Author Archives: Mitch Marzuola

Goldensuns – EP [TMN PREMIERE]

Posted by Mitch Marzuola - May 11, 2016

Goldensuns are a band of brothers. Literally. Whether or not that’s a key factor in their songwriting process, they’ve conceived a brand new EP for our listening pleasure. Right off the bat, traces of Empire Of The Sun are felt as “Gold Chains” washes in with a dreamy flourish, later shifting into fuzzy, alternative goodness on “Give It Up.” The pinnacle of this new project lies with “I Feel This Place,” marking the high point of the EP with an air of Rogue Wave and other choice influences. Everything is wrapped quite nicely with the bass-driven “I’m So Confused,” and Goldensuns has provided us with another brilliant EP to flesh out our spring playlists with. If sunny and 75 had a distinct sounds, it would certainly be these three. Brighten up your day with a little Goldensuns and enjoy below.

’Gold Chains’

’Give It Up’

’I Feel This Place’

’I’m So Confused’

[Indie Electronic] Samuel Proffitt & Josh Jacobson – Andre

Posted by Mitch Marzuola - May 10, 2016

Samuel Proffitt & Josh Jacobson
Andre

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When life shakes you to the core, sometimes the best method of working through it is to create something beautiful. Samuel Proffitt and Josh Jacobson have finally joined forces to do exactly that. “Andre” is first and foremost a remarkable tribute to a fallen friend, but it also stands strong as an exceptional coalescence of troubled but sincere writing paired with dazzling production.

In only three and half minutes, Samuel and Josh capture your attention and your heart, and it’s driven by a moment in time that we all will experience at some point. “Andre” is more than a song. Andre is a life, and, just like this life, you’ll want to hold onto this song closely. Despite an initially grave message, we can (and do) later find hope and solace in knowing that Andre will never be forgotten because of these two.

Saturday Selection Vol. 5

Posted by Mitch Marzuola - May 7, 2016

Hopefully you weren’t living under a rock this week, because it was a new music Friday for the books. We were lucky to get some HUGE albums, plentiful surprises, and a collection of music that continues to make the case for 2016 being a great year when it comes to quality releases. Even with all of these stellar projects, there’s plenty of gems to be found, and we’ve got some wonderful tunes primed and ready for you today. Enjoy!

Jai Wolf – Drive (feat. Chain Gang of 1974)

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Jai Wolf has come a long way since No Pets Allowed, and watching his rapid ascent to success has been quite the trip to say the least. Since his recent foray into original material with Indian Summer, he’s shifted to creating songs that make you feel like you could just jump and fly away whenever you want. “Drive” is his wonderful second original offering and it exists as a dreamy counterpart to Indian Summer, stacked from top to bottom with breathtaking production and effervescent vocals from The Chain Gang of 1974. In short, it’s miraculous. The Foreign Family Collective continues its winning streak with “Drive,” and we’re all better off because of it.

Slow Shudder – Call You Back

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A timely repost on SoundCloud can be an awesome thing, and, thanks to AObeats, we were given the opportunity to hear the debut tune from London’s own Slow Shudder. She’s already on to something with “Call You Back.” She effortlessly delivers each verse with her lofty and light voice before the tune quickly turns to a combination of club kick patterns, fluttering synths, and chirpy vocal chops that exhibits a level hand and production standard of more established artists before her. “Call You Back” is a strong statement to start with, and now we’re certainly ready to hear more from Slow Shudder.

Annabel Jones – Happy

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You know good pop when you hear it. It isn’t hard to decipher. However, Annabel Jones makes something better than just good pop music. “Happy” proves it. Something about her delivery and soothing voice meshes well with any and all production, even the unpredictable instrumentation of this newest tune. Juggling angelic synths and almost PC Music-esque elements, “Happy” manages to completely change course multiple times in only four minutes, but the cohesiveness is maintained throughout. When it comes to following up a huge hit like IOU, it can be a difficult time, but Annabel Jones didn’t have any trouble at all creating a sweet new single for all of us to enjoy. Grab her debut EP on iTunes here!

Thalab – Wreck

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Everything about this Thalab song is gorgeous. This is the sort of crazy and beautiful result you get when you smash together the best of electronica, alternative, folk, and even a little soul. The sound design is second to none, and the spacious atmosphere created manages to also stay grounded because of the tactful use of acoustic guitar juxtaposed with careening and lush synths. We’ll be the first to admit we aren’t entirely familiar with many producers from Spain, but these Barcelona natives have managed to pique our curiosity into expanding our exploration into a more international approach. End your day on the perfect note with this one.

