Do you love etherial electro-pop that begs you to get into the car on a starry night and drive around aimlessley with the windows down and the volume up?

If so, then you MUST download the new EP titled, The Red Room, by Los Angeles based indie electro-pop band, Dwntwn.

The recently released EP features four exceptional tracks of the atmospheric nature that explore the darker side of love. However, despite the often forlorn subject matter, the tracks are full of stunning exuberance.

Bottom line: It’s brilliant, just brilliant!

♥♥♥♥/♥♥♥♥♥

Listen to all four tracks, after the jump!

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Everyone knows that when it comes to pop-music, the Swedes do it best.

Enter Sally Shapiro—a brilliant synth-pop duo comprised of vocalist Shapiro and musician Johan Agebjörn. Together they create some of the most gorgeous italo-disco known to man.

I was first introduced to Sally Shapiro back in 2006 when their debut single “I’ll Be By Your Side” and later, their debut album, Disco Romance, became some of my favorite releases of that year. Simply put, it’s the kind of music that can transcend your body, open your mind, and take you to that magical realm where troubles melt like lemon drops—no drugs necessary.

The good news? You can put down the mind altering substances because Sally Shapiro is back with a new single (and album for that matter) that’s ready to return you to your special place. The song titled, “What Can I Do?” is a tender take on the bands electro-roots that features shimmering guitars, a well-placed flute, and the soft palpitations of the almighty disco drum. And while the sum of the instrumental feels like an ocean being warmed by the sun, the lyrics reveal something a bit darker, “Who would want me if you leave me?/ Oh, What can I do?/ Would you call me if you need me?,” Shapiro coos on the song’s wispy chorus.

One thing’s for sure, Sally, if that bastard doesn’t want you, I do.

“What Can I Do?” is the lead single from Shapiro‘s forthcoming LP, Somewhere Else, due February 26th on Paper Bag Records. It also appears that the LP will house a track by the name of, ”This City’s Local Italo Disco DJ Has a Crush On Me.” For that I am already slayed within an inch of my life. Bravo Shapiro, Bravo!

Somewhere Else tracklist:

01 “Prescript”
02 “I Dream With An Angel Tonight”
03 “All My Life”
04 “This City’s Local Italo Disco DJ Has A Crush On Me”
05 “What Can I Do”
06 “If It Doesn’t Rain”
07 “Sundown”
08 “Starman” (Feat. Electric Youth)
09 “Lives Together”
10 “Don’t Be Afraid” (Feat. Anoraak)
11 “Architectured Love” (Feat. Le Prix)
12 “Postscript”

I’d like to introduce you to a friend. Not just any old friend, but a sexy Friend, a talented Friend—Leonard Friend.

Friend aka Alex Feder (ex-frontman of Brooklyn indie band The XYZ Affair) is an R&B/pop/indie type of dude, drawing comparisons to Justin Timberlake, Sam Sparrow, and Robin Thicke.

In the past year, he’s put out The Lynyrd Frynd EP, a handful of singles, some video content, secured some killer press looks, and is currently in talks with a few producers for potential collaborations.

His most recent release, a song titled, “Middle of the Night,” is an infectious synth-pop jam with jazzy undertones, chipmunk layered vocals, glossy accents, and enough sexual energy to power a small village. Contrary to the latter, there is a certain sweetness exuded in Friend‘s sugary falsetto and heartfelt lyrics (“I said let’s never wake up apart, and you said let’s never even go to sleep”) that give the track a perfect balance between love, sex, and magic.

Do yourself a favor and get acquainted, below!

Mark my words: 22-year old Australian rapper Iggy Azalea is one to watch.

Besides picking up T.I. as a creative director for her upcoming debut, The New Classic, and signing to the rap veteran’s Grand Hustle Records, Azalea has become the first female and first non-American rapper to be featured on XXL Magazine‘s annual Top 10 Freshman cover issue. If that’s not an indicator of greatness, I’m not sure what is, but I’ll let the music do the talking.

Enter “Murda Bizness,” the first single from the blonde emcee’s recently released mix-tape Glory, which precedes her forthcoming debut. The BEI Maejor-produced track features Grand Hustle boss T.I. and is a real ratchet-y rump-shaker with a deliciously ghetto ear-worm chorus: “Hit the club/With bad bitches/Stackin’ hundreds/Bunch of fifties’s,” Azalea boasts in the most hood-rat tone since Trina. It’s truly a knocker and I can’t get enough.

Tuck into “Murda Bizness,” below and download the free Glory EP from Azalea‘s official website by clicking HERE.

Enjoy!

Check out the awesome track, “At Home” by UK/Basque-based band Crystal Fighters. The group has been garnering much praise since releasing their debut album, Star of Love, back in April. Since then, the electronic outfit has been touring the world and winning over a hefty fan-base with its energetic shows and luscious sound.

Most recently, the Crystal Fighters released At Home, an 8-track EP that includes the stellar title track (which is also available on the Star Of Love LP) in addition to seven out-of-this-world remixes.

You can stream the At Home EP, below!

Enjoy!

“Drop It Low” songstress Esther Dean gets dance-y on this fist-pumping new cut featuring production by one of Britain’s most popular producers, Michael Woods.

Delicious!

Feast your ears upon Dalminjo and Anja Oyen‘s smooth cover of The Smiths‘ classic, “There Is A Light That Never Goes Out.”

Absolute perfection!

I rediscovered my love for this week’s installment of Throwback Thursday about 72 hours ago. Needless to say my roommate just committed Harakiri. Sorry ’bout it, but we’re goin’ to a place nearby, GOTTA GO!

This week’s installment of Throwback Thursday isn’t so throwback, but it’s been on repeat in my world for days.

Enter, “We Walk,” a song by English duo the Ting Tings from their debut album, We Started Nothing (2008). It was released as the album’s sixth and final single on February, 23 2009.

Penned by Tony Robert Whyte of Drowned in Sound, “We Walk” is a lush ballad that hides behind a strut-worthy back-beat crafted from a dramatic piano riff and the creative use of everyones favorite instrument, the cowbell! It’s all pretty epic If I do say so myself.

Now, get to walking y’all!

This week’s installment of Throwback Thursday comes from the title track off of Prince and The New Power Generation‘s flawless 1991 release, Diamonds and Pearls.

Here’s a few things I’ve learned from the timeless subject matter of the R&B infused pop-rock jam:

1) “Love is meant for two.” Okay, to be completely honest this bullet-point confuses me a little because the third parable in the book of Godney states that “Three is a charm, two is not the same.” So which is it?

2) “D to the I to the A to the M, O to the N to the D to the pearls of love” is the correct spelling for diamonds and pearls. Fergie obviously took her lessons at Prince’s School of Musicality seriously and employed the power of spelling in just about every single from her 2006 breakthrough debut, The Dutchess. Prince = the original trendsetter.

3) “There will come a time/When love will blow your mind/And everything you look for you’ll find.” Prince is a liar.

All jokes aside, “Diamonds and Pearls” is one of my favorite Prince songs of all time, and that’s saying something considering he/she/it has one of the most decorated catalogs in history.

Now click above and get familiar! Does it make you a happy boy or a girl?