Playlist: March 2014: My Memories Retain Us

My Memories Retain Us from letmeget on 8tracks Radio.

In an attempt to normalize the playlist output, I seem to have put myself in a predicament. Instead of randomly tossing out an 8tracks playlist of tracks from the past few weeks or months, I decided to wait until the end of the month to release a sort of "Best of" compilation. The problem is that there are so many great songs from March (and late February), so narrowing it down is hard. I got it down to 40; it's rather appropriate, as this is the 40th LetMeGet mix, but I understand that 40 songs makes for a rather unwieldy playlist. Maybe next month I'll try a mid-month playlist. Below is also a link to the songs that are on SoundCloud, so you can listen to them without having to hear the whole playlist. Don't forget to download the 8tracks and SoundCloud apps if you haven't (links are on the right side of the screen). I don't even know how to pick a favorite. Most of the stuff is from the Daily Dose or the Weekly playlists; actually, somehow "Get Lonely With Me" and "Water Fountain" never made it for some reason––both are fantastic. I've had "Glory" on near-repeat for weeks and nothing puts me in a better mood than Mayer Hawthorne's English cover of "In A Phantom Mood." Still, it's all great. Also, don't forget to grab the free downloads while you're at it. Enjoy!

1. Youth - Ben Khan
2. Yuntekkem* - aammourocean
3. Wait (Kygo Remix)* - M83
4. Busy Earnin' - JUNGLE.
5. Glory - Wye Oak
6. Get Lonely With Me - George Ezra
7. High Tide - Lemaître
8. In A Phantom Mood - Mayer Hawthorne
9. Crave You (Royal Refix)* - Flight Facilities
10. Miss Teen Massachusetts (We the Wild Remix) - SKATERS
11. Childs Play (feat. Chance the Rapper) - SZA
12. Marvin's Room (Drake Cover) - Sir Sly
13. No Rest for the Wicked - Lykke Li
14. Paranoia, Ghosts & Other Sounds* - SAFIA
15. Good Mistake - Mr Little Jeans
16. Howl* - BOOTS
17. Like You Used To - Kidnap Kid
18. Waterfalls* - MF.$hortcake
19. Water Fountain - tUnE-yArDs
20. It Feels Good to Be Around You (feat. Air France)* - Yumi Zouma
21. Hero* - Frank Ocean + Mick Jones + Paul Simonon + Diplo
22. 50/50 - Fé
23. Little Brown Dog - Mo Kolours
24. Alexandra - Hamilton Leithauser
25. Baby Blue - Busman's Holiday
26. City Lights - Woolfy
27. Stranger in Moscow (Michael Jackson Cover) - Tame Impala
28. Scarred for Life - Sabina Ddumba
29. Call My Name - HAERTS
30. Wanderlust (SNAKEHIPS Remix) - The Weeknd
31. Bullet - Kill J
32. All For Leyna* - Misun
33. I'm Not Sorry - PAPA
34. Cavity - Hundred Waters
35. Brain (Ta-ku Remix)* - BANKS
36. I Need You - M83
37. Easy (Switch Screens) (feat. Lorde) - Son Lux
38. now you know my name* - the derevolutions
39. Music for Steamed Rocks - Oneohtrix Point Never
40. Happy (Woodkid Sad Remix) - Pharrell
*FREE DOWNLOAD

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The Daily Dose: M83 - "Wait (Kygo Remix)"

The Daily Dose: New music every day. It's good for you.

Kygo, the 22-year-old norwegian producer behind the wildly successful remixes of Kyla La Grange's "Cut Your Teeth" and Seinabo Sey's "Younger," is back with a take on M83's "Wait." By employing his characteristic flutey synths and accelerating the track, he's offered a more uplifting and upbeat version of M83's atmospheric and anthemic original. Download it for free on Kygo's Facebook page.

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Playlist: The Weekly What 3•30•14

The Weekly What: Because playlists are nice too.

Here they are, eight tracks to recap the week. It's been a while since I've released an 8tracks playlist, so be on the lookout for a March playlist in the near future. Enjoy!

I. D.C.-based producer Royal has remixed Flight Facilities's 2010 track "Crave You," speeding it up and giving it more of a dance floor feel. Download it for free via SoundCloud below.

