Jonas Blue – By Your Side (Two Can Remix) [TMN Premiere]

It’s not Christmas quite yet, but do we have a special present for you today. Your ears get the pleasure of having the first listen to a brand new remix from our friends Two Can, who took on the official task of flipping “By Your Side” from Jonas Blue. Nothing like one of our favorite premieres to help close out the year!

Two Can are known around the world for their expressive, exciting music. Ever since they came to the fold, they’ve put forth nothing but great tunes and this remix is certainly one of their best. They take a bit of a different approach than they usually do with the result being nothing short of spectacular. Their vibrant chords and vocal chops play together to perfection and that’s just the tip of the iceberg. There’s so much good stuff in this one, you’ll be listening through on repeat just to appreciate every little detail. Stream today, and enjoy!

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[Album Review] James Lanning – Another Day Wasted

James Lanning, the man fam Maryland who merges urban exploration and hip-hop in New York City, releases a deep, dark and extremely relevant EP Another Day Wasted on Onamazu. The rapper’s debut EP is laced with the dark and depressed vibe of the broken buildings he loves to photograph, as well as the high-strung tension which likely pushes him to risk his life climbing skyscrapers.

The topic of mental health among musicians has breached the mainstream recently after Kid Cudi and later Kanye West both admitted struggling mightily with their selves. In a brief interview with Mass Appeal, Lanning states he wants to “alter the discourse” about mental health and the way mentally unstable people are treated when they come forth for help. Making music helps Lanning to channel his own frustrations, and that creative process lead to the cathartic tracks on Another Day Wasted.

The first cut, “Spring” features voicemail messages from the artist’s life set with a backdrop of tense string and music-box notes, culminating in a deep wave of bass. The abrupt finish leads into the chill-inducing title track on which Lanning bears his soul over a paradox of a beat produced by Kace. “People say that I’m crazy, but I say that I’m patient / what’s today but another day wasted?” Depression, the invisible illness, afflicts millions of people. Lanning exposes his own affliction to the world with no frills or filler, and for this, he’s to be commended.

“Run Away” and “Regina” find Lanning walking the thin line between sanity and success over more unique, wavy Kace beats. “Until 27”, featuring a hot verse from Michael Christmas, finally finds Lanning radiating a positive vibe and finding his step.

Another Day Wasted is a raw musical expression that blends hip-hop with more avant-garde ambient and electronica styles. The subject matter and the music can strike a chord deep within anyone who’s struggled with their own motivation and mental health. You can purchase EP from iTunes.

’JAMES LANNING – Spring’
’JAMES LANNING – Another Day Wasted’
’Run Away (Feat. Inas)’
’JAMES LANNING ~ Regina’
’Until 27 (Feat. Michael Christmas)’
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[Electronic] Liquid Stranger – Hot Box

Liquid Stranger
Hotbox (Original Mix)

Music made by Liquid Stranger aka Martin Staaf almost always eludes all classification, so we won’t even try to put his new single “Hot Box” into (what else?) a box.

Staaf himself calls his music “freeform bass music”, and “Hotbox” is no different. It’s got the build-drop structure of a traditional EDM song, but the drop itself features a viciously sharp and stabbing synthesizer over a clean hip-hopish beat. Gritty vocals from an unnamed source ratchet up the energy, and a “boss” sample from what sounds like Chuck D creates a perfect prelude for the drop. This song is begging to be spun live on a proper sound system.

“Hotbox” releases on Wakaan, a label Staaf himself founded just over one year ago to showcase freeform bass music in all it’s ambiguous and filthy glory. Pick u a free download of “Hotbox” here.

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[Album Review] Weaver Beats – Conscience

Weaver Beats has been quietly producing some of the best chill-hop, wave music, and future sound from Honolulu, Hawaii, and how he’s dropped the crown jewel of his collection, his Conscience LP.

The hallmarks of this beatmaker are supremely deep but subtle bass, crisp percussion that consistently slaps, and ethereal pads which he employs to great emotional effect. All three elements are blended to perfection on this LP, making Conscience a vital contribution to the growing tidal bore where wave music, hip-hop and future music collide and mix. So aware of this bore is Weaver Beats that he founded his own label, Future Vibes, where “all sub-genres of future music are welcome.”

