[SKOA Presents] Beats For Daze #1

Sup everyone! Your friendly neighborhood Rocko here bringing you a new project that I've been working on for the past week or so while I was gearing up to head to the bay area this week. So lemme give you a little back story, as i've been working on the Some Kind of Mixtape series with the rest of the awesome crew here at SKoA and getting super obsessed with compiling artist/producer playlist on Spotify (username: somekindofrocko. I know cheap plug.) I wanted to do something of the sort for the readers of SKoA that wasn't just contributing a few new tracks every month. So I hit up The Kibbs aka Kibbe and said, "YO I GOT DIS PROJEKT I WANT TO DROP FOR ALL THE FLY HUNNIES OUT DER" cuz I talk like that and she was like "That sounds like a super awesome idea", in her best Rock Mama voice. Note: this was all done over AIM so i'm just making shit up. But anyways after a few days of tinkering, coming up with art designs and shit, the series Beats For Daze was born.

Much like the fashion of the SKoA monthly mixture, I (and hopefully some awesome guests) will be dropping a mixtape roughly around the middle of each month of some of my favorite headnodding tracks, some classic, some freshly off the grill. So without further ado, hear is the first installment in the Beats For Daze series. I originally tried mixing the tracks together like an actual DJ session but didn't hit the expectation I was looking for. See: FAILURE. But I hope you guys enjoy listening to it as much as I enjoyed compiling it together and I hope you also discover some new artists that you haven't heard before and go out and support their shit. Because without support, how are they supposed to make more dope shit? Sell drugs? Maybe.

So on this month's installment we got classic tracks from The Budos Band, Dan The Automator's Lovage, RJD2 and pre rave/mainstream Calvin Harris and for the new shit we got tracks from recently released albums by Blockhead, Flea, Alchemist, Jeremiah Jae produced by Flying Lotus, Vacationer (thanks whoever put me on to them in a Turntable.fm session) Dark Time Sunshine and more with the addition of some unreleased tracks. So click on the artwork above to kick this session off. BTW keep a close eye on the artwork as it will change monthly and has some nice little easter egg type shit in it for video game/comics/entertainment and music lovers alike. Enjoy!

[SKOA Presents] Some Kind of Mixtape: July 2012

The heat is ON! Many parts of the US are reaching record breaking temperatures resulting in all sorts of things melting that shouldn't (and obvs many that should). From the sounds of Some Kind of Mixtape: July we were all on the same page and provided you all with some tracks that are perfect for laying around to while beads of sweat collect on your forehead. So sit back, relax, and press play on this month's mix. As always, you can learn more about each track below. Make sure you add us on 8tracks and if you have mixtaps you think we should check out, hit us up on Twitter or Facebook and let us know!

Stay cool (literally)!

kibbe, rocko, shey & adrian

Some Kind Of Mixtape - July from skoablog on 8tracks.

Divine Fits - "Would That Not Be Nice"
Sometimes I feel bad for side projects featuring musicians from multiple different bands because you KNOW that everyone is going to be analyzing every last note to see who has the most influence. Such is the case with indie super(?) group Divine Fits - which consists of Britt Daniel (Spoon), Dan Boeckner (Wolf Parade) and Sam Brown (New Bomb Turks). Admittedly, I fell for "Would That Not Be Nice" for it's obvious Spoon-esque sounds, but I've found the other tracks from the upcoming album titled A Thing Called Divine Fits to tickle my fancy in non-Spoon-loving ways as well. Make sure you pick up the "My Love Is Real" vinyl which dropped this past week and be on the lookout for the full length coming up on August 28th.  - kibbe

Tame Impala - "Apocalypse Dreams"

I've said it multiple times. Tame Impala rules all. These Aussie psych rockers amazed me with their 2010 debut album Innerspeaker. Now the boys are back to do it again with their sophomore effort, Lonerism. The first single "Apocalypse Dreams" continues right where Innerspeaker left off with it's spacey/dreamy landscape of amazing. With their take on the classic psychedelic rock sound, I don't see Tame Impala going away anytime soon.—Rocko

