diSKOAver weekly: Week of June 24, 2020

Hello precious internet cuties! Hope y’all are staying safe. Here’s this week’s update. God there’s some cool shit in this one. I feel like I say that every week but this is also why I also laugh in people’s faces who are like, “Man remember when music was good? There's just nothing cool anymore.” If you hear anyone say that. You tell them to come find me. I’m happy to show them around.

1. DE’WAYNE - “National Anthem”

   If you can’t feel the energy from this track in your veins the second the sounds hit your eardrums I’m not sure what to tell you.

2. binki - “Heybb!”

   Everything binki has released so far is fucking great. My personal favorite is “Wiggle” but this one just fit the vibe I was going for this week.

3. TOKiMONSTA - “Get Me Some (feat. Drew Love & Dumbfounded)

   My favorite cut from TOKiMONSTA’s latest, Oasis Nocturne. It’s just too hot for it’s own good.

4. Hermitude - “Let It Burn (World’s Gone Mad feat. Haiku Hands)”

   Why yes the world has gone mad. (Mental note for me: spend more time with Pollyanarchy. You enjoyed that first spin)

5. The Knocks - “No Requests (The Knocks VIP Mix)”

   I miss DJ booths and people with strong opinions about what the DJ should be playing 😞

6. TOBACCO - “Hungry Eyes”

   We love a fun cover. Also there’s a pre-order for this on beige vinyl if that’s your kinda thing (for the record it’s def my kinda thing).

7. Blockhead - “The Music Scene”

   You know when you fall in love with a song all over again? 10 years later this still hits.

8. Killer Bee - “Feel 4 U”

   We love a local making moves. My brain wanders to far off places with this one. Just me?

9. Latir - “Wallflower”

   Came in loving “Blue Roses”, fell for his new EP Until Forever. This one’s my favorite though.

10. Medasin - “Get By (feat. Cautious Clay)”

    Part of my weekend homework is to spend more time with both Medasin and Cautious Clay. They always seem to be on my radar but somehow don’t make it into my ear holes enough.

11. OKENYO - “Buckle Up”

    OKENYO, on the other hand. God I’ve been having so much fun getting to know her catalog. This one though. Gotta love, “by the way by the way by the way you’re cute as fuck”.

12. Brendan Maclean - “Easy Love”

    All Aussies are perfect. The end. Also while checking in on what else Brendan had going on I noticed he got added to an official Spotify playlist called Search Engine Sex (but is clearly one of those algorithmic editorial playlists because it doesn’t come up for me🙄).

13. Slow Magic - “Home”

    First taste from the upcoming album, it’s the end of the world but it’s ok. Just a little something to curl up with if you’re feeling a little down.

14. iZNiiK - “paradise”

    You gotta check out the EP series from a few years ago that iZNiiK did. There’s some really cool stuff in those.

15. Berry Juice - “She Got The Moon (feat. Deidre)”

    Forever a sucker for nu disco. Seems promising enough. Going to keep my eye on this one.

16. Sushi + Kash - “Shatter”

    Feels kinda Daft Punk lite (and I mean this in the nicest way possible). Looks like dude is starting to really get his footing on his sound. We’ll see how this plays out.

17. Jarami - “Bahía”

    Yes this is from 2018 but don’t worry they have new stuff too. PS guess who also did a track with Cautious Clay? This world gets smaller and smaller every fuckin day man.

18. Herzeloyde - “Disperse”

    Herzeloyde is vibey af. You should check out his newest track too when you like this one.

19. Vandelux - “Live Forever”

    From his Lost In Common EP. The build on this one eases you into the idea of immortality being possible so by the

20. Crowd Control - “My Special Girl (feat. Slug Father & Vantage)”

    Happy house is my favorite house. You will enjoy Housy Love Songs Vol. 2, trust me.

21. Hervé - “Blow Your Mind”

    Bless this man for keeping us dancing in quarantine. Oh how I love him so.

22. Mtbrd - “Damn Fine Coffee”

    This cut from Damn Fine contains my advice to you if you’re choosing to continue to quarantine like me. It’s literally the only way I’ve been able to not lose my fucking mind.

23. Calica - “Bitch”

    You have to check out her TikTok and see her remake loads of cool tracks. Fell for her when she covered BENEE’s “Supalonely”. Also how fun is it to sing, “Cause you’re a bitch and you know it”?

24. Body Language - “Let’s Try”

    These Brooklyn babies are back from their break for some more retro dance vibes. Hope this means there’s more in the pipeline.

25. FVLCRVM - “Bad Blood”

    Other half of this double A-side single officially drops on July 14th, but you can sneak over to Soundcloud and hear “Hate List” now if you want.

