Ikonika & Deer Tick

I'm pretty thrilled because over the last week, I’ve received my copies of the new ones by Jamie Lidell and Flying Lotus and each are fantastic. The latter is easily going to contend for the best electronic album of the year and will surely be one of the many highlights. But then again, it’s up to Starkey’s album to allow that and right now, Ear Drums and Black Holes is flat-out sick. It’s a beast of an album, check it out.

In other dubstep news (what a genre huh?) is Ikonika’s excellent album, Contact, Love, Want, Hate. She’s a lovely producer who has put together a winning debut for Hyperdub that is intensified by menacing synths and styles that resemble the jungle, reggae, and even computer game soundtracks. Check out “Millie” from the aforementioned album below. I’m being entirely honest when I say that it’s a golden age for electronic music when there is so much quality being released.



And before I get too electronic on you, Deer Tick is an honest amount of Americana-flavored rock that is influenced by everyone from Tom Petty to Sammy Davis Jr. I saw the end of their set at last year’s Austin City Limits Festival where the crowd was shocked to see them almost chased off the stage because they ran too long, as they jammed out to a cover of “La Bamba.” They’ve opted to stop by tomorrow at The Percolator where I’ll be at and after two stellar albums, they have a new one that’s already finished, The Black Dirt Sessions, and according to lead singer/songwriter, John McCauley “it should be out in May, hopefully.” – Bryan