Diggin’ This: Duskus – “Call Me” (Bitbird Records)

  An euphoric two-step transmission from the future.       Says London producer Duskus, “This release means a lot to me.     It’s about love and relationships.     It’s about… Continue reading

Diggin’ This: Carmody ft Alfa Mist & Laura Misch – “Memory” (Young Poet Records)

  A piano-soaked jazz wandering with delectable drums from South London’s Carmody.       As Carmody puts it, “This song was written with Alfa Mist, we wanted to create a record exploring… Continue reading

Diggin’ This: Bruno Pernadas – “Little Season I”

  Eclectic brilliance from Lisbon, Portugal.       “Little Season I” is a collision of leftfield electronic experimentalism and orchestral European pop from the Portuguese musician, composer, arranger, and producer Bruno Pernadas… Continue reading

Diggin’ This: Shadeemus – “Solaris”

  More science fiction psychedelic soul from the Leicester, UK trio Shadeemus.       Love this latest one from Scott Xylo, Demigosh, and Adam.     “Solaris” is a string-laden, dimension-traveling invitation… Continue reading

Recommended Gem: Believe In Magic. Heavenly Recordings, The First Thirty Years by Robin Turner (Book)

  A recommended gem of a book.         The best part of diving into this chronicle of music history from one of the best, most eclectic, most trusted, and most enjoyable… Continue reading

Diggin’ This: Ajak Kwai – “I’ll Be Your Eyes”

  A seven-minute journey.       Originally from the town of Bor on the Upper Nile in what is now South Sudan and now residing in Melbourne, Australia, Ajak Kwai performs in… Continue reading

Diggin’ This: The Antlers – “Losing Light” (ANTI- Records)

  Light lost and found.       New York duo The Antlers, otherwise known as Peter Silberman and Michael Lerner, released Green to Gold earlier this year, their first album in seven… Continue reading

Diggin’ This: Horsegirl – “Billy” (Matador Records)

  Guitar waves upon guitar waves.       After reading about Nick Drake’s guitar detunings and listening to a lot of underground 80s and 90s bands from New Zealand last year, Horsegirl… Continue reading

Diggin’ This: Why Bonnie – “Galveston” (Fat Possum Records)

  “Bedroom pop that moved to the couch” says the band’s Bandcamp bio, and it’s entirely accurate.       “Galveston” by Austin five-piece Why Bonnie is an indie-rock ode to beaches, lawn… Continue reading

Diggin’ This: Dijon – “Big Mike’s” (Dark Green, Dark Green Records/R&R Digital) (Official Video)

  Chaotic, spontaneous, and beautiful.       Recorded at his house with Mk.gee on guitar, the freeform Americana-R&B jam “Big Mike’s” by Los Angeles-via-Maryland musician Dijon carries shades of D’Angelo and Frank… Continue reading

Diggin’ This: Searchlight aka Zero T & Beta 2 ft Tolü Makay – “Breathe” (Fallen Tree 1Hundred)

  D’n’b-informed soul courtesy of Goldie‘s label.       Cian McCann aka Zero T and Dom Purcell aka Beta 2 are the Irish duo Searchlight.     Co-written by Goldie himself, “Breathe”… Continue reading

Recommended Gem: Annie Nightingale – Hey Hi Hello (Book)

  A recommended gem of a book.                   Favorite line: “Broadcasting was to me then, and still is, as simple as making a phone call.”  … Continue reading

Diggin’ This: The Lazy Eyes – “Fuzz Jam” (Official Video)

  “Fuzz Jam” is, well, indeed a fuzz jam.       Underpinned by a hypnotic bass hook, “Fuzz Jam” by Australian psyche-rock four-piece The Lazy Eyes, also known as Harvey Geraghty (vocals,… Continue reading

Diggin’ This: Mom Tudie ft Maya Law – “Gold” (Lordship Loft) (Official Video)

  The latest and greatest from the world-famous South London jazz scene.       Part of the same network as DanDigs.com favorites Tom Misch, Puma Blue, Poppy Ajudha, and Ezra Collective, South… Continue reading

Diggin’ This: Spiritualized – “Always Together With You” (Fat Possum Records)

  Starting with spaceship bleeps and ending with a jet taking off, there’s no better way to reintroduce Spiritualized to the world.       J Spaceman aka Jason Pierce’s Spiritualized has returned… Continue reading

Diggin’ This: Jessy Lanza ft Loraine James – “Seven 55” (!K7 Music)

  The Hamilton, Ontario singer, producer and DJ readies her upcoming DJ-Kicks mix with the release of this glassy yet precise collaboration with Loraine James.       Jessy Lanza ft Loraine James… Continue reading

Diggin’ This: Charlotte Dos Santos – “Patience” (Official Video)