II. Australian producer and self-proclaimed GenreKiller Ta-ku is at it again, this time taking on BANKS's fabulous "Brain." Download it for free as well.

III. Dexter Tortoriello, AKA Dawn Golden, has released the first track from his upcoming album Still Life, due out May 13 (preorder it on iTunes here). "All I Want" is distant and poignant, with its slow, pulsating synths slowly picking up speed and adding drums, but never ruining its touching and bare earnestness with too much urgency.

IV. Thanks to the efforts of The Line of Best Fit, Yumi Zouma have released a cover version of Air France's last single before their breakup two years ago, "It Feels Good to Be Around You." Ex-Air France members Joel Karlsson and Henrik Markstedt even recorded some vocals for the new cover. Download the track for free below.

V. TDE's first non-rapping signee, the hypnotically soulful SZA, released "Childs Play" a few days ago. Tender, lazy, and softly soulful, the Chance-featuring track was produced by XXYYXX and Dae One.

VI. Swedish duo Iberia released "Swansea" as a free download a little while ago in anticipation of their debut album. A sweeping combination of celestial choirs and rattling snares make this track a must-listen.

VII. Jensen Sportag brings the funk with "One Lane Lovers," a spacey disco track out on alt-pop label Cascine.

VIII. The derevolutions, the fabulously wacky Bostonian duo, are back with "Now You Know My Name." Complete with tacky synths, lo-fi vocals, infectious whistling, and some hints of "Pascualita," the track is yet another further development of their unique style.

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The Daily Dose: Pharrell - "Happy (Woodkid Sad Remix)"

The Daily Dose: New music every day. It's good for you.

Parisian Yoann Lemoine, better known as Woodkid, has done the impossible: made Pharrell's infectiously (and even overpoweringly) excited "Happy" into a more somber song (the track debuted over on Stereogum yesterday). While the lyrics of the original are nearly impossible to render sad, Woodkid's remix brings in a slightly unsettling irony, a poignancy in the strings and piano that doesn't really belong with the lyrics but nonetheless manages to slow them down and drag them into a more contemplative mood. Stream the track below.

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The Daily Dose: Kyla La Grange - "The Knife"

The Daily Dose: New music every day. It's good for you.

Kyla La Grange is back––with more cutting to do. "The Knife" is the second track from La Grange's upcoming album, Cut Your Teeth, and definitely feels thematically and musically similar to the wonderfully poignant title track (whose remix by Kygo has achieved far more popularity than the original). While the steel drum vibe of "The Knife" make it a bit breezier than "Cut Your Teeth," the lyrics––"One night you cut into my head / with a cold, bright fear that struck me dead"––are even darker, even more hopelessly retrospective. Stream it below.

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The Daily Dose: PAPA - "I'm Not Sorry"

The Daily Dose: New music every day. It's good for you.

Tender Madness, last year's fabulous album from former Girls drummer Darren Weiss's band PAPA, was one of my favorites of the year. Yesterday PAPA premiered the unapologetic anthem "I'm Not Sorry," a B-side from the album, on Stereogum. While "Don't forgive me / for things I've done / I'm not sorry / for what I've become" may not be spectacularly original lyricism, here's what Weiss had to say about the song:

“This song touches on the idea that any artist has to make a lot of sacrifices to live inside of their work. A lot of people have called me insane over the last few years, but when you’re insane, you can go anywhere, you can do anything.”

Stream it below. 

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The Daily Dose: Mayer Hawthorne - "In A Phantom Mood"

The Daily Dose: New music every day. It's good for you.

For Record Store Day 2014, LA-based crooner Mayer Hawthorne and Tokyo-based Shintaro Sakamoto are releasing a split 7" record with an interesting twist. Sakamoto sings the Japanese lyrics over Hawthorne's "Wine Glass Woman" and Hawthorne sings the English to Sakamoto's "In A Phantom Mood." Sakamoto's summery groove is perfect for Hawthorne's slick and laid-back vocals. Stream the track below, along with Sakamoto's version of "Wine Glass Woman."

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Playlist: The Weekly What 3•23•14

The Weekly What: Because playlists are nice too.


Here they are, eight great songs from the past week(ish) that didn't make it onto the Daily Dose for whatever reason.

