OFF THE BEAT & TRACK

  The latest offering from Katy B, the leading female figure in the current resurgence of British garage/ house music seems to be enjoying. With collaborations alongside the likes of Diplo and Jessie Ware, last December's "Danger EP" was a perfectly packaged christmas cracker that impressively delivered on four massive bangers. "What Love Is Made Of" continues in that pushy vein, rightfully commanding hype in the steady build-up to the release of her second studio album this autumn. 

New single from electronic duo Gil Wojcik and Justin Victoria aka PLOY. 'VRDSNT' is just another in a succession of tidy single releases from the pair. Fluttery and light, that intro is an Aero bar in music form.  Unintrusive electropop is quite rare to come by at the moment, with producers opting for heavier beat-driven bangers. Whilst that's perfectly ok, it's also maybe the reason that this refreshingly unique PLOY sound bubbles to the surface of the current crop of generic electro-pop offerings.  Listening to PLOY is like taking semi-skimmed milk with your tea instead of full fat, know what I mean?

Addictive soul/dance fusion from Austin, Texas singer-songwriter Max Frost.

Kelis - Jerk Ribs After lending her vocals to a few (questionable) club bangers in recent years, this is a glorious return for Kelis. 'Jerk Ribs' feels like a fresh comeback, complete with whistles, funky beats and horns it oozes warmth, soul and real personality. Reportedly the first release off her forthcoming sixth studio album, if this is an indication of things to come then we're in for a right treat. Another one to file under "Summer Jam". 

Suddenly the weather turns and with it comes a succession of blistering tracks to form the early soundtrack to your summer. Daft Punk & Pharrell set the bar pretty high with their glowingly feel good disco number 'Get Lucky' that looks on course to take the number 1 spot this weekend. Manchester based Bipolar Sunshine aka Adio Marchant carries on that breezy sunlit vibe with 'Rivers'. Soon to be blasting out of cars with windows wound down on a street near you. 

A few seconds into this sublime track and it's clear that what you're listening to is a fresh and innovative approach to indie-pop music. Bear Mountain are a duo from Vancouver whose gloriously captivating track 'Congo' is reliant on a combination of loops, synth chords and chopped vocals layered over a tropical drum beat. To label this track "feel good" would perhaps be naive; whilst there's definitely a sense of something triumphant here there's also something undeniably honest, vulnerable and more regretful going on. That sense of vulnerability plays itself out through a surprising vocal that leans more towards Damien Rice/ Ray Lamontagne, probably not what you'd expect on an electro dance record. It won't be for everyone, but there are enough interesting things going on in this song to perk your ears up a bit and at the very least, get a little foot tap on the go.

Sixteen years YOUNG. Listen, this noteworthy remix of 'Fallin' Love' by elusive duo BenZel is brought to you by Washington DC based producer and DJ Alex Young. It starts off as the track you already know and love, but then Young takes it to a whole new place filled with big, bright euphoric synths. The track is made all the more remarkable because the kid (it feels wrong to refer to him as a "kid") is just sixteen years old. SIXTEEN. Young describes his sound as a hip-hop/electronic fusion, counting Diplo, Baauer and Flosstradamus as supporters - casual. Follow him on facebook and just follow him in life, one to watch for sure.   

Every now and again you come across an artist or song that immediately makes you sit up and take notice. In this case, we have both artsist AND song. Tribal beats and pop-friendly female vocals that sit on top of a mellow bass line, you might be forgiven for mistaking this for an unheard Santigold track. TOKiMONSTA is LA native Jennifer Lee whose own brand of electronic/indie/r'n'b/dance defies and breaks down boundaries between genre classification, carefully crafting a sound that's coming at you from another dimension. MNDR lends her ethereal vocals to track, elevating it to a whole other level of blissful otherworldliness. 'Go With It' is taken off the new album Half Shadows, out now, a preview of which you can listen to here. Well worth a go.

New album Free The Universe is out NOW.

Indie band Last Lynx are from Stockholm and are producing some rather good, organic electro pop in that way that Swedish bands tend to.  Their EP Ocean Reels is out now and well worth giving a serious listen. 'Late Disco' is a personal favourite that sticks out, lyrically irresistible if like me, you're partial to a bit of the old wistful thinking. Time and a place, guys. Melodically, it's hard not to appreciate this track with its clean harmonies and a simple but really quite stunning hook. It's about as much as you could ask for and/ or want from a neat little slice of electro-somber pop.

British producer Gold Panda offers up this track ahead of the release of his second album Half Of Where You Live this summer. There's an almost meditative quality to this house track, what 'Brazil' has to do with anything who knows (oh, apparently he took a trip to Sao Paolo) but it's repeated over and over like a chant or mantra. Before long you're under in a similar way to how Cornelius would leave you feeling a tad calmer than you did three minutes beforehand. 'Brazil' is a testament to the production skill and colourful imagination of this up and coming producer. The track will be a treat for long-time fans of this talented beatsmith, whilst its synthy tones will no doubt draw in a whole heap of new admirers. 

I came across Poliça during my last work placement. Their 2012 album Give You The Ghost was a regular choice of office background music and with each listen you find yourself warming to their sound. Electronic soul/r'n'b that reminds me in parts of Fever Ray but smoother and without the disjointed and glitchy feel. Justin Vernon of Bon Iver fame appears on new single 'Tiff'. In the past, Vernon has been highly complimentary about the group explaining in a post-Grammy win interview that Poliça are the best band he's ever heard. High praise indeed, judge for yourself and ecoutez.

** Ok, his laptop was stolen, illegal leak, etc etc. Weird, confusing, strange and if true, utterly terrible. The internet and all its hype is sometimes just a bit much isn't it. Take yourself away and just enjoy the music.

O.T.B favourite Frank Ocean debuted his new music video for the track 'Lost' over on his tumblr yesterday. Sunglasses and summer, the video comprises a collection of footage from Ocean's worldly travels over the past year. It's a split-screen travelog type affair that takes you to Paris, Tokyo and Egypt inbetween clips of Frank skateboarding, performing on stage and taking photos with fans. It's a pretty chill visual, if anything a nice little nod to what's been a game-changing year for the guy, not to mention the genre.

Brooklyn duo Javelin recently announced that they will be gracing these shores with a couple of tour dates confirmed for London and Brighton later this year in June. Their third album Hi Beams is out on the 15th April. 

I read a description of Berlin based artist D E N A as a "Tesco value M.I.A" which made me laugh a lot, in part because it's kind of true but also because I would see that as actually really quite complimentary. This mix of Cash, Diamond Rings, Swimming Pools starts off with this dancehall vibe but then cuts into some Balkan step-hop before changing tone completely and impressively breaking down midway through into a 90s disco house number/ absolute club banger. Personally, I just wish the section from 1.43 would last longer. It's scrappy, disjointed and unpredictable in a way that's remindful of Micachu & The Shapes, with added beats and a little more swagger. I'm willing the summer on with this track.