  All we need is just a little patience.       Love this blossoming new R&B flower power from Brooklyn-via-Oslo’s Charlotte Dos Santos.     Charlotte Dos Santos – “Patience”    … Continue reading

Diggin’ This: Ruthven – “Don’t Keep It To Yourself” (Paul Institute)

  It’s always a good day when the Paul Institute surprise-releases new music.       The Paul Institute, Jai and A.K. Paul’s creative collective and record label, has released a new single… Continue reading

Diggin’ This: tstewart aka Machinedrum – “Buena” (Mercury KX Records)

  Travis Stewart aka Machinedrum dusts off his tstewart alias and gifts us “Buena,“ a liquid, piano-led affirmation that positively glows with all the hope of a brand new day.      … Continue reading

Diggin’ This: Ric Wilson & Yellow Days – “Life’s Been Good To Me” (Free Disco Records)

  A Chicago-London disco connection.       Chicago’s Ric Wilson and London’s George Van Den Broek aka Yellow Days have joined forces to create a gleaming funk groover.   Says Ric, “George… Continue reading

Diggin’ This: James Alexander Bright ft Fink – “Sundown” (!K7 Records)

  A pastoral indie-folk escapade.       Love the pairing of these vocals.   Says James, “‘Sundown’ came to life after I was introduced to Fink by Will Saul at !K7.  … Continue reading

Diggin’ This: Jonny Wildey – “Lonely”

  Warm 70s-inspired soul.       Pairing a sweet apple acoustic strum with a sour orange guitar, “Lonely” by London’s Jonny Wildey, who also makes textured electronic beats as Alphabets Heaven, is… Continue reading

Diggin’ This: Wyvern Lingo – “Multi-Love” (Unknown Mortal Orchestra Cover)

  A magical reinterpretation of the UMO original.       Love this scintillating, drumless indie-folk rework from the Irish trio of Karen, Caoi and Sirsh, otherwise known as Wyvern Lingo, especially that… Continue reading

Diggin’ This: Leifur James – “Sirens”

  A moody and cinematic meditation.       Love those raw piano keys and shimmering strings.     Leifur James – “Sirens”             “Sirens” is taken from… Continue reading

Diggin’ This: Marcus Harvey – “You Wouldn’t Understand” (Produced by Fiji Mageba) (Paradise Sound System)

  Beautiful sounds from South Africa.       Vocalist, rapper, producer, and songwriter Harvey Lawrence Ofentse Mashiloane, otherwise known as Marcus Harvey, got his musical start in the township of Alexandra, just… Continue reading

Diggin’ This: Robert Glasper ft D Smoke & Tiffany Gouché – “Shine” (Video)

  So much love for this.       Robert Glasper keys 100.   D Smoke bars 100.   Tiffany Gouché vocals 100.   Chris Dave drums 100.     Watch the music… Continue reading

Diggin’ This: Bonobo – “Rosewood” (Ninja Tune)

  Bonobo is back!       And it’s one of his best.     Need, need, need to find the source of that “I won’t leave you” sample!     Bonobo –… Continue reading

Diggin’ This: Steven Bamidele – “You Were Wrong” (Park the Van Records)

  Modern UK soul at its finest.       Containing shades of Thundercat, Anderson .Paak, and Pharrell, “You Were Wrong” by Brighton, UK’s Steven Bamidele is some mellow yet vulnerable sonic excellence.… Continue reading

Diggin’ This: Sarah Williams White – “Nebula” (First Word Records)

  Feeling this textured and percussive folktronic psyche-soul from South London’s Sarah Williams White.       Speaking about “Nebula,” Sarah says “after giving birth, I saw this completely unique new life and… Continue reading

Diggin’ This: Efterklang – “Living Other Lives” (City Slang)

  Ascending alt-acoustic indie-electronica from the Copenhagen trio that’s infused with a humanity that resounds with the same emotional heft as the Chemical Brothers’ downtempo work.       Efterklang – “Living Other… Continue reading

Playlist: Hits, Differently

  Cover versions that take the original songs to a whole new dimension.         Jorja Smith covering St Germain.    B. J. Smith covering Outkast.   Kiefer and Theo Croker… Continue reading

Song Premiere: Noah Klein – “after 3 no good comes 2 me” (Cascade Records)

  Nocturnal.         Extremely excited to present the premiere of “after3nogoodcomes2me” by the Berlin-based German-American artist Noah Klein.   “after3nogoodcomes2me” is an emotional R&B-informed electronic soul journey into the depths… Continue reading

Diggin’ This: Dora Jar – “Scab Song”

  “That’s it!”       How is it possible for a single song to sound like the best parts of the 90s, 2000s, and 2010s all at once?     Produced by… Continue reading

Diggin’ This: Common Saints – “Fastlane”

  All of my favorite genres in one.       On “FastLane,” South London’s Common Saints fuses psychedelia, soul, breakbeat, drum ‘n’ bass, downtempo, 60s rock, R&B, and funk to create a… Continue reading