Commandeur – Wasted (Ardency Remix)

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We love Ardency. They’ve pulled together a reputable collection of remixes and a handful of originals, and their latest project stems from the former. Fun Fact: Commandeur is the side project of the drummer from the great Australian band Panama, and this duo snagged a chance to give their own spin on his tune “Wasted.” There’s a classic, almost revamped 80’s edge to Ardency’s production that makes for an emotional rollercoaster on certain occasions, and this is absolutely one of times. It’s hard to deny the power of an electronic pop tune like this, and Ardency prides themselves on demonstrating their abilities in reshaping an older sound into something fresh and new. Do yourself a favor and snag the free download their remix here.

Saturday Selection Vol. 4

Posted by Mitch Marzuola - April 30, 2016

Hopefully the April showers are finally over, because we’re desperately in need of some nice spring weather. A lot of the time, music shifts with the seasons, and we’ve got a few tunes for you this week to mark the change that’s underway. Enjoy!

Pat Lok – You Street

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Pat Lok straight up rocks. He’s been an ace producer of infectious house tunes for a while now, and his collection of remixes speaks volumes with its success so far. The latest tune he’s dropped on us is a funky original, teeming with smooth synths and rocking percussion that could easily become a staple in your poolside playlist during the months ahead. There’s no shortage of grooving with Pat Lok, and “You Street” is a great example of that.

Klangstof – Island

Soundcloud

It’s a moot point by now, but Mind of a Genius continues to push some of the best music. Their most recent signing, Klangstof, has finally followed up their debut tune with the ethereal beauty of “Island.” Something about this group is inherently magical, and their tunes help you to escape to a better place. The entire six and a half minutes of this song is absolutely immersive and spectacular. Don’t miss out their other recent release, “Amansworld,” either.

Kultur – White Door (Ft. Khary)

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Shifting from his normal ambience, Kultur delivers a slick hip-hop tune featuring vocals from Khary. Hopefully there’s more of this in store from Kultur, because it works for him. Whether you’re entirely familiar with his normal material or not, “White Door” already is a standout for the French producer. He prides himself on mainly emotional pieces of work, but this new tune just feels fun and is an intriguing switch-up. It’s no secret that there’s a large amount of talented producers hailing from France, and Kultur is upholding his end of the deal big time.

Elohim – Sensations

Soundcloud

Every new Elohim tune gets us more and more excited for her debut EP due out on May 20th. Even with an abundance of synth-pop artists out there, Elohim has continued to make her mark over the last year with stunning songs and an alluring, mysterious presence. “Sensations” feels more jubilant than most of her previous tunes, and it’s easy to see how she has been able to garner her popularity with ditties like this. She’s captivating, and we’re fidgeting in our seats just thinking about her debut project on the way.

pools – summer sunday (sisasa remix)

Soundcloud

SISASA is in no hurry to be anywhere based on the relaxing tunes we’ve heard. Each of the three songs released so far is wrapped in a tranquil and simple atmosphere, and, somehow, SISASA has managed to transform pools into an an even more serene invention. Complexity and technicality is always appreciated, but constructing a minimal melody and altering a sample in such a way that SISASA has takes a specific and careful type of production that can easily be disregarded. This works though. And it works well. End your day right with this one.

Saturday Selection Vol. 3

Posted by Mitch Marzuola - April 23, 2016

This has already been a tough year for music lovers, and April is just wrapping up. We’ve lost some major icons who were trailblazers in not only their music, but also social and cultural shifts. We’ll miss them constantly, but there’s a bright side. We’ll always have their legacies through their discography, and, even more luckily, we get new and amazing music to enjoy every day. We can at least smile about that. Let’s explore.

Monogem – Take It Slow

Soundcloud

Monogem holds an inherent magnetism throughout her material. “Take It Slow” certainly is one of those pop songs that will make you want to fall in love under the right circumstances, and, even with the atomospheric production swirling back and forth, her crystal clear voice cuts through with a surprising and engaging strength. Get caught up in mediocre pop music can be easy if you aren’t careful, but there’s no trace of that when it comes to Monogem. Even with only a handful of tracks currently out, she has a little something for everyone.

