At the Grammys last weekend, Dave Grohl (Foo Fighters) caused quite a stir with his acceptance speech for Best Rock Performance. He passionately reiterated the importance of the “human element” in music, as in “singing into a microphone and learning to play an instrument and learning to do your craft.” He went on to say “It’s not about being perfect, it’s not about sounding absolutely correct, it’s not about what goes on in a computer. It’s about what goes on in here [your heart] and what goes on in here [your head].” Almost as if his words summoned the performance, this emphatic speech came only a few days before Gary Clark Jr. rattled our bones and dropped our jaws at The Sayers Club in Hollywood. Grohl would’ve surely been on his feet after watching Clark’s very human and wickedly masterful performance.

The music gods have been kind. They’ve basically delivered us a multi-generational super group wrapped up into one soul. He has the fingers of Hendrix. The voice of Sam Cooke. The swagger of The Boss. The emotion of Stevie Ray Vaughn. His sound, which is soaked in blues, soul and rock n roll, is such a welcome change of pace in today’s musical landscape. As the electronic/dubstep scene gains more and more momentum, it seems like a lot of music is starting to sound alike. Clark’s style is refreshingly unique and as more people are privy to his music, they will realize they not only love it, but need it. He’s the welcome home cooked meal and good night’s rest after the fear and loathing whirlwind weekend. Not that he’s necessarily cozy, but he definitely makes a soul jump back into a body.

You can’t help but be absolutely enthralled watching him perform. The way in which his fingers run up and down his guitar, it’s almost incomprehensible. With so much lightning coming from his fingertips, you’d think he might be lacking in the vocal department. Not so. Clark sings quite beautifully and with an impressive vocal range (including falsetto) as well. His stage presence is also something of note. You definitely feel like you’re in the company of someone special. Not because he’s an insane guitar player, which he is, but because of the WAY he plays, as if channeling from a higher source.

As for what’s on tap, this should prove to be a huge year for him. He’s already played alongside some legends, including Eric Clapton, Sheryl Crow and Jeff Beck, and now he’s ready to rock on his own. Besides releasing his first full length this year (so far it’s just been an EP, The Bright Lights), he’s playing basically every festival of note, including SXSW, Coachella, Sasquatch and Bonaroo. He’s also playing at The White House on Feb 21st at the “Red, White and Blues” event alongside Mick Jagger and B.B. King.

When he sings, “You’re gonna know my name by the end of the night,” he means it. Based on the body language in the room last night, he’s going to be someone people are talking about a lot this year. As of this moment, his performance (technically and emotionally) was the best I’ve seen in my life. I was blown away. If you find yourself at any festivals this year, do yourself a favor and go check him out. Or if you’re lucky enough to see him in a smaller venue, jump on the chance. My advice, get as close to the stage as possible. Support greatness and buy his EP.

-lindsay colip

Download Gary Clark Junior’s song Bright Lights for free here.

click to see more posts by lindsay colip...

Lindsay has written for various music sites, including SPINearth and Jambase, traveled the world covering music festivals, was a SPINearth video correspondent for ‘i am with the fans’ music tour and alongside photographer Steven ‘Walt’ Walter, produced, directed and edited ‘Live and Local’ acoustic performances for SPINearth.

Gorgeous Bully are an outstanding lo-fi indie pop band from Plymouth, UK.  They’ve  put together quite a nice offering of EPs over  the past year and show no signs of slowing down.  We’re talking some seriously catchy songs that maintain an airy and fun vibe about them without compromise.  The diversity of songs showcases a high level of songwriting and makes Gorgeous Bully very dynamic.  The only thing static about this band is the lo-fi fuzz coming out the speakers.  This group is a machine of psychedelic, underground DIY soul punk.  If you wanted to play the comparison game, they have a lot in common with fellow countrymen Dignan Porch.

More songs on Soundcloud.

