CFCF takes on Active Child’s ‘High Priestess’ and offers up this subdued, twinkling meteorological revision. Listen til’ the end, when that flute takes over – Enya would be proud. The original version can be found on Active Child’s album You Are All I See – out now.

The 3 million dollar boy drops off “some new wave to start the year off right” in the form of ‘Pretty Flacko’. Produced by SpaceGhostPurrp, this serves as a reminder that musically speaking A$AP remains unconstrained and unboxed. Expect that A$AP Mob album in February.

Make sure you grab his LiveLoveA$AP tape, it may just surprise you.

Download: A$AP Rocky – ‘Pretty Flacko’

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With very little warning, a new free album has emerged from Hackney songstress Anita Blay otherwise known as Cocknbullkid. The project, made up of old songs and demos, was supposed to be released “properly” but according to Blay the label was slow to put it out and “someone beat them to it” – wonder who that was?

Electro-pop, synth heavy anthemics, seductive vocals, 80′s cool – enjoy.

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As promised, Raekwon presents his New Years’ offering in the form of a new mixtape titled Unexpected Victory. With production credits from the likes of 9th Wonder, Statik Selektah, DJ Semaj et el and features from Mobb Deep, Busta Rhymes, Styles P and CNN – it should be a good way to bring in the new 365.

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Someone really ought to check the water supply in Toronto, something very strange has been happening over there. It would appear that T.Dot is in the midst of an artistic uprising – at least when concerned with developments in R&B.

The Weeknd / XO affiliated DropxLife (co-producer of ‘Initiation’ from Echoes of Silence) is a seemingly mysterious creative whose existence is primarily felt through the songs he chooses to upload online (a familiar XO model). Very little is known or can be found on him – a mixtape ALLXLEGENDS and album Pawncho have flown about before this new 3-tracker which dropped today.

While we acclimatise ourselves to the seemingly endless inventory of faceless producers, our ears are forced to balance the precipice – a task made much easier when such expansive experimentalism is done so vividly. DropxLife’s productions are lasciviously dark, merging the beauty of obscure R&B with 2-step idiosyncrasies and empyreal mysticism. Lo-fi thick basslines, dank drum patterns and enough rotundness to wet the most sapless of minds.

This is deep. ‘NuerxOld’ is on repeat especially.

Update: DropxLife updated the tape with 6 additional new tracks, listen below & download up top.

The R&B rebirth continues. Up now is Phlo Finister, a Cali-based singer currently making a name for herself with her brand of contemporary-throwback R&B.

Finister’s recently released FreEP entitled Crown Gold is a 6 track project featuring known productions from the likes of Dr. Dre, Tupac & The Doors, plus two original compositions from Jay Curry. Clearly affected by the traditions of 90′s R&B and the trademarks of artists like Aaliyah, Brandy and Ashanti – she aims to produce “classic R&B” with a “avant garde” edge. Phlo does possess a clear patent voice well suited to the style of R&B she’s producing and despite some of it’s languor, the EP does offer some promising insight – most discernibly on songs like ‘Shades’ & ‘No More’.

Critical to any artists’ success though is their ability to embody the influences of their formative years whilst amalgamating them with the modern. Fail to do so and you run the risk of boring your audience, or worse – pissing them off entirely. Pretty confident her video for ‘Shades’ for instance will raise a few eyebrows – Finisher’s “I fuck with Tommy Hilfiger, simple as that” approach may not go down too well with the die-hard traditionalists. But with a pinch more distinction, tighter productions and stronger focus on “avante garde” methods – Phlo Finister should be an interesting one to watch.

British electronic musician Synkro recently moved us with his refix of The XX’s ‘Night Time’ – that 2-Step revision was a refreshing approach to an already compelling record. A couple days ago he took to his soundcloud to unleash “one of [his] tunes from a few years back that never saw a release” entitled ‘Last Night’. It’s an ambient, nocturnally suited production armed with dreamy synths and a hypnotic pulse. Recognise that sample? Available for free download below.