[SKOA Presents] Some Kind of Awesome's Outside Lands Mixtape

In 10 days, San Francisco will play host to the fifth edition of Outside Lands Music and Arts Festival, one of the city's most prominent festivals. With a lineup including acts like Stevie Wonder, Neil Young and Crazy Horse, Metallica, Foo Fighters, Bloc Party, Beck, Justice, Jack White, Sigur Rós, Passion Pit, and Franz Ferdinand, it will surely be a highlight of the 2012 festival circuit.

Leading up to the festival, Some Kind of Awesome will be providing preview coverage of what to expect and who we are excited to see, but to kick things off we are offering up a free mixtape for everyone to enjoy. The 22-track Outside Lands Mixtape is comprised of tracks from many of the artists that we can't wait to see live at the festival, all of which have been carefully chosen and organized for your listening pleasure.

Below, you can stream SKOA's Outside Lands Mixtape in full, and make sure to follow us over on 8tracks. As well, the mixtape is available to download for free in two volumes after the jump, where you can also see the full tracklisting for the mixtape.

SKOA's Outside Lands Mixtape from skoablog on 8tracks.

Direct Links:

SKOA's Outside Lands Mixtape: Vol. 1

SKOA's Outside Lands Mixtape: Vol. 2

Tracklists:

SKOA's Outside Lands Mixtape: Vol. 1

01. Franz Ferdinand - "Take Me Out
02. Neil Young and Crazy Horse - "Oh Susannah"
03. Alabama Shakes - "I Found You"
04. Jack White - "Missing Pieces"
05. Yellow Ostrich - "Hold On"
06. Tennis - "Petition"
07. Andrew Bird - "Eyeoneye"
08. Electric Guest - "Awake"
09. Beck - "Que Onda Guero"
10. Big Boi feat. Theophilus London - "She Said OK"
11. Stevie Wonder - "Higher Ground"

SKOA's Outside Lands Mixtape: Vol. 2

12. Fitz and The Tantrums - "Moneygrabber"
13. Tanlines - "All of Me"
14. YACHT - "Shangri-La"
15. Washed Out - "New Theory"
16. Sigur Rós - "Ekki Múkk"
17. Explosions in the Sky - "Human Qualities"
18. Tame Impala - "Apocalypse Dreams"
19. Bloc Party - "Octopus"
20. MSTRKRFT - "Back In The USSA"
21. Justice  - "On'n'On"
22. Passion Pit - "Hideaway"

[Interview] RAC Talks Approach, Original Music, His Disinclination to Sing, and Future Releases

Andre Allen Anjos, aka RAC, has become one of the most well known remix artists out there, establishing a name for himself with some of the most evocative and creative remixes in the world of music. Each remix he puts out masterfully grasps the most important aspects of the original, all the while giving it an entirely fresh and fluid sound. It makes sense, then, that Andre is finally venturing into the realm of original content, and the first taste we got of that was his debut single "Hollywood". The song, which featured the vocals of Penguin Prison's Chris Glover, was a seamless evolution from the remixes RAC has been making for the past several years, taking those experiences and applying it to a made-from-scratch song. The result is an incredibly catchy and wholly indelible piece of music, one that, from start to finish, is tirelessly enjoyable and simply fun to listen to.

During his recent tour, RAC made a stop in Vancouver, performing at the city's famous Waldorf Hotel. Before his show, however, Alec Ross of Ca Va Cool and myself had the opportunity to chat with him about all things RAC. Throughout the interview, we discussed his approach to remixes, how he has applied that to original content, his singing abilities, and future releases. Below, you can stream the entirety of our interview with Andre, which will also be appearing on Ca Va Cool.

UPDATE: The interview has been transcribed and is also available to read in full after the jump.

Adrian: Each remix you put out, carries the intent of the original song, but takes it to a whole new level with a more fluid sound. What approach do you take when creating a remix?

André Allen Anjos: With the remix, it’s kind of like writing a new song. I know that people don’t perceive it that way, or people don’t think anything is original, but it’s kind of like taking out what makes it that song – whether its structure, or a hook, or one of the main things – and then building around that. It’s really about what’s important in that song, and changing the rest, because the rest is irrelevant and interchangeable. That’s kinda what it is, on a practical level it is a lot of time just listening to the song and figuring out what’s important.

Alec Ross: When making a song on your own, is the approach more difficult? Is there anything different in the process?