There’s a lot that goes into creating a song, few would argue that.  The creative choices are endless and in the end decisions have to be made.  Spanish Prisoners are a unique band in that they are somewhat compulsive perfectionists when it comes to songwriting.  I can only imagine what goes into a creative session with this group.

SP just recently released the single Downtown Chicagoland from their debut album Gold Fools along with two alternate versions.  The three versions of this song show the major differences that subtle choices make in the end and that if there is a strong songwriting foundation that it is hard to be wrong.

“This is the last song on the record but its actually one of our favorites- it was hard to get right though, maybe thats why we recorded it three times!” – Leo Maymind of Spanish Prisoners

“Based around this vintage synth that my bandmate Mike and I bought randomly one day on Craigslist called the Korg pe1000.”

“A more full band version we did with a lot of overdubs that’s got some good ol fashioned tape saturation and compression to it.”

In true DIY indie fashion, Spanish Prisoners have Make Our Vantasy Come True, a Kickstarter campaign, to  purchase a van to tour in. With a donation they are giving you the opportunity to go on a virtual tour with them.  Along with lots of great physical merch the band will share one song recorded in the van every day from March 7-31st with the Kickstarter backers.  You’ll also get photos, videos and journal entries along the way. This project will only be funded if enough money is raised by Thursday, Feb 23rd so get on it. SP had one of my favorite albums from last year and 2012 will be even bigger for Leo, Amberly, Mike, and James.

Facebook

Twitter

Kickstarter

Taking inspiration from the c90s out of London and Tropicool out of Los Angeles, this freshair mix might be just what the doctor ordered. Where the January NYE 2012 Palm Springs Mix kept your soiree rocking until the wee hours of the morning, this mix is a perfect hors d’oeuvres to the party. These grooves are just that…groovy. Not exactly meant in the way we would have said it in the 1960s, but meant more as in a funky vibe. A feeling of cool without really trying or knowing why. Imagine yourself in a chic loft overlooking the city of your choice, a tasty beverage in hand, the best of friends surrounding you. It’s certain to be an epic night. Let this bad boy be your guide into goodness. Listen UP and Witness THIS.

listen and download it here:

Track list:

Take Care Of You Cherokee Take Care Of You
Mercy Edit Murphy
Groove With You Fantastic Man
Be Loved (Daniel Avery’s ‘Divided Love’ Remix) Headman Be Loved
Yes, I Know Daphni Vacay vitamins
Parfait Tirage Paradis Parfait Tirage  La Ballade de Jim – Single
Everything Goes My Way (Ewan Pearson Disco Version) Metronomy Everything Goes My Way
Sail Away (Aeroplane Remix) The Rapture

check out freshair’s past mixes here:

January

Tropicool is from LA and he is putting together some serious mixtapes as of lately. Our Super Bowl party turned into a dance party thanks to David La Melza aka Tropicool.

It’s late in the afternoon and if you’re slowing down a bit, push play on one of these mixtapes and turn it up. Keep it in mind for the weekend of course.

click download on the soundcloud download button to get the mixes straight to your itunes.

This Music Monday we are featuring a never before heard remix of the song Coming Home by 2 Hearts and Chemicals. The track is remixed by one of our favorite bands, The New Division whom we’ve featured a few times before.

click on download from soundcloud to get the song straight to your itunes.

2 Hearts and Chemicals is a band comprised of musicians Eli Lhymn & Stephen Biebel, based out of Los Angeles and New York City. The duo originally hail from Pennsylvania, and met in grade school when they were just 13 years old.

Influenced by the works of Brian Eno, M83, Harold Budd, and Ulrich Schnauss, as well Bowie, Bolan and Slowdive, the duo produce heavenly electronic tunes in a lush and bliss filled pop haze.

The band’s debut EP – “Coming Home” was released Fall 2011 to great reception and critical acclaim. The band is currently in the studio with Tom Rogers (Atomix Studios) working on their sophomore release, to be released in 2012.

