Well it’s a trend that seems to grow. Live music + hip-hop can have some great outcomes. The DownBeat Keys are a group out of Brooklyn that I’ve featured before and they’ve just released their first album this month. Download the tracks for free here from Soundcloud, or get the entire album from their site while you’re at it.

They’re worth a listen and more than anything, I’m interested in where they go from here. Hopefully they do go far. I haven’t gotten through the whole album but here are two tracks I’ve enjoyed so far.

The Children by DBK Exclusive Tracks

You Ain’t Gonna Go Far by DBK Exclusive Tracks

                          

And I gotta say, it’s definitely something different being brought to the table. Limited sampling, heavy lyrics, and overall appealing structure. I’ll keep listening. Below is Roebus One’s first single, “Advent Glorious” off his newest album, Inside the Diorama which released this month on iTunes. He’s also got Reflections of Goodbye from 2009.

I’ll be honest, when I was watching the video, I did not believe that the voice I heard was coming from the man on the screen. Is this good or bad? I really can’t say. But it’s something unique. And sometimes we do just need to through the cookie cutters in the trash and mold it with our hands.

Roebus One, you’ve got me listening. We’ll see what happens from here.

Roebus One – Advent Glorious [YSI]

                          

OK Go definitely made a name for themselves with their backyard viral music videos. Since then they’ve stepped up the funding and quality and have had some kick ass videos. Now they’re at it again. This time with the cast of the Muppets performing the opening song. I’ve got no big write up for this. they just seem like a real fun group of guys and I think I’d like to just hang out with them for an evening. So please, sit back, relax, and enjoy some OK Go + the Muppets.

OK Go and The Muppets – Muppet Show Theme Song [YSI]

                          

Download the mixtape for free from here!

So Hoodie’s brand new mixtape dropped yesterday. I’ve listened to the entire thing and would love to tell you that this is a full in-depth album review, but quite honestly, it’s not. Instead, I’m gonna give you some quick thoughts about the album.

After one listen (while I was busy doing other things simultaneously), Leap Year has definitely got the elements that first drew me into Hoodie’s music. It’s got the classic Hoodie Allen cleverness and catchy backing tracks.

Hoodie did, however, change things up a bit on this album. We begin to hear more singing and there are very few songs that rely heavily on samples (Only 2 of the 13 have an indie-rock sampled chorus). It’s solid mixtape, and a growth can definitely be seen, especially if we look all the way back to the Bagels and Beats EP.

Although, I definitely need to listen to it again, Leap Year did not have the same replayability for me as Pep Rally. Pep Rally hit me with this power of fun. Instead on Leap Year, there are songs that I really like, and songs I kinda like. All that being said, I definitely need another chance to listen to it again more in depth, and burn a copy for my car (yes, I still prefer CDs in my car over mp3s). Then I’ll get a better sense of how I really feel.  Below are two of the songs that I really like. I can’t get enough of “James Franco.” I just want to clap along.

Tour Dates are below the tracks!

Download the mixtape for free from here!

James Franco by Hoodie Allen

Can’t Hold Me Down (feat. Tayyib Ali) by Hoodie Allen

07.30.11 – San Bernadino, CA @ Audiotistic
07.31.11 – San Diego, CA @ Epicentre
08.02.11 – San Francisco, CA @ 330 Ritch
08.09.11 – Chicago, IL @ Reggie’s Rock Club
08.10.11 – Pittsburgh, PA @ Altar Bar
08.11.11 – Buffalo, NY @ Broadway Joe’s
08.12.11 – Rochester, NY @ Water Street Music Hall
08.14.11 – Westchester, PA @ The Note
08.15.11 – Teaneck, NJ @ Mexicali Live
08.16.11 – New York, NY @ The Studio at Webster Hall
08.18.11 – Cambridge, MA @ The Middle East Upstairs
08.19.11 – Montreal, QC @ LATulipe
08.20.11 – Toronto, ON @ Wrong Bar
08.21.11 – Grand Rapids, MI @ The Intersection
08.23.11 – Cleveland, OH @ Grog Shop

                          

Hoodie’s brand new mixtape, Leap Year, drops next week. So in anticipation of it, Hoodie’s released a brand new single, The Chase is On, off the mixtape today. Not only is it a single, but he’s also got a brand new video to go with it.

