WILD TONIC

Last time I posted a mixtape, I mentioned that summer was on its way. And as I’m typing, I can say that it has certainly arrived. As soon as July sneaked up on us, the heat returned from its June gloom vacation and rushed back into Los Angeles at full strength. Oh, how I regret bad-mouthing the cool days of June.

Since June’s mixtape is surprisingly even heavier on local artists than April’s mixtape, I’m just going to skip to the good stuff now.

Here’s a quick rundown of the locals who earned a spot on the mixtape:

Computer Magic  – Because Goldfrapp’s latest album was a huge disappointment and Little Boots has been busy working with the Knocks on her new album, Danielle Johnson, aka Danz, aka Computer Magic has been filling the spacey-electronica void for me pretty well lately. Her sound ranges from disco to rock to pop, and you can hear all of this if you just go to her blog. She’s been releasing songs online for free since 2010, and her credibility was boosted in my book when her first physical release came out on White Iris Records during March.

Superhumanoids – This indie dream-pop quartet has been blowing up as of late. I’ve been a fan of this band since I saw them for the first time at an insanely early slot during Waved Out in 2010. I’ve featured them numerous times on Wild Tonic, so they shouldn’t be new to you either. But if they are, just know that Cameron an Sarah’s vocals are pure gold, and this band knows how to keep churning out the hits. The chorus in “Mikelah” is wonderfully addictive.

Vanaprasta - This guitar rock quintet also aren’t strangers to readers of Wild Tonic. I’ve raved about this band too many times, but they just keep getting better every time I see them. (In fact, the last time I saw them play a midnight set, the audience demanded an encore.) I’m not going to lie. I was pretty upset when they scrapped their almost-ready-to-release record to start all over again. However, they have me eating my words with new tunes like “Supernumerary.”

Foster the People – Oh, Foster the People. I’d be surprised if anyone hasn’t heard of these guys by now. Their track, “Pumped Up Kicks,” made the blog rounds for quite some time before it reached the mainstream masses, but as soon as it did, talk about Mark Foster and his band spread like wildfire. They acquired a late night slot at Coachella this year based on a 3-song EP, and their tent was overflowing. They’ve released their debut album “Torches” since then, and they’re still riding on the coat tails of that first single. This Milles remix puts a really great ’80s spin on their track, “Call It What You Want.”

Dawes – Dawes has come a long way from Simon Dawes. After one of their original members split, they decided to drop the first half of the band name and move toward an Americana sound. That was back in 2005. Flash forward six years later, and they’ve successfully released two great albums that have reignited the Laurel Canyon sound. In fact, they’re still doing so well they will be the backing band for Jackson Browne tonight at the Satellite. You can read more about them in my Dawes feature here.

Doom & Gloom - Sorry if I mislead you, but this band isn’t actually an L.A. band. However, if you were a big Castledoor fan, Doom & Gloom should make you very happy despite their ironic band name. Nate Cole and his wife Liska are now Brooklyn residents, but it would just seem wrong not to talk about them since the married couple contributed so much to the Silver Lake music scene during the last five years as members of Castledoor. Now a duo on the East coast, Dloom & Gloom totes those undeniably soaring vocals from Nate and Liska’s soft vocals lay a nice foundation on their new pop gems. “Jenny” showcases both new and old sounds from Nate as a songwriter and pretty much has me hoping Doom & Gloom grows successful enough to come back to L.A. to do a show.

Hanni El Khatib – Back when I still wrote for BeatCrave, I selected Hanni El Khatib as one of the artists to watch out for in 2011. My lists in the past have never been far off from what actually happens, and Hanni is proof that my hunches for this year are also correct. Not only has he gotten attention from label Stones Throw, but his cover of Funkadelics’ “I Got A Thing” is currently featured in the latest Nike campaign on TV. Oh, and his upcoming album, “Will the Guns Come Out,” is killer. Hanni will be performing July 14 at the Hammer Museum as part of the Also I Like To Rock series.

Active Child – Leave it to a former choir boy and harpist to surprise people with some new, heavy, R&B vibes. I always knew Active Child seemed a little out of our world, but as that feeling about Pat Grossi grows stronger, I also grow more excited. I love how his gothic romance is crossing over into a genre that has unfortunately turned out to be quite flat during the last decade.  Sing it, Harp Boy, and save R&B while you’re at it.