And now about The New Division, bio by Lindsay Colip

Spearheaded by John Kunkel (vox/producer) and amplified by Micheal ‘Janzie’ Janz
(sequencing/synths), Mark Michalski (synths) and Brock Woolsey (guitar), The New Division
is an LA based tour de force. Influenced by Joy Division, New Order and Depeche Mode, they
have taken the tastiest slices of these bands and infused some new life into them. Not stuck
under the weight and spell of the greats that came before them, but perfectly inspired, these
guys have done what most bands can’t do. They’ve remained faithful to their influence without
being a copycat. Their sound feels comfortably connected to the past but with a momentum that
fastens them to the future. The core stays true to electronic dance music while supporting thick
branches of 80’s synth, italo disco and brooding chill wave. Kunkel adds tugging lyrics to the
tracks, bringing satisfying emotion to the party.

Kunkel and his mates are constantly writing music. On any given day, they’ll have multiple
songs going at once, expanding and editing whenever it feels right. In early 2011, they felt they
had 6 songs right and put out the highly acclaimed EP, The Rookie. It wasn’t long after that they
felt they had enough material for a full length, and in late 2011, they released Shadows. This
album is generating a huge buzz. As more people put their ears to it, Shadows continues to
climb up charts all across the US as well as internationally. Several music publications named
the LP a top album of 2011 and as the new year unfolds, the masses are catching on.

The New Division are embracing today’s musical landscape by being multifaceted.
Understanding the relevance of collaboration, they continue to drop remixes of their favorite
artist’s tracks and in return, encourage others to remix their own music. They have also started
a label, Division 87 Records, which scouts both in the States as well as overseas for new talent.
Several members also have side projects going (Gala, John Glenn). If you’re lucky enough to be
in the Los Angeles area, you can hear the guys live before they inevitably head across the pond
to appease their international fans.

No plans of slowing down, they are striking while the iron is hot. A new EP is due out in late
Spring, more live shows are being announced and a festival in their future looks probable.
If they continue at this pace, which seems likely based on the amount of started songs on
Kunkel’s computer, it will be a very ear pleasing year. They’ve also decided to take a more
collaborative songwriting approach on this new EP, which will only enhance and deepen their
already solid sound. In sum, The New Division will make you want to get into your car on a dark,
rainy night and take a drive though a glittering downtown. Into your soul they will instill a deep
longing for the introspective 80’s, when emotions were pinned to your jacket and one glance
from the girl gutted you. And above all, they will encourage you to honor your inner demons and
in the same breath, remind you to roll down your window so you can blow them out with one
long exhale.

follow The New Division on Facebook here.
follow 2 Hearts and Chemicals on Facebook here.

Shhh…don’t tell anyone: Eli Thomas is not from the coast.  From listening to Worry Toobs, his lo-fi surf offering under the name Balue,  you’d never know that he hails from Denver.  His leisurely distorted guitar and sunset sweet lyrics perfectly capture the essence of the beachy coastal lifestyle.  The album cover works great for Eli and Balue, giving a double exposure photo nod to the surfy life while staying in the Denver saddle.

Stream the album below and download Worry Toobs for a pay what you want price.

The winter time is for chilling. Here in California we don’t do enough of it. Our weather is so killer the natural slowdown of the winter never truly reaches us. This mix was inspired by the thought of chilling out, slowing down and resting before the fast pace of the summer is upon us once again. Great to listen to by a fire or watching a sunset from the warmth of a ski cabin. It pulls from artist new and old and from many different genres, all with common mellow vibe. I hope you like it………

78 and Sunny
Enjoy the weather

More from 78 + Sunny here:

DIRTY 30 MIX VOL1. BY FRESH & SUNNY

BURNING MAN: RIGHT OF PASSAGE MIX 

I honestly don’t know how Evan Voytas has stayed so under the radar.  I mean, he did a music video last year featuring Kate Moss.  The man is a machine – part fashion icon, part music genre blending magician, full artist.  Maybe LA and the music world aren’t ready for such a non-conforming master of trades who is true to himself.

