[SKOA Mixtape] "Love to Love U" - Sexy Songs for Valentine's Day Mix from SproutDr

With Valentine's Day approaching the sexy beasts here at SKoA want to spread some love to our fellow freaks in the sheets.

We are creatures. Sensual, enigmatic, primal creatures who are happily motivated and aroused by textures, sound patterns, and colors. "Sexy times" with oneself, a partner, or perhaps even an orgy (oh behave! ....or don't) may summon your inner mixtape making master to create the ultimate come-hither soundtrack. Here's an inviting peek into some salacious tracks that may stir your wanton soul.

So don't make me beg (or do if that's your thing) you to listen to my list of eargasms. Go ahead get turned on and be my Valentine.

XoXo Sproutdr XoXo

[SKOA Presents] The BBC 6 Music Blog Awards 2013: Results

So on Sunday evening, we took part in the BBC 6 Music Blog Awards which was rather fun yet again. Others included this year included The 405, Punktastic, The Quietus, One For The People, For Folk's Sake, The Blue Walrus, Fresh On The Net and some by the 6 Music team themselves. The show was a raging success and it's always a pleasure to take part in. There were a few technical mix ups but hey, it wouldn't be live radio and an awards ceremony without a  few of those now, would it?! To see the winners make the jump and to re-listen to the show in its enirety, head over here. Treat yourself to a few hours off from whatever it is you're meant to be doing today. We won't tell, honest.

Artist most likely to induce a state of vibe like euphori-coma (hosted by The 405)
Carnivals: We put Carnivals at the top of our 10-track shortlist for this award and many readers didn’t need to look any further. Kindness is exactly the blissed out ray of hazy sunshine we were thinking of when we came up with this category. Each gripping layer of sound provokes its own thought as it takes you over during the course of its four and half minutes, and as a cherry on top of all that, it's got beats as deep as the Mariana Trench.

Album you'd watch a ten-year anniversary tour of in 2022 (hosted by Punktastic)
The Menzingers - On The Impossible Past: Appearing on many "best of" lists in 2012 (taking second place in our staff poll), The Menzingers' On The Impossible Past saw them graduate from the gruff punk scene to the wider "rock audience", and it's likely going to be their career defining record. It's a particularly good choice for hearing in full live as it's got a very natural flow to it, and it's full to the brim of big choruses and memorable melodies!

Tomorrow’s Cult Artist Today (hosted by The Quietus)
Fat White Family: Fat White Family, are sick. I don't mean this like, they're well sick la, I mean they're seriously not well. I've never seen a more unhealthy looking band in my life. They're the sort of band you'd wish would move into the house next door to Bobby Gillespie to hold five day mephedrone jams. They sound like early Liars, smacky Butthole Surfers, slow and steamy Birthday Party. No good will come of it, mark my words but above and beyond all of this it should be said that they're also slightly brilliant.

Far More Than Just A UK Buzz Band (hosted by One For the People)
Crushed Beaks: Since they first unveiled a couple of early shed recorded demos in 2011, the Crushed Beaks duo of Alex Morris and Matthew Poile have been steadily increasing their worth. Continually building their flourishing aesthetic, they incorporate a romantic vulnerability into a sound that seems to merge effortlessly well with their noise-rock roots.

Best Venue for Upcoming Bands (Never Enough Notes)
Moles, Bath: We were looking for smaller, intimate venues and there are plenty of those around, but we didn't expect the volume of support and huge amount of loyal support we had! Moles in Bath took the top spot in a neck-and-neck race with The Fleece in Bristol. Moles is an institution with a 35-year history which has seen Radiohead,The Cure, Blur, Oasis and The Smiths, The Vaccines, Laura Marling and many others at the early stages of their career.

The EP or Single That Has (Had) You Most Excited About A Full Release (hosted us heare at SKoA, you must recognise this one)
Disclosure – White Noise:

Disclosure have shown so much promise over the past few months and were more popular than David Bowie, The 1975 and Nerve when we asked our followers. With them set to release a full-length album in the very near future we're more than a little excited to dance the nights away to their highly polished house anthems. 

Album That Justifies Buying Cripplingly Expensive Headphones Award (hosted by For Folk’s Sake)
The Mountain Goats - Transcendental Youth: John Darnielle is the musician who best expresses what it is to be alive, and 2012's Transcendental Youth is uplifting, exhilarating and tragic. Get your hands on some fancy headphones and sticl it on - it makes life better.

Band Most Likely to Start Their Own Cult (hosted by The Blue Walrus)
Shinies: Some bands in the running like the Chapman Family are perhaps too obvious a choice for starting a cult, that they have to regularly deny the claims. Shinies, however, have already made a cult-like a headline splash across the tabloids, by hunting down and sacrificing ex-Fun House presenter Pat Sharp in the video for Ennui. That sounds a lot like a cult to me.

Wise Words on the Web for Emerging Artists (hosted by Fresh on the Net)
Make it in Music: Make It In Music is a phenomenal resource for new bands, artists and labels alike – in fact anybody starting out in the music industry. And amazingly it is free.

MPFree of the Year (hosted by the 6 Music Morning Show)
VuVuVultures - I'll Cut You: Chosen on the 6 Music Facebook page.

Artist which would best double up as a Pest Control Company (hosted by The 6 Mix)
Massive Attack: Suggested by Jaime Paredes on the 6 Mix Facebook page.

