Skrillex - Fuck That

I usually don't like Skrillex, in fact some of his music makes me want to chunder all over the room. But this song ladies and gentlmenz, this song is different. When we first heard this song we were all like "Whaaaat!? Holy fok!", and then when we discovered that it was Skrillex who made we were all like "No way, get outta town! Get outta town right now!'. As unfavourable towards his music as I usually might be, I must admit that tracks like this really showcase the producer's talent and versatility. Fuck That is a dirty bass track that simply has a kickass drop that is both aggressive and infectious, and is sure to bring the boom to your room and leave all the ladies in the clurb moist and wanting. It comes from his latest album Recess, which I probably won't listen to, unless it all sounds like this! Give it a listen below, and get some paper towels ready:

Fuck That - Skrillex  (download it here)



Shayne

Chromeo - White Women

 

The Funklordz are back! One of my personal favourite bands are back with a brand new album that is packed with so much funk that your booty might go into funk overdose and slip into a funk-induced coma. The LP seems to have arrived at the perfect time, where disco inspired dance music is having a comeback thanks to artists like Daft Punk. 

Chromeo return with one of their best albums yet, apparently two years in the making. Man oh man, I have been listening to this shit like non-stop ever since it came out last Monday (12 May) and have not gotten over it. If 80's inspired electro-funk grooves are your thang, then Chromeo is for you. Their fourth release encapsulates and hones their distinct sound, a modern interpretation of 80's funk with 70's disco elements, and is catchy as shit! These guys have really polished their sound, and one can hear immediately upon listening that this album has been lovingly and expertly crafted and each subtle nuance is perfectly timed and executed. It's difficult for me to talk about this album without using the word 'funk' like a million times, but its just so fucking funkeh! 

The album has everything, slow soulful ballads (check out their collaboration with Solange, Lost On The Way Home, beautiful stuff), to catchy cheeky dance grooves (see Sexy Socialite, my top track of 2013!), club-friendly pop numbers like Jealous (I Ain't With It), songs from the perspective of seductive flight attendants (Frequent Flyer), Nile Rogers-style guitar jams (Somethingood) and odes to karaoke machines (Old 45s). Each song has a neat little concept usually revolving around some hot babe, and lead singer Dave1 swooning over his trials and tribulations encountered in the pursuit, as always with his distinct vocal stylings that find that sweet spot between cheesy and silky smooth stylish. Add to that producer P-Thugg's nu-age electro disco beats and you've got a perfect recipe for straight up 10 outta 10 funktronica! Check out some of the singles below, and download this album now!

Jealous (I Ain't With It) - Chromeo



Come Alive - Chromeo feat. Toro y Moi



Shayne

Sibot - Arc Eyes EP

 

South African beastly beat making button pusher badass producer Sibot has recently released what might just be his best EP yet! Arc Eyes consists of 5 tracks each with Sibot's signature grimy and bouncy sounds and  distinctly South African inspired dirty bass beats, ranging from electronic funk to trap and shit that I don't even understand. For me personally I think this EP is a step up from his previous release Throwaway EP, which was much heavier (but still very nxa), this one has been injected with a dose of funk, similar to Tronarist, in the form of tracks like Arc Eyes. There's some great vocal collaborations on two tracks: one with his live performance partner in next level visual effects Toyota, in a track that uses a sample from the one and only JZ! And I aint talking about Beyonce's boyfriend, I'm talking Jacob muthafuckin Zuma!
B-b-b-b-billion rand! What a track, much party! There is also a collaboration with local future mfana Okmalumkoolkat, 'Nice Shandees', I don't actually know what is shandees but the track have got a real catchy groove wena! The opening track City of Gold has got a real presence to it, and a driving bassline that just makes you wanna bounce like some jogger's boobs. I would recommend downloading this EP to anyone who likes big phat electronic bass music and has an interweb modem connection (which can be done for free by the way! Yuss what a boytije! Thanks Sibot!).

DOWNLOAD MY BRAH-------> Sibot - Arc Eyes EP 2014 (FREE!!!)

LISTEN TO THIS NOW! BE COOL! PHYSICALLY!



Keep it lekker smooth my chinas,
Shayne

Shayne's Top 10 Albums of 2013

Welcome back to the quietest blog on the interweb, Supersonic Speakerbox! It seems we have taken a bit of a hiatus from blogging in the past few months, due to a rare paradoxical combination of extreme business and extreme laziness. Nevertheless, we return triumphantly, and congratulate ourselves for existing for over a year now! And we've had a cheeky little facelift to kick off the new year too. Great success!