26. La Femme - “Mycose”

    I always say there’s a song for everything and in the case of La Femme’s “Mycose” this is a track about….a yeast infection. Took me too long to put this all together. I need to stop blowing off Duolingo if I’m gonna keep falling in love with French artists.

27. Tim Ayre - “Laxx”

    This lil Sydney sweetie tho. Everything of his I’ve put on is just so dreamy. 😍

28. daste. - “Telephone (What’s Your Name?)”

    From their latest EP Same As it Ever Was. Whole EP is so damn SMOOOOOOVE. You will like.

29. Geowulf - “Lonely”

    A cut from last year’s LP My Resignation. I don’t know about you, but quarantine has made me really examine and reprioritize all of my relationships. Here for it.

30. The Districts - “Cheap Regrets”

    I need to play You Know I’m Not Going Anywhere more often. This is by far my favorite off the record.

31. Deeper - “This Heat”

    From their latest, Auto-Pain, that dropped in March. I love that all my brain can think to say about them is they sound very Alphaville/Union Pool. Ugh I miss shows so fuckin much. 😑

32. Oxymorrons - “Justice”

    Did you know: all the proceeds from this track are being donated to community non-profits and projects. Yep! That means all your future obsessive streaming on this one will be for a good cause! Feels good, huh? This is the band’s first drop on 333 Wreckords Crew.

[Listen] Slow Magic Shares Eerie New Single "Youth Group"

Slow Magic once again has me hooked. His new cut "Youth Group," the first single from his upcoming full-length, immediately creeps up your spine with a eerie synth line, enveloping your head and overwhelming the senses. As the song unfolds, it reveals groovy basslines, distant piano chords and soft violin sweeps, adding a great sense of depth to an already powerful offering. Slow Magic doesn't deliver often, but when he does it is simply fantastic. This one comes highly recommended.

Slow Magic will be going on tour starting next week, opening for Gold Panda across North America. Check out the full list of dates after the jump.

Slow Magic 2013 Tour Dates (with Gold Panda):
09/11 – Atlanta, GA @ The Basement
09/12 – New Orleans, LA @ Hi Ho Lounge
09/13 – Dallas, TX @ The Loft
09/14 – Austin, TX @ The Mohawk
09/17 – Tucson, AZ @ Club Congress
09/18 – Phoenix, AZ @ The Crescent Ballroom
09/19 – San Diego, CA @ The Casbah
09/20 – Hollywood, CA @ Fonda Theatre
09/21 – San Francisco, CA @ The Independent
09/22 – San Francisco, CA @ The Independent
09/24 – Arcata, CA @ Humboldt State University
09/25 – Eugene, OR @ Wow Hall
09/26 – Portland, OR @ Branx
09/27 – Vancouver, BC @ The Electric Owl
09/28 – Seattle, WA @ Neumos (Decibel Festival)
09/29 – Boise, ID @ The Reef
10/01 – Salt Lake City, UT @ Urban Lounge
10/02 – Denver, CO @ Bluebird Theater
10/03 – Lawrence, KS @ Granada Theatre
10/04 – Minneapolis, MN @ Triple Rock Social Club
10/05 – Chicago, IL @ Metro
10/06 – Ann Arbor, MI @ Blind Pig
10/08 – Toronto, ON @ Lee’s Place
10/09 – Montreal, QC @ Sat
10/10 – Cambridge, MA @ The Sinclair
10/11 – New York, NY @ Webster Hall
10/12 – Washington, DC @ Black Cat
10/13 – Philidelphia, PA @ Union Transfer

[Listen] Bon Iver - "Hinnom, TX" (Slow Magic Remix)

One week ago, we heard Work Drug's remix of Bon Iver's "Beth/Rest", their submission for Bon Iver's remix competition. Slow Magic, another SKOA favorite, has put forth his submission for the stems project, and this time around it's his take on the atmospheric Bon Iver, Bon Iver cut "Hinnom, TX". The enigmatic producer has done a fantastic job of reworking the song, keeping the most important aspects and adding in layers of glitchy synthesizers and hard-hitting 808 percussion. Slow Magic has done Vernon and co. justice. Stream it below, and head over to the Indaba Music website to vote for the remix.

[Listen] The One AM Radio - "Everything Falls Apart" (Slow Magic Remix)

From one ambient producer to another, the ever-enigmatic Slow Magic has shown his love for Hrishikesh Hirway's musical project The One AM Radio by remixing his song "Everything Falls Apart", a highlight from last year's Heaven Is Attached By A Slender Thread. The remix turns the song into a flowing, airy dreamscape, with birds chirping in the distance and wavy synths and complex percussion engrossing you in the song. Stream it below (via SoundCloud).

