Monster Rally makes some really gosh darn pleasant music. His music is sample-based, hip-hop influenced, laid-back and tropical-sounding. Unfortunately, he only has about 20 minutes worth of music available right now. Both EPs clock in a little over 10 minutes. So, hopefully there is a full-length in the works.

You can download “Palm Reader”, his other EP “EP” and his remix of MF DOOM’s “Vomit” for free at his Bandcamp page. And if you’ve got a cassette player, you can get his split tape with Dunian at Sweatlodge Guru.

Monster Rally – Drip Drip

A totally solid record by Mr. Oizo has got my attention (or lack thereof) for every one of these short songs on “Lambs Anger”. While most of the songs are based around a tight hook and that alone, experimentation keeps it fun and listenable but at the same time acknowledging that song is based around one riff therein; keeping it short and to the point. I compare it to a 45 minute meandering of the French nightclub radio stations (see the moments of jumpy skippyness between songs). My choice select is “Positif”. Get the rest of the album “ici” (a steal for 18 songs at $6.99).

Mr. Oizo – Positif

Killer track off Manaré’s upcoming Quiet Riot EP. This beat is straight up nasty. Remember that crazy underground tribal rave scene in the sequel to The Matrix? Yeah, this is kind of like that except way, way better.

You can preview the rest of the tracks over on TOP BILLIN’s SoundCloud.

Voodoo by TOP BILLIN

This Gucci Mane track is about how he is so rich that he can hire snipers to hang out on roofs [rooves?] – in case anybody, you know, tries to come at him.

There are some particularly good lines in this song. For example: “Gucci Man, Airtran is how I fly the hoes in”, “I pull up in a coupe/the same color as soup/and I don’t got on a suit”, and “I got money too/this what money do/my shoes come from the zoo”.

This track is from Gucci’s newest mixtape, Mr. Zone 6. Don’t stop, get it get it.

Gucci Mane – Rooftop

Baths is a 21 year-old beat-making prodigy from California. Normally, I wouldn’t mention the artist’s age – but this kid is younger than me, plus leagues beyond anyone I know in terms of musical talent. He does really amazing things with drum loops and the way his synths and samples sound. Great job, Baths!

Baths’s new record Cerulean is awesome and available here.

Baths – Lovely Bloodflow

Appleblim and Komonazmuk transform MyMy & Emika’s “Price Tag” into a full-on ethereal dubstep banger. The beat skitters and knocks over airy pads as the bassline slowly builds into its bouncy and ludicrously catchy peak. I’ve bumped this one on repeat more times in the last week than I’d like to admit.

MyMy & Emika – Price Tag (Appleblim & Komonazmuk Remix)

Deepak Mantena writes electro music for nonthreatening crazy people. Or at the very least he is a nonthreatening crazy man. This song, like the rest of West Coast, is a frenzied collage of soothing paces, jarring melodies, and very danceable hooks. It’s like channel surfing on you’re couch and flying on a Persian carpet all at once. It is exactly like that.

Get West Coast here.

Junk Culture – Daydream on Olea

This song is a slow wave. I would’ve recommended the song prior to the long weekend, but Idiot Glee deserves more isolation than offered by the claustrophobic beach real estate everyone rationed out this past holiday. James Friley’s sugar sweet melodies and drawling beats should be your companion on a far removed island with your other 4 essentials.

Listen to the rest of the EP here.

Idiot Glee – All Packed Up

This band makes freak folk sound like you’re not sick of freak folk already. The song is kind of weird, cluttered, intricate, weird, and amazing. Though aggressive, it’s also rootsy, sprialing in and out of repetitive hooks that almost have nothing to do with each other, but tie together in an incredibly fun package. Buke and Gass, a fairly loud duo, have that knack for making strange form seem accessible.

Get them at their site. Make sure to check out “Bundletuck”.

Buke and Gass – Sleep Gets Your Ghost

This song unfolds so well. The off-putting, awkward, pet-shop boys vocals sits on top of a just barely there beat, and takes its sweet time to open up into the jam that follows. It’s the minimalism that Glass Ghost gets that makes this song such a gem.

I highly recommend listening to more.

