Son.

Courtesy of Prefix Mag is this banging taster from the The Black Key’s Blackroc project. Rae brings the heat along from Cuban Linx II, over the Keys’ bass-heavy raw chug. I’m going to be all over this shit when it drops.

Blackroc feat. Raekwon – Stay Off The Fuckin’ Flowers

Phantogram – When I’m Small

Just quietly, Phantogram are the best new thing in music. Graaaand beats, sultry femme vocals, swagger, delicacy. This track is always appropriate, wherever you are.

Phantogram – When I’m Small

(holler at Friday Mixtape for upping the track)

Big

You spend months looking for certified bangers and then two come along at once. The first is almost a no-brainier featuring Röyksopp with guest vocalist Karin Elisabeth Dreijer (of The Knife and Fever Ray fame) remixed by the supremely talented Stuart Price (aka Thin White Duke). While This Must Be It doesn’t quite reach the heights of Price’s last Röyksopp remix, What Else is There, it gets damn close. The track fizzles and pops before building for the type of restrained climax Price is known for. Immense.

The second banger takes us into 174 territory with recent Med School signing Randomer. While it may be 174 in spirit this track owes more to the recent sounds of dubstep and UK funky. All scattering percussion, stomping synths and dance-hall breakdowns Scapegoat is one to lose your shit to.

Röyksopp - This Must Be It (Thin White Duke Remix)

Randomer – Scapegoat

Things I Should’ve Known About But Didn’t.

…includes this. Old Crown Medicine Show took an unfinished Bob Dylan song, finished it, recorded it in 2004, and now share co-songwriting credit for it with the Bobfather. Anyway, it’s fantastic and I can’t believe it slipped me by. The rest of their self-titled 2004 album is worth chasing down on iTunes too.

Old Crow Medicine Show – Wagon Wheel

Myspace

Twee

Listening to the dearth of indie bands floating around these days can get a little overwhelming sometimes. Every so often one does cut through the twee noise. Normally this is due to distinctive sound or a fresh approach to what is now quite a worn out genre. In the case of the Freelance Whales it’s kinda the opposite. They seem to take elements from all your favourite bands and create something rather tasty. Sifting through their debut album Weathervane you hear glimpses of the Postal Service, Broken Social Scene, Arcade Fire and even a little Los Campesinos. It seems like cheating but damn it can’t stop listening. Check below for a taste, it’s indietastic (in a good way…)

Freelance Whales – Ghosting

Freelance Whales – Starring

Focus

After years of delays, revisions and impressive singles Sub Focus finally releases his debut self titled album on RAM Records this month. While perhaps not living up to the immense hype that has been heaped on it over the years (nothing could) it is still an impressive LP. Spanning everything from his trademark style of cold synths and sticky melodies to the classic jungle sound of yesteryear Sub Focus is able to craft something that works equally well in your headphone and the main room at Matter.

There are a few small missteps including a number of questionable vocals, especially on the previously sublime Follow the Light but really I’m just nit-picking. This debut is a superb snapshot of the possibilities of bass driven music. Essential.

Sub Focus – Last Jungle

Class Action

We don’t do enough for Australian music here on BW. It’s not that it ain’t great it’s just that a lot of what comes out of this country just ain’t up our alley. I initially thought the same for the Sydney band Philadelphia Grand Jury. They burst onto the local scene with the simple high energy pop jam Going to The Casino and seemed destined to churn out an album of similar fare. Now the reviews are in and PGJ have proven to be much more. On their debut Hope is for Hopers they show texture in their songwriting and a charisma in their performance that is hard to find. While they lean hard on the pop side of things there is enough fuzzy guitar and thrashing beats to keep you coming back. For once I wont have to wait a year to see this catchy set of songs live. Result.

Philadelphia Grand Jury – Good News

100% Free

Sometimes things are to good to be true, especially when it comes to the internet. This time though the interwebs have delivered. A completely free and damn impressive debut from a bunch of guys known as The Slew. The Slew is actually the teaming of your mothers favourite DJ Kid Koala and the now outcast ex Wolfmother rhythm section. What sounds a little odd on paper is bumpin’ coming out of a set of speakers. The Slew blend old fashioned hip hop instrumentals and turntablism with a thick sludge of blues and soul. Check it out for yourself (for free) here. Thanks again internet.

Do You Wanna

It was only a matter of time before people began to blur the lines between dubstep and drum and bass. Producers such as Kryptic Minds, Randomer & Nero are doing just that, experimenting with mixed speeds, sounds and samples. All this while keeping the bass proper. Case in point Do You Wanna, Nero’s latest. Starting off all steppy with vocal and synth stabs Do You Wanna slowly layers on drums and tempo leaving you with something big. More please.

Nero – Do You Wanna

Myspace

Daft Punk Trailer

Daft Punk is a well developed brand now… is that a good thing or a bad thing?

Who cares? It’s better than playing as Tiesto.