[SKOA Presents] Some Kind of Mixtape: June 2012

Summer is finally upon us! It seems almost everyone far and wide is caught in a nasty heat wave. Now that the season is in full swing, it's time to grab the coldest of beers, put on some sunscreen, toss on some killer jams and make the most of all of the sunshine. Of all the mixes we've made up to this point, I think all four of us can agree that this is the one we're the most pleased about. It seems the warmer it gets the tracks just get better and better.

Make sure to follow us over on 8tracks if you happen to enjoy the mix below. As always, you can learn more about why we've chosen the tracks that we did after the jump!

<3 <3 <3

kibbe, rocko, shey, & adrian

Some Kind of Mixtape - June from skoablog on 8tracks.

The Fresh & Onlys - "Yes Or No"

Coming from humble beginnings in San Francisco The Fresh and Onlys have released a decent back catalogue of music. We've not had a full length from them since back in 2010 when they dropped Play It Strange but later this year on September 4th they'll return with a new LP titled Long Slow Dance, via their new home at Mexican Summer. This track is the perfect introduction to the band and is the lead single from the forthcoming release. Check out "Yes or No" below and look out for more tracks in the build up to release. —Shey

Maximo Park - "Hips and Lips"

Maximo Park take me back to being a kid and blasting music out of my bedroom window in the summer months whilst jumping on my trampoline. You know, as you do. When I heard they'd announced a new album I was anxious, you can't help but not be when a band you like is making new music. What if you hate it? The led single from The National Health, "Hips and Lips" is as infectious as the classics. A statement and a band back on form. Paul's vocal delivery will ring around your head for the rest of the day after you hit play and I bloody love it. —Shey

Aesop Rock - "ZZZ Top"

About a week away from his upcoming release Skelethon, Aesop Rock dropped the second single from his forthcoming LP alongside an awesome fucking video (SERIOUSLY GO WATCH IT) for the tune "ZZZ Top". It's been a good 5 years since Aes' last solo outing and this time around he's solely producing without his buddy Blockhead or El-P for the first time. The album also marks Aesop's first solo release away from Definitive Jux (currently on hiatus). But no worries Aesop is good hands with Rhymesayers, who along with Def Jux were the top indie hip hop labels of the new millennium. However, back to the music, "ZZZ Top" is filled with filthy cut drum breaks, razor sharp guitar riffs provided by Dirty Ghosts and that signature wordplay Aesop is known for making this track one of our favorites. —Rocko

Cruiser - "Moving To Neptune" (from his Cruiser EP)

After discovering Cruiser through our good friends at Listen Before You Buy, I immediately loved the blissful, summery sounds of the Philadelphia-based solo artist. It's not just the feel good nature of his songs that stood out, though, but rather his fantastic instrumentation. "Moving To Neptune" is the perfect example of Cruiser's multi-layered approach, as he blends layer upon layer of beautifully timed melodic guitar riffs. The result is something so enjoyable to listen to. From the moment I heard it, it became a welcome addition to my summer listening. His debut self-titled EP comes highly recommended, so make sure to head over to his Bandcamp page to check it out. —Adrian

Unknown Mortal Orchestra - "I'll Come Back 4 U"

After a very successful debut LP, UMO drop the a taste of their upcoming yet to be titled for this year's Adult Swim Singles Program with the tune "I'll Come Back 4 U". The lo-fi psych rock tune may not be as funky as the group's well known single "How Can You Luv Me" but definitely carries that signature sound and catchiness that UMO is known for. After getting this wonderful taste, we are highly anxious to see what the band has in store for us later this year. —Rocko

Slow Magic - "On Yr Side"

Each release Slow Magic puts out impresses me more than the last, and "On Yr Side" is no exception. The song is just so crisp, with each pulse-pounding drum hit and every perfectly-timed synth note coming together in such a memorable way. The tone of the song deserves props, too, as it delivers a tense yet engaging experience, one that you will want to repeat over and over again. I don't know how Slow Magic pulls it off, but in no way am I complaining. —Adrian

Harlan - "Dirty Laundry"

Covers are a tricky thing. They can be yawn worthy if the covering artist basically carbon copies the orignial track, but if you transform it a little too much a lot of times the emotion doesn't get refocused and is lost somewhere. Harlan's cover of Don Henley's "Dirty Laundry" is neither of those things. Harlan is respectful of Henley's work but isn't afraid to add his bits of grit, polish and funk along the way. Been following this guy for awhile now, you should, too. —kibbe

