Sixty4k - thanks for this beautiful discovery

Just started following @Sixty4K the Ambient Rockstar on Twitter, first thing I usually do when I follow someone is check out their web site, Facebook, ReverbNation, whatever... Went to his site Sixty4K the Ambient Rockstar and couldn't stop listening to this beatiful track/video he found on YouTube - a Zimbabwe-born singer/songwriter named Tinashe (@tinashemusic) who resides in London and makes beautiful music

Jane Silence - LadyLovely

I've been following singer/songwriter Jane Silence (@janesilence) on Twitter for a while and she kindly forwarded some of her tracks to me. Her sound is dark atmospheric, industrial almost, bordering on trip-hop. I like her track "Ache", where her vocals really complement the mood of the instrumentals in the track. I also really enjoy the progressive house mix of her track "Nightshift." Take a listen below...

Dubstep Santa - for those who got coal, you'll always have this...

Audioprophecy

Brandon from Properly Chilled connected me with a downtempo DJ in Boston called Audioprophecy. We shared a message or two on Soundcloud and I've listened to some of his mixes - very chill, real deep, and perfect for the chilled out crowd. I'm hoping to chat with him more and hear how he creates his mixes - from what I've listened to he keeps it pretty minimal and smooth. Quite enjoyable. Listen and download his mixes here: http://soundcloud.com/audioprophecy

Downbeat Radio - "Breakfast of Champions" Show with Morningsteppa

Here in Boston, I hit the afternoon lull around 2 PM, just in time for one of my fav downtempo radio shows "Breakfast of Champions", with downbeat host Morningsteppa, on KFM Radio in New Zealand. You can stream the show live (click the title link) or listen via Shoutcast Radio Application on the iPhone (which I do when I'm on the go). Listen in - downtempo beats ranging from dub, nu jazz, electronic, jungle and more. Always brings a smile to my face :)

ProperlyChilled Propercast 18 w/ Tosca

Properly Chilled brings us an interview with downtempo legends Tosca, and spins tracks from their new album, plus The Spy From Cairo, Negghead, Nickodemus and more.

$300 gets $30 million

Wow, this stems from a popular story on Digg this week. This Mexican short film was made for $300 and Hollywood is investing $30million, including bringing on the creative folks behind the short film, to make a full-length film. Frankly - I'm more amazed that this was made for just $300. And just to make this music related- notice the intense, brooding soundtrack and how it builds over the 4 minutes. Great use of music to set tone and mood. (granted this was the theme from 28 Days Later - but it worked there too!)

Suburban Dream does it again...

I first wrote about Suburban Dream Recordings more than a year ago when I had a listen of the Dublin, Ireland-based crew's tracks "Music" and "They Start Out Using." I really enjoyed their vibe, bringing a deep, yet laid back lounge style that borders on ambient, but grabs you at all the right times with a lot of spoken word riffs over catchy synth hooks, anchored by solid downtempo beats throughout.

So Ciaran - head dude over at Sub Dream - sent me their new single "We Still Do It", just released a few weeks ago, I had a hunch I was about to listen to something special. "We Still Do It"...well...it still does it. The track is super smooth with a hint of grimy dub, and Sub Dream's signature spoken word, to add the edge it needs to make it interesting throughout. Check it out at the Soundcloud player here, and click the link above to hear more tunes directly at their web site www.subdream.net.

Suburban Dream - We still do it by Suburban Dream

Miike Snow

Ok, I can't get enough of Miike Snow. The band has this amazing minimal, raw quality to it even though much of it is synth and electronic based, even the lyrics are primal - many songs have to do with deconstructing ourselves to our raw form - at the end of the day we're in survival and animal mode. Its borderline downtempo house, with a folksy vibe. Every time one song comes through my iPod, I end up listening to the whole album.

Hype Machine syncing with my LastFM Widget@@!!

I signed in today to write...something. I looked to the right of my blog and noticed my LastFM widget was syncing with what I was listening to at Hype Machine . I don't know - sometimes I'm a simpleton - but this blew my mind for some reason! I think it was the surprise factor that LastFM and Hype Machine were syncing and I didn't even have to do anything. Two of my fav music sites just made me even more happy. I think it also had to do with me listening to this dope remix of MGMT - Electric Feel by Justice. Mmm mmm good

Squeegie Sounds

I recently added Squeegie Sounds to my blogroll after downloading some great dub tracks from the blog - from Bukez Finezt and James Blake. Really great dub tunes and videos and write ups. Check it out if you're into dub, ambient soul, downtempo and just overall great tunes.

Cloudy with a Chance of Music at your Fingertips - MixCloud and SoundCloud

I've been seriously preoccupied with some music aggregators that just blow my mind. I'm not even sure how long MixCloud or SoundCloud have been around, but they've provided me with so much great music since I discovered them through Twitter several weeks ago.

Sharing music online is not new, and these sites aren't new either, but for our downtempo crowd, these two sites offer radio, mixes and original music with a great selection that meet our listening preferences. MixCloud offers mixes, streams and downloads from radio stations and artists you can follow, and SoundCloud is more focused on individual artists, but both are very similar.

Go to each site and type in your favorite artists, DJs or radio stations and start following them. Great sites for the music we love.

Negghead mixtape...preppin for new release on Wax On Records

Hey, click the link to go to a free download of a chilled mixtape from Negghead, one of Wax On Records' featured artists these days. They drop a new album on Tuesday, November 3 and I'm def pickin it up. Here's a video promo of a sample off the album, and the mixtape is a good mix of dub and downtempo jazz and funk, with the chilled undertones that are signature Wax On influence. Good stuff coming from Negghead...

It's random, i know, but I can't not post one of my favorite Mos Def tracks

Random night chillin w/ some YouTube favorites...

Mos Def, Eminem, Black Thought Freestyle

My buddy Nish sent me this freestyle posted on WorldStarHipHop. Mos Def is always sick, love everything he does from his downtempo soul to hip hop

Designer Drugs - Drop Down (via Penned Madness)

Listening to new Designer Drugs - Drop Down, nonstop. Beats kickin my head in and then drop down a bit, makin me dance on a beatiful sunday afternoon. I kinda want to stop watching football and working on b-school apps, this track is taking over.

Found via Hype Machine and Penned Madness (click link to see original post)

Properly Chilled Lounge Nights

Shout out to Brandon and peeps at Properly Chilled. I haven't been to his lounge night at MARE in Saratoga Springs, NY, but if I were around you gotta believe I'd be there in a second. I'll post again when the next night is coming up, but wanted to let y'all know ahead of time.

Ancient Astronauts

Holy crap its been too long. I'm back with a strong endorsement of Ancient Astronauts. AA is one of ESL Music's newest artists, and they are a downtempo treat. Hip-hop inspired beats from Germany and production and guest vocals from Pharcyde legends. Check it out: "Ancient Astronauts' debut album, titled "We Are To Answer," features a variety of new sonic collaborators including Bootie Brown and Imani of legendary hip hop group The Pharcyde, Azeem, Tippa Irie, Bajka, Phat Old Mamas, Ulf Stricker, Raashan Ahmad and Entropik. A block-rockin’ boom-bappin’ sonic tour-de-force, "We Are to Answer" is a musical vision of life on Earth and beyond!"