Mates of State – Get Better

Mates of State are an awesome indie pop band from Kansas that consists of nothing but a married couple. Kori Gardner and Jason Hammel have been making music since 1997 and have put out several EPs and records. I don’t know about their marriage, but judging by their music, they work really well together and sound amazing for how limited they are to playing several instruments at once. “Get Better” is a song from their 2008 album Re-Arrange Us and always puts me in a good mood, hence the name. Enjoy!

Mates of State – Get Better

Animal Collective – My Girls

Animal Collective is an experimental rock group that has been making a crazy style of music since 1999. “My Girls” has been a huge hit from their 2009 album, Merriweather Post Pavilion. Check out the music video for this tune, it’s pretty cool and crazy at the same time. But the music in it is by far the best part. Enjoy!

Animal Collective – My Girls

Sleigh Bells – Rill Rill

Sleigh Bells is a relatively new pop rock group that is from Brooklyn, New York. “Rill Rill” is a really cool song I found a while ago that has a sample from a 1971 track – “Can You Get To That” by Funkadelic. This great guitar sample along with some vocals and unique beats make this tune what it is. Enjoy!

Sleigh Bells – Rill Rill

​BT – Every Other Way (Album Mix)

BT is quite the legend when it comes to electronic music, being one of the leaders in the industry. He not only produces and DJs, but is also a film composer and singer, having a part in movies such as Fast and The Furious and Monster. He has also had one of his albums, These Hopeful Machines, be nominated for “Best Electronica/Dance Album”.

“Every Other Way” is a beautiful piece of his singing alongside the great voice of JES. This single not only has a sweet album cover, but has been remixed by the one and only Armin van Buuren. The mix I am sharing here is the album mix, having more of a rock vibe that is chill and less trancy like most of his stuff. Enjoy!

BT – Every Other Way (Album Mix) | Download

Re:Generation Music Project – Mark Ronson

Mark Ronson is a well known British DJ, producer, and musician that has tons of talent. For Re:Generation, he got assigned to mix his style with Jazz. Being a big fan of jazz and electronic music, I was very excited for this creation. With tons of work and great talent of many musicians, such as Erykah Badu, Trombone Shorty, Mos Def, Zigaboo Modeliste, and members of The Dap Kings, “A La Modeliste” was created. This masterpiece consists of lots of good jams, riffs, and lyrics. Check out this great tune and video below!

Mark Ronson – A La Modeliste | Stream Only

Twin Shadow – At My Heels

Twin Shadow is a relatively young artist from the Dominican Republic who has had quite the dark childhood. He writes a lot of his songs based on experiences in his past with his twin sister – hence the artist name Twin Shadow. His debut album was actually recorded in various hotel rooms across New York City. “At My Heels” is one of the tracks from his recent EP Forget, which was released last fall.

Twin Shadow – At My Heels

Check out more of Twin Shadow: http://twinshadow.net/

Walk Off The Earth – Somebody That I Used to Know (Cover)

 

Anyone who is in the loop of things with popular music and listens to the radio knows of this song. Personally, I’m not a fan of the original tune by Gotye. I love Gotye but not the biggest fan of their “Somebody I Used to Know”, which is probably one of the most popular songs in the world right now. However, today I have an amazing cover that I enjoy by Walk Off The Earth. They are a super cool, unique musical group that only plays one guitar while performing songs, yet making it sound quite good. Their collaboration of singing, playing the guitar, and making beats with what their given is real fun to watch. Enjoy this cool video of a great cover!

The Kooks – How’d You Like That

The Kooks are a great UK indie band that has a unique style and happy feel to most their songs. “How’d You Like That” is a single and was released on their last album Junk of Heart in fall of 2011. This great tune will make you happy no matter what and can hopefully hook you on some other tunes of The Kooks. Enjoy!

The Kooks – How’d You Like That

​Damien Rice – Unplayed Piano

Damien Rice is a profound Irish folk artist that is a singer, songwriter, musician, and producer. He has put out tons of great records and singles for over 10 years and has been a big believer in world charities. “Unplayed Piano” was a special song for him and singer Lisa Hannigan. After a trip to Burma and meeting Suu Kyi, he decided to write this song about her and give all of the proceeds to her. Kyi was a Noble Prize Winner and had been under house arrest for over 7 years. Damien wanted to put all of these proceeds to her 60th birthday in Burma to give her credit where it needed to be. It is really great to see people and musicians do things like this in the world, and it’s too bad it isn’t done more often. Anyway, enjoy this beautiful piece by Damien Rice!

Damien Rice – Unplayed Piano

M83 – Outro

M83 has always been one of my favorite groups because of how unique their sound is. They have that weird but really good style to them, often used in ski/snowboard films. “Outro” is the last tune of their recent album Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming, which has been the most successful album released yet. I have video here featuring  “Outro” with some amazing footage of Yosemite Park, making the song even more epic. Sit back and watch this great video in HD and full screen!

M83 – Outro