Listen: Machinedrum—”Gunshotta”

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After releasing his hugely successful and wildly entertaining video for “Eyesdontlie,” Machinedrum drops another single in preparation for the release of his upcoming album Vapor City on September 30. This track, “Gunshotta,” although just a tad bit more tame than the previous single, is every bit as engaging sans the visuals. The real highlights of this track are its drum-breaks which are fast-paced and get your heart racing in rhythmic fashion. They have both an industrial and jungle sound to them and are executed perfectly throughout the whole of the track. Interestingly enough, they’re contrasted by somber and near-hypnotic voice samples that, at times, are transformed to adapt themselves to the multiplying speed of the drums. Listen to Machinedrum’s “Gunshotta” below and look out for his album Vapor City later this month. Also, do yourself a favor and watch his video for “Eyesdontlie”—if you haven’t already done so—right here on Rhizome.

Watch: Will Brennan ft. Jenny Reynolds—”RNR 2.0″ (Prod. EthniKids)

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Perfectly melding together the worlds of hip-hop and electronica, Will Brennan releases the visuals for his song “RNR 2.0.” The “2.0” comes from the fact that this is a reproduction of the original which was released over a year ago. The genius behind this track is Will Brennan’s outstanding ability to rap like one of the best in the industry, but with a sharp sensibility and attention to the soulful, electronic beat produced by EthniKids. It also doesn’t hurt that Jenny Reynolds, who sings the hook, is a very attractive young woman with a lovely voice. Will Brennan is a rare breed on his record label Dim Mak which is owned by Steve Aoki and primarily promotes electronic music, but he seems to use it to his advantage by appropriating the genre into his own work. Check out the Florida rapper flex his lyrical muscle alongside Jenny Reynolds in the video above and, should you feel so inclined, download the more electronic version below.

Listen: Ryan Hemsworth ft. Lofty 305—”Against A Wall”

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Ryan Hemsworth breaks away from doing remixes for artists such as Migos and A$Ap Rocky to working on a full-length album, Guilt Trips. “Against A Wall” is the lead-single for the album and is made up of choppy synths and hearty drums that quickly induce rhythmic head bobs and pleasant thoughts. Lofty 305 helps to set the tone with his soft vocals and his repetition of “love you.” It’s a really enjoyable track to listen to and get lost in. You can expect Guilt Trips on October 22 via Last Gang Records. Listen to “Against A Wall” below. 

Download: Oisima ft. Annabel Weston—”Everything About Her” (Ta-ku Remix)

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Ta-ku takes apart, re-arranges, then puts back together Oisima’s track “Everything About Her” in a way that only he knows how to do so well. “Everything About Her” is the lead-single for Oisima’s album “Nicaragua Nights LP” which features Annabel Weston and is set to drop at an unknown time later this year. Although the original version of the song is more than enjoyable, Ta-ku gives it the drums and melody it needs to stand alone as a beat. A highlight in the track comes about 90 seconds in when the beat shifts dramatically and a funky violin sample begins to play. Listen to Ta-ku’s remix of “Everything About Her” below and download it for free (or for however much you’re willing to give) via the Bancamp page. 

Listen: JMSN—”Love & Pain” EP

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The lead-single for JMSN’s album Priscilla, which was later accompanied by visuals, is getting the red-carpet treatment with the release of an EP which features nine tracks, each of which is a remix to the original “Love & Pain” song. It’s truly a star-studded event with remixes by big names such as Ta-ku, Kaytranada, Sango, and Dpat, just to mention a few. And you know they’re doing something right when you can listen to the album the whole way through without feeling like you heard the same song twice. Each one of the producers takes a unique approach in the dismantling and reconstruction of the emotionally charged single by JMSN. Check out all the different remixes on the Love & Pain EP below. My favorite—in case you were interested—is the remix by Ta-ku. 

Download: JMSN x Ab-Soul—”You’re Gone” (IAMNOBODI Remix)

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IAMNOBODI brings together JMSN’s lofty sounds with Ab-Soul’s corporal lyrics to produce a solid remix for “You’re Gone”. For those who may be unfamiliar with these artists, JMSN is a highly respected producer and singer who recently released an album titled Priscilla and has previously worked with artists such as Kendrick Lamar on his good kid, m.A.A.d. city album. Ab-soul is a rapper from Los Angeles, who’s also a member of Black Hippy—a collective of artists from L.A. including Kendrick Lamar, Schoolboy Q, and Jay Rock. “You’re Gone” was just released about an hour ago and appears to be part of a project that has yet to receive much attention, but is sure to be amazing. The album will be a collaboration between JMSN and Ab-Soul and is titled Unit 6, which can be seen in the artwork for this single. A release date for Unit 6 has yet to be made public. Listen to and download the remix to “You’re Gone” by IAMNOBODI below. 

Listen: MØ—”XXX 88″ (Prod. Diplo)

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As if Diplo’s résumé wasn’t already impressive enough, the L.A.-based producer has now teamed up with Danish singer/songwriter MØ to add yet another hit-record under his belt. The new track, which is titled “XXX 88” highlights MØ’s mesmerizing voice with Diplo’s insanely awesome beat. The synths and bass jump out at the listener in perfect harmony with MØ’s deep-resonating vocals. There’s a graceful build in the track to the three-minute mark when everything gets really intense, but the subtle yet gripping opening lyrics are what really grab your attention. You can expect to hear more from MØ in the coming weeks as she prepares for the release of her EP on October 20, which will include “XXX 88.” Until then, remain content with the fact that this song (below) is enjoyable to listen to over and over again. 

