New Tune Tuesday (Dreamscape Edition)
-Written by Kevin Madert
A few short days from now the first sets of Dreamscape 2016 will be echoing through the undulating, tree-dotted hills & of Camp Ramblewood. Lucky for us, plenty of the artists playing this year’s festival have been hard at work churning out new tunes – just in time to unleash them on the masses come May 5-8. Read on to hear the latest from some of our favorite acts on the lineup.
Destructo & Wax Motif Ft. Vanilla Ace – Beatdown
Kicking off the list is, appropriately, a recent song from an artist playing Dreamscape. On “Beatdown,” Holy Ship don and purveyor of oft-fantastic four on the floor Destructo teams up with capable friends Wax Motif and Vanilla Ace to deliver a winner. The dark tune is quintessential Destructo, packing a serious punch in the breakdown but refusing to view itself through overserious eyes. Attesting to this is the well-sourced hook – a few lines of poignant life advice adapted from “G’d U” by Snoop Dogg helmed hip-hop trio The Eastsidaz. Keep it real and get gangsta’d up with the HARDfather at Poseidon’s Playground to close out pool party numero uno (9pm Friday).
Connect with Destructo: (Facebook / Twitter / Soundcloud)
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New Tune Tuesday (6/9/15)
–Written by Kevin Madert
The Front Bottoms – West Virginia
A surprise single from one of my favorite bands is the stuff Tuesdays are made of. “West Virginia” is The Front Bottoms in quintessence: one part catchy, straightforward instrumentation, one part complex & quirky – yet equally catchy – lyrics, coalesced into a faux-lo-fi package and thrown at you with every ounce of emotive heft lead singer Brian Sella and company can push through their mics and amps. Like much of TFB’s catalog, the wordsmithery on display here is relatable in overarching emotional brushstrokes rather than specifics. You may never have experienced a conversation like the one Sella opens this song with (“Is it raining where you are? / The only thing I could think to ask. / But nothing ever hurt so bad / as the ‘no’ that you said back”) but dammit if those lines don’t hit you in the chest like a two-ton weight. You can download the new tune for free by joining The Front Bottoms Motorcycle Club on the band’s official site. The music video is a perfect visual compliment; you can see it below.
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New Tune Tuesday (4/21/15)
–Written by Kevin Madert
Jayceeoh, B-Sides & Fawks – Jit Going Ham
The combined creation of VH1’s Master Of The Mix 2013 champion, a breezy trap up-and-comer, and a long-time AltFreq favorite, this hybrid future cut starts heavy and refuses to relent. Big synths and rhythmic clap patterns lead into a shuffling, detuned drop that hits the ears with serious weight & avoids easy labeling. Bridging the gap between progressive crowd-pleaser and hard-hitting underground gem, this three-pronged collab is prime fodder for both massive mainstages and sweaty basement clubs; expect to hear it rinsed by acts across the spectrum in the coming summer months.
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New Tune Tuesday (4/14/15)
–Written by Kevin Madert
Gramatik – Native Son (Ft. Raekwon & Orlando Napier)
The lead single from Gramatik’s upcoming Epigram EP sees the Slovenian teaming with an emerging talent and an established hip-hop legend to craft a too-smooth instant classic. The juxtaposition of frequent collaborator Orlando Napier’s syrupy tones and rapper Raekwon’s incendiary verses atop seriously sensual riffage amounts to some of Gramatik’s best work. The often humble producer seemed almost as excited as we were about the tune: “I’m sure you can imagine how some random kid from Slovenia must feel, realizing he just made a song with a legend.” (via Facebook)
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New Tune Tuesday (4/7/15)
–Written by Kevin Madert
A smattering of new music from across the genre spectrum. Did we leave out your favorite band’s latest material? Let us know!
Kill The Noise & Tommy Trash – Louder
Having lived a relatively math-free life since I skated a B- in my requisite lecture hall course freshman year someone may have to check my calculations here, but I’ll give it a shot. A longtime bass music powerhouse + a longtime house music don = one hell of a tune. Accompanied by Rock City on vocals, Kill the Noise and Tommy Trash turn in here a dark hard-electro tune that’s got a little bit of everything: growling basslines, massive syncopated drum hits, shouted lyrics, and a surprisingly nuanced drop that’s sure to tear up festival mainstages this summer. In tandem with the release, the duo announced a short co-headlining tour – including a stop at Washington, DC’s Ultrabar. You can find more information about that here.
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New Tune Tuesday (3/31/15)
–Written by Kevin Madert
Nero – The Thrill (Fawks Flip)
Firing it up this week is Fawks, a multi-talented producer who’s quietly carved a home for himself in genres ranging from future house to liquid drum ‘n’ bass. This tune is a beautiful exercise in the latter, making the most of the uplifting synths and massive kicks of Nero’s original tune and augmenting them with skilled subtlety. The original vocals are kept intact, a choice that works to both connect the listener back to the original and pairs perfectly with the tempo shift. Grab this one as a free download and show support for a rapid riser who you’ll be hearing plenty more from in the near future.
GRiZ – Say It Loud
Funky see, funky do: The long-awaited follow-up to Rebel Era is finally here, and it’s a statement from the Detroit-based sax symbol. The message? “I’m here to stay and I’m ready to play.” The formula remains relatively unchanged, as Grant brings his tenured ear for funked-out productions and his laudable skills on the saxaphone (Big Gigantic who?) to bear on eleven new tracks. Where the producer’s fourth album differs is in the details. Say It Loud gives us a wider range of genres and production elements than its predecessors, a testament to GRiZ’s maturity as an artist. Check back soon for a full-length review!
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