Tanlines, “Brothers.” It would be easy to dismiss the understated “Brothers,” the first single from Tanlines’ upcoming debut, Mixed Emotions. Evocative of the Brooklyn duo’s Tropicalian “Real Life,” the track is drenched in the kind of jungle-thumping world pop that so endeared Vampire Weekend to the indie world four years ago. But to call “Brothers” derivative is to overlook its quiet appeal, a combination of warm, pulsating crescendos and syncopated Afro beats. United by the low, plaintive chanting of vocalist Jesse Cohen, “Brothers” is both seductive and deliberate, and hopefully indicative of Mixed Emotions’s overall mood. Kevin Liedel
Sleigh Bells, “Comeback Kid.” If “Comeback Kid” is any indication, it’s probably safe to assume that the forthcoming Reign of Terror will serve as a pivot for Sleigh Bells rather than any kind of marked evolution. But what a pivot it is: The noise duo have decided that more is, in fact, more, and they turn the treble knobs on Treats’s pounding metal-dance and sickly sweet cheerleader refrains to the max, delivering melodies, percussion, and vocals in sparkling razor tones. Catchy in a wonderfully demented way, “Comeback Kid” isn’t necessarily louder than its predecessors, but it’s far more needlelike. Music world, beware: Sleigh Bells are sharpening their knives. KL
Rick Ross featuring Styles P, “Keys to the Crib.” Used to be that rap hinged on figures whose personal past was compatible with their personal myth. Since bulldozing that outmoded turnstile with the charismatic inflection and bullheaded machismo of his last two albums and the countless guest spots that followed, Rick Ross has been ducking money-grabbers of all sorts. Now he’s sitting pretty and, as he would have us believe in this lush club banger, atop a mountain of coke that could reanimate the corpse of Tony Montana. But in the same breath, Ross floats a reprise of Nas’s inspired bars from an earlier track on his latest mixtape, Rich Forever: “I think I’m losing my religion/Preying on these niggas, wrap a kilo in a ribbon.” Must be easier to shirk R.E.M.’s lawyers than those ghosts lingering in the conscience of Miami’s booming baron. M. Sean Ryan
John Talabot featuring Pional, “So Will Be Now…” We don’t know much about John Talabot except that John Talabot is not his real name, and that he’s either from or lives in Barcelona, and that he has some kind of loose connection (friends? Collaborators?) with the dudes in Delorean. What we do know is that we like him. “So Will Be Now…,” the last track—and, presumably, the final teaser—from Talabot’s upcoming full-length, fIN (which arrives February 6th), is a swirling, six-and-a-half-minute loop experiment. Likeminded Spanish space-disco wizard Pional is featured on what will surely be one of the year’s most gorgeous, spacious, and restrained contributions to whatever electro-house subgenre it belongs. Kenny McGuane
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Since 2001, we've brought you uncompromising, candid takes on the world of film, music, television, video games, theater, and more. Independently owned and operated publications like Slant have been hit hard in recent years, but we’re committed to keeping our content free and accessible—meaning no paywalls or fees.
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