Diggin’ This: Wiki ft Navy Blue – “Can’t Do This Alone” (Official Video)

  Sounds so soulful don’t you agree?       NYC’s Wiki linked up with Navy Blue to create “Can’t Do This Alone,” an off-the-cuff rap cut with a delectable soul sample that… Continue reading

Diggin’ This: Footshooter ft Albertina – “Twilight” (Astral Black Records)

  Sublime and skippy UKG-step from the London producer Barney Whittaker, otherwise known as Footshooter.       Love that bouncing bass.     Footshooter ft Albertina – “Twilight”        … Continue reading

Diggin’ This: José González – “Lilla G” (Imperial Recordings)

  With its gentle house stomp and acoustic pickings at the edges, “Lilla G” is my favorite song from Local Valley, the new album from José González.       Extra points for… Continue reading

Diggin’ This: Jessica Wilde – “Daylight” (Murder He Wrote Remix) (Wilde Ones Records)

  No one knows bass like Murder He Wrote.       The Manchester producer’s rework of London artist Jessica Wilde’s latest song “Daylight” is an absolutely massive bruk-garage monster with enough low-end… Continue reading

Diggin’ This: Pip Blom – “Keep It Together” (Heavenly Recordings)

  Gloriously raucous jangle-pop from the Netherlands with a yell-along chorus?   Sign me up!       Pip Blom – “Keep It Together”           “Keep It Together” is… Continue reading

Listen back to Loops + Dots Episode 34 – New Music from Lady Blackbird, Gabriels, Jordan Rakei, Cleo Sol, Little Simz, Anderson .Paak

  Show number 34!         LOOPS + DOTS is my monthly two-hour radio show on Dublab in Los Angeles.      It’s everything I’m into right now in the worlds of… Continue reading

Diggin’ This: Theo Croker ft Malaya – “Happy Feet (For Dancers)” (Official Video)

  Who else wants to head to Palm Springs for some poolside dancing?       Love this brand new bumpin’ soul-jazz from Theo Croker and Malaya.     Theo Croker ft Malaya… Continue reading

Diggin’ This: Lady Blackbird – “Ruler Of My Heart”

  Los Angeles artist Lady Blackbird turns in a stunning, stunning cover of the Irma Thomas classic.       Also of note on Lady Blackbird‘s new album is “Fix It,” an impressive… Continue reading

Diggin’ This: Pell ft Malik Ninety Five – “Silly Phone”

  The New Orleans artist and founding member of the NOLA hip-hop collective GLBL WRMNG returns with a brand new mixtape.       “Silly Phone” is my favorite song from the project.… Continue reading

Diggin’ This: Kid Apollo – “Let Go Of Things I Said” (Sweat Entertainment) (Official Video)

  Twin brothers (and producers) Felix and Theo Ratigan plus singer and producer Jimmy HM are the Brixton, London trio Kid Apollo.       “Let Go Of Things I Said” is their… Continue reading

Diggin’ This: Little Simz – “Two Worlds Apart” (Age 101)

  Sampling “The Agony and the Ecstasy” by Smokey Robinson and featuring production assistance from Dean Josiah “Inflo” Cover, “Two Worlds Apart” is a mellow and golden UK hip-hop cut.      … Continue reading

Diggin’ This: Elf Tranzporter ft Rayjah45 – “Soul Step” (Produced by Clever Austin aka Perrin Moss from Hiatus Kaiyote) (Inner Tribe Records)

  Step to this.       Melbourne MC Elf Tranzporter, a co-founder of MetaBass’n’Breath, one of Australia’s very best underground hip-hop collectives from back in the day, has linked with Sydney-based reggae… Continue reading

Diggin’ This: Men I Trust – “Serenade of Water”

  Aqueous and washed out indie-jazz-hop from the Montreal trio.       Cannot get enough of that beat.     Men I Trust – “Serenade of Water”          … Continue reading

Diggin’ This: Sleepy Soul – “Be Near”

  Far nearer.       Nick Hummel and Michael LeFevre are Sleepy Soul, a duo from St. Louis and Minneapolis.     “Be Near” is lighthearted yet yearning indie-pop that’s as colorful… Continue reading

Diggin’ This: Cleo Sol – “Spirit” (Forever Living Originals)

  Veering in more of a 70s soul and gospel direction than her previous work, Cleo Sol‘s latest album, Mother, takes cues from Joni Mitchell and Rotary Connection and fuses the signature sounds… Continue reading

Song Premiere: Mid Ground ft LADYKING – “Love Will Always Catch You”

  Caught up in this one.       Extremely excited to present the premiere of “Love Will Always Catch You” from the English-Australian duo Mid Ground, otherwise known as Ally McMahon and… Continue reading