And what I gotta say is, “Thank you, Hoodie!” When NY is Killing Me was released a few months ago, I got super worried. It just wasn’t a sound that fitted Hoodie. Just too much of a change in his music for me, especially so early in his career. But… he’s back!! When I’ve got a Hoodie Allen track blasting in my broke-ass Ford Explorer, The Chase is On is exactly what I want to hear. I want the catchy hook, the insanely smart lyrics and puns, and a production that will make me listen to it over and over (Big ups to RJF!). These are the things that got last year’s Pep Rally on my favorite albums of 2010, and it wasn’t even an actual album.

I’m on my 4th listen while I write this and I’m still picking up on the nuances in the lyrics (“Then why’s your face ghost?”). And the video for this single is light years ahead of the video for “You Are Not A Robot.” “You Are Not A Robot” is still one of my favorite Hoodie tracks, but the video was only so-so for me. Did I mention that Hoodie’s got Sofia Black D’Elia from MTV’s Skins in the video? Yeah, in the words of Hoodie, “She alone makes the video worth watching…but like the song is also really good so that’s cool too.” And now we get to see Hoodie grow. It’s been a year since Pep Rally but it feels like it may as well have been a Leap Year with all the professional growth from this young artist.

You can download the song for free here, but if you want to show some (monetary) love for Mr. Allen, go get the track on iTunes here. Video is below the audio player.

The Chase Is On by HoodieAllen

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZunGEL-jD-Y[/youtube]

                          

So Danny Dance has been sending his music since the time my blog started and I first posted one of his tracks back in January of this year. Well about 6 weeks ago, he introduced me a brand new concept “album.” 52 cards in a deck, 52 weeks in a year, and 52 great tracks to come.

As Danny describes it:

SDHC represents House Music you can dance to, live to, study to, work to, love to, play to, or do anything else to. It’s music straight from my heart to yours; a year-long love letter to the world. Since there are 52 weeks in one year, each song is represented by one of the 52 playing cards in a deck of cards. You can join in for the entire story and collect all the songs, or just pop in from time to time. Either way, you’ll find quite a few surprises along the way!

So because I am so many weeks behind, I’m giving you all the releases from the first 5 weeks with their descriptions. I won’t be covering this every week so to keep up to date, make sure to sign up for the SDHC newsletter and get all the tracks for free from the SDHC podcast.

Track 01 – Just Me And My Music
Ace of Spades | SDHC House Music Series

“Music is my muse and my inspiration, what keeps me going and keeps me moving, on and off the dancefloor. So “Just Me And My Music” is a fitting intro to my SDHC series. Like the sample that inspired it says, “I don’t want to go alone without you”—in my case, that means music. I hope you’re Listening. ”

SDHC 01 – Just Me And My Music by Danny Dance by Danny Dance

Track 02 – Love Will Pull Us Through
Two of Spades | SDHC House Music Series

“A good love story is filled with pretty times and some that aren’t so, but in the end, love will be there pull you through–especially the Closer you are to one another.  “Love Will Pull Us Through” is a dancefloor reminder that love is more resilient than hardship.  Hang in there.”
SDHC 02 – Love Will Pull Us Through by Danny Dance by Danny Dance

Track 03 – Now More Than Ever
Three of Spades | SDHC House Music Series

“Now More Than Ever” takes your senses along a Dynamic journey through a message of hope and love. Now, more than ever, this might be just what we need.
SDHC 03 – Now More Than Ever by Danny Dance by Danny Dance

Track 04 – From Streets To Summer
Four of Spades | SDHC House Music Series

It’s the first official day of summer in 2011, so Danny Dance brings you, “From Streets To Summer”.  Crispy hats, get-up-and-dance claps, and a warm bottom end with some Cruel vocals to top things off.  Happy summer!
SDHC 04 – From Streets To Summer by Danny Dance by Danny Dance

Track 05 – New York City (Part 1)
Five of Spades | SDHC House Music Series

A tribute to New York City, for everything it’s given to House Music, for inspiring the world to be better, and for respecting the rights of its people, no matter who they love.

