BEAUTIFUL BUZZZ

REMIX: BRETON - POPULATION DENSITY (ARTWORK REMIX)

Erin MaherComment

Breton have an exclusive release for record store day that only a very lucky 1000 of us are going to come up on - and it's only available in the UK as well!  This Artwork remix of  "Population Density" for this rare 12" release which you can stream above is very very sexy!  Can someone in the UK grab one of these for me please?  Breton, my loves, brilliant as usual!      ​

NEW VIDEO: SUZUKI METHOD - COUNTRY COUSINS

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Suzuki/Method are Brothers and founders Adam and Glen Leishman, Michael Mathews, David Boyd and Ben Hounslow.  Together they have created a sonic landscape where anything and everything coexists simultaneously and seamlessly.  They come from Manchester, England - a place where 30 years of dance music culture collides with a wall of screaming guitars and lyrics question and lay blame in equal measure.  Crucially however it is the principled and intelligent approach to pop music that make this Salford band so appealing to such a large demographic, and hard to ignore.

Drawing from a diverse palate of influences ranging from Daft Punk to The Smiths (by way of guitar lines that wouldn’t be out of place on a Parliament record) there is something almost Darwinian in their sound selections and arrangements, where in only the strongest hooks make the final cut.  Debut single "Country Cousins" is a cerebral dance floor powerhouse.  Swelling bass lines and cast iron drum beats draped in lush synth textures provide a pitch perfect soundtrack to Vocalist Adam’s forlorn tale of youth in crisis.

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REMIX: DUOLOGUE - ZEROS (DRAPER REMIX)

Erin MaherComment

This year I had the most amazing assistant producer for the Beautiful Buzzz SXSW showcase.  Not only is Christine brilliant, orgnized, and as hard working as I am, but she has incredible taste in music that mirrors mine, and together we were able to produce one hell of a party with a line-up that, in my opinion, was the best at SXSW this year!  ​

So when she came to me with this band called Duologue and said we had to book them, I already knew I would love them, and it turns out they have become one of my favorite new bands.  It was bit of a battle to get them booked on the showcase, but when we finally had them confirmed, Christine and I were stoked and were so looking forward to seeing their live set.   ​

Of course, they were amazing!  I pretty much melted when they played popular single "Push It" - such a powerful song!  We don't know much about Duologue over here in the states - this SXSW was their first time playing in the US and our ears are just now being exposed to this British bunch.  After their set the guys stuck around for a while to drink my beer and bro out a bit - which so many of the bands did..... such a great vibe at that venue and I love that we are able to create a space where bands feel comfortable and can enjoy themselves.  When they left all 5 Duologue members gave me a group hug, and I disclosed that a British man sandwich is way better than a man sandwich!      ​

Duologue are incredible - get into this band immediately!  Draper put his remix of "Zeros" by Duologue online for your listening pleasure - so enjoy!  And thank you Christine, my soul sista, for being amazing and turning me onto Duologue! ​

REMIX: IMAGINE DRAGONS - IT'S TIME (LOVELIFE REMIX)

Erin MaherComment

Aahhhh - my boys are at it once again!  Lovelife is like a machine of music making madness!  This London based band are releasing one amazing track after another, and producing some awesome remixes to boot.  The love I have for Lovelife is no secret, the world knows this is my favorite band, and they are just little angels sent straight from heaven.  If I had to pick my greatest moment from SXSW - it would be when Lovelife walked into my life!​

​Number 1 band at the top of my SXSW wishlist was Lovelife - and when I first reached out to them about playing my SXSW showcase, their management said they did not have plans on coming to Austin.  This made me sad of course, but I figured I would catch up with them another time.  In true SXSW nature, that all changed and many weeks later they were booked on the Beautiful Buzzz showcase.  The anticipation in my heart for that Saturday set was crazy - I almost felt like a 12 year old girl at a New Kids On The Block concert (because that actually happened).  You see, even though I have worked in the music industry for many many years and can be considered a professional, at the core I am just a nerdy music fan!  I love music and I love the people who make music, and when I find something to nerd out over, I totally get my nerd on!!  I don't think you can work in this industry and not have that kind of passion.

When Lovelife arrived it was all hugs and kisses, and they seemed truly excited to be there.  My little venue was alive during their set, the place was packed and people were dancing.  Never for one moment did I think their live set would not deliver, but having never seen Lovelife live before, I really didn't know what to expect.  Well, they fucking deliver - it was everything I knew it wold be and more.  Not very often in my life do I swoon, but when front man Lee Newell gave a shout out, thanking me for everything and saying if it was not for me they would not be here, I may have swooned a little.  I mean, how often does it happen that your favorite band gives you a shout out like that....right??  Afterwards we took pickle back shots and bro'd out - they are awesome people and truly one of the best indie pop bands out there!      ​

Lovelife has remixed "It's Time" by Imagine Dragons - and you can grab it as a free download.  Lovelife are going to be on tour in May and will have a bay area show - details on that are coming soon!  ​

WHAT NATE SAYS: TOUCH SENSITIVE - SHOW ME

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Nate is a young musician living in the bay area who has something to say about Touch Sensitive.

Touch Sensitive’s "Show Me" is just what you would expect from a Future Classic release and really all the indie bands coming out of Australia lately.  There’s an irresistible subtle sexual energy that drifts amid the floating synth pads and pounding drums and Touch Sensitive knows it.  The song doesn’t make any bold moves it simply blossoms into a grove and holds you until you have no choice by to tap your foot and bob your head.  "Show Me" drops April 8!

ALBUM STREAM: DEAD LEAF ECHO - THOUGHT AND LANGUAGE

Erin MaherComment

Brooklyn's Dead Leaf Echo is an art collective whos debut LP "Thought and Language" dropped on Tuesday April 2.  The album has clear 4AD influences as it was mixed by John Fryer (Lush, NIN, Depeche Mode) with artwork by the label's legendary designer V23's Vaughan Oliver (Pixies, Bauhaus).

Dead Leaf Echo just returned from their east coast tour with Slumberland band Lorelei and played SXSW supporting The Ocean Blue and the Warlocks.  They will also be playing TOBs sold out NY show in June.  Look for Dead Leaf Echo in April on the West Coast playing with Beach Fossils and the Telescopes at The Echo.  They'll continue touring the West along with LA gazers Tennis System and will headline the 20th anniversary of the indie gathering Beautiful Noise festival held in the desert of Arizona, along with Captured Tracks band Half String.

Dead Leaf Echo incorporate elements of ambient, baroque, dream-pop, shoegaze, new wave, and goth, and craft every aspect of their sound and vision, with high-art as concept.  Chiming guitars in twin stereo reverbs with shimmering vocals and silky basslines.  Dead Leaf Echo runs the gamut of what is now possible within the contemporary underground and stands out on the NYC indie music scene.