Glass Ghost – Mechanical Life

Portland, Oregon’s Menomena use a wide array instruments in their songs. This one in particular has saxophone, piano, cello and the regular stuff. I don’t know why, but the saxophone really caught me off guard —that, and the sick drum breaks.

You can preorder the Menomena’s Mines here.

Menomena – TAOS

I didn’t like Wavves’s first two albums because I’m a crabby old man that doesn’t like when music is too fuzzy and peaked-out to understand. Fortunately, Wavves’s newest album was actually recorded in a studio instead of through a MacBook Pro’s internal microphone. As a result it’s now clear to my old-man ears that Wavves can write really fun, tight and catchy songs that are only a little fuzzy and only a little peaked-out. Also, the artwork on the new record is really neat.

Pre-order Wavves’s “King of the Beach” here. It comes out in early August.

Wavves – Take On The World

We like this. Soundtrack to the summer.

Delorean and Cold Cave on Myspace.

PS. Happy Birthday Rahul, this one’s for you.

Love,
Matt, Ish, Tim, and Tendo

Cold Cave – Life Magazine (Delorean Remix)

HEALTH’s single “Die Slow” has been getting some serious remix work since it dropped last year. This one from Tobacco (of Black Moth Super Rainbow notoriety) is particularly nasty. Tobacco’s characteristic analog synths and slumping beats play real nice with Jake Duzsik’s ethereal vocals. If Black Moth and HEALTH banged, this track would pop out 9 months later.

HEALTH – Die Slow (Tobacco Remix)

A moody cut from minimal house label liebe*detail’s KiNK. They should probably be packaging this vinyl with a bootleg fog machine and flashing disco lights. Thanks to Jason for this one.

KiNK – Bitter Sweet

A harmonica has never sounded so badass before. Bad News Brown has got this soulful jam to get you through those humid days and nights of summer. Get some more good news here.

Bad News Brown – Reign

If you’re one of those who talk about a summer night like it’s current events, or romanticize a night fair in Hyannis despite never being there, or are convinced that cars sweeping on a nearby road can often sound like the ocean, Data Dog will make sense to you. This band writes in that same vacant atmosphere that a band like Deerhunter can, leaving lots of space between the rock song, the humble electronics, and your ear.

Get their ep for free.

Data Dog – Twists & Turns & Dangerous Twists

Loving this track makes me feel predictable. Sometimes I think that all it takes is reverb-soaked piano/vocal chops over a tight beat to win my heart. That’s okay, because this is one hell of a sexy tune from producer Roof Light.

You can grab a bunch of his releases off Boomkat. Don’t sleep.

Photo credit: six.five

Roof Light – Heart Like An Airport Runaway

This is the first track from The Black Keys’s new album Brothers. The album came out about a week ago. This song is really catchy and fun – so much so that I really wouldn’t be surprised if it ended up being a giant radio hit, or at least appears in the background of a Cadillac commercial.

You can pick up the album here.

The Black Keys – Everlasting Light

This song is an exercise in reservation. It is a constant back and forth between sweet, drawn back, melancholy hums, and bright and driving hooks. Mr. Gnome, a Cleveland duo, tend to lean towards pop songs with a steady force and sounds that stop and stall throughout. Everytime “Night of the Crickets” slows down to breathe, i get really excited knowing that looping chorus is around the bend.

They have a few releases, and a new one, you can grab here.

Mr.Gnome – Night of the Crickets

Talk about a deep cut. I could be listening to this at my desk at work and still feel like I’m on an introspective midnight journey through empty city streets. Manchester, UK based producer Synkro makes dubstep for the soul.

Grab the Lost For Words EP here.

Photo credit: Monotone ~ Extraordinaire

Synkro – Lost For Words

I heard very early mixes of this band sometime during CMJ a couple years ago. Despite the raw recordings, i could hear the cluster of small tinkerings and sounds that Young Mammals avalanche into epic, bigger creatures. While this tune is buried under reverbed harmonies and fuzzy walls of guitar, the song stands out clear and above it all. 848 is great pop in a pool of noise.

Watch here for something to pick up soon.

Young Mammals – 8 4 8

This video is from his upcoming album, “Str8 Killa, No Filla”. The track is so good that I’m not even going to make the obvious Sum 41 joke about the album name.