Weaver Beats tends to stay away from the sample-collage style and lo-fi aesthetic that is so typical of beat purists, preferring instead to work with the elements listed above. In this way, his music can appear formulaic, but that doesn’t take away from it’s raw impact. Crank your speakers up, especially your sub, and try not to be washed away by the waves emanating from this LP.

The producer states on his Soundcloud account that he attempted to introduce more vocal sampling for this project. For the most part, such sampling sounds more like an instrument, a piece of the sonic puzzle, than an indispensable vocal lead. The title track exemplifies this. The songs ran a gambit of tempos, from the title track’s familiar get-low trap tempo to the unexpected soft-stepping house beat of “Hybrid”, and the stutteringly slow and sweet “Fall In Love” featuring the talented, tongue-in-cheek producer Multirex. The title track is flipped three times by producers Kazukii, MiscellaneousT, and Danky to round out the album.

This is superb study music, driving music, background or forefront music. In its beautiful simplicity Conscience achieves this versatility. Listen deeply and you can get lost in between the rupturous kicks and snares on “Villain”, within the looped guitar sample on “Indigo”, or beneath the subterranean bass on “Hold Me”. Add it to your collection here.

’Weaver Beats – Hold Me’
’Weaver Beats – Conscience’
’Weaver Beats – U Dont Know (w/ Binx.) (VIP)’
’Weaver Beats – Fall in love (w/ Multirex)’
’Weaver Beats – Hybrid’
’Weaver Beats – Villain’
’Weaver Beats – Indigo’
’Weaver Beats – Conscience (Danky Remix)’
’Weaver Beats – Conscience(MiscellaneousT Remix)’
’Weaver Beats – Conscience (Kazukii Remix)’
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[MP3 Playlist] Indie Dojo (December 2016 Round #3)

indie-dojo-music-ninja

Nothing says “I Love You” or “I Like You” quite like making someone a playlist. So, if you’re one of those, currently scrambling to find a few last minute gifts for those fantastic people in your life, we’ll let you take credit for finding some awesome indie jams and placing it all into a wonderful little playlist for them. After all, it is the season of giving and we love nothing more than a little bit of giving.

’Resin Moon – Catch Me’
’Jesse Taylor – Coastline’
’Julia Anrather – Sweeter Than You’
’Quiet The Pilot
Stick Around Some’
’Jordan Moe – Bridges’
’Rodes Rollins – Young & Thriving’
’Cameron James Henderson – Floating’
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[Indie] New Mystics – Sparrows

New Mystics
Sparrows

Somewhere along Route 66 where decaying service stations quietly rest and rustling tumbleweeds cross regularly, “Sparrows” plays lightly in the background alongside cascading plumes of smoke from a Marlboro Red, the stale smell of old coffee, and rays of sunlight filtering through an aging strip of tint at the top of the windshield.

“Sparrows” brings to mind time-worn images like this.

The funny thing is, it just came out — yesterday, in fact. And already, it’s blanketing me with a delicate sense of nostalgia. I just can’t shake its gripping familiarity in an intriguing new package.

New Mystics and the man behind it are, perhaps appropriately, mysteriously shrouded, so there’s not much to disclose about this artist yet. That said, I’m certain that he has an old soul. The sheer power of these songwriting abilities feels like it would be at home on an old, dusty 45 getting broken out with a bottle of Pappy Van Winkle for one of those special occasions. The verses call on associations of one of the most iconic folk artists, Neil Young, while the choruses give way to memories of listening to Lennon and McCartney.

Its style beckons on the greats of 50 years ago, and the modern twist of the falsetto that floats in before the last run through the chorus brings this song solidly into 2017.

For both young and old music nerds across the globe, New Mystics is one to watch — open road ahead of you or not.

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[Experimental] MODEL 86 – Missing

MODEL 86
MISSING

We last heard from this electronic producer with his EP generously titled, “When You Realise People Are Not One Dimensional Characters In A Movie Of Your Life“–check out our thoughts on it here. The London beat smith, MODEL 86, is back already with the first single release from another incoming album. The lead single, “Missing” has many of the experimental elements we’re familiar with, but there seems to be a more driven and organized sound. With changes around each corner “Missing” is a dynamic listen and the main melody is just infectious.

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