PUYL Favorite Cover Song: Anna Lunoe & AC Slater - All Night

Continuing with the cool covers, I've got this infectious version of J. Cole's "Power Trip". DJ AC Slater (not who you're thinking) pumped pulsing synths into a much more danceable beat than the original, and Anna Lunoe handled the vocals. She chose to stick with the sung lines, but drew lyrics from both J. Cole and his featured guest, Miguel. The result is an enlivened track that deftly demonstrates how one song can inspire and influence the creation of another.

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PUYL FAVORITES & Cover Song: Elli Ingram - Poetic Justice

It’s that time of year again, when I finally share all the music that I neglected to post during the past twelve months under the guise of it being some carefully curated Best Of list. In reality, I’ve simply spent the last couple days scouring through the gigs upon gigs of music I downloaded this year, trying to find all the gems that I’ve been hoarding in my treasure hard drive. 2013 was another good year by my musical tastes. Many highly anticipated debut albums were released, surprise newcomers made their mark, and old favorites continued to impress.

I’m actually not a fan of year end lists; what does the end of the year signify in terms of music? Not much. Artists are constantly churning out content. For me, the best songs are the ones that engage me early on, AND still have meaning when I revisit them. Some songs are timeless works of art that can be appreciated even after countless listens. Others may take me back to what was going on in my life when the track came out, and have meaning for me in that way. It might take more than a year to truly define a favorite, so don’t be surprised if November and December releases don’t make as many appearances; there was certainly no lag in quality then.

I’m starting off with some awesome covers from 2013. Hip-hop songs naturally yield the best covers. The rhyme schemes can be reworked to fit any melody and they usually have a sung hook which can also be incorporated however the covering artist sees fit.

Elli Ingram put her spin on “Poetic Justice” by Kendrick Lamar. She closely matches the Janet Jackson sample, then branches off to cover the rapped parts as well.

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Say Lou Lou - Feels Like We Only Go Backwards (Tame Impala Cover)

Say Lou Lou (FKA Saint Lou Lou) embody dichotomy and duality.  The sisters split time between Stockholm and Sydney while growing up.  Pop and rock are equally important to their sound.  Elektra sports the electric blonde hair, while Miranda is the brunette.  It's only fitting, then, that two twins well versed in uniting polar opposites would be skilled at rehashing someone else's song.

The girls tackled Tame Impala's track, "Feels Like We Only Go Backwards".  I previously shared the original on my Steam playlist where it played a pivotal point in turning the tape toward a darker, more pensive tone.

In reference to Tame Impala's music, they wrote,

[I]t also hints at music we listened to growing up. There is something sweetly familiar and nostalgic about the music, yet still fresh and innovative.

It struck me that this is exactly why cover songs can be so powerful and enjoyable.  I would argue that we only like new music when it incorporates something that we previously loved.  Of course, there are those moments when the stark freshness of a sound is instantly appealing, but even in those instances, it's usually the creative combination of old themes that piques our interest.  When done right, cover songs give us the best of both worlds; a delightful repackaging of something dear to our ears.

Trade an email address for the mp3 below.

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Drift (Mixtape)

It's been a little over a year since I put out Glare, my first summer mixtape, so it was time to do it again.  A lot of artists and blogs drop summer mixes at the beginning of the summer as a soundtrack to the season.  I, on the other hand, prefer to release my collections as the summer is winding down because it helps us to hang on to the warmth a little longer.

I dug deep for the tracks on Drift; there are a lot of remixes and relatively unknown artists, but a few big names make appearances as well.  The tape is meant to shift from higher to low energy, but light summer sounds still pervade throughout.  Lyrically, my favorite verses are polar opposites of introspection and self awareness.  We hear Coco O of Quadron declare, "When I grow old, I'll still be me" which is contrasted by Thundercat's bewildered query, "Who are you, why you talking so loud? (I forgot you was my friend)".  Both are awesome lines, and reflect a great span of emotions and states of mind.

You can stream the mix through 8tracks by clicking the picture above.  Download links follow below, and the full tracklisting is after the jump.

Enjoy!

Download (Alt. 1) (Alt. 2)

Lucki Eck$ - Alternative Trap (Mixtape)

16-year-old Lucki Eck$ hails from Chicago, and he just released his debut mixtape Alternative Trap.  A lot of other writers have been urging people to listen closely to what Lucki is saying.  They're right.  You do need to pay close attention to catch all the similes, metaphors, and so-called hashtag raps in his verses.  He rhymes slowly, but it's still easy to miss things.  What I found most impressive about Alternative Trap is the maturity and confidence the young MC displays.  Clearly, Lucki is beyond his years in terms of beat selection (who else in hip-hop is sampling Daughter?) and rapping, but there is another intangible that really struck me.  This tape feeds a craving I didn't know I had.  He has only appeared on a few songs before this release, and yet listening to it is like enjoying a solid sophomore effort from an established favorite artist.  I truly didn't know what to expect from a full length mixtape, and now I'm entirely amazed and wanting more.  Perhaps my uncertainty as to which lane he would carve out as "alternative trap" left me unprepared, but I like it better that way.  This one will definitely be on heavy repeat, and I hope to look back at this mixtape as an important point in hip-hop.

