JayeL Audio

Two things for this dreary Monday morning and a short week for me:
A) Moving forward I’m going to be uploading mixtapes to Mixcloud for streaming purposes. The mixtapes will still be available to download of course, but say you don’t have your iPod handy at an upcoming party with terrible music, what to do? Oh, just head over to the JayeL Audio Mixcloud page and stream away. In fact, all 3 Hangout Music Fest mixtapes are up now, so don’t tell me you aren’t prepared….

B) If you aren’t using Hype Machine by now, you should be. Now Hype Machine is available via iPhone/iPod Touch app. If your Pandora app isn’t getting you new music fast enough, Hype Machine will be a worthy replacement for $2.99. I will say that the Hype Machine app is more for users looking for new music, instead of that same stale crap you hear on the radio, but isn’t that why you come here? My favorite feature is the “blog directory” where you can stream tracks by specific blog. Hint hint, that means you can stream all JayeL Audio tracks that have been picked up by hypem, so why wouldn’t you get this app?

That is all and happy Monday.

7 mixtapes in 1 month? Looks like I’ve been much more productive than in March. Spring/early Summer brings about a plethora of new music and this season has been especially plentiful. With Explosions in the Sky, Fleet Foxes, Beastie Boys and An Horse readying new releases, its pretty easy to pluck mixtape ready tracks. Elsewhere, Freelance Whales continue their string of hits (5th mixtape appearance in a year), The Knocks churn out another solid remix with Foster the People’s “Pumped Up Kicks”, Long Walks On The Beach craft a hypnotic synth jam and Of Monsters Of Men could probably line up with Edward Sharpe’s “Home” on your next roadtrip playlist. My current favorite is Santigold’s “Go!” with its militant chorus, Spy Hunter-like beat and classic Santi yelps. Also, check for the introspective bars Jay-Z drops on the Sade remix.

JayeL Audio 4-25-11: DOWNLOAD (.rar)
1. Outasight – Figure 8
2. tUnE-yArDs – Bizness
3. Holy Ghost! – Wait & See
4. Santigold – Go! ft Karen O of Yeah Yeah Yeahs
5. Beastie Boys – Make Some Noise
6. Of Monsters and Men – 1269 Little Talks
7. Mumford and Sons – Unfinished Business (White Lies Cover)
8. Explosions in the Sky – Trembling Hands
9. Martin Solveig & Dragonette – Hello
10. Freelance Whales – Girl U Want
11. Emmy the Great – Century of Sleep
12. Okkervil River – Wake and be Fine
13. Long Walks On The Beach – metaPhysical
14. Infantree – Work Horse
15. Wolf Gang – Back to Back
16. Noah and the Whale – Tonight’s the Kind of Night
17. An Horse – Trains and Tracks
18. Foster the People – Pumped Up Kicks (The Knocks remix)
19. White Denim – Drug
20. Fleet Foxes – Grown Ocean
21. Sade – The Moon and the Sky (remix) ft Jay-Z
22. Cults – You Know What I Mean
Bonus Tracks:
Title Tracks – All Tricks (free .mp3)

UPDATE: Stream the whole mixtape via MixCloud below

photo by John Bollinger

Its a little less overwhelming if I don’t name them “Disc One” and “Disc Two”, right? March was a big travel month for me so here is the rest of what I’ve been catching up on. Alex Winston, Cut Copy, The Strokes, Smokey Robotic and The Dodos all had great releases in the last two months (as witnessed by appearances on both mixtapes). The same can’t be said for Lupe’s latest, but at least “Stereo Sun” shows a glimpse of his capability. Toro Y Moi and Alex Clare might be two of the most intriguing new artists in 2011, but I’m pretty sure Justice is going to own it when their album drops.

JayeL Audio 4-01-11: DOWNLOAD (.rar)
1. The Strokes – Taken For A Fool
2. The Dodos – Don’t Try and Hide It
3. Hercules and Love Affair – Shelter (the xx cover)
4. Miami Horror – Holidays
5. Justice – Civilization
6. Alex Winston – Sweet James
7. Toro Y Moi – New Beat
8. Smokey Robotic – Outside the Lines (Uptown)
9. Cut Copy – Hanging Onto Every Heartbeat
10. TV On The Radio – Will Do
11. Lykke Li – Youth Knows No Pain
12. Wolf Gang – Lions In Cages
13. Ben Harper – Rock N Roll Is Free
14. Lupe Fiasco – Stereo Sun
15. Maritime – Paraphernalia
16. Alex Clare – Too Close
17. MSTRKRFT – Beards Again
18. The National – Think You Can Wait
19. Robin Pecknold – I’m Losing Myself ft Ed Droste

Patience rap fans. The Narks are on the way!