Carnivals - "Departners"

The atmospheric style of Sheffield producer Carnivals has had me completely addicted since hearing his debut Mavi Kara EP last year, and his latest cut has heightened my addiction to whole new levels. "Departners", the first offering from the soon-to-be-released Humility EP, sees the artist embracing the sounds and influences of India, medling them beautifully into his ambient, sprawling soundscapes. This is the kind of music you can put on late at night and fully lose yourself in, the type of song that treads the line between dreams and reality.—Adrian

Bat for Lashes - "Laura"

Taken from her third album, Haunted Man, Natasha Khan aka Bat for Lashes seems to return to form in her new single "Laura". Cast your mind back to 2009 and I must say I wasn't a great fan of Two Suns and her single "Daniel" (what's with all the first names for song titles?) but with this new single she seems revived. A stripped back sound and the results are stunning and certainly something to be excited about in the coming months. Of the sound she's gone for with the new album she says "I really wanted to strip things back in honour of women like Patti Smith." Can we argue with that? The album is set for release on October 15th but I'm sure we'll see more of it before then.—Shey

Dirty Projectors - "Gun Has No Trigger"

Swing Lo Magellan is on the shortlist for my top albums of the year, and rightly so. Each song the Dirty Projectors delivered on their sixth full-length is perfection, but "Gun Has No Trigger" stood out above the rest. As a whole, the song evokes a strange mood, entering a near-Radiohead level of weird, and it's so damn addicting. The atmospheric instrumentation is fantastic, but it is Dave Longstreth's vocals that stand out. The way he bends his voice, contorting it in amazing ways and hitting the oddest of notes, is what makes this song. It's just so good. I. Can't. Stop. Listening.—Adrian

Two Door Cinema Club - "Sleep Alone"

As Olympic fever sweeps not just the nation but the entire world, it's easy to forget that Two Door Cinema Club have to-date only released one album yet last Friday during the opening ceremony of London 2012, lead Alex Trimble performed alongside rocks biggest names. Pretty big for a band that have not long had their training wheels off. Lead single from their forthcoming sophomore album, Beacon, sees the band doing what they do best. "Sleep Alone" features soaring melodies intricately woven around exquisitely placed guitar hooks resulting in a single you want to play again and again. The single drops on September 3rd, the same day as the album.—Shey

Black Moth Super Rainbow - "Windshield Smasher"
For me, what's always been so nice about Black Moth Super Rainbow has been the music's ability to seemingly float around in my head and get into all of the creative nooks and crannies that I sometime forget exists. "Windshield Smasher" from their upcoming album Cobra Juicy speaks well to that same feeling. For more feel-goodness make sure you take part in their Kickstarter to fund the upcoming album, which is slated for an October 9th release. Even though the kickstarter project is already completely funded, it's hard not to pass up the sweet deals that come with each tier in the funding process. - kibbe

Frank Ocean - "Forrest Gump"

With all the hype surrounding Frank Ocean it's easy to get lost in the sea of Orange he's managed to thrust upon the world. That performance on Jimmy Fallon and the surprise release of his album certainly added fuel to the fire but once you hit play you're left reeling of a man haunted by his own past and one that's wise beyond his years. A stand out from the release for me was "Forrest Gump" being as it's a little different, it's playful in its lyrics and it puts a smile on my face when I hear it. Music that evokes emotion is always going to be a winner.—Shey

Flea - "Pedestal of Infamy"

This. This is just amazing. I knew Flea was a great musician but I had no idea he could create something as beautiful as this track from his recently released EP Helen Burns. If the Chili Peppers were to break up and we'd get continuous album's from John Frusciante and Flea, i'd be completely okay with that. If you disagree, just listen to the awesomeness of this track. It's completely mind-blowing.—Rocko

