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Listen: SBTRKT – “Up & Down (feat. Sampha)”
SBTRKT, the masked producer who is taking the music world by storm with his debut album, took to his Soundcloud to post a brand new live recording featuring vocals from Sampha. There isn’t much information behind this track, but the basic beat and signature synths blend well with Sampha’s vocals. Laid back and perfect for a relaxing Monday night listen. No download is currently available, but you can listen below.
Listen: Drake – “Headlines”
With the release of “Dreams Money Can’t Buy”, “Marvin’s Room”, and “Trust Issues”, Drake‘s forthcoming Take Care has quickly become one of our most anticipated releases of the year. October’s Very Own has finally released the first official single, which is called “Headlines”. The Toronto rapper linked up with his long-time friends Boi-1da and Noah “40” Shebib, who team up to produce the track.
The two previously collaborated on the rapper’s debut album Thank Me Later, working on quite a few songs including “Miss Me”.
MP3: Drake – “Headlines”
“Headlines” features more sung vocals than rapped ones from Drake. The song will be most likely be released officially on iTunes next week, but Drizzy released the song for free on his blog earlier today. You can listen or download above.
Mixtape: Hoodie Allen – Leap Year
It’s been quite a year for Long Island-based rapper Hoodie Allen. After releasing Pep Rally to widespread acclaim and accumulating tons of buzz in the blogosphere, Hoodie decided to leave his stable job at Google and pursue his music career full time. To wind up a whirlwind year of touring and recording, the MC released a brand new mixtape, entitled Leap Year, for free download on his website.
Hoodie says that the mixtape is “me growing up on record” and on first listen I’d have to agree with him — for the most part. While the mixtape still features a number of fun and poppy samples intended to draw in first-time listeners on the Hype Machine or just through blogs in general (Fitz and Tantrums on the first track, for instance), Hoodie’s lyricism and delivery has greatly improved since Pep Rally. But the greatest change between this mixtape and the latter is Hoodie’s attempt to open himself up to his audience through slower, more introspective songs. Most of the production is still handled by long-time collaborator RJF and the mixtape still sounds quite similar to his earlier work, but Hoodie attempts to tone himself down, a bold move towards revealing his serious side.
Sure, he hasn’t yet mastered this new style and he’s still finding his comfort zone, but that’s alright — considering his work ethic and dedication to his music career, I’m sure Hoodie will eventually find his place. Until then, here’s to leap year.
Download: Hoodie Allen – Leap Year (Mixtape)
Listen: DOOMSTARKS – “Victory Laps”
MF DOOM (all caps when you spell the man’s name…) and Ghostface Killah, known together as DOOMSTARKS, have finally released “Victory Laps”, the first official single from their forthcoming album. While the two masked rappers have yet to announce the album’s release date, Nature Sounds will first be releasing a picture disc vinyl with “Victory Laps”, the Madvillain remix, and the two instrumentals. You can listen to the two trade lines over a grimy piano loop below.
MP3: DOOMSTARKS – “Victory Laps”
You can preorder the Serato 12″ here.
Listen: Gold Leaves – “Cruel/Kind” and “The Ornament”
Seattle-based singer-songwriter Grant Olsen, best-known as half of the folk duo Arthur & Yu, is making his return not with the second Arthur & Yu record, but with a new project called Gold Leaves. His debut release The Ornament has been four years in the making, accompanying Olsen through a wide range of new experiences: marriage, traveling through Central and South America, birth, and death. Linking up with producer, engineer, and multi-instrumentalist Jason Quever of Papercuts, Olsen created a collection of intimate, heart-warming tracks, blending Americana with ’60s pop influences. You can listen to two songs, “Cruel/Kind” and “The Ornament”, below. The album will be out on August 16 via Hardly Art (tracklisting after the break).
MP3: Gold Leaves – “Cruel/Kind”
MP3: Gold Leaves – “The Ornament”
[Via Stereogum]
Listen + Watch: Hoodie Allen – “The Chase Is On”
Hoodie Allen does not disappoint his fans. With a year’s worth of experience under his belt since releasing Pep Rally, Hoodie’s back and better than ever. He just released a brand new track (and the corresponding music video!) entitled “The Chase Is On”, which serves as the first single from Leap Year. “The Chase Is On” has the same sound and vibe we’ve grown to love, but Hoodie’s lyricism and deliver have certainly improved, with the rapper employing a sing-song flow over a synth-driven beat.
“Pulling a Lil B,” Hoodie gave us a free download of the song, but also posted it on iTunes. You can support him by purchasing the song here. Leap Year will be out on July 26.
Listen: Y Luv – “All Night” (Original and ZHU Remix)
Indie pop/rock meets house in this brand new remix of Y Luv‘s earworm single “All Night”. For the rework, the Los Angeles band decided to team up with producer DJ Zhu, blending their energetic rock/pop sound with Zhu’s dance stylings. It’s an interesting take on the original track, which was slower and features a booming sing-along chorus. Think The Killers meets Neon Trees. You can listen to or download both the remix and the original track below.
MP3: Y Luv – “All Night”
MP3: Y Luv – “All Night (ZHU Remix)”
Y Luv’s newest EP How Chill Can You Let Go was released April 20, 2011. You can download the rest of the EP here for free.
Listen: Kanye West & Jay-Z – “Otis”
Since “H.A.M.” is now only a bonus track on Kanye West and Jay-Z and’sWatch The Throne, our first official taste of the new album is “Otis”. The song just made its debut, thanks to Hot 97′s Funkmaster Flex. Featuring a sample of Otis Redding‘s “Try a Little Tenderness”, “Otis” features the two rap superstars dropping one-liner after one-liner over a soulful Kanye beat. Wild.
MP3: Kanye West & Jay-Z – “Otis”
Watch the Throne will be released online on August 1st and physically on August 5th. Check out the tracklisting after the break.
Listen: TV On The Radio – “Caffeinated Consciousness (Das Racist Remix)”
Who saw this one coming? Heems and Victor of the rap group Das Racist were invited by Interscope to remix TV On The Radio‘s “Caffeinated Consciousness”, collaborating with producer patrickWhat. The remix features a slowed-down version of “Caffeinated Consciousness” and a few rap verses from Das Racist. “Pitchfork dot com… I don’t even read that,” rhymes Victor. Stream the remix below.
Das Racist’s first proper release, Relax, will be released September 13, 2011 via Greedhead (Himanshu’s own record label). You can preorder from Insound here. The album features production from Diplo, El-P, Vampire Weekend‘s Rostam Batmanglij, and Yeasayer‘s Anand Wilder.
Listen: Red Hot Chili Peppers – “The Adventures of Rain Dance Maggie”
If blink-182‘s return wasn’t nostalgic enough for you, we now have “The Adventures of Rain Dance Maggie”, the lead single from the Red Hot Chili Peppers‘ new album. I’m With You, out August 30th via Warner Bros. Records, will be the band’s tenth studio album and the first since Californication without John Frusciante on guitar. Nevertheless, Josh Klinghoffer’s guitar lines on the new single carry Frusciante overtones and the entire song sounds like a modern spin on the classic Chili Pepper funk. Welcome back, Chili Peppers.
You can listen to the song after the break, courtesy of KROQ.
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