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Childish Gambino Premieres New Song at Comic Con
Donald Glover / Childish Gambino appeared at San Diego’s Comic Con this weekend to promote his show Community, but the actor/rapper also managed to play a show on Friday night, tearing up the House of Blues and premiering a brand new song. Apologizing for his recent disappearance online and lack of tweets, Gambino announced to the energized audience that he has been busy working on new material before launching into the song, our first taste of the new album. While most of the beat is hard to make out, Gambino’s clever punchlines are clear enough to be made out: “Man, why does every black actor have to rap some? I dunno, all I know is I’m the best one.”
Check out the video after the break. Childish Gamino’s new album will be out in September.
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]
The Maine Cover Angus & Julia Stone
I’m a huge fan of Angus & Julia Stone. If you were around for our 2010 year-end list, you’d know that their 2010 release, Down The Way, topped my album of the year list and that the brother-and-sister duo were kind enough to grant us a streamof “Draw Your Swords” from the album.
So when I stumbled upon this cover of the Stones’ “Big Jet Plane”, performed byThe Maine, I was a bit skeptical. However, the band manages to pull off an impressive rendition of the song, complete with harmonies and birds chirping in the background. You can watch John, Kennedy, and Jared of The Maine perform “Big Jet Plane” below.
New Macklemore and Ryan Lewis Music Video
The collaboration of Seattle’s Macklemore and Ryan Lewis has brought us The VS. EP (click here to download the EP for free) in 2009 and now they have a video out for their song “Wings”, which was originally written in 2008. Ben Haggerty, better known as Seattle hip-hop artist Macklemore, soulfully raps about his love of basketball shoes and the game itself. Watch the video below.
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.
New M83 Track
Electronic shoegaze artist Anthony Gonzalez, better known as M83, has released a new song titled “Midnight City”. This song will be on M83‘s new album, Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming, the follow-up to the critically acclaimedSaturdays=Youth that came out in 2008. Listen to the song below and read more to see the official tracklisting for the double disc album.
Midnight City by M83
Video: Foster The People – “Helena Beat”
Los Angeles based indie pop band Foster The People have had a pretty busy summer so far, first releasing the hit single “Pumped Up Kicks”. They have now released a music video for their newest single, “Helena Beat”, the quick-paced, psychedelic opener to Torches. The Ace Norton-directed video, which depicts an alternate reality where children with guns capture the band and wreak havoc with fire and electrical shocks. Kids, please don’t try this at home.
Check out the video after the break.
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