Dubbed a cross between Diplo and MIA, Ellinor Olovsdotter, aka Elliphant, is poised to make a real splash this year. We’ve heard the Swede’s utterly infectious track “Down On Life” not too long ago, and now she’s unleashed her entire debut EP to the internet world. Tune into the sassy, sunny dancehall-meets-electronic songs below.
Thanks to the wonderful blogosphere, deserving songs like “Treat Me Like Fire” will actually — yes, here comes a pun — spread like wildfire. Released by a New York duo called Lion Babe (made up of Jillian Hervey and Lucas Goodman), it’s a stellar soulful electro-tinged track. Take one listen and you’re instantly hooked to all of its parts: the backbeat is infectious and jarring, the synths are warm and ambient, the vocals are feisty yet so silky, and the chorus simply seals the deal. Big things will come from this pair, here. Listen in below and then download it off Lion Babe’s official site.
Rising Australian producer Max Armata, aka Yahztel, is only 19 years old, but he’s well on his way to building quite the portfolio. After randomly coming across this track “Beached” on Hype Machine the other night, I just knew I had to throw it up. It’s an electronic tune that, despite it’s hard-hitting and energetic nature, still retains an aura of coolness. It’s chill, but steamy, relaxed, yet electrifying. And a lot of this has to do with the fact that the song packs a lot of imagination — it throws curves left and right, various sounds and textures amidst huge waves of crashing synths. Check it out below and be sure to visit his Soundcloud page, where he just released his Girls EP.
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Portugal-based producer MAU has worked his magic yet again — he previously reworked Passion Pit and Summer Heart — this time on the lush, yet sputtering electronica tune “The Wheel” by Vienna’s SOHN. The remix receives not only speed and some woozy effects, but thumping percussion and bright synths that serve to heighten the dramatic flavor of the original and take its overall vibe to another level entirely. Listen below and take advantage of the free download!
New York synth pop band Ra Ra Riot are gearing up to release their new album, Beta Love, on January 22nd. We’ve heard a number of the LP’s songs — “When I Dream” (below), “Dance With Me”, and the title track — but now the four-piece has put up the entire record for our listening pleasure. Stream Beta Love here via YouTube.
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Back in 2011 a guy named Trevor Powers, aka Youth Lagoon, released one of the dreamiest, dreamy dream-pop albums entitled The Year of Hibernation. Its mellow, sweet melodies, such as on songs like “Cannons” (below) or “Afternoon,” stay with you for days, weeks to come. On March 5th, he will put out his sophomore LP, Wondrous Bughouse, and today we get a sneak peek with this track “Dropla”. Though it’s not quite as instantly gratifying as his past material — it’s a bit more complex and quirky — it’s still new Youth Lagoon and that’s what matters.
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I’ve written about Jessie Ware a lot here on The Music Ninja. Go ahead and search and you’ll see my name attached to many of her posts. By now you’d think I would have gotten over the hype, or, at the very least, calmed the hell down about it. But no. I still have her debut album Devotion on repeat, and now her new If You’re Never Gonna Move EP will join that endless rotation.
While the new EP has a few cuts that we’ve heard before, it also includes her beautiful cover of “What You Won’t Do For Love” and this absolutely stunning remix of the title track. Done by London producer Two Inch Punch, it dazzles here and there, but is mostly a stripped down rework that seems to really look into the soul of the original. The sparse, bare moments are complemented, even highlighted, by the more electronic touches enabling the song to reach a truly exquisite & moving balance.
Be sure to catch Jessie Ware on Jimmy Fallon tonight. Yep, it’s happening.