BBC 6 Music Highlight 2013 (hosted by the 6 Music Facebook Page)
6 Music Live at Maida Vale 

[SKOA Presents] Beats For Daze #2 (All Hallows Edition)

Once again back is the incredible, your neighborhood friendly Rocko Rock with a brand new installment of Beats For Daze. For those unfamiliar with the series, BFD is monthly playlist compiled based around producers (the unsung heroes of hip hop) who create some of my favorite head nodding tracks of the past and current along with some unreleased goodies as well, all rolled up into one nice hour plus mixture for your ear drums' enjoyment. I know that sounds like I just tried to pitch a TV show or product, sorry. Those that missed out on our first installment of the series (which hit 10,000 plays in month on 8tracks!) should check it out here.

Being October, we felt necessary to dedicate this month's mixture to the upcoming holiday, Halloween. That's right, this month we got 31 tracks of goodness all inspired from the most spooky fun day of the year. Don't worry the always obvious choice, Michael Jackson's "Thriller" will not make an appearance on the mixtape although I'm a bit sad I didn't just add Vincent Price's epic laugh. But I did find some nice a nice Halloween vinyl in my record crate to atmosphere of the total mix. It's a bit cheesy but whatever. Among these tracks we got some classics from Danger Mouse when he was known Pelican City, Dan The Automator when he just went by Automator, Portishead, Massive Attack, The Herbaliser and more. With the inclusion of some newer tunes from The Gaslamp Killer, Thavius Beck as well as others and one of my favorite creepy DJ Shadow jams "Give Me Back The Nights", a track so evil I had to take a picture of myself listening to it, which you view below. So set a spell for awhile and check out the full mix in the player above.

And if you are still reading this, I like to say thank you for taking the time and listening to our Beats For Daze playlist, it really means a lot to myself and SKoA. We're working on something super special for the next month as well as some more awesome things for the following months. So make sure you check out other mixtapes and if you are on 8Tracks.com follow us and spread the good music around. Have an awesome Halloween!

<3 Rocko loves you.

[Listen] Massive Attack - "3D & Vermona Demo "

As OneThirtyBPM points out, Massive Attack have released a new demo via their Facebook yesterday in celebration of 11/11/11.  Check out the extremely dope, 3D & Vermona Demo in the player below and here's hoping that we get another EP or LP very soon from the duo very very soon.

3D & VERMONA DEMO by Euan Me

[Listen] Massive Attack and Burial - "Paradise Circus"

Yesterday, Massive Attack and Burial released their limited edition, two-song 12" single. On one side of the single is the 12-minute track "Four Walls," which, if you haven't heard it, you can listen to here, and, on the other side, is a reworking of Massive Attack's track "Paradise Circus." The track was originally released on Massive Attack's 2010 LP Heligoland, and you can here the entirety of the 12-minute rework below.

The single was released via Inhale Gold/the Vinyl Factory, and was limited to 1,000 copies.

Massive Attack and Burial - "Paradise Circus"

[Listen] Massive Attack and Burial Collaborate on Two-Song Single



As reported by Pitchfork, Massive Attack and Burial, two of the UK's biggest names in electronic music, have collaborated for a two-song 12" single, set for release on October 17th via Inhale Gold/the Vinyl Factory. On one side of the single will be a rework of "Paradise Circus," a track that was included on Massive Attack's 2010 LP Heligoland, and on the other will be a brand new track titled "Four Walls." Both songs will be almost 12-minutes long, and you can listen to the entirety of "Four Walls" below.

Only 1,000 copies of the 12" will be made, and will be packaged in gold glitter screen-printed sleeves, which you can see above. You can order the 12" from Massive Attack's website.

"Four Walls":

[Watch] Massive Attack - "Atlas Air" (Video)

The beast from Massive Attack's video for the song  "Splitting the Atom" returns with a vengeance for the visual to their newest jam "Atlas Air". Check out the video directed by French filmmaker Edouard Salier courtesy of Pitchfork.tv

[Watch] Massive Attack Perform Live On KCRW's Morning Becomes Eclectic

Check out Massive Attack offer a rare and exclusive live session with an appearance from reggae superstar Horace Andy on KCRW's Morning Becomes Eclectic.

Starting October 18th in Montreal, the boys will be hitting the road for awesome tour with Trip Hop group Thievery Corporation. Tickets will go on sale starting Friday, August 6th via Ticketmaster.com. For a complete list of on-sale dates, click here.

10/18 – Montreal, QC @ Bell Centre *
10/19 – Boston, MA @ Orpheum Theater *
10/21 – New York, NY @ Beacon Theatre *
10/22 – New York, NY @ Beacon Theatre *
10/23 – Atlantic City, NJ @ Borgata Hotel *
10/26 – Miami, FL @ Bayfront Park Amphitheater *
10/27 – Orlando, FL @ Hard Rock Live *
10/29 – Atlanta, GA @ Fox Theatre *
10/30 – Asheville, NC @ Asheville Civic Center (MoogFest) *
11/01 – Dallas, TX @ Palladium Ballroom *
11/04 – San Diego, CA @ RIMAC Arena *
11/05 – Santa Barbara, CA @ Santa Barbara Bowl *
11/06 – Berkley, CA @ Greek Theatre *
11/07 – Los Angeles, CA @ Gibson Ampitheatre *

*=w/Thievery Corporation