Flying Lotus feat. Earl Sweatshirt & Captain Murphy - "Between Friends"

Adult Swim's Singles Program has delivered some definite gems so far, but Flying Lotus' collaborative track with Earl Sweatshirt and Captain Murphy is easily the top contender. FlyLo never ceases to amaze us with his mesmerizing experimental style of instrumentals, and the added spitfire delivery of Earl Sweatshirt blends seamlessly into that. It's the addition of the anonymous emcee Captain Murphy that makes this track so interesting, though, as he comes across as a more intelligent Tyler, The Creator with a smoother lyrical flow. Who is Captain Murphy? Who the fuck cares, because when Flying Lotus' captivating instrumentals, Earl Sweatshirt's smooth flow, and Captain Murphy's intelligent charisma combine, it makes for an amazing listen.—Adrian

John Frusciante - "In Your Eyes"

I wish I could just limit this blurb to "It's John Fuckin Frusciante. Nuff Said." He's the reason most people got into the Red Hot Chili Peppers and is one of the greatest guitarists of all time, and now he's back for the first time since his departure from the Chili Peppers with a new solo EP titled Letur-Lefr. Frusciante is a master of melodics from his production down to his harmonic vocals and his masterful licks. Although he's no longer part of RHCP it's great to see him back in the driver seat creating beautiful artistry. /fanboy—Rocko 

Snowden - "The Beat Comes"
It's been six long years since Austin-based band Snowden dropped their debut full length Anti-Anti and I fell for their catchy post-punk sound with songs like "Black Eyes", "Counterfeit Rules", and "Like Bullets". I had seen bits and pieces over the past few years that frontman Jordan Jeffares had left his hometown of Atlanta, GA and spent some time in New York City before settling down in Austin, TX, but I hadn't heard anything about new music in the near future until a few month ago. To my delight this past month I finally got to lay my ears on the first single from the upcoming sophomore album, No One In Control. "The Beat Comes" is a great avenue for Snowden to travel down since last we heard from the band with it's dark but inspiring undertones. It could have been because my first listen was by way of its outstanding video directed by John Merizdale when it premiered on Stereogum last week, but I still love it either way. No One In Control is slated for a fall 2012 release on Kings of Leon's label Serpents and Snakes. - kibbe

[Listen] Rocket Juice and the Moon feat. Erykah Badu - "Hey Shooter"

Rocket Juice and the Moon, the new project comprised of Gorillaz/Blur mastermind Damon Albarn, Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist Flea and Fela Kuti drummer Tony Allen, are set to release their debut self-titled album on March 26th in the UK and Europe and the 27th in North America, and today, courtesy of Pitchfork, we have a brand new cut from the upcoming album. The song, titled "Hey Shooter," features guest vocals from Erykah Badu, who is one of many artists to be featured on the 18-track effort. Other notable acts set to appear on the album include Malian musician Fatoumata Diawara, West African rapper M.Anifest and the Hypnotic Brass Ensemble. Head over to Pitchfork to stream the track, and take a look at the album's tracklisting after the jump.

Rocket Juice and the Moon is out on March 26th via Albarn's own Honest Jon label.

Rocket Juice and the Moon Tracklist:
01. 1-2-3-4-5-6
02. Hey, Shooter
03. Lolo
04. Night Watch
05. Forward Sweep
06. Follow-Fashion
07. Chop Up
08. Poison
09. Extinguished
10. Rotary Connection
11. Check Out
12. There
13. Worries
14. Benko
15. The Unfadable
16. DAM(N)
17. Fatherless
18. Leave-Taking

[News] Damon Albarn & Flea's Rocket Juice and the Moon Announce Album

Late last year Damon Albarn was everywhere and was part of just about every music collaboration imaginable. One of those was with Flea from the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Tony Allen for a band called Rocket Juice and the Moon. They performed a live show back in November last year and now in an article published in MOJO magazine it has been announced that they are finally going to release an album consisting of 18 tracks. Count 'em! The album was recorded Albarn’s Studio 13 in London with additional parts added in a number of locations including Paris, Berlin and Chicago. The album has been set a release date of the 12th of March in the sunny ol' UK, with a US date yet to be announced. It features guest spots from Erykah Badu, Hypnotic Brass Ensemble and several African musicians and rappers.