André: The only real difference is how much pressure I put on myself, because with remixes, normally you’re working with ridiculous deadlines and a lot of the times you just wing it. Sometimes it’s kind of crazy to have a remix I listen to and think “Oh man I wish I had more time for that”, but it doesn’t work out that way. With this it was different because I had all the time in the world and I didn’t have deadlines and I could do whatever I wanted. It was really fun, it was just more pressure on myself. Working with Chris [Glover] was great, that was the easiest part of it.

A: What did you enjoy most about the song? Was it making the song itself, the reception it received, or perhaps the music video with the ridiculous cowboy?

André: To some extent it was the freedom of doing whatever I wanted and establishing myself as an original artist. It’s kind of strange, but really fun. Obviously working with Green Label [Sound], they made a lot of stuff happen financially with the video, and got some pretty big names mixing as well.

AR: It’s pretty cool that you’re with Green Label Sound, it seems like they provide you with a certain amount of “you guys can do what you want, and create what you want to create”, it’s very multi-faceted who is on that label, and all of you are great in your own way.

André: Yeah, well the thing with them is that I had the song way before I even met them. A lot of people worry about labels messing with their music, and they get super protective, but I already had the song so it was never a conversation that came up. I don’t think they’re the kind of people that would do that anyways. They’re all indie label people, with Mountain Dew money basically. They’re doing a lot of real cool stuff because of it, and it’s really exciting, and I’m glad to be a part of it.

AR: Up here in Vancouver it was really noticeable the amount of new listeners you got from your remix of Lana Del Rey’s "Blue Jeans". Did you expect that amount of attention?

André: I can look at facebook stats all day long, but a lot of these things are kind of intangible and you only really notice when you go somewhere. Obviously when the offer came in it was an easy decision because I knew it was going to do well, I never realized it was going to do this well. I definitely noticed some change, but where I really saw the difference was when we played it live and I was like “Woah, people noticed.”

A: How do you prepare for your live shows? With your large amount of output, how much decision and thought goes into the set list?

André: Everything is on the spot. We just gauge the crowd a little bit, and there’s always a couple misfires, but it’s more that way. If we played the same songs every night I’d go insane. DJ’ing is easy enough, and if you already pre-planned your set, that’s just incredibly boring. It’s almost for selfish reasons that we do it on the fly.

AR: With your original sets, are you going to continue to use vocals of other artists or are you playing with the idea of using your own vocals? What’s next for your original content songs?

André: Yeah, I can’t sing. I just really can’t. I also really enjoy the musical side of it, and don’t feel like I have that much to say, and I also want to collaborate with other people. To answer your question, there will be a whole album with collaborations like that, and this is only the beginning of that. We’re going through the labels right now, and I’d love to tell you about all the other artists, but I’m going through all the legal stuff. So once that’s over we’ll make a big announcement and announce solo artists. I’m pretty excited about it, I got to work with some crazy people.

A: In the near future, will you be focused more on original content rather than remixes or vice versa? Can we expect an EP or an LP?

André: It will be an LP for sure. I have something like twenty-five songs with vocals and I have to narrow that down. It’s going to be the most difficult thing I have ever done, but that’s going to be coming out. I’m definitely not going to stop doing remixes, that’s what got us where we are and we’re not going to turn our backs on that. I still love doing remixes and it’s an easy way to collaborate with somebody and do something fun.

AR: Are there any Vancouver bands you ever thought of remixing? What’s your perception of Vancouver’s music scene?

André: Bands? Well, I know a lot of DJs from Vancouver, and maybe I do know some bands, but I just don’t know if they’re from Vancouver. There’s actually a really cool scene in Vancouver with a lot of not well-known artists like Cyclist, PAT LOK, and U-Turn is from Vancouver.

AR: Aside from listening to your own music, what have you been listening to? Are you reading any good books?

André: Well, I’m actually not really much of a reader, but I read a lot of music bindings and music production stuff. Musically, I’ve actually been listening to Afrobeat stuff and Tame Impala.

[SKOA Premiere & Interview] Bedroom Debuts a Stream of His New Album 'Vivid' and Talks Instrumentation, His New Akai MPD26, and Favorite Movies

Bedroom, aka Noah Kittinger, has been a SKOA favorite since we premiered his Toys EP back in February, and since then our musician/blogger bond has grown much stronger. That isn't the only thing that has grown, as Kittinger's talent and abilities have come a long way over the course of five months. He has been experimenting in his bedroom, taking the sounds he established with his debut EP and tinkering with them, expanding them. The result is Vivid, the debut LP from Kittinger, who is now signed on Furious Hooves Records. The LP sees him exploring darker territory, delving into a myriad of instrumentation that evokes a sense of addictive tension. As a whole, the album is a captivating piece of work, one that finds thoughtful provocation in its simplicity, and we here at SKOA are pleased to premiere the debut stream of Bedroom's Vivid. Listen to the album in its entirety below, and make sure to head over to Bedroom's Bandcamp in a few hours to download it for yourself.

