I thoroughly enjoy almost every single song from Australian indie electro-pop band Strange Talk‘s debut album, Cast Away. This is a group that has loads of potential and will be a headlining act across the US very soon.

The album starts with the track “Cast Away” which has an excellent beat and a catchy hook that get you pumped for what lies ahead on the album. You will be singing fall to the night shortly after hearing it a couple times and the beat will get your hipster ass actually dancing to the song, no more folding your arms as you enjoy Strange Talk. After “Cast Away”, there’s the club jam “Falling In Love” which really gets you amped and this is when you start looking for someone to dance with. “Picking Up The Pieces” is super upbeat and has great rhythm. Then comes two of my three favorite songs ever from Strange Talk, ”Eskimo Boy”, a 2011 release that got me falling in love with this Aussie band, and “Young Hearts” their latest single that’s getting love from Snapchat! “Eskimo Boy” is that indie electro pop anthem that is super fun while “Young Hearts” is that timeless electro pop summer anthem that gets you reminiscing about past summer love and you will be surely singing along to the catchy chorus, something Strange Talk are experts in creating in almost all their songs!

“Another Day” may have some of the best instrumentation and is a great track following “Young Hearts” because after you’ve sang the chorus to your summer love in “Young Hearts”, then you can pledge your interest in them by seeking to be with them for “Another Day”. Sounds corny hearing me describe it but trust me, it’s an awesome song with great synths. “So So La La” I think is a song that makes fun of poor communication, almost like playing the telephone game and just writing a song about how frustrating it is to accurately carry a message through several people; it’s silly but if your embarrassed to sing along to this jam, I don’t blame you. What I love about the next track “Is It Real” is the catchy part where the harmonies come about with the band singing How Does It Make you Feeeeeeeeeeeeeeellll, very catchy and I enjoy the beat, very 80′s electro pop influenced. My other top 3 favorite songs ever from Strange Talk is “Climbing Walls” which is so awesome, two music videos were released for the song! I absolutely love this song, probably know all the words to this electro pop jam and when it gets to the chorus where the lead singer goes Oh, I Keep Trying To Run Away From What Your Saying, that’s when you really fall in love with this track.

“Come Back Home” is the slow jam that you slow dance to with your dance partner but your dancing will probably get interrupted by the chorus because Come Back Home, ‘Cause I’ve Been Waiting, Waiting for You is so god damn sexy to sing to someone you truly care about! “Morning Sun” is that fun synth pop jam where I love how the singer saying “Morning Sun” gets louder and louder as the track begins and it’s a song about post-hooking up/love making/getting it on. It’s a bit corny but to play this song after sex to remind your lover that you both should wake up early enough to catch sunrise is a great way to be romantic or creepy, however you pull it off is your thing but next time I have some sweet love making, don’t be surprised if I tell my lover “If we make it through the night, let’s watch the morning sun” “Wanted (Dead Or Alive)” is that 80′s synth jam with once again a super catchy chorus. The last song, “Take Me As I Am”, is one of the more forgettable songs but that doesn’t mean you won’t enjoy it; it’s about being yourself and asking those to accept you for who you are, unless you have no soul, there’s no reason not to enjoy that message!

I absolutely love this album, love this band and hope everybody reading this becomes a larger fan of Strange Talk. Stream Cast Away (iTunes) below which includes 12 of the 14 tracks from the album.

Tags: album, Australia, Cast Away, debut album, Strange Talk, synthpop

My favorite Jewish rapper, Kosha Dillz, released a trippy alternative hip-hop music video several weeks ago and after watching it a couple times, I’m a big fan!