Return me to this place. No. Seriously.
I’ve been staring at spreadsheets and flowcharts all week so forgive the math correlation. If I had to classify this mixtapes into 4 quadrants it would be:
Harmonies – the Local Natives/Fleet Foxes charm has spread to U.S. Royalty, Yeasayer, and Wolf Gang
Covers – this month was especially rich in artists’ take on their favorite artists like MJ, Beirut and Seal
Veterans – TV On The Radio, Adele, Cut Copy, Death Cab and The Strokes all stormed back onto the music scene with work from solid new albums
That New New – Up and comers like Young the Giant, Oh Land, Airlines and Theophilus London all represent current blog favorites that could end up as your next favorite act. BTW, is it just me or does Theophilus sounds a little like Cudder on “Flying Overseas”?

JayeL Audio 3-31-11: DOWNLOAD (.rar)
1. U.S. Royalty – Equestrian
2. Smokey Robotic – Forever My Love (Single mix)
3. Young the Giant – My Body
4. City and Colour – The Girl
5. Yeasayer – Crazy (Seal cover)
6. Toro Y Moi – Human Nature (Michael Jackson cover)
7. TV On The Radio – Caffeinated Consciousness
8. The Strokes – Gratisfaction
9. The Milk – (All I Wanted Was) Danger
10. Oh Land – We Turn It Up
11. Cut Copy – Need You Now
12. Adele – Rolling In The Deep
13. Airlines – Burial Grounds
14. Wolf Gang – Dancing With The Devil
15. Architecture in Helsinki – Contact High
16. Florence & the Machine – Postcards From Italy (Beirut Cover)
17. Death Cab For Cutie – You Are A Tourist
18. Bag Raiders – Way Back Home
19. Theophilus London – Flying Overseas ft Solange & Devonte’ Hynes

Check back tomorrow for more goods…

I was surveying old posts last week and realized I have been writing on this blog/site for 4 years. Kinda crazy. 4 years is like 8 in blog years. My first post was even douchey enough to refer to it as a “space”, but at least the music was good (Maximo Park and the Fratelli’s). When I started this site, I had no idea anyone would look at it besides me. With friends moving across the country, it seemed easier than mailing burned cd’s every few weeks so thats as far as I thought about it.

So Thank You to…
Laura - for being patient with all the hours I put into this after work and on the weekends.
The Readers - When I started the blog (originally Bout That) 4 people read it and the numbers continue to grow. Everyone has done a great job of passing the site on to others and I hope you’ll continue. Last year saw the highest number of comments in my short history. This really supposed to be a collaborative project, so keep the suggestions and comments coming.
Donations - Everyone who donated, I hope you are getting your money’s worth. Any amount you have given over the years has been amazing.
Hype Machine - duh.
All the blogs for supplying the music I pass on - PMA, Mixtape Maestro, All Things Go, P4K, Consequence of Sound, Largehearted Boy, 2dopeboyz, Nahright
Artists who have sent over music and spread the word to their fans - Kyle Lucas/Vonnegutt, yOya, TGCHU, Lettercamp, mochibeats

Mixtapes are the typically the most popular posts, but I didn’t start publishing those until October 5th, 2008. To commemorate 4 years, I put together two mixtapes of the best of the early years before I sent you all .rar files. You can definitely hear the heavy influence of the days when I listened to BBC Radio 1. Enjoy.

JayeL Audio – The Early Years
Disc One – DOWNLOAD (.rar)
1. Arctic Monkeys – Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor
2. The Black Keys – Just Got To Be
3. Mates of State – Punchlines
4. Bon Iver – Skinny Love
5. Tilly & the Wall – Bad Education
6. Arcade Fire – Keep The Car Running
7. The Bees – Who Cares What The Question Is?
8. The Kooks – Eddie’s Gun
9. The Mystery Jets – Diamonds In The Dark
10. The Knife – Heartbeats
11. The Rapture – Don Gon Do It
12. Kings of Convenience – I’d Rather Dance With You
13. Rogue Wave – Lake Michigan
14. Editors – Lights
15. Just Jack – Starz In Their Eyes
16. The Fratellis – Creeping Up The Backstairs
17. Peter Bjorn John – Young Folks
18. Bloc Party – Banquet
19. Spoon – You Got Yr Cherry Bomb
20. Yeah Yeah Yeahs – Maps