Today Evan releases Feel Me, his first release on Dovecote Records.  You can stream the release through soundcloud to partake in the magic.  These five swooning electro pop tracks are the perfect songs for carefree fun.  My favorite track through the first couple listens has to be “You Don’t Even Know Where It’s At” which resembles quite possibly what may have happened if Fleetwood Mac and Prince got together.

I feel that there would be more good music out there if artists didn’t let their projected “image” get in the way of their true artistic endeavors.  Evan wants you to let down your ‘cool front’ and embrace the fun loving, dorky person you are.  This is a calling for less contrived image and more unadultared free spiritnes. Feel me?

Purchase Feel Me in Vinyl here or Digital format here for a mere $5.

Check out other Witness This posts on Evan Voytas:

http://witness-this.com/sound/evan-voytas-well-go-far/

http://witness-this.com/sound/evan-voytas/

Thanks to Disco Naivete we found Tourist. Thanks to Tourist we found the song Placid Acid. Thanks to Placid Acid we rocked out this Music Monday. Tourist is a producer from Brighton in the UK and this is the first of his EP that will be releasing March 12 here.

Placid Acid by Tourist.

here are some other unreal remixes by Tourist we had to share.

follow Tourist here on facebook.
and visit him on bandcamp.

Lana has blown the f up since we posted her first single Video Games last July. Cruising in LA this weekend, the corner of La Brea and Melrose is pasted with posters announcing the launch of her album. We have to say we are feeling it, but feeling this Woodkid Remix of Born to Die more.

via Disco Naivete

These Florida Gators are Christian, but not the Tim Tebow type.  Alligator Indian is the native Orlando, Florida duo of the aptly named Christian Church & Spooky Bubble.  Now residing in North Carolina,  they create surrealist pop music using their respective disparities in vocals that could easily provide for two bands.  Their release Football is six songs split up equally between the lo-fi tracks accompanying the vocals of Spooky Bubble and the post-punk songs sung by Christian Church.

Came across this track this morning on RCRD LBL and  had to share. Once again a band from Sweden stays consistent with ambient entrancing melodies born from a country that understands solid music. Serenades are definitely on to something special.

Listen to the Oceans White Sea Remix here:

Download the (White Ocean Remix) here: Serenades | Oceans (White Sea Remix)
Download the original version here: OCEANS FREE DOWNLOAD

Follow them here: SERENADES WEBSITE

Follow them on Facebook here: SERENADES FACEBOOK

Catch them live!

It was crunch time this weekend, had a big freelance branding project due, and I wouldn’t have been able to put in all that time without the absolutely insane hours upon hours of music from The C90′s. Here’s their story, from London, England and we quote, just “Two buddies making music”. We will let the music do the talking for them, as it seems that is how they like it.

Below we have sets from each month leading up to the end of 2011. Our personal favorite rides at the top. The November mix kills it, kicking off with a funk laden set of tracks beautifully meshed together to keep your head bobbing non stop all the way through. Make sure you follow their blog here and you can find them on facebook here. This is Witness This saluting the C90′s, please come to California and rock out with us.

Click on download next to the set and get all the tracks right to your computer.

LISTEN TO THE NOVEMBER MIX TO KICK IT OFF!

Chart Mixes by TheC90s

photos and words by Douglas Heine

you hear it every year, ”new year’s eve is so overrated” or ”i always end up spending too much money hanging out with lame people.” not us. this mix was directly inspired and influenced by the new years spent together in palm springs…bringing 2012 in the best way possible. i’ll let the music and the photographs do most of the talking, but we at witness-this feel that 2012 is going to be our best ever. come join us…

special love to the ‘occupy palm springs’ crew. you know who you are. not sorry for partying guys. to the best time, every time. listen UP and witness-THIS.