Holy smokes! What a year for music! 2013 turned out to be one of the most exciting, diverse and memorable years in recent music history, with plenty of comebacks from established artists and many more new artists bursting onto the scene and treating us with never-before-heard sound explosions. There was so much out-of-the-box music released last year that it seems people have finally just decided to throw the box away! So without further explanation, here are my favourite 10 albums of 2013.


10.Outrun by Kavinski

Outrun (and Kavinsky's music as a whole) has a very distinct sound and feel to it and is somewhat conceptually driven. The concept is that Kavinsky was killed in a road accident in 1986 after crashing his Ferrari Testarossa, and has now come back as an electronic-music-making zombie. Rather far-fetched, but it helps in understanding the sound. His music almost sounds as if it could be a soundtrack for an 80's car-chase movie, and when listening to any one of the tracks it is almost impossible not to picture an old school red Ferrari driving at full speed in the night time through the streets. Not quite for the clubs but the sound is really appealing to me, he has really captured the 80's action movie/video game vibe but in a cool modern way and this music seems perfect for cruising around in your car at night wearing sunglasses (sunglasses not recommended). Not every track on the album is a winner, some get rather repetitive, but standouts include Odd Look (co-produced by SebastiAn), ProtoVision, First Blood, and of course the unmistakable 2010 electronic classic Nightcall.


9. Brand New Machine by Chase & Status

The drum & bass gods are back with their third album, and have duly showered us with blessings. On this LP, the duo really showcase their versatility in production, and prove that not only can they make excellent Dn'B, but just about everything else in between. With a wide variety of guest features ranging from Major Lazer to Nile Rogers, the album is punctuated with satisfying and diverse vocals that range from gangsta rhyme styles to soulful crooning. Surprisingly, their expert beats themselves are even more diverse than the guest artists; these guys can make anything it seems, Chase & Status are slowly defying classification when it comes to genre. Brand New Machine contains everything from Dn'B to UK garage styles to trap and bass to soulful mellow electronica to futuristic hip hop beats, there's something for everyone on this album. My favourite track would have to be the Major Lazer collaboration Pressure, that seductively dark and groovy bassline! Almost snapped my booty in half!


8. Damage Control by Mat Zo

Although I generally tend to stay away from anything termed "EDM" these days, this particular artist caught my attention in a big way. This is no run-of-the-mill EDM effort, it is an exploration of dance music, with so many different textures and influences that it just manages to escape classification, a distinction which (in my opinion) separates visionary music from niche music. Mat Zo's Damage Control is so thoroughly enjoyable and pure; there are moments of sonic beauty, dirty beats to get down to and a generally eclectic mix of awesomeness that is rare to find in a market filled with fleeting throw-away dancefloor hits. Not only does it have some serious bangers, but is interspersed with delicious and carefully constructed interludes that just make you want more. Having been 4 years in-the-making, one can definitely tell that this album was a labour of love, and more electronic artists should take a page out of Mat Zo's extremely colourful and intelligent book.


7. The Marshall Mathers LP 2 by Eminem

The self-crowned Rap God made a triumphant return in 2013 with the sequel to his massively successful Marshall Mathers LP released way back in 2000. MMLP2 shows us a different side of Slim Shady, older, wiser and on less drugs. Sounds boring? Definitely not, as Mr Mathers is still as talented as ever. If anything, this album showcases his lyrical ability more than ever. There are so many rhymes, so many lyrics and punchlines, that you don't even catch most of the nuances of his brilliant raps on the first listen. While some of the beats are less impressive, Slim is still as witty and entertaining as ever, and without exxagerating, there probably isn't an MC in the world who could beat him in a battle, he has truly mastered his craft. The fact that there is only one other guest MC on the album is telling of the fact that not many out there can come close to him, and the fact that it is Kendrick Lamar tells you just how good you have to be to get on an Eminem album at this stage in his career.


6. Afraid of Heights by Wavves

The third LP from Wavves brings back that winning combination that makes them so interesting to listen to: their music is kind of paradoxical, in that the music itself has a really happy uptempo punk vibe to it, but the lyrics are really dark, depressing and apathetic in an "everything is stupid, life sucks" kinda way (and unfortunately are quite relatable sometimes). This combination makes for some intriguing and really catchy music, especially if you are into surf-rock/punk/grunge blends with emo lyrics. I get the feeling that Wavves like to make fun music to get away from their apparently depressing lives, and one can often hear lyrical gems that (sadly) reflect the disheartened, bored and hopeless attitudes of our generation. But fuck it, let's just go surf.