Along with the premiere stream of his new album, I took the opportunity to interview Kittinger, asking him a number of questions that have been on my mind these past few months. In the interview, he and I discuss his song-making process, the progression from his EP to his LP, the possibilities of live performances, as well as which movie in The Mummy trilogy is best. Read the interview in full after the jump.

Adrian: The Bedroom music project has always, to me, evoked a nostalgic quality. What is it that you want to portray in your music, and how do you achieve this?

Noah Kittinger: I just want an outlet for my thoughts and experiences. I write music about my thoughts or situations I find or have found myself in.  Other than that I just love making music and sharing it with people. I think I achieve that by just being honest with myself when I write. I don’t write something and think “oh is it too this or is it too that, Do I need to change this to make it sound like that” or anything. I just make everything the way I hear it in my head, I don’t try to make it sound a certain way. Music can be received in different ways for different people. For instance, you find my music to be nostalgic, which is awesome. Someone else might find my music to be completely different. It’s cool to see how people take in my music.

A: Each of your songs carries with it a certain mood, and it generally comes across in the instrumentation. What goes into your song-making process, and how much importance do you place on instrumentation as opposed to, say, lyrics and vocals?

NK: When I make a song, I usually start with a melody of some sort and begin to build somewhat of an instrumental, and I add in vocals later. Like for my song “Trees,” I had that done as an instrumental for like three weeks and one day found a vocal pattern I liked and wrote lyrics up on the spot and recorded them. That’s really how I do each of my songs. Some vocal patterns come easier than others, some don’t. My song “Cmptr” was intended to have vocals in it, but I felt it sounded better with none. I’d say both the vocals and instrumentations are at the same level of importance to me. I give each an equal amount of energy. My lyrics aren’t really that deep or anything, if anything they’re extremely simple and plainly put. Like I said, I write them on the spot and they come from whatever I’m dealing with or thinking of at that moment.

A: Your Toys EP is special in that, no matter what, it always reminds me of childhood, of simple times. Vivid, your debut LP, on the other hand, is much darker in its tone and sound. Describe the differences between the EP and the LP, and the progression of your music between then and now.

NK: I feel like the LP is more experimental than the EP. I tried a lot of new stuff on this album, such as recording techniques and even some field recording of people talking and stuff. I’d say the progression is pretty much just experimentation. Both releases were recorded in the same way, just me and some recording equipment in my bedroom. I think the EP was kind of just me finding my sound, and the LP is me capitalizing on it.

A: What went into influencing this new album? Whether it is life, friends, school, or other musicians, lay it all out there.

NK: A lot influenced the album. Hard to point them all out actually, but I know summer had a pretty big influence on it. The people I’ve sent it to say it has a beachy vibe to it. I dunno. But I also listened to a lot of electronic music while making it. There’s a label in Orlando called Relief in Abstract records, and they have some incredible stuff on there. XXYYXX, GRANT, and Fortune Howl. I got really into that whole scene during the recording of the album. I’d say that influenced me in some ways, to use more electronic sounding drum kits and stuff I guess.  

A: Now that the debut full release is out, what is it that you hope will come of it, and how do you hope fans and friends will respond to it?

NK: I hope this album just brings me more listeners and that people will really enjoy it. I made the album I wanted to make. I just hope people dig it haha. I have a pretty good feeling about this album, though.

A: I know you’ve been tinkering with the idea of live performances, even getting your hands on Ableton and an Akai MPD26. How will you be applying your music to a live setting, and what excites you about the idea of performing live?

NK: Yeah I got that. I’ve been practicing using it in a live aspect, and will hopefully play some shows soon. Like house shows and such, whatever I can get, I’ll take it. I’m excited to just take each song and re-create it live using my MPD. So far it’s working out pretty well.

A: If there is one goal you want to achieve musically, one major aspiration, what is it and why?

NK: I just want to tour and meet people, meet fans.  I think it’d be cool to tour and see the aftermath of what the internet does for me.

A: Growth is an important part of music, so if there is an area that you wanted to improve in or a genre or style you wished to explore, what would it be?

NK: It’s hard to say as of right now. I’m always listening and getting influenced by different types of music. I mean I could say in this moment that I wanted to make an acoustic based album, but over time I’d probably end up finding new artists and not be interested in making an acoustic based album anymore you know? So it’s really hard to tell. But, I’d like to make more beachy sounding music. (I’ve been listening to DIIV’s new record haha). I dunno. Time will tell.