Make sure you download the set off of the soundcloud below!

new years palm springs 2012 mix by i am freshair

Follow Freshair’s blog here.

All we have to say is Kreayshawn and Iggy Azalea are bad. How’s the costume design in these videos, unreal.

The name may say NO but my ears say YES.  Echo Park’s NO is the project of Bradley Carter (vocals) and Sean Stentz (bass) who have built their project into a five piece band.  They put out their first release Don’t Worry, You’ll Be Here Forever a few months ago.  As the title suggests, DWYBHF is an inviting yet cold shoulder of a six song offering – the hopeless romantic soundtrack juxtaposition of positive loss.  The music is simple and with a somewhat predictable gait but beautifully arranged allowing Carter’s crooning vocals to shine through.  The only song I wasn’t feeling was The Long Haul and this is why. You can download DWYBHF direct from NO and be sure to check them out on tour.

Jan 10 – 
The Casbah
 – San Diego, CA
Jan 11 – 
The Satellite – 
Los Angeles, CA
Jan 30 - Bootleg Bar - Los Angeles, CA

Grillzzzz for Dayzzzz.

One of our favorite music blogs Hype Machine just released a series of dj sets from their favorite dj’s of the year. Each set includes Hype Machine’s most blogged about and shared songs of 2011. The result is heaps of amazing music artfully mixed into some serious dj sets. To find more from Hype Machine head here.

Jensen Sportag vs The Hype Machine [2011 Music Blog Zeitgeist Mix] by hypem

The Go! Team vs The Hype Machine [2011 Music Blog Zeitgeist Mix] by hypem

The Internet OFWGKTA vs The Hype Machine [2011 Music Blog Zeitgeist Mix] by hypem

RAC vs The Hype Machine [2011 Music Blog Zeitgeist Mix] by hypem

photo by Zac Andrews

i love music…i really do. nothing gets me more fired up than curating a compilation of what i consider to be the best tracks of the year. i get off on the pressure, the last cuts, the what if’s. although my tastes of late have swayed more towards the remix category as ‘freshair’ has taken off, i still gravitate towards the song itself. i consider music to be the ultimate auditory time stamp. more so than a smell or a taste, music has the ability to take me right back to where i was.

reflecting upon 2011 and re-listening to some of these tracks, i am nostalgic, thankful and motivated. nostalgic for the smiles that were made and times that were had. thankful for the friends who have joined me in grabbing life by the balls and those that lived inside these songs with me. motivated for the future and where we are going, where we are all going together. hop on board folks. she’s going to take us to some pretty places. i digress. listen UP and witness-THIS.

in love and music,
douglas ‘freshair’ heine

Download the mix here: BEST OF 2011 MIX

Tracklist:

Raconte-Moi Histoire / M83 / Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming (Disc 1)
Soft / Washed Out / Within and Without
Corvette Cassette / Slow Magic / ▲
Right Away / Vetiver / The Errant Charm
Our Hearts Are Wrong / Jessica Lea Mayfield / Tell Me
My Name Is Trouble / Keren Ann / 101
Blackeye / Love Inks  / E.S.P.
Weekend / Class Actress / Rapprocher
The Night Out / Martin Solveig Crème de la CREM for LOOSE L!PS
No Health / The New Division / The Rookie – EP
Wait And See / Holy Ghost! / Holy Ghost!
Hurting / Friendly Fires / Pala (Bonus Track Edition)
Somebody That I Used To Know / Gotye / Making Mirrors
Crystalfilm / Little Dragon / Ritual Union
Separator / Radiohead  / The King Of Limbs
Cannons / Youth Lagoon / The Year of Hibernation
Cali Stitch / Kith & Kell / Wilderness King EP
June Hymn / The Decemberists / The King Is Dead
Someone You’d Admire / Fleet Foxes / Helplessness Blues