Watch this space as we await studio recording to hit the net in the coming months. Have a little search on Youtube though as there are plenty of recordings from their show last year.

[News] Damon Albarn + Flea + Tony Allen = 'Rocketjuice and The Moon'

It was recently reported that Gorillaz/Blur frontman Damon Albarn would be working with Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist Flea and drummer Tony Allen on a collaborative studio album. It has now been revealed that the project will be called Rocketjuice and The Moon. According to an interview Albarn had with The Irish Times, the origins of the name apparently came from “[s]omeone in Lagos [who] did the sleeve design and that’s the name he gave it, which suits me because trying to find a name for another band is always tricky.”

All three of the artists will be debuting material from the project this weekend at Honest Jon's Chop Up in Ireland, in which Albarn, Flea, and Allen will be joined by 25 other musicians. Included in these 25 musicians are Hypnotic Brass Ensemble, the Sun Ra Arkestra trumpet player Phil Cohran, the Malian singer Fatoumata Diawara, the house producer Theo Parrish, and the South African hip-hop crew M.Anifest.

There is no news as of yet as to when Rocketjuice and The Moon will be released, but stay tuned for more information.

[Watch] Atoms For Peace - "Feeling Pulled Apart by Horses" Live from Fuji Rock

Check out this pro shot video of the all star cast that is, Atoms For Peace. There's something eerily mystifying and surreal about Thom Yorke that I can't quite put my finger on.  Thumping Drums and a fat bass line to boot in this Live version of the track "Feeling Pulled Apart by Horses" which was first heard last year when Thom released it as a double A side with "The Hollow Earth" almost exactly a year to the day ago in fact. You may hit repeat a few times with this one as it's a bit hypnotic. The band features Flea from RHCP, Nigel Godrich who most recently did the score for one of the SKoA team's favourite films Scott Pilgrim vs The World as well as Mauro Refosco, and Joey Waronker. Together it's a pretty intense on stage presence! Should help tide you over until we see a full length from them, well if that is to happen before new Radiohead emerges.

[Tuesday Pickup] Atoms For Peace (Thom Yorke) - Live at the Fox Theater Oakland, CA 4/15/10

Happy New Music Tuesday people! Check out your favorite digital stores as well as record stores for some of the hottest new releases that came out today, mainly, Arcade Fire. But back to our regularly scheduled broadcast. Today we got an awesome pick up to get you through your day, week, month, year, and it comes from Radiohead's frontman Thom Yorke's supergroup Atoms For Peace.

For those who have been living underwater for the last couple of months (and are amazingly alive) Atoms For Peace consist of Thom Yorke, Flea, Nigel Godrich, Joey Waronker and Mauro Refosco. Today's pick up is an awesome record of their show at The Fox Theatre in Oakland, CA back on 4/15/2010. So without further delay, listen or download the set in the player below. Enjoy!

UPDATE: Uploaded the full track for "The Eraser" and reuploaded the zip file of the show (with the full version of "The Eraser") for those who aren't up to downloading it track for track on Soundcloud. Download

Atoms For Peace - 2010-04-15 - Oakland, CA - Fox Theater by Some Kind of Awesome

[Watch] Atoms For Peace/Thom Yorke Coachella Performance via Rock It Out! Blog

Earlier today, our good friends at the Rock It Out Blog! posted some nice quality videos of Thom Yorke's band Atoms for Peace performance from Coachella. Check out the video for Black Swan above and check the RiO!B for more videos from that amazing set.