SIREN is a new indie-pop duo out of LA, comprised of friends Kat Ostenberg and Skyler Stonestreet. Their debut single “I Think I Like You” rose to prominence on the HypeM charts earlier this month, thanks to their infectious hook lines, rousing drums, unique styling and well, overall sirenic sound. Stream below — I think you’ll like it 😉
Jeremy Malvin, who creates music under the name Chrome Sparks is a young musician and native of Ann Arbor, now residing in Brooklyn. His obsession for synthesizers can be clearly seen in Marijuana, a song from his EP Sparks released March 2013. Influenced by a background in classical percussion, Chrome Sparks’ music is filled with a cloud of arpeggiators and lead sounds. Jeremy can currently be found on tour with a couple of friends — with upcoming performances at DC9 April 30, and Baby’s All Right in Brooklyn May 2.
I feel music in your eyes
Rainbows, in your ears
British songstress Kyla La Grange is gearing up to release her second LP, Cut Your Teeth in June and has released the track “The Knife” in anticipation. Produced by Jakwob, the electronic offering employs a sweet cocktail of kalimbas, sugary synths and calypso steel drums that drift along harmoniously with La Grange’s soothing vocals. Stream the cut below.
Welcome to another edition of Remix Roundup! Let’s get started with this Goldroom/MØ collaboration on the soulful track “Don’t Wanna Dance.” The LA producer/DJ takes the Danish artist MØ’s original to nu-disco-heights with his hypnotic, shimmering synthed-up rendition. (Sidenote: DC’ers can catch the Danish songstress performing at U Street Music Hall on May 20.) Next up is Brooklyn producer BAILE‘s electronic rework of British indie rock band Daughter‘s song “Love” — off their 2012 EP Wild Youth (via 4AD). Dark and foreboding, this downtempo and percussion-laden remix blends well with Elena Tonra’s chilling vocals. Last but not least is the gorgeous Rainer and Grimm re-imagining of Sam Smith‘s affective new ballad, “Stay With Me.” I’ve been waiting for a quality retake on this one, and it turns out the Toronto-based production duo were just the ones to step up to the plate. Stream all three tracks below — each of which is available for FREE by following their respective DL links on Soundcloud.
Elusive new London artist Ben Khan is gearing up to release his debut EP, 1992 on May 5. He recently told Noisey in his first proper interview that “explanation can ruin art,” while discussing his motives for keeping mum about his influences. He doesn’t have to divulge too much though, because his track “Youth” speaks for itself: sunny, synthy, and wrapped in warm euphonic electronic waves. Stream below.
Loving this new single from Little Dragon, to be released on the Swedish trio’s upcoming album Nabuma Rubberband. “Paris” is the perfect piece of electropop to get your second wind of the day with their engaging, synth-forward sound. Stream below, and if you can’t deal with the radio version from Zane Lowe, pre-order the album on iTunes now to receive a free polished version of “Paris” instantly. The album drops May 13 via Loma Vista Recordings.
SOHN is one the most buzzed about new musicians at the moment. Austrian-based but English-bred, the mysterious electronic producer released his debut LP Tremors via 4AD Records on April 7 to critical acclaim. Having produced for burgeoning artists such as BANKS though, he is no stranger to success. Take a listen to the stunning lead single off the album “Artifice,” as well as the devastating title track “Tremors” via Spotify below.
BONUS: Also check out this fantastic tropical remix of SOHN’s track “Lessons” by Bearson — and follow the Soundcloud link for a free download.
Indie pop outfit and Brooklyn-based band HAERTS released their debut album Hemiplegia last fall. Signed to Neon Gold Records, the release is a four-track EP that includes a cut produced by Jean-Philip Grobler of St. Lucia. However, “All The Days” is by far the best track in this blogger’s opinion. Looking forward to seeing it performed live when the group opens for London Grammar at 930 Club on Monday. On another DC-centric note, HAERTS is also headlining at U Street Music Hall May 8. Check out more upcoming tour dates while you sink into the track below.
Upcoming Tour Dates:
4/14 | Washington, D.C. @ 9:30 Club (with London Grammar)
5/8 | Washington, D.C. @ U Street Music Hall
5/10 | Brooklyn, NY @ Brooklyn Bowl
6/6-8 | New York, NY @ The Governors Ball
6/12-15 | Manchester, TN @ Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival
6/19-22 | Dover, DE @ Firefly Music Festival
7/19 | Toronto, Canada @ Time Music Festival
In honor of their upcoming sold-out 930 Club show in DC on Monday, this edition of Remix Roundup is dedicated to one of my favorite artists at the moment — London Grammar — and the myriad of remixes devoted to them. So many in fact, that it was difficult to pare down to just the top five (can you tell I’m a fan?). Alas, it had to be done.
First up is the top-notch rework of their track “Hey Now” from Tensnake, an upbeat disco remix that hits euphoric levels at 2:55. Next we slow things down a bit with Budo‘s rendering of “If You Wait.” The Seattle-based producer takes the gorgeous vocals of Hannah Reid and accentuates them with different instruments in this downtempo rework — available for free on Soundcloud. Next we have High Contrast‘s energetic recast of “Strong,” and producer Paul Woolford‘s perfectly punched up rendition of collaborative track with Disclosure “Help Me Lose My Mind.” And rounding out this week’s epically long installment of Remix Roundup (#sorrynotsorry), we have Henry Schwarz‘s bass-infused version of “Wasting My Young Years.” The German producer’s reinterpretation encapsulates everything the group embodies — powerful, poignant music with shimmering soundscapes and haunting vocals. Stream below and let me know your favorite, (if that’s possible).
Friendly Fires have been flying under the radar the last few years, having not released any new material since their album Pala in 2011. Recently, however, they got together with Andrew Weatherall and Timothy Fairplay of The Asphodells to collaborate on a couple of tracks that were released as an AA-sided single March 31st. The goal was to produce music outside of their usual realms in a loose, open-ended format. The low-pressure process seems to’ve worked, as the resulting single “Before Your Eyes” is a nearly 8-minute cut showcasing their hazy, hopeful and hypnotic musical sensibilities. Stream the transportive track below.
poetry in an empty coke can 