Voices of the Day: VB

This one is written by good friend, who for some reason wishes to remain unnamed, so we'll just call him VB. To me it's in the vein of Sigur Ros/ Explosions in the Sky; a kind of raw instrumental. Download if you like it!

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Voices of the Day: Citizen Cope (Figure Remix)

Electro/dubstep that remixes a down-tempo song is a tough nut to crack. In general, I'm not interested in this breed of song, especially since I depend on anything with a bpm over 140 for workout playlists. However, a remix of Citizen Cope's mellow tune, Lifeline, by Figure caught my attention today. Figure has been populating the majority of my running playlists for a while now, he's adept at everything bass and crashes into tracks with heavy drops preceded by tension-building progressions. He definitely incorporates all of that intense, percussive style into this mix, but it complements Citizen Cope's lazy vocals and acoustic melodies in an unexpected way. Figure's team contacted Citizen Cope, who agreed to allow Lifeline as a free release in order to raise awareness for those still affected by Hurricane Sandy.

Citizen Cope - Lifeline (Figure Remix) - DL and Donate

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Voices of the Day: Macklemore and Ryan Lewis

Rule number one of being a hipster...never admit you're a hipster. Well, we can make an excuse in this case, maybe just because Macklemore spends about half this video in a onesie. With a hook that includes the lyric "This is fucking awesome," the new video release of Thrift Shop from Macklemore and Ryan Lewis is an ode to the frugal yet stylish ways of the hipster, bordering on pure ridiculousness. We can all appreciate some good self-mockery, right?

There's definitely something to be said for knowing your audience. To promote this one, the rapper ran a photo contest of best thrift store finds and invited the winner out to the video shoot. And hey, it looks like they had a pretty awesome time. It's a fun song, it's an absurd video, so why not?



"I wear your grandad's clothes, I look incredible"

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Voices of the Day: Freeq Productions

Hi! I've got something completely different to post tonight.

Click play:

' Just Like Them ' EP Teaser by Freeq Productions
Right now you're tuning in to Freeq, a producer who is brand new, so he needs a lot of support (go ahead, like his Facebook). I wouldn't say trance/electro interests me very often, but I could see myself becoming a big fan of Freeq. I can dig the intensity and gradual rises and falls of these tracks. In particular, Just Like Them, the title track of the upcoming EP, is a very cool track, it feels a little mysterious and maybe a little ominous.

Freeq Productions is the collaboration between music producer, Zach Parkin, and visuals producer, Connor Mac Donald, so we can expect some pretty awesome music videos, I'm hoping sometime soon! In the mean time, they've dropped this 'EP Teaser' as a sample. The real deal drops September 2nd (RSVP).

Remember the best way to lead is to be the first follower (seriously). Support, support, support!

-SNewman

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Voices of the Day: Diafrix

Diafrix, an Australian hip hop group based in Melbourne, has the valuable ability to make music that is both catchy and feel good but remains interesting and textured. This track, Running It, maintains an energy with frequent tempo changes that highlight the "stop and take a look around" message of the song.

The group never fails to deliver memorable hooks that you won't mind having stuck in your head. Running It combines a bit of their usual reggae influenced hip hop with a bubbly instrumental that provides a nice contrast to the verse.

Diafrix released the video for the song in March, I'm very late on this one because I was having too much fun abroad. Oops. It definitely looks like what I'd like to do on a Best Day Ever. Here it is:





While I'm on the subject I see they've released a new video this week to Helicopter. It really reminds me of Major Lazer. 


-SNewman

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Voice of the Summer: Gary Clark Jr.

I can't believe summer is halfway over and I haven't yet written about my favorite discovery of the season. He's definitely on his way up, and he has the skills to get there. Sometimes I try to bring him up in random conversations just to talk about how awesome he is. Gary Clark Jr. is an incredible guitarist. His walking bass lines and electric solos earn him the label of our generation's blues revivalist.

Bright Lights, the title track to his most recent EP, completely jams out in an homage to NYC, with lyrics prophesying "you gonnna know my name"; in my opinion, that's a very true statement. His scratchy vocals complement sliding guitar riffs and give way to an awesome guitar solo that reappears throughout the song. You can download the track for free on www.GaryClarkJr.com 

If you live in or near NYC he's playing a free concert at Summerstage with indie-pop band, The Givers, another favorite on July 28th. Guess who's going?

(This girl)

-SNewman

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Voices of the Day: Tubby Love

I did just discover Tubby Love tonight, but more than a Voice of the Day, I think he has the potential to be a Voice of the Summer. A graduate of Berklee College of Music, Tubby Love applies his training to make breezy, calm reggae and folk influenced acoustic. He layers harmonies into his songs, like the female vocals accenting his ballad in Te Odio and his folky cover of Could You Be Loved. On his recent EP, Born on the 4th of July, released on (you guessed it) the 4th of July, he dropped five acoustic tracks that truly showcase his vocal talent.

Recently I've been trying to open up to more folk and roots music (One of my internships this summer is for a website that streams live concerts online, a lot of them are folk). Tubby Love is a great crossover for the genre, mixing roots with reggae is almost a logical combination, which he capitalizes on with unexpected melodies. 

Download the EP right HERE.

-SNewman

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