5. Modern Vampires of the City by Vampire Weekend

The critically acclaimed third release from indie darlings Vampire Weekend is so acclaimed for a reason: its really really good! With many publications naming it as album of the year, Modern Vampires of the City is a brilliant piece of work, both musically and lyrically, and sees the band maturing thematically. The album deals with themes of growing-up, disillusionment, religion, mortality, relationships and more. Not only do these tracks deal with these complex themes in a mature and original way, but they're also catchy as hell! There are so many musical influences that merge together so seamlessly to form music that is joyous even in it's moments of melancholy. Modern Vampires of the City is a mature and complex album that is disguised in the brilliant simplicity of it's musicality. My favourite pick from the bunch would have to be the eloquent Ya Hey, a beautifully structured and sincere conversation with God.


4. Run The Jewels by Run The Jewels

This debut from rap duo Run The Jewels really blew me away. Comprising of Killer Mike (who you may recognise from his many collaborations with the mighty Outkast) and rapper/producer El-P, whom have both worked with each other in the past, the two decided to make a kick-ass album together and release it for free! Their combination is explosive, as the duo exchange spitfire rhymes over El-P's banging underground beats, an aggressive, infectious and head-nod-inducing combination of electronic elements and sounds from old school hip hop canons. Lyrically the two are on top form, with Killer Mike showing us his skills as a lesser-known veteran in the game, with rhymes that are clever, relevant, humourous and thought-provoking. The impressive lyrical potency on this album stems from the combined experience of these two MC's, and the phat beats anchor their bad-ass sound. Apperently a follow-up is in the works for 2014, I excite!


3. Settle by Disclosure

Name one party you went to last year where you didn't hear a Disclosure tune play? Even if you can, it was probably a really lame party and you should find cooler people to hang out with. These two brothers have taken the dance music world by storm with their unique take on the UK garage/house sound, making tunes that feel just as comfortable in your living room as they do so well in the clurrb. They have managed to revive and reinvigorate the unique sounds of 90's UK garage-house and have done so in style, this music is so funky and danceable that you can play the whole record from start to finish without a dull moment. 2013 was a big year for Disclosure, with the success of Settle causing everyone to want to work with them from Mary J Blige to Lorde. Watch out 2014, the Disclosure brothers are going to be doing big big things if the phenomenal Settle is anything to judge by.


2. Yeezus by Kanye West

Perhaps the most polarising album of the year, Kanye West's Yeezus either excited you or made you want to turn it off and run away to live in the countryside. Safe to say, I don't live in the countryside. Unorthodox, experimental, aggressive and dark, the controversial Yeezus introduced us to a new disturbing sound from the mad genius that is Kanye West. The album breaks so many traditions and boundaries and has such bizarre moments that one begins to wonder if this is even hip hop anymore. But Kanye has never been one for conforming, and with his 6th album has managed to "break the glass ceiling" as he puts it. An evolution in popular music, Kanye shows us that when it comes to creativity, its best to forget about the rules. The raw, industrial, electronic and insane music of Yeezus is nothing short of avant-garde, and even if you prefer Mr West's earlier 'lighter' work, you gotta respect the bad-assery and progressive thinking behind this killer album.


1. Random Access Memories by Daft Punk

What can I say, I love this album! Easily my favourite album of the year; it's a masterpiece of modern music, with every single aspect and detail finely crafted and beautifully executed to "give life back to music". Daft Punk's ode to the disco origins of dance music found them creating an LP entirely with live instrumentation to celebrate the work of their predecessors and the musical foundation that inspired them. Enlisting the help of some of the best studio musicians around the world, young and old, Daft Punk created compositions with so much soul, life and energy that it sounded like it came from outer space, even though it was made right here on Earth, using techniques that have existed for decades. Music this good would inevitably dominate the charts due to its supreme quality, and the Robots were even rewarded for their stellar effort with the the highly coveted Best Album Award at the 2014 Grammys. The fact that I can still listen to this record almost a year later is testament to how excellent and timeless it is. A classic.



