike the glitchy yet pop-driven Cerulean, Mend is more ambient and slowed down. Given the switch of genres, Mend will most likely take longer to catch on when compared to Cerulean, but given Wiesenfeld's ability, it's definetely worth a few listens. Grab it HERE for free courtesy of the artist. For an in-depth description of the album, click here.

-C