Inland Sounds Summer Playlist

Hey there chickadees and chickadoos.  Summer is here, and it will be gone before you know it.

I've got a sunny playlist for you of some great new summer releases and some classic oldschool summer jams (with a twist, of course).

Here's a taste of what's in store...


Check out the rest of the playlist on my blog for the always amazing The Next Family.

Icona Pop - Swedish Ting Tings

I realize I've been on an unintentional world music tour for the last few blogs, so I think I'll continue with a stop in Stockholm where my new favorite Swedish electro duo first met.

Icona Pop have been making waves with their debut single "Manners."  These ladies deliver sassy pop with a young indie edge a la Ting Tings.

This song is so hooky.  Rugged synths and quirky cowbell give it a fresh perspective.  I can imagine at some point it might get annoying, but for now it's my jam.  As long as they can keep up that delicate balance between indie and pop, I foresee great things in their future.

It was musical love at first sight for these two.  After meeting "one neon lit night" Aino Jawo and Caroline Hjelt hunkered down, barely sleeping for weeks in a creative flurry. Icona Pop was born out of their love for electronic music, dancing and that indiepop edge that the Swedes do so well.

The single has spawned quite a few remixes.  Captain Cuts is my favorite.

Signed to Mercury Records, this pair is in good company with crossover artists such as Ida Maria, Duffy, Noah and the Whale, and the legendary Portishead.

Looking forward to hearing more from these ladies when they release their full length debut

Breakbot - Jamiroquai meets Prince meets Art School Confidential

Oh Ed Banger, you never let me down (case in point - Sebastian).  Check out Breakbot's latest jam, "Fantasy," and read more about the long-haired debonaire Frenchman on my blog for The Next Family.

Merci SebastiAn

SebastiAn's latest full length, Total (Ed Banger Records), is undeniable.  That thick, brash, in-your-face garage electro house is unexpected, but very welcome.  A full 23 tracks to get your groove on.  And there's something for everyone.  From the lighter nu-disco Breakbot-esque funk songs like "Arabest," to the heavier wtf-just-happened-and-where-are-my-pants tracks like "C.T.F.O" aka Chill The Fuck Out featuring the one and only M.I.A.

The album's first single, "Embody," falls in the middle ground, leaning a bit toward the lighter side.  Can't get enough of this video.  I dare you to tell me you don't want to dance and/or play a mean game of Sudoku.

What I really love about Total is that cohesive quality.  This album has a clear voice and it's saying "fuck yeah, I'm here to stay bitches."  It's a genuine French creation - industrial, edgy house with a tongue-in-cheek sensibility.  Pushing the boundaries of electronic music, SebastiAn is only going up from here.

My absolute favorite on the album has to be the collaboration with Mayer Hawthorne called "Love In Motion."  Helloooo Prince...

Simply amazing.  The more I listen to this album, the more I hear.  

Merci SebastiAn.  I forgive you for that punctuAtion.