Capital Cities  – Need more proof that Cragislist actually works for finding band members? Well, new electro-pop band Capital Cities can testify. Sebu Simonian and Ryan Merchant may have been gotten together to write jingles, but that initial collaboration led to some new music that has just as much pep. “Safe and Sound” is clean, catchy and bubbly, and I find absolutely nothing wrong with that.

Chelsea Wolfe – Is Chelsea Wolfe the Stevie Nicks of our generation? Maybe. Maybe not. She’s got this mysterious, supernatural vibe going on, but this is pop noir without the pretense. Her album “Ἀποκάλυψις” (pronounced Apokalypsis) comes out Aug. 23 and I highly recommend picking it up. This version of “Moses” is off her last album, “The Grime and the Glow,” but the new record will also have a new version of this track.

Grab the latest Wild Tonic mixtape below and enjoy!

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Summer is almost here. I can tell. All the tunes I’ve compiled for May’s mixtape have melodies that are as sticky as we will be this coming season. Plus, that electro touch on a handful of these tracks make a nice cool splash in my music library.

Whereas last month’s mixtape was heavy on the indie rock jams, this round of songs are especially for those who enjoy some major synth candy, along with remixes that either touch on chillwave or call out to the people on the dance floor. Of course, I’ve thrown in some great new local tunes in the bunch as well.

Here’s a quick rundown of the locals who earned a spot on the mixtape:

yOya – Alex Pfender and Noah Dietterich are taking a slightly different approach to “folk-tronica” than Ellie Goulding. They’re going for more intricate and less flashy. I’m a sucker for harmonies in falsetto and yOya pushes all the right buttons when it comes to accenting their guitar-centered songs.

Fol Chen – To this day, I still consider Fol Chen to be one of the most eccentric bands from L.A. I’ve said it before, but I’ll say it again: They’ve stuck with me ever since I saw them perform a cover of Mariah Carey’s “Emotions” at the Echo just after they got signed to Asthmatic Kitty. Their songs always have a fun, playful bounce to them and even after recruiting the very shy singer-songwriter Simone White, their take on the Sufjan Stevens song sounds like something Freezepop could have released in 2006.

Big Black Delta – I’m amazed at how different solo projects can sound from a band’s body of work, and Mellowdrone’s Jonathan Bates continues this trend for me. The first two words in his new moniker seem appropriate with songs such as “Huggin & A Kissin,” because his sound is both dark and marvelous. I saw him perform with his two drummers at the Satellite during the holiday weekend, and I was completely blown away by how much star power the guy had. Big Black Delta is highly recommended for those craving a fresh take on electro-rock.

Skull Tape – This group, who first made my radar because of their cover of Willow Smith’s “Whip My Hair,” has finally put out some music (along with another fun music video). If the vocals on “Crop Circle” sounds familiar, it’s because this is the new project of The Mae Shi’s Brad Breeck. He’s still spazzing out, but most importantly, he’s still writing great hooks.

Fool’s Gold – The most eclectic supergroup to recently form in L.A. will return with a new album in August. Although they’ve shed a few members and decided to sing all their songs in English this time around, they’ve still maintained that world music flavor with new track “Street Clothes.” It’s a major jam but “Surprise Hotel” will continue to be up there for me in regards to my favorite summer tracks courtesy of Fool’s Gold.

Love Grenades – Elizabeth Wight looks like the model who broke free from a tasteful, vintage, pin-up poster, and started singing electro-pop tunes with a sultry voice to boot. I have nothing but props to give this woman. She’s one gorgeous gal who knows how to throw a dance party.

Walter Meego – Former Chicagoans are back at it with new album “Wondervalley,” and after seeing them headline the Bootleg this past weekend, I’m wondering why they aren’t bigger than they currently are. Justin Sconza’s got a peculiarly distinct bright tone that darts in and out of the heavy synth lines he concocts – and these electronic components are not for the faint of ear either. Some of the riffs in these Walter Meego songs are a bit out of this world – tempo and rhythmic wise. After taking in a show from these guys, you fall deep in to a synth coma from taking in too much of a good thing.

Grab the latest Wild Tonic mixtape below and enjoy!

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Ready for the new mixtape? Good, because I sure had a lot of fun making this one.

April’s mixtape is heavy on local artists and I couldn’t be happier about it. Although last month had its Coachella highlights thanks to great sets by Robyn, Suede, Lauryn Hill, The Joy Formidable, Kanye West and more (read our full coverage here), my inbox was especially flooding with new worthy material from Los Angeles bands.