Alt-J - "Tessellate"

Alt-J (∆) have been gaining a decent following and gaining rave reviews wherever they set foot and with the release of their debut in May the ball is continuing to roll and build pace at a rapid rate. The album, An Awesome Wave, has been playing none stop on my iTunes recently and this track is a great little tease of what the album has. "Tessellate" has a bit of everything. Piano, funky bass lines and a big drum beat. Get familiar with this band. Plus, any band who share my love for triangles are cool by me. —Shey

Poolside - "Slow Down"

With the temperature continuing to rise in NYC I have been daydreaming up ways to beat the heat. My mind keeps wandering to the large pool in McCarren Park that just opened up. Since hearing LA duo Poolside's latest track, "Slow Down", every single time that I have the urge to go swimming this song pops in my head. Certainly the rather simple music video for the song didn't help any with having that thought drilled into my brain. Gotta say, pretty bummed that their album, Pacific Standard Time, doesn't drop until next week, I have a feeling this would have been perfect for the inevitable daytime summer grilling on Independence Day. —kibbe

Brother Ali - "Stop The Press"

It's been a long 2 years for Brother Ali who has been constantly touring and been working on his upcoming album Mourning In America and Dreaming In Color entirely produced by Jake One. The first single "Stop The Press" documents Ali's journey from the recording of his previous album US to the present and all the heartache and success Ali's been through over the last few years. Even with the constant touring Ali has been putting work all year with releasing various free tracks and an emotional but amazing (and FREE) EP The Bite Marked Heart amping new and old fans up for the release of his new LP. There's note doubt in my mind that Brother Ali is going to have one of the top albums of the year especially after hearing all that he's put out so far which has been nothing but natural quality music. —Rocko

Purity Ring - "Fineshrine" (from their forthcoming album Shrines out July 24th via 4AD and Last Gang)

This is the second time Purity Ring has appeared on our mixtape series, and rightly so. The Edmonton duo becomes more impressive with each song leading up to the release of their debut full-length Shrines, and "Fineshrine" is the perfect example of how good that full-length will be. Megan James' vocals are once again a highlight, as they deliver the emotional core of the song, but add to that the amazing production of Corin Roddick to make it a standout track. Roddick masterfully blends heavy-hitting percussion with the duo's distinct gothic synth sounds, seamlessly tinkers with James' vocals, and paces the song incredibly well. "Fineshrine," and everything Purity Ring puts out, is worth your attention. —Adrian

Dragonette - "Rocket Ship"

From their upcoming September 25th release Bodyparts, Canada's Dragonette dropped their latest single "Rocket Ship" for the world to hear. I can't explain what it is about singer Martina Sobara's voice that i find so endearing, but I never end up feeling bad after hearing songs from their previous albums or any of the other tracks that she's done guest vocals for. She always sounds so playful but sassy with a dab of sexy in it at the same time, much like the music that accompanies her. I still can't believe they've challenged their fans to create a version of one of the unreleased songs from the forthcoming album just based on the lyrics. If you're up for for it, you have until mid-August to submit something. Until then, I'll just be waiting for the new album —kibbe

[Listen] Slow Magic - "On Yr Side"

The past day has seen talk of Lana Del Rey and A$AP Rocky, Alicia Keys and Little Dragon, but in the midst of that the always impressive Slow Magic put out one of the best songs I've heard in quite some time. Never ceasing to amaze me, the enigmatic producer's new single "On Yr Side" is simply breathtaking. Pounding percussion and throbbing synthesizers work in tandem to surround you with a myriad of emotions and reactions. In every way, this is good fucking music.

"On Yr Side" is the first single from a new full-length from Slow Magic, with a release date to be decided.

[Download] Slow Magic's Fortyounce Mixtape

Slow Magic has unveiled a new mixtape he made for UK clothing website Fortyounce, a 29-minute mixtape comprised of tracks from Balam Acab, 2000F & J Kamata, a Star Slinger refix of How To Dress Well, Giraffage, Sleep Over, Burial, as well as two remixes, one of Baths by The One AM Radio and another of Slow Magic's "Feel Flows" by Ra Cailum. Above you can watch the full companion video for the mixtape, and head here to download it for free.

[Watch] Slow Magic - "Music" (Official Video)

Enigmatic musician Slow Magic has let loose yet another video from his debut LP ▲, which was released at the tail end of April. The calming, enjoyable visuals of a road trip are perfectly suited to the chillwave stylings of "Music," a great track that soothes the eardrums. Check it out above, and make sure to head over to Slow Magic's Bandcamp to stream and buy ▲.