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A recent study conducted by scientists under the umbrella of a Montreal university confirmed what concert-goers and bedroom Audiophiles have known for years; listening to music makes one cream their Dungarees. The two McGill University staffers responsible for the study, concluded that participants listening to familiar pieces of music instinctually released dopamine into the striatum (an area of the brain associated with both prediction and anticipation) in preparation for a song’s climax. Dopamine, of course, is the internal and natural stimulant that’s essentially the driving force behind love amongst humans (including arousal and all the animalistic urges that follow). And while it goes without saying that an exceptionally catchy LCD Soundsystem or Lady Gaga hook will not, in fact, cause male and female knee-jerk ejaculation (if that were the case, the janitorial staff at MSG would’ve had a hell of a cleanup the morning of  April 3rd), one could argue that quality music in an appropriate environment could encourage flirty bliss between two individuals. (Or something like that.)

Austrian DJ Wolfram, at least in a straightforward and fairly accessible fashion, understands this equation, the weight it involuntarily carries, and his ability to harness whatever love inducing power wielded by two turntables and a microphone. To him, it’s a curse just as much as it is a gift. Read More…

Still rubbing bellies from the Tex Mex and Lone Star gut rot they willing indulged in during SXSW a few weeks back, for this installment of Sounds Good we caught up with Chicago psychedelics Secret Colours. Jump down as we talk with Tommy Evans and Dave Stach, both of which play guitar and sing, about the aforementioned mentioned official/unofficial beer of Texas, a rad ragtag Wicker Park skate and party house, and the benefits of being Adrien Brody’s massive lady lovin’ schnoz. Also, pick up their stellar debut here. Read More…

Watch Chicago rapper vyle saunter around a gallery in this grainy footage for AUBURN’s track “Arrivals/Departures.” You can grab the track along with it’s A-side “Ultramodern Verandah” here. Expect the debut album from the duo, which also features producer Eliot Lipp, sometime in the coming months.

The VEOBA blog is currently looking to expand our daily content by adding some additional voices. Jump down to find out more. Read More…

This sugary track, which is the musical equivalent of a pop-rocker throwing Skittles over a crowded basement show like confetti from a bucket, is taken from Harper Blynn’s latest self-titled EP.

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It’s got the kind of pop hook that’ll stick in your head for days with the only downside being that it clocks in at just over three minutes. Average yes, but it’s so slick it slips by in no time at all; leaving you wanting more from the Brooklyn band. Pick up the song here and the EP here.

Even in its original form “Cut Me Out” was good. The MNDR track had a stagger-step that moved along at a muted dance floor pace despite Amanda Warner’s vocals and Peter Wade’s production being a bit prudent. Now, following a string of successful SXSW shows from the Brooklyn electro pop duo, this remix from Hervé kicks off their spring by gorging itself on more club. The UK DJ is fairly large overseas (and has worked with the likes of Mark Ronson, The Chemical Brothers, and Depeche Mode), and this mix of “Cut Me Out” amplifies all the original’s best parts. Reminding us that sometimes, just sometimes, it’s okay to drive forward and douche things up a little bit.

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Head on over to Green Label Sound to grab this remix, plus the original, for free.

Chances are if you’ve ever channel surfed across random stations during odd hours of the night you’ve probably caught interviews from Nardwuar, the massive mess of walking plaid and cat scratch vocal chords who has been interviewing bands since the mid-‘80s. He’s from Canada (Vancouver, BC to be exact) and will accost most musicians/bands he interviews with startling facts relevant to each specific artist. He’ll then present gifts that correlate with said startling fact. It’s gimmicky yes, but it’s an angle that’s worked for the last twenty plus years. (Here’s one from ’02 in which Nardwuar talks with Snoop Dogg.) Nardwuar caught up with maybe-new-Juggalo-leader Tyler the Creator down in Austin last week and talked about possible merch ideas (urinal cakes and souvenir shit bags), Jason Dill, James Pants, and presented the young rapper with bacon soap. Hodgy Beats was there (along with a few other Odd Future-ers) And if the amount of expletives that left Tyler’s mouth were any indication, he was actually pretty shocked by the depth of info that Nardwuar threw at him. (via)

There’s something to be said about a producer who goes by the moniker Blood Diamonds and releases a track called “Lasting Love.” Exactly what that is, I’m too foggy brained to articulate, but I’m quite certain Leonardo DiCaprio could create a Powerpoint presentation about the negative connotations such a correlation carries. (Roughly revolving around how two thirds of the world’s diamonds are harvested from war zone countries then sold by their dictator to finance his regime. Then effectively, and rather poignantly, DiCaprio would point out how the diamond ring placed around a lover’s finger to signify ever-lasting love is stained with the metaphorical blood of thousands.) But I’m sure none of that came into play when Vancouver multi-instrumentalist Blood Diamonds put together this sonic electronic gem called “Lasting Love.” The audacity of his insensitivity! Stream the sparkling “Lasting Love” below. Read More…

Though not as sand coated and laid back as the track’s title suggests, this cheeky edit of “Beach Scene” from bass-obsessed Hyetal is characteristic of any late ‘80s Venice Beach boardwalk memory remembered in triple time.

Hyetal, who is based in the UK and already has a slew of well-received singles, EPs, and dubstep mixes to his name, currently has the 10-track debut LP, Broadcast, scheduled to drop just prior to summer on Bristol imprint Black Acre Records. Stream the record’s first single, “Diamond Islands,” below. Read More…

Despite being based in Chicago, Pitchfork isn’t always willing to show the locales a little love. So when they do decide to toss their holy spotlight onto a WIndy City act, it always makes me so warm and fuzzy. Yesterday they debuted a new video from Chrissy Murderbot, the Chicago DJ who’s built up quite the catalog of panic-stricken juke crossbred with dancehall and R&B.

Directed by Jay Schroeder and Jon Sands, “Bussin Down” is a lo-fi assault of juke, footwork, and throwback 8-bit gaming made possible after Murderbot received an artist grant from the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs. Only qualm? They’re playing a Super Nintendo console when the controllers are obviously from an Xbox 360. I mean, gawd. “Bussin Down” is from Murderbot’s upcoming Women’s Studies album for Planet Mu. Watch it below! Read More…