The spontaneous and eclectic Kosha Dillz has no borders when it comes to his music and “Where My Homies Be” is proof of his always appealing nature. Equipped with stimulating visuals full of kaleidoscope’esque images akin to an acid trip, courtesy of Director Robbie Barclay, the video will definitely leave a lasting impression on the listener. Adding Gangsta Boo & Murs to the equation only adds to the insanity on the track, as each emcee is able to effortlessly flow over Belief’s infectious instrumental. “Where My Homies Be” is featured on Kosha Dillz’ sophomore album Awkward In a Good Way, which is now available on iTunes and you can stream below. (more…)

Tags: Awkward in a Good Way, Gangsta Boo, Kosha Dillz, Murs

INTRO

Thank You Thursday is a random Thursday (ie; whenever I feel inspired to write) note to just thank an artist for creating something. That could be a song, an album, a video, poetry, or even visual art.  It’s just a “hey thanks for doing something cool and contributing to the artistic society. I really appreciate it”. There will be no hate or negative criticism from me in these notes.  There will also be no “coulda woulda shoulda” from me. I feel as though art gets judged too much like a test.  Especially independent music by mostly unknown artists.  It’s hard enough being a nobody artist :cough: ME :cough: and to have your friends, family, and music associates tell you that you need to do this that and the third doesn’t help.  How about we just celebrate artists for doing some cool ass shit and say THANKS!

MY BACKGROUND

I have always wanted to review albums but felt that since I was a musician it was “Wrong”. Yup, got over that shit quick.  I love listening to music and dissecting it just as I do creating and producing it.  I especially love when music is interesting, creative, and original. I really don’t care what genre it is as long as it has “BALLZ”. What are “Ballz” you may ask? BALLZ are kind of this x-factor that a song, artist, or album has. It’s what seperates it from the norm. There are certain pop songs and pop artists that have BALLZ too.  An example of an album with BALLZ (just my opinion y’all) would be Kanye West – Yeezus.  You have either heard it or heard about it. You either love it, hate it or give zero fucks. But, this album has some serious juevos. It just really doesn’t care at all.  An example of a pop song with BALLZ (just my opinion y’all) that came out this year would be Taylor Swift – Trouble. Extremely damn well done. I mean from the production to the lyrics, to the composition to the arrangement. It’s just has this edge to it even though it’s catchy as fuck and straight up pop (can you get anymore pop than Taylor Swift?!). 

But those are mainstream artists. This note is exclusively for the BEFOREBIGS blog which means that they have to still have some underground cred to their names and well… be unknown to most people.  So with that I’m going to give a huge thank you to GABE & SUNNY’s album “FREE CANDY”. This album has some serious BALLZ. Gabriel Niles (who is a long time music friend and collaborator) freaked the shit out of this project. He somehow combined dream pop, indie shoe gaze, hip hop, and electronic music into this pretty much genreless (or too many genres?!) work of art.  I think I’m on listen 10 or 11 of the whole album but as with most thing, this shit ages with time.  The creativity lies within how you don’t know what is a sample and what was played.  The originality factor is within the lack of a defined genre but you can hear every genre that he is pulling from, and the interesting credit goes to how well he utilizes Sunny’s vocals. They are sparse at times, and very in your face at other times. This is one of those albums where you can actually hear and feel the producers executive reach and power.  This is the type of album that I strive to make when collaborating with other like minded artists.  I wouldn’t say I’m jealous but I’m quick to say that this album is a huge inspiration and wake up call to me that anything can be done. Stream Free Candy below.

So again, THANK YOU mr. Gabriel Niles and Mrs. Sunny Gicz (and a secret shout out to Ced Hughes) for blessing the interwebz with your creation.  I could have written another 5 pages and broken down each song but you know what… I’ll let the cool people that read this do that for themselves.

Til the next Thursday that I feel like being Thankful

-Daren | DLake

Sunny & Gabe Free download 

Sunny & Gabe FB

Tags: art, DLake, dream pop, Free Candy, gabe & sunny, gabe and sunny, norfolk, shoe gaze, thank you thursday, virginia beach, weird, weird music

A week and a half ago I saw emerging electronic pop/rock act Basic Vacation. Based on what I heard in their 5-track debut EP and their intimate performance at Bardot for the KCRW curated It’s a School Night, they will become a huge mainstream act in the realm of Imagine Dragons mixed with Fun. I repeat, this group will become a huge mainstream act!