From the moment the crystal glass sounds of the opening synth begin to play, effortlessly sweeping in and out of time signatures, I can’t help but think of words like “celestial”. Active Child kind of sounds like church music for a thousand years from now. The harp helps a lot too.

Grab the EP in all shapes and sizes.

Active Child – Voice Of An Old Friend

It’s always like finding treasure when you hear a singer/songwriter like Erik Hall writing singer/songwriter stuff that won’t sell in a coffee shop. The Way to a Monster’s Lair has that great yearn you hear in Mark Linkous, or Carter Tanton, or Neil Young, or any other man you imagine leaning over his guitar and bleeding songs out onto his scuffy basement carpet.

Buy the debut.

In Tall Buldings – Monsters Lair

Catchy little electropop number from NYC duo Holy Ghost!. Next month they’re touring with LCD Soundsystem and Hot Chip in support of their debut EP Static on the Wire. I see big things in the future for these guys – best get it while it’s fresh.

Holy Ghost! – Say My Name

There’s something instantly gripping about this Bonobo track. It manages to be hauntingly beautiful while simultaneously cracking you upside the head with a fat beat. I think it’s this contrast that won me over within seconds.

His Black Sands LP came out last month and it’s well worth your time.

Bonobo – Kiara

I may be a little late on the draw for deadmau5 but i haven’t been on an aural adventure like this since, dare i say, the first time i listened to Orbital .

Random Album Title’s bass is so good it will lull you to sleep while in a different setting, could keep you raving till morning. Check out the evolution of “Faxing Berlin” (Pt’s I & II).

Deadmau5 – Faxing Berlin (I)

Deadmau5 – Faxing Berlin (II)

Flying Lotus has really outdone himself with his new album Cosmogramma. I loved his last one, Los Angeles, but this one just feels fuller, wider and overall nastier. Also, what’s a Cosmogramma? Cosmo Gramma – like grandma in space? (Not funny? Ok.)

Preorder Cosmogramma here. It comes out May 3.

Flying Lotus – Do the Astral Plane

Prolong the magic of this song with the Ed Blammo edit and remember how much you love a good clap track.

Spoon – Back to the Life (Ed Blammo Edit)

The quality of French powerpop and electro always leaves me wondering – what the hell do they put in the water? This track begs you to break out your oversized headphones and skip down the street like some kind of lovestruck fool on amphetamines. I have a feeling this one will get some serious work this summer.

Pony Pony Run Run and Lifelike all seem like pretty chill dudes.

Pony Pony Run Run – Walking on a Line (Lifelike remix)

Mystery Roar’s sound is so killer it will wash your dancing shoes with synthesizers and a sound so fresh they will be squeaky clean and still not be heard above their luscious layers. Celebrate the release of their new record here in Boston at Great Scott this Saturday (04/24) and definitely pick up their new album.

Mystery Roar – Mayhem

Boston based MC/Producer Redlist has come a long way in the past few years. I’ve had the pleasure of collaborating with him in the past and he is really a force to be reckoned with. Whether it’s producing dope beats or lacing them up with tight verses, he knows the deal. This is my favorite track off his self-released LP Headache Music 3.1 that dropped last year.

In 2010, Redlist teamed up with both HW and DJ Emoh Betta to form the Boston hip-hop supergroup Scribblenauts. They’re currently making their mark on the scene and you really should check them out.

Get more Redlist from his new blog.

Redlist – Push Forward ft. HW & DJ Emoh Betta

This song is like an epic little journey. The type with dragon blood and velvet satchels of emeralds, but way cooler because it’s made entirely of heart racing melodies, and doesn’t have anything to do with wizardry.

Grandchildren have plenty of gems.

Grandchildren – Saturn Returns

Le Le, puts together a simple beat but it’s got such a groove that it will have you shaking your head no even though you want some more. Get another serving here.

Le Le – Breakfast

Super deep remix of Comanechi’s Close Enough to Kiss from Brooklyn house duo Blondes. I wish I could go back in time and bribe Sofia Coppola to slip this beast into the Lost in Translation soundtrack.

You can pre-order Blondes’ upcoming Touched EP here. Also check out Comanechi’s latest LP Crime of Love. Don’t sleep on these guys.