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Joywave - Tongues (ft. KOPPS)

Here's another track from a couple months back, but I haven't been able to get enough of it recently.  Rochester, NY natives, Joywave, and their crazysexycreepy friends from KOPPS once again formed like Voltron and combined their creative powers for this piece of musical art.  As soon as the "boom-pops" hit, you'll be hooked.  Strangely enough, that part ends up seeming the most structured; it grabs you by the collar and starts running, but refuses to reveal where you're going.  Trust me, it's a fun ride.

Yes, of course, something this fresh and cool would deserve the remixical touch of RAC, but for once I prefer the raw original with its raucous drums and moments of a cappella.

Listen:


Visit the Joywave website to stream and download their entire 88888 mixtape for free.  The songs are wildly different from "Tongues" and one another, but I still recommend you 'kopps' it.  There are even a couple features from STS!

Miguel - Do You... (Cashmere Cat Remix)

Cashmere Cat released his remix of Miguel's "Do You..." about a month or so ago to instant acclaim.  What we lose from the original in stripped down lyrics is more than made up for by the Kitty Kitty's addition of an entirely reworked instrumental.  When I first heard this, the love-as-a-drug theme and Miguel's smooth singing made it seem like a perfect late night song.  However, I've seen this remix pop up on several summer playlists, so I guess your perspective of a song can change with your mood or interpretation.  Give credit to Cashmere Cat for creating a track with such emotive flexibility.

Listen/Download:

Do you like this song?? YEAH?! Well, me too.

xlsrebelsx - Sinnaman (ft. Blu)

"Sinnaman" is a new track from xlsrebelsx off his forthcoming "desire" EP which will be with us tomorrow, June 4th.  Since his real name is Anthony "L's" Cruz, I'm assuming that that name is pronounced as L's Rebels with some x's thrown in there for the cool factor (Just one x has been working out great for Alexsaurus...)  Cruz has crafted a unique sound that crosses crooning hip-hop and classic rock, with an occasional twinge of fuzzy blues music.  We also get a tinge of Blu music; I was delighted to hear the MC fit himself so nicely into this head-nodder.  My interest is piqued, and I can't wait to hear more from xlsrebelsx.

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Memorial Day Weekend Mixtapes

Did you guys know that this past week was May Mixtape Week?  Yeah, neither did I.  Apparently it was, though, because a trio of some of the most creative young producers all decided to release free mixtapes just in time for the long weekend.  I'll keep this post short, and let the music speak for itself.

First up is Ryan Hemsworth, aka The Prince Of Polo Sweatpants, and his EP, Still Awake.  The Canadian producer has become one of the most sought after remixers for his skillful meshing of chilled out ambient music with hard hitting hip-hop beats.

Listen:

Download: Still Awake EP

You shouldn't be a stranger to Chuck Inglish by now.  With The Cool Kids project on hold for the time being, both Mikey and Chuck have stayed busy with their individual careers.  Chuck has specifically released weekend cookout music before, so the timing of the drop for Droptops isn't a huge surprise.

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And finally, I've got The Jellyfish Mentality, which is the third full length release from production duo The Jet Age Of Tomorrow.  This piece is the most complete effort; it's a borderline album in which we get to hear how much JAOT have matured their sound in the past couple years.  Matt Martians and Hal Williams really impress on Jellyfish.  Along with plenty of their familiar instrumental interludes, they rounded up quite a few of their Odd Future and just plain odd friends for an appearance heavy mixtape that doesn't disappoint.

Listen:  

Download: The Jellyfish Mentality

ASTR - Operate

I came across this song the other day and knew right away it was monster.  ASTR has been a group for roughly a year, but this debut single will ultimately stand as a pivotal piece in their career.  "Operate" is the perfect amalgam of every significant sound and style in 2013.  Building off of gritty synths, we're aurally assaulted by heavy bass hits and an overlay of trap snare kicks.  The echo chamber effect on the female vocals make them seem to mesh right into the menacing instrumental.  The 2013-centric effect is topped off by the extended doctor/operate metaphor.  This is the pop music extension of all the dark, brooding R&B and hip-hop we've been growing to love in our bedrooms late at night.  They obviously knew that you're not allowed to name a band today without generous use of the CAPS lock and deleting letters.  And finally, true to form for every artist we get excited about in this information saturated age, ASTR has given us next to nothing about themselves.  We know they're a duo from New York, but so is... everyone.

Listen/Download:

Check out more of the noise they make on their Soundcloud page.