Disc Two – DOWNLOAD (.rar)
1. Grand National – Talk Amongst Yourselves
2. Tokyo Police Club – Nature of the Experiment
3. Iron and Wine – Boy With A Coin
4. Maximo Park – Apply Some Pressure
5. The Walkmen – Louisiana
6. Yeasayer – Sunrise
7. Bloc Party – This Modern Love
8. Cut Copy – Feel The Love
9. Sam Sparro – Black & Gold
10. Rilo Kiley – Close Call
11. The National – Apartment Story
12. LCD Soundsystem – Daft Punk Is Playing At My House
13. Scott Matthews – Elusive
14. Razorlight – Los Angeles Waltz
15. Kaiser Chiefs – Ruby
16. The Sadies – Never Again
17. Interpol – The Heinrich Maneuver
18. K-OS – Born To Run
19. The Decemberists – The Engine Driver
20. Neko Case – That Teenage Feeling

William Mackinnon painting via You Can’t Fall Off A Mountain
Disc Two offers up new music from Holy Ghost!, Tennis, The Knux, bubbling buzz bands Vaccines, Yuck and Smith Westerns and the catchiest leak from Peter Bjorn John’s next effort. I’ll continue my Lissie and Alex Winston promotion and just say that you need to hear “Bully” and “Locomotive” ASAP. These ladies should keep the rest of the female vocalists on notice throughout the year. Its safe to say 2011 will probably be a huge year for Fleet Foxes. “Helplessness Blues” is already a contender for song of the year (according to my ears).

JayeL Audio 2-14-11 Disc Two: DOWNLOAD (.rar)
1. Corinne Bailey Rae – I Wanna Be Your Lover (Prince Cover)
2. Walk the Moon – Anna Sun
3. Smith Westerns – Weekend
4. Fleet Foxes – Helplessness Blues
5. Tennis – Long Boat Pass
6. Lissie – Bully
7. The Knux – She’s So Up
8. The Wrong Airport – Unwasted Nights
9. Holy Ghost! – Do It Again
10. The Forms – Fire To The Ground ft Matt Berninger of The National (.mp3)
11. Alex Winston – Locomotive (.mp3)
12. Young Galaxy – We Have Everything
13. Vaccines – Wreckin’ Bar (Ra Ra Ra)
14. Dirty Gold – California Sunrise
15. The Strokes – Under Cover Of Darkness
16. Alex Ebert – Lets Win
17. Yuck – Coconut Bible
18. Peter Bjorn and John – Second Chance
19. Purity Ring – Ungirthed
20. Cee Lo Green – Fool For You
21. Kid Sister – Gucci Rag Top ft Gucci Mane

Busy time equals less time for the plethora of new music being released already in 2011. Seems like this is an annual occurrence because I also had a double disc mix last Feb as well. Disc One has a choice Passion Pit remix of a Cold War Kids track, more great indie pop from the likes of Foster the People, Freelance Whales and Alex Winston and a Beach Boys cover by rising Detroit band Dale Earnhardt Jr Jr. The unlikely combo of Theophilus London and Sara Quin only continues the versatility and appeal of Mr. London. Most encouraging though is the work of Alex Ebert aka Edward Sharpe, whose solo track “A Million Years” makes me hopeful for the full album.

JayeL Audio 2-14-11 – Disc One: DOWNLOAD (.rar)
1. Cold War Kids – Mine Is Yours (Passion Pit Remix)
2. Foster the People – Houdini
3. Panda Bear – Last Night At The Jetty
4. Alex Winston – Sister Wife
5. Dry The River – New Ceremony
6. MNDR – Cut Me Off
7. Freelance Whales – Day Off
8. Best Coast – Sunny Adventure
9. Hoodie Allen – Dreams Up
10. Brown Recluse – Impression Of A City Morning
11. The Dodos – Black Night
12. Theophilus London – Why Even Try ft Sara Quin
13. Alex Ebert – A Million Years
14. The Decemberists – Rox In The Box
15. The District Attorneys – Going to Carolina
16. Strange Talk – Climbing Walls (.mp3)
17. ANR – Big Problem
18. Ducktails – Killin the Vibe ft Panda Bear
19. Foster the People – Helena Beat
20. Dale Earnhardt Jr Jr – God Only Knows (Beach Boys cover)
21. Munchi – Murder Sound VIP ft M.I.A. (.mp3)