Comanechi – Close Enough to Kiss (Blondes Pebble Beach Mix)

A dream sequence melody, subtle (yet nasty) vocals, and a fist-pumping beat? Game, set, match.

You can buy the Alone EP here

Tennishero – Alone

Truepanther doesn’t have a deep roster being a pretty young label, but they do have a lot of gold. For instance, Tanlines. With a hop back and forth from down tempo island beats to campy synths, songs with sing alongs, and summer camp dancers, their ep has been a good heavy rotater this year.

Get it here.

Tanlines – Reinfo

Dirtybird Records‘ co-founder Justin Martin’s latest EP Robot Romance is currently getting some serious work in the clubs. Get Low is easily the highlight track, owning it with a catchy-as-hell vocal melody and pounding minimal electro beat. I fully support this kind of vocoder abuse.

Make sure to grab yourself a copy of the fresh Robot Romance EP here on Beatport.

Justin Martin – Get Low

Fang Island is getting a ton of hype lately. And they totally deserve it. They are straight-up pleasant rock and roll with excellent melodies and some pretty wild solos. And they have a really nice-looking website.

Get their new self titled record here

Fang Island – Welcome Wagon

With the dreams-you-have-in-a-coma vocals drifting above the army of drum rolls on this song, Celebration wrote a winner. They have more than a few which you should grab.

Celebration – Our Hearts Don’t Change

Baltimore’s “post-wave” trio Future Islands recently released their In the Fall 12″ as a precursor to their upcoming full-length album In Evening Air (slated for a May release). Bringing new-wave, dreampop, and electro elements together with simple pop sensibility, they’ve cultivated a deep, almost nostalgic sound. This track makes me think they should’ve been touring with the Cocteau Twins rather than Dan Deacon.

Future Islands – In the Fall (Feat. Katrina Ford)

This Morning Teleportations song reminds me of great turn of the century music, back when you didn’t feel like you were doing pop culture a disservice by calling it ‘indie rock’. With cluttered vocal hooks stitched to fit the chugging momentum of the track, the stop and go energy, and the warm chanting choruses, this song comes off so very anthemic.

I don’t think they have anything to pick up yet, but watch them on Glacial Pace.

Morning Teleportations – Expanding Anyway

Last month, dubstep label 7even dropped French producer F’s ridiculous debut LP Energy Distortion. As my friend Jason pointed out, “a dubstep album so good even the New York Times reviewed it.” The track “Perspectives” is a moody trip through the realm of Detroit-flavored, garage-tinged dub.

You can buy the LP here on Boomkat.

F – Perspectives

Give Die Antwoord, an honest shot by listening before viewing. You’ll see what I mean and I think you will be happy you did. I can’t ask for anything more from this song save for 3 more minutes.

Die Antwoord – Zef Side

Think of your last bender. Roll credits. Play this song and reminisce in the wake. Dan Auerbach’s got this one.

Dan Auerbach – Heartbroken, in Disrepair

This summer, should you find yourself pressed with the question, “which song would best complement the experience of hittin’ switches in my 64?”, the correct answer is Dam Funk’s “Hood Pass Intact” from volume 4 of Toeachizown.

Buy the 5 volumes of Toeachizown here. For 17 dollars, you’d be a mark-ass buster not to.

Dam Funk – Hood Pass Intact

One of my fav tracks of ‘09, Rob Roy kicks it like only a half French, half Filipino rapper can do. I’d recommend turning up the bass on your sub woofer for this one.

I’d post a link to his album “King Warrior Magician Lover” but pretty sure this dude has yet to sign a deal.

Rob Roy – Fur In My Cap

Starting off sparse, and climbing into a fuzzy myst of guitar tings and buzzes, this Trailer Trash Tracys song finds that sound that’s perfect for the mellow morning of a day you plan on liking.

Trailer Trash Tracys – You Wish You Were Red

In the past two weeks, Cults has seemingly materialized out of thin air. With little information available other than a sparse Bandcamp page, they’ve mysteriously dropped some serious knowledge on our asses. “Go Outside” is some glorious indie pop that rubs us all the right way.

Pitchfork recently scored an interview with them if you’re interested in a little more background info on the group.