Download: Ta-ku—”We Were In Love”

— Australian producer Ta-ku is back at it again with the release of his single “We Were In Love” from his album Songs To Break Up To which is set to drop sometime next month. If you’re unfamiliar with Ta-ku he’s …

Download: Drake ft. Sampha—”The Motion” (Sango Remix)

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Someone should have seen this coming from a mile away. Sango’s sultry beats are a perfect match for Drake’s heart-felt lyrics. So much so, in fact, that I could virtually hear Drake singing over the majority of Sango’s album North, which was recently released on July 23. On this track—”The Motion” which will be featured on Drake’s upcoming album Nothing Was The Same—Sango perfectly reconfigures the beat by adding a bass and drum-kick that were desperately lacking from the original as well as inserting a hi-hat and clap that help give the beat more structure and the illusion of a faster tempo. We don’t really hear much from Drake, or Sampha for that matter, except for a distant repetition of the chorus, which is fine by me since the beat is more than satisfying on its own. Sango is a producer that you definitely want to be on the lookout for in the future. Listen to and download his remix to “The Motion” below.

Watch: Shigeto—”Detroit Part 1″

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Critically acclaimed Michigan producer Shigeto releases his third full-length album called No Better Time Than Now. In celebration and promotion for the new work, he teamed up with director Rafe Scobeythal to provide his fans with visuals to his single “Detroit Part 1” which is as much a masterpiece as the beat. In it, we see Shigeto entering and exiting both the real-world and the dream-world and wandering about everywhere in-between. Nothing else about the video—whose well-developed visuals should qualify it to be treated as a short film—is very clear, but it’s all very stunning and helps the listener to better understand what it is that Shigeto is attempting to get at with his music. “Detroit Part 1” is a beat-laden track with ethereal soundscapes that produce a rich yet dark musical atmosphere that is absolutely enthralling. Each measure of the beat draws the listener deeper into rumination until found occupying some of the most profound reservoirs of one’s thoughts. It should go without saying (after listening) that his music has a little of that Flying Lotus vibe to it, which is not surprising considering that they both have backgrounds in jazz. No Better Time Than Now was released via Ghostly and can purchased at Insound Vinyl or Amazon. Although there’s no risk-factor involved in doing so, it never hurts to listen to another track of his beforehand. After checking out “Detroit Part 1” above, listen to “Perfect Crime” below.

Listen: Natasha Kmeto—”Dirty Mind Melt” (Sweatson Klank Remix)

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Leave it to Alpha Pup affiliate Sweatson Klank (shown below), formerly known as Take, to take a track such as “Dirty Mind Melt” by Natasha Kmeto (shown above), who is from Portland, Oregon, and transform it into the lovely beat-oriented remix that it is. There’s something about the lofty synths and romantic vocals that bring to mind smooth jazz and 80’s R&B, but with a Hip-Hop twist, which of course should be expected from the Los Angeles beatsmith. The intro to this song, with its profoundly evocative piano keys, is exceptionally mesmerizing and immediately draws the listener in. Also, Sweatson Klank’s drum selection and pattern couldn’t be any better—it’s a subtle yet much appreciated dimension for beat lovers. Without anything negative to say about Natasha Kmeto’s remix and without anymore accolades left to give to Sweatson Klank, there’s nothing else left to do but listen to “Dirty Mind Melt” below. Enjoy.  

Watch: Daft Punk ft. Pharrell & Nile Rodgers—”Lose Yourself To Dance” (Teaser)

Just as the hypnotic, head-bobbing spell cast upon the world this summer by Daft Punk’s “Get Lucky” was beginning to wear off, the team of robot, quasi-music-gods from France thrust themselves upon the eyes and ears of ever-eager listeners with a snippet to their visuals for “Lose Yourself To Dance” at the MTV Video Music Awards yesterday. The song, which features the familiar sounds and faces of Pharrell Williams and Nile Rodgers, is not only the follow-up single to “Get Lucky,” it’s practically it’s sequel considering its identical lineup and similar tune. However, that’s not enough to deter Daft Punk aficionados and music-lovers alike from getting down to “Lose Yourself To Dance.” It is important to note, however, that despite its similar genetic make-up, the latest single from the international duo is a little slower and calmer than its predecessor. Still, the visuals for “Lose Yourself To Dance” embody all of the feel-good, dance-music energy that fans have come to love from Daft Punk. Furthermore, the quartet is draped up in sparkly, silver-sequenced suits while the extras—who dance in pyramid formation with Pharrell, Nile Rodgers, and the rest as the capstone—look as if straight out of the Soul Train, and appropriately so. What is there not to love? Get your groove on with Daft Punk et al below.

Blankstairs—BST001

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ARTIST: Blankstairs

HOMETOWN: Portland, Oregon

ALBUM: BST001

RELEASE DATE: 23 July 2013

 

Philos Cult—Cult Status

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Listen to Philos Cult’s album Cult Status. The beats aren’t half as scary as the album cover makes it seem. In fact, they have a cool, laid-back vibe to

Just Blaze x Baauer ft. Jay Z—Higher

Mike Gao—Quadruple Entendre