I. Swedish singer-songwriter Lykke Li's first album in three years, I Never Learn, is out May 5. In anticipation, she's released the hauntingly powerful "No Rest For The Wicked." It's dark but not unsettling, with its bare piano building to the sweeping chorus. 

II. Electronic trio SAFIA released "Paranoia, Ghosts & Other Sounds" a few days ago, a hypnotizing and dark track whose lyrics and vocal arrangements certainly live up to its titular paranoia. Download it for free by liking their Facebook page.

III. UK Producer Royce Wood Junior, who released "Nuff" last month to significant praise, has released another scattered and soulful track in "Hardly."

IV. Wye Oak, Maryland duo of Andy Stack and Jenn Wasner, released "Glory" a few days ago, the second single from their upcoming album Shriek (out on April 29 on Merge Records). Like "The Tower," "Glory" is a significant departure from their earlier work, but the track is murky and powerful.

V. Sango, part of Soulection label's prolific team, released "She Yells" on his album North last summer. Kenji, a NY-based producer, has reworked it; while it's not revolutionary, it certainly is relaxing.

VI. Wilfred Giroux, the alias of 19-year-old Joshua Mooney, released "U Make Me" in anticipation of the April 7 release of his Stronger EP, out March 31 on Polkadot Recordings

VII. Kwabs (full name: Kwabena Adjepong) attracted a considerable amount of attention with his SOHN-produced Wrong or Right EP last month. Now, he's released the title track of the upcoming album Pray For Love, due out May 6. 

VIII. Australian indie-pop outfit Architecture in Helsinki are set to release Now + 4EVA on April 1. "Echo," like the previously blogged "I Might Survive," is the latest track from the upcoming album.

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The Daily Dose: HAERTS - "Call My Name"

The Daily Dose: New music every day. It's good for you.

Ever since "Wings" came out in 2012, I've been obsessed with HAERTS. Their new single, "Call My Name," is even more laid-back than usual (perhaps owing to the fact that, unlike Hemiplegia, it was not produced by St. Lucia), a hypnotic 80s lullaby that kind of sounds like it belongs in the Tarzan soundtrack. Not in a bad way, of course. Stream it below.

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The Daily Dose: Jaymes Young - "Habits of My Heart (Sufjan Stevens Remake)"

The Daily Dose: New music every day. It's good for you.

Though M∆DE IN HEIGHTS's "Skylark Interabang?!" (download it for free here!) is still, in my opinion, the best reworking of Sufjan Stevens's "Concerning the UFO Sighting Near Highland, Illinois," Jaymes Young's "Habits Of My Heart" is great too. Download it for free below.

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The Daily Dose: San Fermin - "Methuselah (New Version)"

The Daily Dose: New music every day. It's good for you.

When I first saw San Fermin's "Methuselah," a track from their self-titled 2013 album, on my SoundCloud feed, I was confused. The song was livelier than I remembered, with more horns and piano than strings. As it turns out, San Fermin released a new version of the song yesterday, for whatever reason. The alterations are subtle, but I actually prefer the new version, which you can stream below along with the original (the original is the bottom track).

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The Daily Dose: Ben Khan - "Youth"

The Daily Dose: New music every day. It's good for you.

Last year's twisted, thumping "Savage" was one of my favorite tracks of 2013; "Youth," though its lyrics are less cryptic and it takes a while to build, shares the same throbbing bass, lively percussion, and Jai Paul-esque energy. "Youth" is the first track from Ben Khan's debut EP 1992, which is set to be released May 5 on his own Blessed Vice imprint. Stream it below.

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The Daily Dose: Woolfy - "City Lights"

The Daily Dose: New music every day. It's good for you.

While I realize that "City Lights" sort of sounds like someone with no teeth playing a broken xylophone, it's precisely this rawness that makes it relaxing and refreshing. Little more than some vibes and xylophones, a guitar, some barely-intelligible vocals, and what sounds like a tambourine, this song is surprisingly satisfying. Stream it below.

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The Daily Dose: Sabina Ddumba - "Scarred for Life"

The Daily Dose: New music every day. It's good for you.