Special thanks to both Ish and Dan for both turning me onto this.

Cults – Go Outside

Shit Robot’s Lonely Planet is grounded with this broad, chugging, low in the dial beat. And from there it layers and cakes over into this very melodic track that reminds you of the first time you tried to fly and it worked.

Check out his other releases on DFA.

Shit Robot – Lonely Planet

Kastle is a side project of Pittsburgh’s bass machine B.Rich that focuses a little less for the dancefloor and little more on the soul. This track was recently featured on a benefit compilation for Atlanta’s Dream House For Kids called INNER CHILD. Dream House is an organization that seeks to help medically fragile children and their families.

You can buy the INNER CHILD compilation here. All proceeds go straight to Dream House For Kids.

Kastle – You Got The Love

This song, and every other one I’ve managed to find of Explode Into Colors, skirts this strange line between accessible and alienating. It tumbles into poppy rhythms and very dancy psych beats, all the while under a gloomy, doomy, cloud. It’s kind of like the Monster Mash in that way.

They have a single, and I’ve heard rumblings that something longer is coming out soonish.

Thank you Mike for sending this to our office.

Explode Into Colors – Heat

Back in February, Brodinski’s My Jerk Mixtape came across my desk thanks to fellow dawnrecorder contributor Tim. It quickly became a staple party mix in my favorite venue— our living room. The track selection is on point and you’ll be hard-pressed to keep your head still.

I clipped this one track from the mix, but could not for the life of me find any readily available information about Nay Nast. If you’re feeling this, make sure you get the whole mix:

Brodinski – My Jerk Mixtape (Megaupload)

Nay Nast ft. Get It – Stuck Up Bitch

In the wake of springs and summers and sands and sandwiches and good things to come, enjoy Dinosaur Feathers. Not afraid to record with half decent fidelity, they seem like ambassadors to the sounds you hear when you think of all those things. Also, I’m pretty sure they own Pet Sounds.

Dinosaur Feathers – Early Morning Risers

This is one of those bright and haunting songs that remind you a little of Arcade Fire or Elliot Smith, but more so an eerie carousel or a park riddled with cicada chirps.

Get Wilderness here, it’s worth it.

Josh Mease – Neon Ghost

It’s taken me a little while to digest Neon Indian’s Psychic Chasms (2009). This is strange, considering that the other two heavy-hitters riding the “chillwave”…wave were instant loves for me (them being Washed Out and Toro y Moi). That changed in the last week or so when this track really started resonating with me. Suddenly, the entire album made sense. Highly recommended listening.

Buy Psychic Chasms

Neon Indian – 6669 (I Don’t Know If You Know)

This song is infectious. So infectious that, like me, you may spend a while battling whether you actually like the song or if it is just the catchiest pop you’ve ever heard. Once that’s done, it’ll be your twentieth time listening to the track, and it won’t matter. She’s won.

MNDR – C.L.U.B.

Does anyone know if Devin The Dude likes weed? I can’t tell. His new EP Do Not DistHerb drops on 4/20/2010. It’s probably just a coincidence.

You can preorder Do Not DistHerb here or get it on iTunes now.

Devin the Dude – We Get High

Joell Ortiz is a really good rapper. He is also absurdly underrated and overlooked. In this track he made exclusively for Funkmaster Flex’s radio show, he mauls Jay-Z’s version of this song just spitting off the top of his head.

“I guess in my part of Brooklyn we choose to stay hood
Still guzzle Henny ’cause Patron don’t taste good”

Joell Ortiz – On To The Next One (Freestyle)

Remember that short story about the girl whose classmates locked her in a closet on the only day of the century that the sun was going to come out of the rain? I wish she had this song to listen to after all that.

Check out more Brett Saiia here

Brett Saiia – Unsad

I hate to post two tracks in a row by the same artist, but I feel the need to give credit to Alex Metric for something other than a remix. As far as breakbeat dance tracks go, this guy is a master. I think it goes without saying that this track is exactly what she wanted …

Editor’s Note: This track has been removed at the request of Alex. You can still buy the EP at the link below. Trust us, it’s good.

You can buy the entire EP here.