And that's it folks, those are the albums that gave me so much listening pleasure in 2013. There were of course a few albums that didn't manage to make the Top 10, but with so much great music being released last year, it was difficult to decide! The following is list of quality and noteworthy albums that did not make the cut:

• The 20/20 Experience by Justin Timberlake
• Aleph by Gesaffelstein
• Bankrupt! by Phoenix
• Body Music by AlunaGeorge
• Three Second Memory by Goldfish
• Electric Lady by Janelle Monae

I hope that 2014 can exceed the awesome musical expectations set by 2013, and that Supersonic Speakerbox will continue (or, ahem, resume) to bring you the freshest and most innovative beats and sounds that give our lives so much spice.


Shayne

Youan - When You're Around

Wow. This track is madness! Featured on Annie Mac's Free Music Mondays, Youan's track entitled "When You're Around" is a mixture of bass, garage and house with R&B vocals and has a very contemporary UK sound. In fact I think I'll just let the track do the talking, give it a listen below:



PS. You can even download it for free! Sweet deal!

Tozz

Thursday Stumble Vol. 4

Oh man, first off I would like to apologise on behalf of SSSB for being so quiet. We have been really busy studying and running our illegal Mozambiquean Tupperware import business. But nevertheless, the return of the Thursday Stumble is here (albeit on a Saturday, but I started writing it on a Thursday so it still counts!). This week's stumble sees me slipping into the deep end. I am usually not that big a fan of the deep house sounds, but lately these funky deep beats have been speaking to me like Darth Vader - "Shayne, come to the deep side!". These tracks will move your booty to boombastic proportions. Also in this week's stumble, some electronic and tech stuff to move your booty equally, if not more. Enjoy!


Festival Girlfriend - Stockholm Syndrome (Download link)

Oh man! This tune has done things to my body that I could only reveal to my therapist. Deep vibes with electro elements and super sexy vocals. Definitely a must-have.


The 2 Bears - Be Strong (Download link)

This bouncy track is brought to you by none other than Hot Chip's Joe Goddard and his bear partner Raff Rundell. I really like the groovy funky bassline and the super catchy vocals about the love for the music.


Tiga & Jori Hulkkonen - Trust Your Body (Danny Daze Dub) (Download link)

This track blends elements of deep and tech in a way that I approve. Trust your body, your body never lies.


Justin Jay - The Jaguar (Download link)

This deep tune has a variety of tasty elements that come together to form a mellow yet groovy track, and the combination of instrumentation with the electronic elements works nicely.


Prince Club & Harvard Bass - Canixo (Download link)

Canixo is deep/tech number with a wonky bassline and an almost progressive-sounding build up. I think its cool. Do you?


Brodinski featuring Theophilus London - Gimme Back The Night (Download link)

This is a dark little party number from French producer Brodinski and one of my personal favourites Theophilus London. A deep pulsating bassline punctuated by TL's saucy Prince-like taunts.


The Hacker - Shockwave (Gesaffelstein Remix) (link removed)

Picked up this dirty electro child on the streets of Los Santos playing Grand Theft Auto 5. A heavy but crunchy tune that brought me much joy as I wreaked havoc on my Playstation.

Shayne

Chromeo - Sexy Socialite

One of my favourite groups, Chromeo, have released a brand new single from their upcoming album White Women, which is apparently due next year sometime. This follows the release of another single a few weeks ago called Over Your Shoulder. Oh man, I really love these guys, if you haven't heard of them, I would attempt to describe their sound as cheesy, synth-driven, disco and 80's inspired, electro funk pop music. Consisting of producer 'P-Thugg' and vocalist Dave1, the duo have released 3 albums together, all of which I have listened to many many times. Their last album Business Casual was released in 2010 and was highly successful, so the prospect of a new Chromeo LP really turned me on.


This excitement was increased exponentially when I listened to this single, Sexy Socialite: classic Chromeo cheese with a a totally funky bassline and Dave1's unique vocal styling delivering typically witty, seductive and catchy lyrics about a sexy socialite who thinks she's too cool for him. I find this song extremely catchy and have fallen in love with it, but I guess I'm just a big Chromeo fan. I especially enjoy the rebuttle to Dave1's accusations from the female vocalist in the song, as well as P-Thugg's classic vocoder vocals too. Have a listen! And try not to do a little dance, I dare you.



Download a 128kbps quality mp3 here


And as a bonus here is the previous single Over Your Shoulder, which is a slower tempo track but equally funka-fied:



Shayne