Stockholm-based Sabina Ddumba released "Scarred for Life" at the end of last month, but I discovered it recently and have had it on frequent rotation of late. Though at first the song might seem to be little more than another whiny song of sorrow that wails and crashes with overblown melodrama, "Scarred for Life" actually soars with an almost religious scope; the backing choirs and powerful "cuts are getting deeper / you really fucked me up this time" make it sound as if it belongs in some empty church, a secular chapel for the fucked-up and fucked-over. It doesn't entirely escape its own melodrama, but the track is poignant and powerful. Stream it below.

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Playlist: The Weekly What 3•16•14

The Weekly What: Because playlists are nice too.

 Again, here are eight tracks from the past week or few weeks that didn't make it on the Daily Dose to help you sanely transition into the upcoming week.

I. Though it owes most of its beauty to the sample of the Melanesian choirs from Terrence Malick's 1998 film The Thin Red Line, aamourocean's "Yuntekkem" soars and thumps with majesty. Download it and the entire I LOVE MYSTERY EP on aamourocean's SoundCloud page here (when I last checked, you have to download each track individually). Don't miss aamourocean's delightfully strange website, either.

II. Tame Impala's cover of Michael Jackson's "Stranger in Moscow" is, in my opinion, better than the original; it's soothing and unhurried, eliding the dentist-office-waiting-room funk of the 1996 original into Tame Impala's characteristic dripping and melting of sound.

III. Ships, the Irish duo of Sorca McGrath and Simon Cullen, released "Space Inside" a few days ago. The six-minute-long track is described on Ships's bandcamp page as a "dazzling boogie electro killer." I couldn't have said it better myself––it's awesome.

IV. Johan Hugo, London-based producer and half of the wonderful The Very Best, has produced this new track from Senegalese star Baaba Maal. I have no idea what the lyrics mean, but "Suma Rokia" is infectiously percussive.

V. Mo Kolours, half-Mauritian producer, singer, and percussionist, communicates with his Indian Ocean roots in "Little Brown Dog." While the song is lyrically basic, the laid-back "da da da da da-da da-da my little dog" matches the chill playfulness of the (steel) drums.  Download it for whatever price you choose on his bandcamp page here.

VI. Almost two weeks ago, Florida-based indie outfit Hundred Waters released "Cavity," a song whose titular emptiness is instantly apparent in the wailing synths, ominous beat, and hazy vocals. The lyrics, too, reflect this emptiness with dark beauty: "so come then, come over, and sit by me / swallow the arrow following me / nothing to fill in, nothing to free / nothing here but a cavity."

VII. Boots (born Jordy Asher), the producer behind last year's surprise Beyoncé album, has released "Howl," the follow up to last month's "Dust". Both are available for free download via SoundCloud.

VIII. In anticipation of his Phantom Vibrate EP out April 28, Montreal-based Jacques Greene released "No Excuse" a few days ago.

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The Daily (Double) Dose: Bondax; Zimmer

The Daily (Double) Dose. New music every day. It's good for you.

Here are two tracks to start off your weekend––and to make up for the inconsistent postings this past week.

While it's impossible to beat the breezy, carefree groove of the original, English electronic duo Bondax has offered a fabulously funky take on Duke Dumont's "I Got U." Stream it below.



Also, Parisian Zimmer and Asia-based Amadei have collaborated on a reworking of France Gall's 1987 track "Ella, Elle l'a." While it doesn't manipulate the original too much, the remix turns the slickly sparse combo of cowbell and guitar in the original into a fuller and funkier track, even if it still sounds inescapably 80s. Grab a free download below.

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The Daily Dose: S. Carey - "Crown the Pines"

The Daily Dose: New music every day. It's good for you.

S. Carey (the S is short for Sean), drummer and supporting vocalist for Bon Iver, released "Crown the Pines" from his upcoming LP, Range of Light, last week. While the track's soft vocals and lilting piano (hell, even the single artwork) is certainly reminiscent of Bon Iver, the  hypnotic vocals and wailing strings make it more than mere mimicry. Range of Light is out April 1 on Jagjaguwar (March 31 in UK). 

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The Daily Dose: Frank Ocean, Mick Jones, Paul Simonon, & Diplo - "Hero"

The Daily Dose: New music every day. It's good for you.