Here’s a quick rundown of the locals who earned a spot on the mixtape:

Milo Greene – The gorgeous track “1957″ basically went viral after Buzz Bands tweeted thoughts on it, and for a brand new group who has only a few shows under their belts, Milo Greene’s folk harmonies and melodies have done wonders. I highly suggest going to their bandcamp page to stream “Don’t You Give Up On Me,” which also made my heart flutter upon first listen.

Superhumanoids – These guys are no strangers to my mixtapes. They’re also no strangers to great remixes. Whereas the remix for “Malta” took on a new wave vibe courtesy of their friends, Lesands, this Captain Cuts remix of “Mirrors” is definitely more of a club banger.

Light FM – Josiah Mazzaschi has been releasing music with his band and producing albums for other local artists (including William Reid of the Jesus and Mary Chain) for a really long time. Considering the fact that his work has spanned across 10 years, it’s nice to hear he’s getting even better with each new project.

Hot As Sun – A duo comprised of  the talented multi-instrumentalist Jamie Jackson and writer Deborah Stoll. Hazy, sexy, and absolutely spellbinding. They’re also a fairly new band but has already wowed crowds at most shows.

Races – Formerly called Black Jesus, this new young band is currently collecting comparisons to Arcade Fire with the amount of members crammed on stage and their melancholic yet sweeping arrangements. The word on the street is that there are some great labels currently paying close attention to them.

Coyol – Two voices (Céleigh Chapman and John Isaac Watters) that couldn’t differ more from each other but work pretty well together for the energetic folk-rock songs they sing. It’s juxtaposition that is wonderfully infectious.

Thurlow – Jacqueline Caruso and Augustus Green are a husband-wife duo who we luckily got here after they moved from the Washington D.C. area. They dabble in a bit of every genre but never sound forceful. Songs on their “Spokes” EP range from light-hearted electro-pop to lush gems with r&b undertones.

White Sea – If you haven’t seen Morgan Kibby (of M83) yet, I am begging you… DO IT. Not only can the girl reach the most angelic notes but she can bust out some mean (fantastic) remixes! Her take on the Naked & the Famous’ “Young Blood” is a case in point.

Soft Pipes – Anthony Polcino, formerly of Low Vs. Diamonds, recently put out “When You’re Done Here You Get to Go Home,” and it stayed in my car for weeks on repeat. It’s dreamy pop music, heavy on the both vocal and guitar melody, and dipped in a little reverb. It’s just lovely and “Golden Grace” is a perfect closer to the track list.

Grab the latest Wild Tonic mixtape below and enjoy!

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Hi, everyone. March has quickly passed by, so that means you are a few days overdue for a brand new mixtape!

My apologies for no March Recommendations in addition to the lack of posts last month. I unfortunately got an awful virus upon my return from SXSW and have basically been ill for the past three weeks. However, now that I’m beginning to feel human again, I’m going to come back in full force to give you some new tunes.

Although being sick is never fun, romping through Austin for four days straight (from noon til 2 am every day) was completely worth it again. SXSW is such a hectic festival but it certainly has its perks when it comes to discovering new music. I got to see some pretty great bands I hadn’t gotten a chance to see in L.A. yet. With that note, I found myself digging into some older tunes from bands that were still new to me.

This month’s mixtape reflects much of the music I’ve heard during SXSW – Royal Bangs, Tristen, The Stepkids, Twin Shadow, The Jezabels, Jamie Woon, Austra and more. Since I try to see non-local bands in Austin, this mixtape is also a little light on local artists but no worries. L.A. artists on this mixtape include Eastern Conference Champions, Walking Sleep and Letting Up Despite Great Faults. Now, instead of giving my usual long spiel, I’m going to let the music speak for itself.

Grab the latest Wild Tonic mixtape below and enjoy!

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Hi, hi, hi to those of you who are still making your way to this little site of mine. Once again I apologize for the lack of posts but I apologize most for depriving you of not one but two monthly mixtapes! Hopefully, the 15 tracks I’ve selected to represent my new listens during the last two months will more than suffice.

Going back to the topic concerning my sudden silences here on the site, I can explain by telling you about two very great things have happened for me during the last month. The first change was my move from Associate Editor at BeatCrave to staff writer at BuzzBands.LA. Through my gig at BuzzBands.LA (the blog Kevin Bronson started during his time with the Los Angeles Times), I’ve been very fortunate to come across some new and fantastic music in addition to getting some wonderful guidance from a well-respected writer. Wild Tonic is very conversational and a bit informal and I’d like to keep it that way. However, if you’re interested in reading my contributions and some superb music journalism by Bronson, please feel free to bop on over to BuzzBands.LA for premier coverage on the music scene in Los Angeles and beyond.