I actually dug almost everything they performed including their hit, “I Believe”, “It’s All Happening” (probably their next single), “You’re In My Head” and “Worlds Collide”. These 4 tracks are on their 5 track EP which I highly recommend listening to below. Their live set was fun alternative pop rock with many people singing the oohs and other words that are easy to sing along to. I also enjoyed when Basic Vacation covered “Everybody Wants To Rule The World” by Tears For Fears, thanks @JakeCraney for the reminder of that classic gem getting cover treatment.

Actually Bardot didn’t do this band justice, they deserve to play in front of way larger crowds and I feel very lucky to get to see them free on a Monday night in Hollywood at a venue that holds no more than 200 people. Stream the Basic Vacation EP (iTunes) below and watch their video for “I Believe”.

I highly recommend attending It’s A School Night, it was my first time there and I had a nice time getting to see a band that wouldn’t normally be free to see. They usually curate shows getting artists before they blow up, I wish I had KCRW’s resources to do something like that.

Tags: Bardot, Basic Vacation, Basic Vacation EP, It's A School Night, New York, \"Hollywood\"

Story of the Running Wolf is an electro duo based out of Los Angeles, CA. A little bit retro, a little bit future, they blend 80′s influences like Depeche Mode and Duran Duran with modern electro-dance elements, creating an infectious sound that’s all their own. After playing their first show at a rooftop party in early 2012, the band began developing a live show experience which has been described as a “John Hughes party on Neptune”, replete with neon lasers, make-up, fog and feathers. Their new self-titled EP is available for free download at www.sotrw.com.

They just dropped their first song/video from their debut EP, “Stratospheric”. Stream and download their EP below.

Watch the video to “Stratospheric” below. (more…)

Tags: debut EP, electro duo, Los Angeles, Story of the Running Wolf

Earlier today, my favorite Los Angeles indie electro pop band, DWNTWN, released The Red Room EP (iTunes). Two of the song “See My Eyes” and “Transition” we’ve heard before but “Stood Me Up” and “Look The Other Way” are two brand new indie dance tracks that create a must-listen project from DWNTWN.

Stream “Stood Me Up” and “Look The Other Way” below and enter your email for free download of the must-listen 4-track EP.

Tags: DWNTWN, indie electro-pop, Los Angeles, The Red Room EP

e-dubble‘s been releasing a ton of new stuff in recent weeks and just recently, he dropped Reset EP, a six-track EP filled with upbeat fun alternative hip-hop with real interesting instrumentals. Plus in “Code Words” he gets Jhameel on the hook, maybe the best song on the project.

Stream and DOWNLOAD Reset EP below.

Watch the video to his hit song, “Down”, below. (more…)

Tags: e-dubble, Jhameel, Reset EP

Ghost Beach‘s latest project, Modern Tongues EP, came out in late October a couple days before Halloween and it’s a must-buy project! From the first song, which is their hit, “Miracle”, to the last song, it’s catchy electro indie pop/rock that is just fun.

Stream and buy Modern Tongues.

Tags: Ghost Beach, Modern Tongues EP

Sugar Tongue Slim aka STS returns to the states with the release of GOLD Rush II. Originally intended as an early Summer release, GOLD Rush II was postponed for his successful European run with The Crookers.

Now back in the states, Sugar Tongue Slim has Kanye West, Emil Sande, Maroon 5, .Fun, Ed Sheeran, Sleigh Bells and many more getting flipped for this anticipated sequel mixtape release.

Stream and DOWNLOAD GOLD RUSH II.

Previous: STS – Earthquake (Video)

Tags: Atlanta, GOLD RUSH II, STS, Sugar Tongue Slim

One of my favorite up-and-coming producer, Xaphoon Jones (one half of Chiddy Bang) has released his latest solo full-length project, Xaphoon Jones Vol. 3 (DOWNLOAD). It’s 16-tracks remixed, produced and mashed up by Xaphoon and it’s a must-download for the hip-hop and beat heads.

Stream below.

Previous: Ellie Goulding – High For This (Produced by Xaphoon Jones), XV – Be There, Be Square (Prod. by Xaphoon Jones)

Tags: Xaphoon Jones, Xaphoon Jones Mixtape Vol. 3