A: Finally, just going to end on some quick-fire questions. Go. 

Favorite musician? Hmm.. Either Baths or Youth Lagoon. 

Favorite movie? Gummo or The Pursuit of Happyness.

Favorite TV show? Man, I’m not sure. I don’t watch TV much anymore. Like not much AT ALL. But, I do enjoy watching Adult Swim. There’s some funny stuff on there. I think it’s cool how they’re releasing music now too (laughs).

The Mummy 1, 2, or 3? 2.

[Introducing] Coastal Cities - "Relief" (Official Video)

We're a bit late to the party for this one but then technically how late can we be when the band we're introducing are just out of School? Coastal Cities are a bright young UK prospect that we should definitely be keeping an eye on. Humbling from Buckinghamshire and are released their debut EP last December, Think Tank. Thing is, it was a well made release with an attention to detail you don't tend to get from a first EP. Fast forward to now and they're set to release a brand new single on July 30th called "Relief" via Once Upon A Time Records. Up at the top you can check out the official video for the single. Keep your eyes peeled for more from these guys as they're doing it better than a lot of bands did this stuff back in the 80's, and being so young I have a feeling they're going to blossom into a hot topic for many in the coming year.

If you dig the track head over to their Facebook to download it.

[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

[SKOA Presents] Top Artists of 2012 So Far... Part 2

Tomorrow BBC 6 Music and The Hype Machine will join forces to announce their top 25 artists of the year so far in the 2012 Music Blog Zeitgeist. 6Music has reached out to  number of blogs and asked them to cast their opinions in the build up and we were happy to oblige, after all this year is half way done already. Crazy, huh! Yesterday we dropped some honorable mentions and today we'll present our top three artists prior to the full show tomorrow. We'd love you guys to get involved too so to be part of it all head on over to the official 6Music show Facebook page and hit us up on Twitter @SKoABlog not forgetting to use the hashtag #Blog6Music. Make the jump to see our top three. You might be surprised. Then again, you might not!

3. Teen Daze

Here at SKOA we like to champion artists we really love. Heck, that's why you start out writing about music to cast your opinion and hopefully turn some other people onto an artist you truly admire. Sometimes we don't all feel the same way here in the SKOA family but this artist was one that we all had a mutual appreciation for. Vancouver native Jamison's musical project goes by the moniker Teen Daze and back at the start of the year we featured the young talent in what would be our first in the series of monthly SKOA Mixtapes. We simply couldn't get enough. Lucky for us at the start of June he released the LP, All Of Us, Together and we've had it on heavy repeat ever since. The album is the result of years of experimentation and is a great step towards whatever the future holds. We look forward to that future very much indeed and for that reason we've stuck Teen Daze in our top 3 for the year so far. Check out the video for "Treton" below.

2. Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs

Every artist would like to say they have a USP but many miss the mark. 26 year old Orlando Higginbottom not only has a pretty awesome name for his musical outlet, Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs, but he has the goods and this year has been offering up some of the best uk electronic dance music around. TEED was part of Damon Albarn's DRC Music project earlier in the year and we've long awaited a full length release from the talent. He's stated that in making a to make a record that "felt free from the frequent short-lived trends in dance music" and the result came out earlier this month in the shape of Trouble. Did he succeed? Time will tell, but as a package right here and right now, the record plays like a project that's been in the making for years and ha been carefully put together. Each piece of synth carefully placed to complement one another. The project also sees TEED tell a story of heartfelt loss and the woes of life yet the way it's delivered makes you want to go dance away your troubles. For that we are placing TEED at number two for shaping our listening, and our dance moves this year. Thanks, Orlando.

1. El-P

Well, well, well, look what we have here. A drum roll isn't necessary for this artist but got-damn has this man shaped our year's listening. Back in 2010, El-P announced that Def Jux would be put on hiatus and that he'd be stepping down as artistic director to focus on producing and being a full time artist. This year, we've seen this move result in El-P becoming our front-runner for artist of the year. In our honourable mentioned yesterday we slipped in Killer Mike, who's R.A.P. Music is up there in the front running for the best rap album of the year. Seriously, it's that good. That album was the joint effort of Mike and the man we are onto now, El-P. The clean cut production and big beats that pushed and pulled with Mike's word play made for one of the best packaged album this year. That was until last month when EL-P unleashed his first solo record since 2007's I'll Sleep When You're Dead. A re-invention that sees the Brooklyn native come at us all guns blazing and ready to take on the world and take on the world he is.