If you’ve been visiting the site last month, you might have also seen that Wild Tonic presented its first residency featuring L.A.-based band Robotanists. It was such a fun month at Silverlake Lounge and I was flattered by how many people supported the site and the band each week. I also had a blast giving away so many great prizes on behalf of the band! Robotanists album, Plans In Progress, is now officially released so make sure you get your hands on it in addition to their interpretation of Radiohead’s King of Limbs album.

I won’t deny that I’ve been a bit busy but I haven’t forgotten my purpose here: To highlight my recent favorite songs and hope you all discover something new and enjoyable! With that said, let’s get to the actual mixtape…

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So it’s well into the new year by a week now but I’m still wrapping up the best of the best for you here on Wild Tonic. Thanks to everyone who came back even after a month long hiatus. I do hope you enjoyed my end of the year lists including top albums, songs, remixes, covers as well as the top local songs.

However, before I resume with regular posts on here I do want to make sure you get a little ear candy in regards to what I had been listening to toward the end of 2010. I can assure you ahead of time – You won’t be missing out because I am combining two months together. It did make it more difficult for me to choose 15 songs from a span of two months instead of one, however I’m still digging the tracks I decided on.

We, of course, have another Robyn track as well as another White Sea track. If you’re not familiar with White Sea, her song “Mountaineer” opened up the last mixtape and the moniker is for Morgan Kibby’s solo project apart from M83. If you don’t have her EP, This Frontier, yet I desperately urge you to grab it already. It was released out into the world for free! Wild Tonic also welcomes other local acts with open arms: Indie pop outfit SCLA, no-frill LA Font (who made the Top Local LA 20 Songs list) and moody electropop band Death Kit.

I also took it back with some good ol’ Weezer (how could I not add some into the mix after experiencing the tour that was Blinkerton?) Yelle’s French cover of Robyn’s “Who’s That Girl” also makes an appearance for those of you who love a good Euro Disco beat (cleverly placed might I say). However, I took it back even further with one of my favorite Dolly Mixture tracks, “Been Teen.” (They’re one of the many Brit-punk/indie pop bands I wish were still around.) Then the tempo is slowed down a bit with some more recent tunes from Stars and a mesmerizing track from the lovely duo, Memoryhouse.

Grab the latest Wild Tonic mixtape below and enjoy! January recommendations coming soon!

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It’s the first of the month and you know what the means! You get a brand new mixtape with tracks I’ve been especially obsessing over during October! I may or not always dedicate a post to one particular track but in case I don’t, your best bet is to look in these mixtapes because there are always some outstanding tracks that still deserve your attention.

This month’s mixtape has a pretty great mixture of old and new as well as dance and rock. As I have been saying all month, October was the busiest month I have ever had in my life since I moved out to LA and fell in love with the music scene here. There have been so many great local acts as well as larger than life headliners coming through town. I believe there was even a span of time where I had been going out every single night for about three weeks with the exception of one night my poor body told me to take a desperately needed rest.

So with that said, October’s mixtape is truly a reflection of what I have been able to experience live this past month. French Horn Rebellion was a fun electronic brother duo I got to see open for Delphic. To continue the topic of opening acts, I finally got to experience Young The Giant play when they shared a bill with The Futureheads at the Troubadour. As for Eastern Conference Champions – they had one amazing Spaceland residency during September – but I also fell hard for them all over again when they opened for Shadow Shadow Shade’s record release party a few weeks ago. Evan Voytas also had a successful Echo residency during October so I’ve been digging his old and new stuff lately as well.

Bigger acts I was lucky enough to see included The Vaselines, Superchunk, MNDR (with Mark Ronson and The Business Intl) and Phantogram. However, one act I am still grieving over is White Sea aka Morgan Kibby. Mostly known for being the kyeboardist for M83, she just launched her solo career with a show at the Hotel Cafe last week. Of course, this was the night I stayed in so I will forever be hearing about this phenomenal show I missed out on. At least she’ll be playing LA again in November, so I am definitely planning ahead for that show.

November’s show calendar is coming up but for now, enjoy October’s mixtape below!

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For the readers I do have here on Wild Tonic – Thanks for checking back! Yes, the posts have been very light last month and I apologize for that but with the Fall season coming back around, things have been picking up! It’s been more than a few years since I’ve been in college yet my life still seems as hectic as the kids who are cramming for their Fall midterms.