Matthew Riley – YEARS

Soundcloud

Finding the first track an artist posts on SoundCloud is always exciting, and we’re very glad to have Matthew Riley join up. “YEARS” is awash with reverb and gentle, faint synths that float together with his short verses in simple and serene harmony. He’s crafted a fine balance between ambient, pop, and electronic music that manages to provide feelings of both relaxation and reflection. Sometimes that is exactly what you need on a slow morning, and we definitely hope to hear more Matthew Riley in the near future.

The Kount – Only Human

Soundcloud

There’s no contest here. The Kount is a student of the groove. He might even be a teacher of it after hearing this one. If you aren’t somehow feverishly bobbing your head after 20 seconds into “Only Human,” we’re not exactly sure what to tell you. It’s instrumentals like these that stand on their own. No need for bars, verses, or choruses. There’s enough substance and space that allow the instrumentation to speak for itself in the absence of lyrics. It’s a pretty great thing to find when you need a break from constant narration. His style is constantly shifting, so check out the rest of his material when you can.

Robokid – 23

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Nothing predictable comes to mind when discussing Robokid, and that’s great. Being a co-founder of Moving Castle will have that effect on you. On this new tune, which you may recognize from the Coachella LIVE video, there is an entirely different side of Robokid put on display. Shedding his more upbeat style, he opts for a little more sullen and slow approach on “23.” There’s an air of hope matched with escapism that isn’t weighed down with too many elements. It’s wonderful for a myriad of settings, and might just be one of his best creations yet. That’s a bold statement, but “23” is a force all its own.

Bo Rocha – Hold My Gaze

Soundcloud

We’d like to apologize for Bo Rocha managing to fly under our radar for this long. The London native has an undeniable command of her sound as evident from “Hold My Gaze,” and, as she flips from her mighty chorus to double-time verses, she knows her power. Between songwriting and production, Bo Rocha covers it all, and her hypnotic voice complements the ebbs and flows of this sweltering song perfectly. “Hold My Gaze” is such a strong follow up to her Even Green EP from a year ago, and we absolutely hope another project is the works soon that will build upon this radiant single.

LISBON – Shark [TMN PREMIERE]

Posted by Mitch Marzuola - April 22, 2016

LISBON
Shark

Soundcloud

Creating a name for yourself as a band just trying to break out is an arduous process. However, when you find something that works, you run with it, and LISBON‘s most recent effort, “Shark,” delves into all of these feelings with a heavier style than their previous work. They certainly aren’t shying away from their opinion of the shadier side of things, and the tone they’ve created from the lyrics alone couples well with their exploration into broader and heavier instrumentation.

Many people have dealt with and seen the “sharks” they sing about, and LISBON clearly has no reservations when it comes to outing them in a song. A little courage goes a long way sometimes. For you UK fans, they embarking on a tour soon, and we’ve got the dates and tickets listed below. In the mean time, enjoy “Shark” while you search for a show near you!

UK Tour Dates (Tickets)

18th May, Oporto, Leeds

19th May, Independent, Sunderland

20th May, The Great Escape, Brighton

21st May, The Great Escape, Brighton

22nd May, Waterfront Studio, Norwich

23rd May, The Maze, Nottingham

24th May, Sound Control, Manchester

25th May, The Studio, Sheffield University, Sheffield

26th May, Fruit, Hull

27th May, Surf Café, Newcastle (sold-out)

28th May, Surf Café, Newcastle (sold-out)

29th May, Sneaky Petes, Edinburgh

31st May, Islington Academy, London

2nd June, The Buskers, Dundee

3rd June, Fibbers, York

4th June, The Cookie, Leicester

[Hip-Hop] Kaiydo – Lottery

Posted by Mitch Marzuola - April 20, 2016

Kaiydo
Lottery

Soundcloud

So far, Kaiydo has delivered three tracks (one of which we recently covered) that span a wide range of hip-hop influence, and the fourth, “Lottery,” continues this precedent with a smooth blend of all of the previous work from his Colors & Sounds project. Even with a more restrained and mellow production, Kaiydo freely fires off bar after bar with an effortless ease that eclipses his burgeoning career with a sense of professional proficiency. Not only that, he has the tendency to lay down hooks that inherently get caught up in your head after the first listen, and that is certainly prevalent when it comes to “Lottery.”

This Florida rapper has a lot going on for him, and he’s only just beginning. However you approach the up-and-comers in hip-hop, you can’t deny their work ethic and ability to craft something noteworthy. If you’re wanting to compile some intriguing new artists in the realm of rap, Kaiydo should be at the top of your list.

Hip/Hop