These days, a lot of bands try to regress to decades past. They sound like they exclusively listen to records their dad’s bought at their age. Wild Nothing, however, own a fucking time machine.

Get it here.

Wild Nothing – Summer Holiday

This Floating Points jam has been a long time coming. Back in January I heard “Vacuum Boogie” blasting at Love NYC and instantly fell in love. This kind of stuff makes me think to myself, “why the hell don’t more DJs spin this?”. Guaranteed to make even the biggest square get down. Go ahead and turn up the bass.

Buy this album: Vacuum EP (2009)

Floating Points – Vacuum Boogie

I picked up Kisses‘ album The Heart of the Nightlife on a whim last week after hearing a little buzz about them. The LA duo sports a balearic dance pop sound landing somewhere between Jens Lekman and Air France. This track brings me back to high school and my obsession with Joy Division— seriously, is that Ian Curtis on vocals?

[This track has been removed at the request of Kisses]

This summer, when you and your friends are living out the montage of wearing aviators, chuckling in slow motion at a bar at 3pm, drinking Orange Lazaruses, catching the eye of the cute girl across the way, I’d play this Sleigh Bells song on that boom box you remembered to bring.

Sleigh Bells – Ring Ring

Keeping in the theme of cough syrup-infused beats, here’s a slow-cruiser remix from Salem. Gucci’s voice and spooky beats go together like peanut butter and chocolate – two great tastes that taste great together. This track is off of Diplo and Benzi’s Free Gucci mixtape, which is full of gems.

Gucci Mane – My Shadow (Salem Remix)

It’s been almost three months since I posted about Toro y Moi’s track Talamak. In that time I’ve managed to become completely obsessed with almost every track off his new LP “Causers of This”. I really had to restrain myself from posting all of them on here. Pitchfork actually slammed “You Hid” as one of the weakest tracks on the album— but I call bullshit. This one is smooth like a warm glass of cough syrup.

Check out our Twitter for more music from Toro y Moi.

Toro y Moi – You Hid

Last year, producer Grahm Zilla teamed up online with MC Isis to bring us a single album filled with pleasantly nasty electropop. Slow Roll is a minimalistic ghettotech beast that shows off Thunderheist’s talent both on the mic and behind the laptop. Hey, I guess MySpace is still good for something.

Thunderheist – Slow Roll

Have you ever thought people who make good electronic music probably also made very thoughtful collages in art class?

Pictureplane – Transparent Now (Thin Veil)

Of all the headline losses in our recent year, Mark Linkous’s suicide will resonate the most with me. Sparklehorse songs have a great way of resting on melodies that both break your heart and mend it back. Nothing quipy here, I’m just sad to know he won’t be writing any new songs.

Sparklehorse – Sunshine

“Lisztomania”, was coined by the German romantic literary figure Heinrich Heine to describe the massive public response to Franz Liszt’s virtuosic piano performances. There were allegedly screaming women at these performances, and the audience was sometimes limited to standing room only

Heard this track at a club on Friday night. Needless to say, Lisztomania was prevalent right around the 35 second mark …

Editor’s Note: This track has been removed at the request of Alex.

This Tony Castles song is the perfect track three on that mixtape you’re making for that long summer trip on a Twainian raft, going down a river with a bag of apples and nothing to think about.

Tony Castles – Pirates

From their upcoming album “The Brutalist Bricks”, out March 9th, Ted Leo & The Pharmacists made one heck of a fist-pumper. Also, tight use of a flange pedal.

Ted Leo & The Pharmacists – Woke Up Near Chelsea

I’m Turning Into – I’m Going

Javelin makes me wish that a lot more of the thugs and punks from the Streets of Rage series would quit drugs and petty thievery, pick up drum pads, and make awesome lo-fi dance gems.

Javelin – Radio

I know what you’re thinking – Fergie? Seriously? Hold up… my man Treasure Fingers has remixed the original to make it not only listenable— but also really, really slick. Trust me on this one.

Treasure Fingers – Glamorous (Treasure Fingers remix)

Ruby Suns, what a dumb name for such a great song.

Ruby Suns – Kenya Dig It

Boston’s Bad Rabbits are blowing up right now. They sound like they should have been on TMNT 2: The Secret of the Ooze’s soundtrack – in a good way. Their new-jack swing and punk inspired sound makes me feel like I should be doing some side-to-side dance in a sportcoat that’s way too big for me.

