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Lasso

Lasso is the solo (mostly) project of Tucson multi-instrumentalist/beat maker Andy Catlin. He covers about every genre imaginable throughout his seven release discography, including psych, pop, electro, hip hop, pop and rock. His newest release, Into The Lasso, is a kind of groovy, psych-pop meets hip hop beats hybrid. Check out the Money Mark-like album opener “Pepper”, it’s a great example of what this guy can do.

Into The Lasso is available now from Lasso’s bandcamp page. While you are there be sure to check out his other releases, you will not be disappointed.

Lasso – Pepper from Into The Lasso (2015)

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AM & Shawn Lee

London-based multi-instrumentalist/producer Shawn Lee and Los Angeles-based singer/songwriter AM have collaborated again to release their stellar third release Outlines. Outlines is a groovetastic blend of toe tapping, head bobbing, synth-heavy pop and funk. Get a taste of their grooviness below in the stream of album opener “Persuasion”.

Outlines is available to buy in all formats from their Bandcamp page. It’s a good one.

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Cafe Lanai

I can’t get enough of Vancouver electro-pop duo Cafe Lanai. The tropical sounds, hushed vocals and throbbing beat of their first single, “Lanai” (below), is quite intoxicating and I find myself listening to it over and over again.

Cafe Lanai’s debut EP, Paradise, is out June 3oth on Hybridity Music. It’s the perfect soundtrack for your cruise around town. Make sure the volume is up and your windows are down.

Cafe Lanai – Lanai from Paradise EP (2015)

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L Orange and Jeremiah Jae

Beat maker L’Orange and wordsmith Jeremiah Jae have collaborated to create one of the best grooved-out hip-hop albums of the year, The Night Took Us In Like Family. L’Orange’s dusty beats are on point and Jae flows with them like these two have been working with each other for years.

I was unable to get permission to share any downloads, but please enjoy the streams (below) of the jazzy “Taken By Night” and head-bobber “All I Need” feat. Gift of Gab. Both tracks are rad and represent the entire album well.

The Night Took Us In Like Family is available now on vinyl (recommended) or digitally from Mello Music. This is a must add to your collection. Enjoy

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Monster Rally and Jay Stone

After a long holiday break, I feel refreshed and ready to start bringing the hits again. For the first post of 2015, I am stoked to be sharing a couple tracks from the upcoming Monster Rally & Jay Stone collaboration, Foreign Pedestrians.

Monster Rally’s hazy, exotic beats mixed with Jay Stone’s razor-sharp vocal delivery are a match made in Heaven and hopefully the first of many collaborations between the two. I can’t recommend this album enough. You must buy it now. Foreign Pedestrians is possibly the best album of 2015.

Foreign Pedestrians will be released on January 27 through Gold Robot Records.

Monster Rally & Jay Stone – Cognac (w/Brandon Rayson) from Foreign Pedestrians (2015)

Monster Rally & Jay Stone – Recollection from Foreign Pedestrians (2015)

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Slow Magic

What better way is there to follow the face melting goodness of Wand than the dreamy electro-beats from Slow Magic?

There is not much out there about Slow Magic. What I can tell you is this masked man’s music is some super chilled-out, head-bobbing, beat-driven, seat-dance inducing electronica. Check out “Girls” below for a taste. Slow Magic’s sophomore release (and first with Downtown Records) How To Run Away, is available now through his Bandcamp page.

Slow Magic – Girls from How To Run Away (2014)

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Paces Lift and Ben Bounce

Paces Lift & Ben Bounce | Quick Trigger | 3hive.com

Paces Lift & Ben Bounce | Quick Trigger | 3hive.com

After a 30 day “one beat from both of us everyday” challenge Seattle’s Paces Lift and St. Louis’ Ben Bounce created the framework for their new collaboration LP, Quick Trigger. Two years of mixing and fine tuning, their masterpiece Quick Trigger was ready for consumption. The result is fourteen lo-fi, psychedelic, beat driven tracks sprinkled with bits of spaghetti western and old vinyl crackle. It’s a solid release which has quickly risen to the top of my albums of the year list.

Quick Trigger is available now on killer looking “ox blood” vinyl with cover art done by none other than Ted Feighan (aka Monster Rally) from Wax Thématique. It’s also streaming and downloadable from Paces Lift’s Bandcamp page. Feast your ears on some of Quick Trigger‘s goodness below. Enjoy!

Paces Lift & Ben Bounce – Clot (Beerline) from Quick Trigger (2014)

Paces Lift & Ben Bounce – Delusions of Farley Granger from Quick Trigger (2014)

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Identical Homes

I love this time of year. My kids are out of school, starting tomorrow. We’ve been enjoying our son’s baseball games, chilling out on the porch until dark, a little yard work and some serious (not really that serious) street carving sessions on our skateboards lately. The soundtrack to these recent good times has been the electro-pop beats of Identical Homes’ new LP, A. Hydrophelia.

Identical Homes is the new-ish project of ex Rum Diary member, Daniel McKenzie. He crafts a catchy, chilled-out, yet warm brand of electro-pop that is sure to cause involuntary head bobbing. Check out “Formula” (below) from the B-side, it’s one of my favorite tracks from the album.  A. Hydrophelia is out now and is available to buy/stream, digitally, from Identical Homes’ Bandcamp page. It’s also available on a really cool looking 12″ picture disc LP through the same Bandcamp page. This is a great summer time album, that belongs in your collection.

Thanks to Daniel for sending this my way through the inbox, along with a picture of his cat, Barracuda, and generously sending me one of the sweet picture discs.

Identical Homes – Formula from A. Hydrophelia (2014)

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Yalls

Berkeley-based musician Dan Casey’s (a.k.a. Yalls) debut album, United, is a 44 minute escape from reality, filled with groove-holmes beats and synths straight from outer space. The warbly synths of “Warlords” (below) is just what I’m talking about – combined with a chilled-out beat and hushed vocals, it’s one of my favorite tracks from the LP.

United comes out May 6 on Gold Robot. Do not miss out on this release.

Yalls – Warlords from United (2014)

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RUMTUM

If you like listening to cut up bits of soul, tropical, world and basically any other genre of music all mixed together with some slick hip-hop beats, then Cleveland’s RUMTUM (aka John Hastings) is the artist for you. Even if this concept seems completely foreign to you, trust me, you will dig this.

RUMTUM released his debut LP Mystic Wonders back in September on 1320 Records and his own Bandcamp page. He has also collaborated with the one and only Monster Rally on a couple EPs. Enjoy the songs below, they are just a taste of RUMTUM’s greatness. Now get out there and track down the rest of his stuff, all of it is must have music.

RUMTUM – When from Mystic Wonders (2013)

RUMTUM – Get It from Mystic Wonders (2013)