SDHC 05 – New York City (Part 1) by Danny Dance by Danny Dance

                          

But within the first 30 minutes, Andy Samberg and The Lonely Island guys came to the rescue with this brand new Lonely Island song: 3-Way (the Golden Rule).  And the reason it wasn’t on “Turtleneck and Chain” is:

Sorry 3-Way isn’t on “Turtleneck & Chain,” but we just wrote it on Thursday! Recorded/Shot Friday. Aired it Sat! It’s brand new! Thanks for getting the album!

Love
The Dudes

It really is that new! Video is below. Hope you enjoy That being said, you can get the single on iTunes here.

The Lonely Island – 3-Way (the Golden Rule) (ft. Justin Timberlake and Lady Gaga) [YSI]

Editor’s Side Note: I can’t even apologize any more for how little I’ve been posting. I am sorry, but unfortunately other aspects of my life have been taking precedence over my blog. That being said, I also just haven’t been inspired to listen to and post new music. I’ve been on a Childish Gambino kick for a while and haven’t sought out new stuff in the past two weeks.

                          

Fresh off the press! Brand new Mochi Beats. And when I say “brand new,” I mean that in more than one way. Mochi Beats has been releasing excellent mashups for some time now and has mixed tons of artists together on his mixtapes and EPs. This time, however, he’s mashing those tons of artists onto one song. Taking an approach similar to DJ Earworm or Norwegian Recycling, Mochi Beats has made this track chock-full of artists with 15 different tracks.

I can’t say for sure, but I think Mochi Beats had a very solid message to pass with this track. “I’m here and I’m good.” After a negative comment about his work back in April, Mochi Beats is showing that what he does is “more difficult then cutting and pasting in ableton live.” It takes an ear-an ear that Mochi Beats has proven that he has time and time again.

It’s great to hear this style of mashup come out of Mochi Beats just to hear how he compares to the other mashup artists that always pop up out there. And dare I say, “Move over Earworm, Mochi Beat’s is coming through.” ? I do have to make one recommendation when listening to this, though: Turn it up. Loud!

Mochi Beats – Friends Till The End [YSI]

Did I mention Mochi Beats made his own video for this too?

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s8licZH5-sA[/youtube]

                          

And I wasn’t disappointed. I may go so far to say that this track gave me the same enjoyment as the first ever Mochi Beats track I heard over a year ago. If I had to give one negative critique, it would be that I didn’t want it to stop. I’m not saying it stopped abruptly. I’m saying the fact that it stops at all is where the disappointment comes from. I wanted to listen to this track forever.

Check out all my Mochi Beats’ posts here.

Mochi Beats – Blessed Bass (Avicii + Big Boi + Nicki Minaj) [YSI]

                          

I guess today’s post isn’t really too much of a throwback but it kinda fits in that category. I think Israel Kamakawiwoʻole, or IZ for short, recorded the most popular and best version of the 1939 “Somewhere Over The Rainbow” originally by Judy Garland (hence the throwback-ness of the post).

IZ passed away in 1997, only 4 years after he recorded this song, but his music still lives on. So much so, that a newly re-edited version was released just last month. The new version even has a brand new video to go with it. There’s nothing tremendously different about it but it’s just great to know how much of an impact he’s made with this one song among his 8 other albums (4 of which were posthumous).

Below is a download of the newly re-edited 2011 version as well as the new video for it.

Israel Kamakawiwoʻole – Over The Rainbow (2011 Re-edit) [YSI]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w_DKWlrA24k[/youtube]