The posting around here hasn’t been as active as I would like it to be, at least I’m increasing my mixtape output. Three in one month isn’t too shabby, right? The latest mixtape is a little more reserved than October’s effort, but its still filled with quality hip-hop, dance, folk and indie. Cee-Lo Green continues to impress with two features (“Bright Lights Big City”, “Old Fashioned”) from his highly anticipated album, Lady Killer. Lovely imports, Lykke Li and Duffy return from brief breaks and pick up where they left off with upbeat jams. I have been enamored with two covers this month: one from Mumford and Sons, who take on Old Crow Medicine Show’s forgotten gem “Wagon Wheel” and another from Shakira, which might not best the original, but will hopefully turn more listeners on to Mercury Award winners, the xx. Lastly, Kanye (with some help from new BFF Justin Vernon) and Lupe show the entire industry how to utilize an indie record and turn it into hip-hop gold. Let me know how many times you have “Lost In The World” and “The Show Goes On” on repeat.
JayeL Audio 11-02-10: DOWNLOAD (.rar)
1. Lupe Fiasco – The Show Goes On
2. Lykke Li – Get Some
3. The Go! Team – T.O.R.N.A.D.O.
4. Cee-Lo Green – Bright Lights, Big City
5. Robyn – Indestructible
6. Duffy – Well, Well, Well ft The Root
7. Josh Ritter – Long Shadows
8. Kanye West – Lost In The World ft Bon Iver
9. Foster the People – Pumped Up Kicks
10. Shakira – Islands (the xx cover)
11. Lord Huron – Mighty
12. Foals – Blue Blood
13. Fyfe Dangerfield – Call the Shots (Live on BBC 2)
14. The Thermals – I Don’t Believe You
15. California Wives – Blood Red Youth
16. The Wombats – Tokyo (Vampires & Wolves)
17. Florrie – Give Me Your Love (Fred Falke Club Edit)
18. Stepdad – My Leather, My Fur, My Nails
19. Mumford and Sons – Wagon Wheel (Old Crow Medicine Show cover)
20. Freelance Whales – Enzymes
21. Cee-Lo Green – Old Fashioned

Artwork by LJG, of course. Leave comments on your favorite tracks below.

My friend Andrew (also lead singer of the best cover band in South Florida, Heroes 4 Hire) came up with a genius idea Thursday. Say you’re attending a concert, sporting event, summiting a mountain, camping, etc., you probably brought your JayeL Audio trucker hat, right? Definitely take a picture with the hat at the event, send it to me and I’ll post it(hopefully, as part of a regular segment). Andrew took the initiative with the first entry at Matt and Kim’s show at Culture Room in Ft. Lauderdale. Nice work and lets see all the places JayeL Audio visits!

On another note, GOOD Friday came and Kanye dropped off a slick, boom bap style track in “Take One For The Team”. Almost a continuation of the BET Ciphers, Mr. West, Pusha T and Cyhi The Prynce verbally spar over the dark, Halloween-piano style cut with a little up from Keri Hilson. I’m guessing this one won’t be on My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, but still worth a listen. How amazing would it be if Bon Iver was the one beat boxing?
Kanye West – Take One For The Team ft Pusha T, Cyhi The Prynce and Keri Hilson

A new month, a new mixtape. The Fall season typically brings a chilly feel to the air and is usually present in the music this time of year. This mixtape doesn’t relfect that tone. There are some reflective, midtempo tracks from Belle and Sebastian, Arcade Fire, Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeroes, and Alex Winston, but even those songs are worthy of a head nod. Most of the mix has an upbeat approach, with Restless People giving people another reason to pick up their album, Matt & Kim return with another anthem and even Kanye gets all European with help from Stromae and up and comer Gilbere Forte’. The latest Duck Sauce track is house-flavored (much like “Anything”), which may not be for everyone, but at the very least you’ll have something to anticipate The Hood Internet remixing. The lastest mixtape also welcomes back The Walkmen on a beach rock tip and Klaxons, who might have the best-worst album cover of the year.

JayeL Audio 10-01-10 – DOWNLOAD Here (.rar)
1. Restless People – Don’t Back Down
2. Stromae – Alors On Danse (remix) ft Kanye West & Gilbere Forte’
3. Kings of Leon – Radioactive
4. Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeroes – Home
5. Chromeo – I’m Not Contagious
6. Fresh and Onlys – Waterfall
7. My Gold Mask – I Don’t Need The Reason
8. Tokyo Police Club – Gone
9. Klaxons – The Same Space
10. Starfucker – Julius
11. Fanfarlo – Atlas
12. Hoodie Allen – Look At What We Started
13. Belle and Sebastian – Write About Love
14. The Naked & Famous – Young Blood
15. The Walkmen – Angela Surf City
16. Freelance Whales – Hannah
17. Arcade Fire – Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains)
18. Alex Winston – Medicine
19. Matt & Kim – Cameras
20. Duck Sauce – Barbara Streisand
21. Lil Wayne – Right Above It ft Drake
22. John Legend & The Roots – Wake Up (Arcade Fire live cover)
Bonus Tracks:
The Moondoggies – Its A Shame, Its A Pity
Lord Huron – The Problem With Your Daughter (via Pitchfork)
Artwork by LJG.
Thoughts? Comments? What is your favorite track on this edition? Like I said at tailgate, speak up people….