Bad Rabbits – Neverland

Before you know it, it will be over and you will have nodded along to chapter after chapter of this Twin Sister song, wondering when the droning vocal line ended and the twinkling shoegazey beat picked up. And you’ll really want that house built of old wood.

Twin Sister – I Want a House

Lone (aka Matt Cutler) is a producer out of Nottingham, known primarily for his warm and woozy hip-hop beats– falling somewhere between Boards of Canada and Flying Lotus. With its laid back airy vibe, Karen Loves Kate sounds like a something you’d hear at J-Dilla’s pool party.

Lone – Karen Loves Kate

Dizzyingly haunting. Heavy to help you remember the crash.

Apparat – Limelight

Here’s my jam. One of the better Skream remixes out— second only to that La Roux mix that everyone and their mother loves. I never thought I’d hear Chromeo dropped over a grimey dubstep beat, but it sure as hell works. Skream is the busiest 18-year old I know.

Chromeo – Night by Night (Skream’s SexStep Remix)

The only thing that is ever interesting is juxtaposition. Like the dream sequence vocals and chamber music played against the chainsaw drumming that start this song. Or a man that nests sparrows in his beard making the music Venetian robots will play on a gondola in the near future.

Pattern Is Movement – Light of the World

While morning rain on a Tuesday can prevent all creativity, it can also make a single song strum in that cavernous “on-the-way-to-work” head of mine. I discovered Cotton Jones some months ago, and this song is perfect for waking to ugly rainfall or peachy sunshine, and nothing in between.

Cotton Jones – Blood Red Sentimental Blues

When this girl in high school played me Belle and Sebastian for first time, she said to listen and pretend like I’m in a movie scene riding a bike. Small Black may never be monuments like the former band, but i think some 16 year old should tell another the same about this song.

Small Black – Despicable Dogs

Can’t say I’m too familiar with Jneiro Jarel’s work. However, heard this track playing in a coffee shop this morning and was fortunate my blackberry was able to pick up the artist (Thanks Shazam!). A nice laid back tune to kick back to on a Sunday.

Dr. Who Dat – Pharoah’s Dream

Somewhere, an assistant manager put this on in his shoe store just now, and all the patrons are so happy not to have to hear that tick tock song again.

French Horn Rebellion – Beaches and Friends (Twelve Radio Edit)

I figured with my first contribution to the new site I should go with a double whammy of awesomeness. Timbaland drops a crazy beat, Fabolous kills it, and some kid in 2006 decides to cut up some anime show clips to match the lyrics [edit: There used to be a funny anime video dubbed with this song but it has since been removed, sadly]. Enjoy.

Fabolous – Right Now Later On

A little throwback jam right here. I never realized just how nasty this beat was back in the day (wow, can’t believe ‘98 is already ‘back in the day’).

Lo Fidelity Allstars – Battleflag

This track is making my morning right now. I came across this after following a video my man Jason Bergman posted in his blog on http://togetherboston.com. Great stuff.

Tim Hecker – I’m Transmitting Tonight

Uplifting minimal techno for work or reflection.  Title track from Gregor Tresher’s album The Life Wire

Gregor Tresher – The Life Wire

From the Wu-Tang Clan Meets The Indie Culture Vol.2 (Enter The Dubstep) album. Smooth lovin.

Wu-Tang Clan – Street Corners (Feat. Bronze Nazareth, Solomon Childs & Byata) [Scuba Scythe Remix]

André Walter has a serious understanding of the dark minimal techno scene. The Keys of Henoch EP explores the cornerstones the genre today.

André Walter – Malphas

Two solid tracks from Washed Out (aka Ernest Greene). This guy’s been making beats from his bedroom for a while, but just recently started cranking out these dreamy, blunted synthpop tracks. His Life of Leisure EP has been in heavy rotation the past couple weeks.

Washed Out – Feel It All Around
Washed Out – New Theory

Legit mix from Toro Y Moi (aka Chaz Bundick). Stumbled across this one after hearing his remix of Washed Out’s Feel it All Around.

Toro y Moi – Talamak