Nothing to kick the Daily Dose back off like this star-studded track. "Hero" is the newest addition to Converse's Three Artists, One Song series, which brought together James Murphy, André 3000, and Gorillaz on "DoYaThing" and Mark Foster, Kimbra, and A-Trak on "Warrior." This time, it should be Four Artists, One Song, as Frank Ocean, Diplo, and Mick Jones and Paul Simonon of The Clash have collaborated on "Hero," where the characteristically jangling guitar of Jones erupts from the smooth, Frank Ocean-led doo-wop of the intro. Featuring the West Los Angeles Children's Choir, this track is smooth and jarring, refined and rough, the kind of track that only these four could have crafted. Grab a free download via SoundCloud below.

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Playlist: While I Was Away, Volume III

The Weekly What: Because playlists are nice too.

The Daily Dose will be back on track eventually, but for now the weekly playlist seems to be the best thing. Here are eight more tracks for your listening pleasure.




I. Norwegian indie outfit Lemaître is back with the slick groove "High Tide" with plenty of their characteristic lilting English and comping piano.

II. In anticipation of their SXSW appearance, Misun have covered Billy Joel's "All for Leyna," from 1980's Glass Houses. It's a great cover that works perfectly with Misun's self-proclaimed "Aquawave" style. Grab it as a free download via SoundCloud.

III. Walkmen frontman Hamilton Leithauser's "Alexandra" came out in late February with this video, but I've had it on heavy rotation this past week. Rollicking, catchy, and somewhat reminiscent of George Ezra, it's a jam that's not to miss. Be on the lookout for Leithauser's debut album, Black Hours, on May 6.

IV. Speaking of George Ezra, the London-based singer is back with "Coat of Armour," a significant slow-down from last month's phenomenal "Cassy O'." It's slower and more somber, but what it lacks in catchiness and energy it makes up for in poignancy.

V. Canadian "slack rocker" Mac DeMarco, looking ahead to the April 1 debut of his album Salad Days, has released "Brother," a characteristically acoustic and spaced-out track.

VI. Kaytranada, one of the most dependable artists on Soulection's fabulous roster, released a characteristically mellow remix of AlunaGeorge's "Kaleidoscope Love."

VII. MF.$, or Motherfucking Shortcake, has dropped his BRAINWAVVES EP, available for free download over on his website. Upon download, you'll find that the folder is named TAKE DRUGS BEFORE YOU LISTEN. Whether or not you heed that advice, "NASA" is just one of a host of great tracks.

VIII. Sheffield native Matt Relton, AKA Kidnap Kid, released "Like You Used To" a few days ago. It's slightly mellower than some of his past tracks, but it has the same soulful throb as the likes of last year's "Survive."

I hope the playlists are working well; Daily Doses will be up and running before too long. Thanks for your patience!

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The Weekly What: Playlist: While I Was Away, Again

The Daily Dose. New music every day. It's good for you.
Here's a playlist!



I will attempt to get back on track with the daily posts soon; life has been unbelievably hectic around here. Again, I thought I would toss together a little playlist to make up for my lack of sharing.

I. First off, it's new Panama! If you haven't heard "Always" and its two best remixes, fix that. "Strange Feeling" is another smooth groovy––and it has saxophone! What is there not to love?

II. Frankly, I don't know anything about MF.$hortcake, but "Waterfalls" is perfectly named, with its trippy, trickling cascade of vocals and synths.

III. Production duo and frequent Action Bronson collaborators Party Supplies are back with a new track: the great, jittery groove of "Danny Boy" (and not to be confused with this song, of course).

IV. Indianan folk duo Busman's Holiday have released a new track in anticipation of their upcoming album, A Long Goodybe, which is due out April 1. "Baby Blue" is a lo-fi, Avett-Brothers-echoing acoustic romp, and definitely worth checking out.

V. Similarly, "Take Flight" is from Olympic Ayres debut EP, Leisureplex, due out in the second half of 2014.

VI. Moon Boots on their new track "Don't Ask Why": 
"Encountered the mysterious undiscovered star @kyiki on a winter night spacewalk. We came back with this song." 
Download it for fee via SoundCloud.

VII. SKATERS's fabulously grungy "Miss Teen Massachusetts" gets an equally fabulous but considerably less grungy remix by British alt-pop duo We The Wild.

VIII. Finally, Sir Sly offers a poignant cover of "Marvin's Room," the lead single of Drake's 2011 EP Take Care.

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