We saw him run through a rip-roaring rendition of "Stay Down" on Letterman last month and now that the LP has had some time to soak in its production, delivery and just crazy slick futuristic sound will keep us going back for more month after month. The usual suspects don't make guest spots on the release and instead we see Killer Mike, Danny Brown and Mr. Muthafukin' eXquire drop fierce bars. Comical lines from Brown on "Oh Hail No" will stick with you while Mike delivers an angry few in "Tougher Colder Killer". 

Tracks like "Drones Over BKLYN" which we actually first heard last year as part of Adult Swim Singles Series feel as fresh as they did back then. New single "The Full Retard" delivers changes of pace and a bassline paired up with laser noises to have your senses tingling like Spiderman. El-P is having a year to conquer all and we for one at SKOA wish it to continue. Check out the video for the aforementioned single below and doff your cap to our top artist of 2012 so far. We will certainly continue to pump this shit like they do in the future.

[SKOA Presents] Top Artists of 2012 So Far... Part 1

As we mentioned earlier in the week, this Sunday BBC 6 Music and The Hype Machine will join forces to announce their top 25 artists of the year so far in the 2012 Music Blog Zeitgeist. In build up to the show we thought we'd cast out opinions on artists we think have been influential so far this year and there's a lot to choose from. We won't go ahead and list an expansive list of artists 'cos that's what "End of Year" lists are for. Over the coming days we'll give a few honourable mentions and a top 3 of who, as a blog we all have love for and feel have shaped our listening in 2012. Whether it's an album we can't get enough of thus making us all doughy eyed for said creator or the shear work ethic of an artist, if we love it they most likely made this is it. Make the jump to see our first few honourable mentions.

Check back later and tomorrow to see our top picks.

Death Grips

Early in the year the news broke that Death Grips were setting up to release not one but two albums in 2012 after signing to Epic Records. The first of which was titled The Money Store and followed up the well received album Exmilitary from the previous year. The energy and combination of live band and electronic beats intertwining with Stefan Burnett rip roaring vocal delivery are a real treat. The wall of noise hits you like a brick to the face and you can't help but go back for seconds. With this being the first of two releases from the band this year we can't help but be excited for what else they're going to have us listening to by the end of the year. Check out the video for "The Fever (Aye Aye)" below.

Killer Mike

Following up his 2011 album PL3DGE, Killer Mike released his ridiculously good album R.A.P. Music in May. The album was a collaboration between Mike and Brooklyn's El-P who handled production. The album is a beast, seriously. Pardon the pun there but opening track "Big Beast" not only showcases Mike's wordplay but T.I., Bun B and Trouble all shine too. The album from front to back is a push pull of creation between El-P and Mike.. There's not a wasted second or filler on here. If the beats don't draw you in the lyrics and flow will. The end result is a well oiled machine sounds just as good on the hundredth play, if not better, than the first. Mike is currently touring the states with El-P and he's sure to continue dominating your web feed for quite some time to come. Check out the epic video for "Big Beast" below.

Breton

After a string of solid EPs and remixes, London five-piece Breton took the plunge with Fat Cat Records and released their debut full-length Other People's Problems. The album is a solidly executed first effort that encompasses a wide range of emotional responses and sounds, ranging from more upbeat tracks like "Oxides", "Ghost Note", and "Interference" to spine tingling songs like "2 Years" or "The Commission". You can clearly hear the progression that the band has mad from their EPs to this full length, which makes it all the more clear that the only direction that Breton can head from this direction is up. Additionally, the visual/live element to what they have brought to the table adds even more depth to the music, which dare I say may be the best way to experience the band for first timers. For now, have a listen to "Interference".

To get involved in the discussion head on over to the official Facebook page and @SKoABlog and use the hashtag #Blog6Music.

[News] BBC 6 Music x The Hype Machine's Top 25 Artists of 2012

This Sunday BBC 6 Music and The Hype Machine will join forces to announce their top 25 artists of the year so far in the 2012 Music Blog Zeitgeist. It's a subject that a lot of music fans are thinking about at the moment. Half the year has already passed, I know scary, right? A tonne of top notch music has been released but who has gained more plays on your iTunes than any other, which record have you played to death repeatedly and who has earned the top spot? Well, over the next few days we'll be posting up a few of our choices for the top spot thus far but if you want to hear the full 25 compiled by Hype Machine you'll have to listen to BBC 6Music this coming Sunday to find out. We'd love to hear your opinions too of course.

To get involved head on over to the officialFacebook page and @SKoABlog and use the hashtag #Blog6Music to let us know your thoughts. Watch this space for a handful of our favourites from 2012 so far, what are yours?