Author Archives: Jordan Coburn

[Hip Hop] Archy Marshall – Arise Dear Brother

Posted by Jordan Coburn - December 14, 2015

Archy Mashall
Arise Dear Brother

So remember that suave red-head that busted on the scene as King Krule a bit ago and totally killed it? Well the English based man behind the art, Archy Marshall, has released the EP A New Place 2 Drown recently with his brother Jack, and it is incredible. This album was an instant hit with our team, reminding us of his earlier works with much more finesse and expression than previously. “Arise Dear Brother,” the third track on the album, is the one that really brought us in.

The song starts out with a dreamy guitar riff and some other abstract sounds that beckon us in to the waiting lobby Marshall sets up. Just before you fall into the downward chill spiral, a deep and sharp bass and beat come and slap you to your senses and into a whole new downtempo hip hop world you go. Archy’s vocals tie it all together at this point and what we’ve got is a really, really great new artist. Be sure to give this entire EP a listen. You won’t be disappointed. Excuse us while we go listen to this on repeat.

Hip/Hop

[Deep/Tech House] Guy J – Bungalow

Posted by Jordan Coburn - December 9, 2015

Guy J
Bungalow

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Starting his career writing music and recording in his own home at the age of 14, Guy J, based in Tel Aviv, has become an infectious house music producer pulling from the progressive and tech subgenres for the last decade. With friends like John Digweed, Guy J always delivers tracks that can get you vibing all night long. Off of his new EP The Trees, The Sea & The Sun, he brings us the track “Bungalow,” which is a lengthy homage to all things prog and tech house.

The best part of this track is quite possibly the deepest of deep elements he works into the tune. We would even call them insidious. After his Royksopp-like ambient sounds that he leads in with, the ear hears a low-end calling to the dance floor that you absolutely cannot ignore. Bringing in a welcomed snare clap and some more percussion you would literally have to cover your ears to not want to step up and dance to this. Exploring all the depth of a producer more seasoned than many, “Bungalow” is a hit we’ll be listening to on repeat.

[Electronica] Mano Le Tough – Half Closed Eyes

Posted by Jordan Coburn - November 30, 2015

Mano Le Tough
Half Closed Eyes

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Mano Le Tough, aka Niall Mannion, is a now Berlin based producer who’s been making crazy moves in the European electronic scene, and we’re hoping it’s not long before he’s as big of a hit with the States as he is with TMN. Getting his start in a seaside village close to Dublin, Ireland, Mano Le Tough brings some electronica serenity to the latest track off his newest EP Trails.

“Half Closed Eyes” is a track that hits us a few tunes deep into the album and changes up its pace at just the right time. Beginning with the kind of experimental “off beat” electronic percussions you might have the pleasure of hearing in a Nicolas Jaar track (*pause for a moment of silence for Darkside please*), the song also opens with a sample of some chopped up and looped vocals. Next Mannion brings in a house bass line and this is when the track really gets us going. The tune starts morphing into something you might hear Bonobo spin—-a progression of symbols and bells, all while continuing with the vocal sample, which is now uttering “on and on…” like any good electronica song should. But don’t worry, the track never maintains its normalcy because the off beat percussions come right back along with some Doppler effect synths and industrial noise, and you can feel good about being weird again.

On top of making madly good music, Mano Le Tough also throws this hot dance party in Berlin called Passion Beat where he hosts himself as a resident DJ along with his buddy, The Drifter. Hosting other names like Nicolas Jaar and John Talabot, we’ve made this a must-go destination in our electronic dance party geo-calendar. Because that is definitely a thing.

Electronica

[Electronic] Sun Glitters – Always the Same

Posted by Jordan Coburn - November 30, 2015

Sun Glitters
Always the Same

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Luxembourg-based producer Victor Ferreira, aka Sun Glitters, has given the music community some gold over the years. With a knack for chill wave and side-chain filters, Ferreira always brings us a product that is easy on the ears. Having produced with artists such as Steffaloo and Slow Magic, Sun Glitters always delivers us a good dose of chill with every release, and the chill quotient continues to climb with his latest single “Always The Same” off his newest EP Diving Into Reality.

Given the title of the EP we believe that Diving Into Reality is a successful attempt by Ferreira to explore common themes in reality by manifesting them through sound and that’s exciting to us. “Always the Same” is appropriately driven by a side-chain synth wave that sounds like it’ll go on forever. As the song continues you’ll hear a product that sounds ongoing—like it’ll continue on its same course.

But where we see the beauty in this is that when you listen to every element in the song you’ll find that every little sound entails its own course of action that actually does vary from measure to measure. Just like in life, it seems that Ferreira has found a way to make us aware that there is change in the constant. It is all in the details. And the details are pretty beautiful.

Electronic

Hi-Fi Cali – Soulmates [TMN PREMIERE]

Posted by Jordan Coburn - November 20, 2015

Hi Fi Cali
Soulmates

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TMN is stoked to give you all a first look at electropop duo Hi-Fi Cali’s latest single, “Soulmates.” A direct off-shoot of Chris Bartel’s previous project Bora York, the Minneapolis duo brings us a smooth, downtempo disco track with this release that’ll get you snaking your head to a synth-driven rhythm, funky guitar riff, and finessed bass. After all that action, about half way through the song you’ll get a treat of some ambient butterfly effect tones that’ll take you up and away.

While the highly pleasing falsetto vocals on this track are a close second, our favorite thing about this tune has got to be the way that Hi-Fi Cali creates a perfect symphony of retro synths throughout, all building upon one another with patience and purpose.

This tune is absolutely perfect for fans of electropop favorites Chromeo, Bag Raiders, Holy Ghost!, and even Toro y Moi. Let’s hope their hot sound can get them through those cold winters in Minnesota. Don’t freeze please—we want to hear more.

Bit Funk – Off The Ground [TMN VIDEO PREMIERE]

Posted by Jordan Coburn - November 18, 2015

Bit Funk
Off The Ground (ft Shae Jacobs)

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We are proud to present a first look at Brooklyn-based Bit Funk‘s music video for his newest single “Off The Ground.” here at TMN this morning.

Call him El Nino– this track is making huge waves in a very short amount of time. The tune has already hit #2 on HypeM and has close to one million plays since its release. The motivating clap track that’s present at the start of the song along with Shae Jacobs’s R&B-driven vocals are a retro electro combo that builds until it drops. The modern electronic sound rushes in with a deep house beat and the commencement of vocal loops, reminding us that this is indeed a club hit. At this point everyone in the crowd is going to be straight boogie-ing. I know we were our first listen. This track’s smooth and well on its way to becoming a dance floor regular.

For some added boogie inspiration, make sure to check out the music video, as well.

Travelers – Something I Said [TMN VIDEO PREMIERE]

Posted by Jordan Coburn - November 17, 2015

Travelers
Something I Said

Soundcloud

We’re very happy to debut Travelers‘ new video for “Something I Said” here at TMN. This Los Angeles-based group is creating music that is the fusion of some quintessential indie sounds, and they do it so beautifully in this track. With an opening composed of guitar and vocals that are very reminiscent of another little So Cal success, Young The Giant, “Something I Said” gets the immediate hook around any fan of the beachy, indie sound. As the tune progresses Travelers brings in group backup vocals that take us back to the era of Fleet Foxes where soothing reverb puts a soft spin on the whole chant-like product. Finishing up with a breakdown that switches gears from this happy indie track into a blues-y one, Travelers seemed to have perfectly combined some of our decades’ most appealing elements in indie music. These folks are going places. Safe travels, Travelers.