Singles - Nakamarra (feat Q-Tip) - Hiatus Kaiyote

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I heard a new track from this unique soul/funk/jazz/rap band on their new album that got me really intrigued to start exploring their two albums. After listening to a number of tracks, the rhythm and tone of this song really stood out. It's pretty hard for a band to make a song sound this jazzy and soulful without forcing the issue. I get some Little Dragon vibes, maybe Jill Scott a bit and their hip-hop influence reminds me of the oddness of Shabazz Palaces. This band is definitely different and worthy of a listen if you like this track!

Singles - Born Slippy - Albert Hammond, Jr.

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Albert Hammond, Jr., the guitarist of the notorious The Strokes, is set to release his third solo album. I LOVED his first album, Yours to Keep, for its simplicity and Hammond's vocals that were unproduced and raw. The best and most catchy (and probably most Strokes-y) song on the album was "In Transit."

But a track that still stands put to me is the Beatles-esque "Blue Skies," where Hammond, his acoustic guitar, a xylophone, and a slow beat create a sweet love song.

AHJ just released his first single, "Born Slippy," which I immediately took to. What I love in an artist is when he/she is able to take the best pieces of prior albums and build upon them to make even better tracks. This is one of those and might be the best track he's written!

His new album, Momentary Masters, is out July 31!

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Singles - Atlantic Postcard - Holydrug Couple

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Wow wow wow what a trippy instrumental! I stumbled upon these guys last night and could not take my headphones off. The album, Moonlust, which I'm sure to post more songs in the future, is really psychadelic but in a controlled way. I have to say I'm completely shocked that a band into psychedelic instrumentation is named Holydrug Couple. They definitely weren't on drugs while making this album. The band is from Chile, and it sounds like DIY bedroom recordings in the early veins of Tame Impala and Washed Out. I'm stunned at the sounds. Check it out!

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Singles - Go - The Chemical Brothers feat. Q-Tip

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Admittedly, I don't know The Chemical Brothers very well, but they just released a new track to their upcoming album, Born in the Echoes, out July 17th. It's a pulse pounding, futuristic sounding rager that makes me feel like I'm seconds from crashing while driving one of those cars from Tron. The song never slows down, and Q-Tip (of the immortal A Tribe Called Quest) reminds us that he can do no wrong.

If you're the visual type, here's the music video directed by Michael Gondry - the director from Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.

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Singles - The Staves - Black and White & Teeth White - live on La Blogotheque

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The Staves, three sisters from England, recently released their second album, If I Was, a lush and folky rush of harmonies that (similar to their album cover) make me picture frosted cabins in the countryside. They're a mix between Bon Iver and Fleet Foxes (the two best bands in this type of genre), and it's no coincidence that Justin Vernon (the mastermind of Bon Iver) produced this gorgeous album.

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Singles - De La Soul feat. Nas - God It

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If you haven't heard, the legendary trio De La Soul opened up a Kickstarter to make a new album. The album will feature collaborations with Little Dragon (!), David Byrne, 2 Chainz, and Damon Albarn (of Blur and the Gorillaz), and possibly more! Their last album was over a decade ago, so needless to say this will be quite anticipated for all hip-hop fanatics of new and yore.

De La Soul turned to kickstarter (in their words) "to help pay for recording, mixing, marketing, and everything else. Your support will keep us in the studio, help us continue to sample and manipulate the music we’ve recorded, will help us get additional production work done; and will help us design, package, market, and distribute the album. The whole thing. We literally cannot do it without you."

They asked for $110,000 and they've gotten a total $514,000 from almost 10,000 people! Amazing.

They've been getting fans excited with some releases, including this jam featuring Nas (who refuses to age or fade and is still killing it) providing the hook. This track will not be on the album, but for all of us waiting in eager anticipation for it to drop, this will certainly quench our thirst.

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Singles - Sufjan Stevens - Fourth of July

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There are certain songs so vulnerable and fragile that listening almost feels like trespassing upon a person's soul. "Fourth of July" by Sufjan Stevens is simply one of the most painstakingly heartfelt songs I've heard in quite some time.

The song is about the death of his mother, a woman who deserted him as a child as she was wrapped in addiction. But his love remains. It's a back and forth as Stevens speaks posthumously with his mother...

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Singles - Tedeschi Trucks Band - Midnight in Harlem

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Well, I came to the city
I was running from the past
My heart was bleeding
And it hurt my bones to laugh
Stayed in the city
No exception to the rules, to the rule
He was born to love me
I was raised to be his fool, his fool

Walk that line, torn apart
Spend your whole life trying
Ride that train, free your heart
It's midnight up in Harlem

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