LISTEN: The Jazz/Hip Hop/Soul Sampling Magic of France's ProleteR

Toulouse, France's ProleteR, a self-described "swing-hop producer," has created something quite impressive with his latest release, the Feeding the Lions EP. Jazz, hip hop, soul, and, yes, swing, all melt together to brew something that sounds as if downtempo music became obsessed with decades old jazz and soul records. There's an understated cool and subtle grit sewn throughout the upbeat samples from those older generations, giving Feeding the Lions a classically modern, accomplished character that's undoubtedly debonair but quietly ready to get wild, as well (as the cover art above might suggest). Check out some jams below. It's all I've been listening to at work recently.





If you dug those, check out/pick up the entire Feeding the Lions EP below.

REVIEW: Kavinsky - OutRun

Kavinsky - OutRun

A return to the past in music can often be a misguided journey, with homage taking precedence over creativity. Rather than looking to the future with a set of classic influences, the end result sounds relegated to refresh what’s already been done before. But in the case of French DJ/producer Kavinsky (né Vincent Belorgey), the past is just the palette upon which he creates the future.

Kavinsky To Release Debut LP, Hear "Protovision" Now

One of the biggest names in the French electro scene is Kavinsky, but you may know him best as the creator behind "Nightcall," the opening track off the Drive soundtrack. That's about to change with the forthcoming release of Kavinsky's highly-anticipated debut album, Outrun, on February 26, 2013 via Casablanca Records. The album comes on the heels of three well-received EPs: 2006's Teddy Boy, 2007's 1986, and 2008's Blazer.

Outrun may not be out until next year, but you can hear a track from it right now entitled "Protovision" via a brand new music video. Relive the magic of '80s car chases below.

SEE & HEAR: Freedom Fry - "Summer In the City"

Freedom Fry - "Summer In the City"


Ah yes, summer. It's supposed to be a period of freedom and endless opportunities to have fun -- that is when you're a kid. When you're an adult, summer seems almost like a shell of its former self: it's uncomfortably hot and you no longer get those three months of zero responsibilities. And so, instead of basking in the summer sun's warm glow, we get all caught up in our own business and the complexities of adult life; instead of enjoying nature's changes, we're all going, going, going with whatever it is that runs our lives.

Enter Paris/Los Angeles duo Freedom Fry and their new single "Summer In the City." It's a charming, pleasant cut of indie pop with a pinch of surf rock fluidity, beckoning us to make our way back to those simply days of our summer youth. It's upbeat but laced with an atmospheric layer of synth that's perfect for sending the listener off to daydream the frantic pace of reality away.

REVIEW: La Femme - Le Podium: La Femme #1 EP

La Femme - Le Podium #1 - La Femme
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Swathed in that eerie tone of ‘60s garage psych, Le Podium #1: La Femme plays more towards the past than the future – and, here, that’s nothing but a good thing. La Femme takes the entrancing sounds of this past and infuses them with the experimental urges of post-punk to create something that is at once energizing and infectious. This four song collection is dark and mysterious, maintaining a certain noir-style sex appeal thanks to its the echoey reverb and chilling synth and organ riffs.

At heart, La Femme is a surf rock band, but what gives their sound a magnetism is the addition of French new wave’s pop inflection and sexual underpinnings as well as the lo-fi, hypnotic flair of psych. Songs like “Sur La Planche” and “Telegraphe” demonstrate the band’s directness and immediacy while the EP’s latter tracks “La Femme Ressort” and “Francoise” showcase the band’s more experimental, cryptic side. Of course, they’re singing in French, so for all I know they’re singing about the most pleasant and wondrous of things. Whatever the case may be, Le Podium #1: La Femme proves to be a nice introductory statement, leaving an eventual desire for more.

BUY: Le Podium #1: La Femme is out now on Third Side Records. Pick it up on Amazon MP3, iTunes, or direct from the label here. The EP is the first in Le Podium, a 10" / Digital EP series from Third Side Records.

LISTEN: La Femme - "Sur La Planche"

MP3: La Femme - "Sur La Planche"

There are certain points in the night when everything is still and quiet, but everything inside of you is not. When you're all alone in the dead of night, it's hard not to find yourself tearing through all sorts of thoughts and memories. It's times like these when sleep is constantly escaping, leaving you to wrestle with a certain anxiousness that makes it hard to meet sleep. In the night, sometimes all you can do is race with your thoughts and enjoy the ride.

La Femme is rather mysterious -- ok, mainly because an initial search on Google yields nothing about the band. "Sur La Planche" only adds to the mystery, working some of that reverb-drenched '60s psych garage rock magic. It's more upbeat and straightforward than trippy, running on a frantic drum beat and bass riff that are almost manic in their pace. Imagine lo-fi surf swirling around in the hypnotic waves of psych and you've found the heart of the song.