// Peter Bjorn & John - Dig A Little Deeper //
So good they gave themselves three thumbs up? Our secondmost favourite PB&J combo may never top the astronomic success of "Young Folks", but they've remained a steady source of indie goodness over the years. Back at it again with Gimme Some, the Swedish trio hit us with a surprisingly profound thought on "Dig A Little Deeper." Belting out the line, "All art has been contemporary," Peter Morén reminds that all artistic styles/genres/movements must have been considered contemporary at one time or another. The point? Take a chance to create something new - that's how progress is made. Weird and unconventional today, revolutionary tomorrow. That's how classic styles are born.
// Tyga f. Adele - Reminded //
At 21 years old with a Grammy nomination already under his belt, up-and-coming Young Money rapper Tyga is adding his name to the list of young hybrid emcees coming up in the game. Enlisting Adele to help him on a mixtape track? I have no idea how that happened, but after comparing "Reminded" to Adele's "Someone Like You", I'm at least sure that Adele's hook on the former is not a sample from her original (studio) track. In any case, it's a great look for Tyga. It'll be interesting to see how he rises through the Young Money ranks, but he'll be around for a minute as long as he can count Lil' Wayne, Drake, and Chris Brown as his allies.
// Sky Ferreira - 99 Tears //
Just months shy of her 19th birthday, Sky Ferreira has graduated from mere internet sensation to commercial juggernaught in waiting. Although her album was pushed back from its early 2011 release, Ferreira's hype as the next big thing in pop remains unfazed largely thanks to her self-released EP, As If! Charged with pulsing bass and synths, "99 Tears" will be buzzing in your ears for days after a couple of listens. It's a little too dancy for me, but this stuff is just too slick not to put out there as noteworthy. If you haven't already, get familiar with this future pop star.
// Memphis - I Want The Lights On After Dark //
I'll admit that I'm as wild about Memphis' new album, Here Comes A City, as I was about their last one. That said, there are still hints of the magic shared by Torquil Campbell (of Stars) and collaborator Chris Dumont. Probably my favourite from the new album is the punchy "I Want The Lights On After Dark." With the steady attack of the snare set against typically dreamy electric guitars, Memphis again achieve a sound probably much bigger than the cabarets the song will fill. I mean this in the most sincere way possible, seeing as this was established long ago as Campbell's side project to Stars. You can tell the material comes from the same mind behind Stars, but it feels distinctly more like an organic "indie rock" sound without the electronic component we usually see from Stars. All in all, it's a nice departure, if not a necessary break from the incredible weight of trying to top Set Yourself On Fire - Stars fans know what I'm talking about. But I digress...
// Amadou & Mariam - Sabali (Miike Snow RMX) //
Known simply as "The Blind Couple from Mali," Amadou Bagayoko and Mariam Doumbia have an incredible story to tell. After coming out of nowhere to become one of the biggest surprise hits of 2008, Amadou & Mariam's "Sabali" has since enjoyed additional exposure courtesy of numerous remixes and sampling credits. Last December, the duo released an entire complilation of "Sabali" remixes. Notable contributors included Bob Sinclar, Miike Snow, Nas & Damian Marley, and Theophilus London. Being a huge Miike Snow fan, I just had to post this. They didn't rock the boat too much, but the right touches were made. "Sabali" is a beautiful song - Amadou and Mariam should be applauded for crafting a classic while putting Malian music - however briefly - on the world music stage. Also consider the near-impossible task of learning how to play instruments blind. Truly uplifting stuff, folks.
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