Don’t worry. Wild Tonic isn’t going anywhere and I really do promise I will catch you up on some great tunes. So! The first step is the latest Wild Tonic mixtape! I’m well aware that it’s already October 4th and I’m just putting this up… but it’s better late than never, right? Plus, the material I’ve been lucky enough to listen to during September really set the bar high for the next months to come. Hear what I’ve been listening to…

I did a post on Glasser, aka Cameron Mesirow, not too long ago because her new album, Ring was just coming out. The entire album is divine but “Home” is still the track that gets me. Hence, the track kicks this September’s mixtape off! Other new and notable releases since the last mixtape include Mark Ronson’s newest album Record Collection, Casxio’s debut full-length Friends vs. Lovers, another debut album from singer-songwriter, Sharon Van Etten, Land of Talk‘s Cloak and Cipher and Los Angeles-based band, Le Switch, just released two brand new songs which are also both worth a listen. I’ve got bits and pieces from all of this and more!

Other songs I’ve taken a liking to include Hooray For Earth’s “Surrounded By Friends.” This NYC indie pop group has the potential to be the next buzz band who surpasses the hype afterward. As I was heading to a show at The Echo about a week ago, I happened to walk by their show at Origami Vinyl and they sounded absolutely great; I was very sorry I couldn’t have stayed to peep that show a bit longer.

Two songs which were critical to this mixtape also come from the bands, Foster The People and The Parson Red Heads. If you’ve checked the summer mixtapes out on the sidebar, you may have heard the track, “Pumped Up Kicks” by Foster The People from the Blogwave Summer mixtape Dailybeatz compiled with the help from a bunch of other music blogs. It’s finally starting to get cold and I thought it was appropriate to mark the end of summer with one of the funnest summer songs there were this year.

As for The Parson Red Heads, Los Angeles had two very bittersweet farewell shows for them last month and “Punctual As Usual” is an ode to them. We can’t thank this band enough for making the local music scene that much richer during the last five years.

Grab the latest Wild Tonic mixtape below and enjoy!

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It’s the first day of September so you know what that means! You get a brand new mixtape of all the songs I’ve especially been digging during August. By now, you should expect goodies like this just as you are used to your morning routine. This site is all about sharing the rad tracks from artists who deserve the recognition whether they’re already huge or have only played a few local shows. I hope you’ve been enjoying each month’s mixtape because this is the sixth one!

This time around, I’ve been reaching back into the soul pockets of my musical interests. We’ve got some smooth tunes from the one and only Raphael Saadiq, the one-woman-show Janelle Monae and some local talent from Fitz & The Tantrums. Other locals who provide some throwbacks to a year or two ago also include Le Switch and Gliss.

You may have also noticed that I couldn’t help myself from including another Wild Nothing track in there because who isn’t in love with them right now? Upon the first listen of “Golden Haze,” I nearly spazzed out at my desk during work. This time, I also made sure to include one of my favorite songs from The Love Language‘s new album which I’ve been listening to non-stop. Other new and noteworthy tracks that have been creating some buzz among the blogosphere, such as Sufjan Steven’s “I Walked” and Cee-Lo’s “Fuck You,” are also included in the track list.

Grab the latest Wild Tonic mixtape below and enjoy!

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August is already here! That means all the little kiddies are getting ready to back to school. It’s kind of crazy how they get out in May or June and already have to go back in August or September. I don’t have any kids but I’m sure those of you who do are getting ready for those hectic schedules again. First, take a moment to relax. We still have a month of summer left and the tunes just keep getting better while we battle or bathe in the sun. Also, here’s what I’ve been listening this past month!

In July, a few more Arcade Fire songs surfaced from Arcade Fire’s album! (The Suburbs officially come out tomorrow, August 2 in the UK and the day after in the States.) Even though I was very skeptical of how this third studio album would turn out, I am enjoying it much more than I thought I would have. Yes, the band has taken some experimental turns. All groups need to do that to expand their sound but I’m mostly happy with a majority of the album maintaining the classic, melodramatic, swooping arrangements they’ve made famous. So enjoy the track, “We Used To Wait.” Other releases since last month’s mixtape include notable local EPs by POLLS, White Arrows, Superhumanoids and more.

Also, I’ve got you guys covered with the dance beats through some great remixes from The Twelves, RAC (one of my favorite remix artists), Sam Sparro as well as a great mash up of Aeroplane, Giselle, and Friendly Fires. July was just a very a kind month.

Grab the latest Wild Tonic mixtape below and enjoy!

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