After releasing one of the best albums of 2010 (Lucky Shiner), Gold Panda returns with some exciting new music. Inspired by “modern Hip Hop”, he says “the 808 snares on ‘Mountain’ are a nod to Noah “40″ Shebib and some-time Drake collaborators Boi-1da. ‘Financial District,’ at 125 bpm, though actually feels slower than that because the drum machine pattern on it has a completely different feel. It’s in the rhythms that I depart from that initial hip-hop idea”.

Pure quality across both songs – the sombre connotation ‘Financial District’ carries is contrasted beautifully by the far Eastern influences of ‘Mountain’. At present these songs are stand alone but Gold Panda has already hinted at a larger project inspired by the creation both songs.

Listen below. Purchase digitally from May 14th.

A few weeks back, we put you on a fresh sounding R’n'B singer, who dropped his infectious heartbreak track, ‘Alone’ and then we revealed the mid tempo ‘Motions’. Now Poo Bear drops his new mixtape.

Burrowing into the awkward corners of all things badloving, from emptiness (‘Holding On To Nothing’) to distant relationships (‘Couldn’t Be Love’), Poo Bear uses his rich, smooth tone over hints of hip hop breakbeat to chronicle the typical course when it comes to lovelost. Sharp layered harmonies and honest breaking lyrics, the mixtape is full of  original penned songs, but it’s also a nice addition to have the Lauryn Hill ‘Sweetest Thing’ cover to complete the journey too.

Download for free below.

As avid purveyors of new sounds, it’s sometimes good to hear something that relies on traditional doctrines of sounds that for many of us – helped shape our formative ears. Angie Stone has long been considered one of the best singer/songwriters in the industry and while her first two albums were benchmark albums (on an underground level at least) for the Neo-Soul movement, she hasn’t had the most stable discography (in my opinion).

But with the release of ‘Do What You Gotta Do’, the first single taken off her upcoming Rich Girl album – it seems Stone is back to doing what she does best. Those chords, the melody, her harmonies and BV’s – classic Angie-Soul.

Tipped as one of the most promising acts by many for a year or so, 20 year old half Serbian, half Spanish singer, Cleo Sol has pricked my ears up with this easy going summer throwback track. For all you real UK reppers, you may have remembered Cleo Sol from the Tinie Tempah classic, pre ‘Passout’. Singing the hook on ‘Tears’ and working in cahoots with producer Davinche for a while, definitely was a stepping stone for the West London singer and led her signing to Island Records.

Now with her debut single, she grabs a sample from the legendary Isley Brothers ‘Work To Do’ (or it could be The Average White Band’s version), detailing the frustrations of dating and the madness that often women go through. Laying her smooth vocals over the classic 70′s funkesque vibe, Cleo Sol has pleasantly surprised with this one.

After leaking a couple of tracks in the lead up to the album release on Friday, Ab-Soul gives those that have not bought a copy for themselves, an opportunity to listen to the whole project. The whole Top Dawg Entertainment and Black Hippy Collective are featured throughout, as well as appearances from Jhene Aiko, Danny Brown and BJ The Chicago Kid.
Have a listen below and grab a copy too

This is just the beginning it seems of Banks’ bounty of music she is unleashing on us.

This is the first cut of her forthcoming mixtape Fantastic. Produced by Nick Hook and HudMo, Banks rides the tropical beat with her fiery Harlem gulped rhymes like a pro. ‘Jumanji’ is the start, still to follow Banks is due to release the whole mixtape within the next month, the 1991 EP and the debut Broke With Expensive Taste  all before September. Spoiling us much?

Listen and download below.

Following the wider success of his previous offerings, including his last mixtape  and affiliations with the A$AP Mob, SpaceGhostPurrp is now readying the first album released on 4AD. In the lead up, he takes us around his home turf of Miami in a slick droptop with glossy monochrome visuals to match.

Chronicles of SpaceGhost Purrp is due for release June 12th