There's No Escape from Adele

In this week's Freshly Spilt Milk Soundcloud playlist, we have covers of Low, The Killers, T. Rex, Pat Benatar, and a remix of "Hello," along with new music from Fro-Yo Ma, Martin Garrix, Crew Love, and more.

In this week's Freshly Spilt Milk Soundcloud playlist, we have covers of Low, The Killers, T. Rex, Pat Benatar, and a remix of "Hello," along with new music from Fro-Yo Ma, Martin Garrix, Crew Love, and more.

1. “Bucka” - Lady Bee X Noise Cans X Mr. Vegas: Do we thank Major Lazer for renewed interest in dancehall, or did Major Lazer spring from dancehall? This track by Amsterdam’s Lady Bee and Bermuda’s Noise Cans is afflicted with ADD as it skitters from thought to thought and sound palate to sound palate with a speed that would be worrying if it wasn’t so compelling. It also makes me want to find more from vocalist Mr. Vegas.

2. “Cortex” - Luude: This track is all about abrupt textural shifts—futuristic bleeps and ticks over a globular, ballooning bass.

3. “Platforming” - Kneebody & Daedalus: This track on Flying Lotus’ Brainfeeder label unites California producer Daedalus with the jazz/funk group Kneebody. The result is hip-hop-inflected jazz you want to hear more of.

4. “The Calling” - Chris Lorenzo & Chris Lake: Another collaboration with an uneasy undercurrent from Lorenzo and Lake, who explore the boundaries of house.

5. “9AM” - Jesse Calosso: Calossa’s not making house to rock a festival or warehouse. On “9AM,” he’s making house for a club, focusing on a groove so solid and hypnotic that a change to it that happens near the 3:45 mark feels as huge as a bass drop.   

6. “U Feel” - Fro-Yo Ma feat. Peyton: Fro-Yo Ma’s quiet “U Feel” is as assured as some of the bangers here designed to rock fields the size of aircraft carriers. His gentle touch is perfectly suited to Peyton’s intimate vocal. 

7. “Komorebi” - Super8 & Tab: On Armin Van Buuren’s Armind label, “Komorebi” covers a lot of ground and offers a few cool variations, not the least of which is a borderline pastoral build in the middle before a drop leads to a cool, strobed passage. 

8. “Lemme Feel Real” - off.white: New Orleans’ off.white raps on this track, though he processes his voice and puts it low enough in the mix that it’s more of a textural element that adds energy and movement to an otherwise lovely miniature.

9. “When I Go Deaf” - Southerly: Portland rock band Southerly will release Covers Series on January 8, where it will perform songs by The National, Big Star, Elliot Smith and more. Here they cover Low, who will play One Eyed Jacks February 6.

10. “Read My Mind” - David Bazan: A cover of The Killers’ “Read My Mind” by David Bazan for Polyvinyl Records’ 4-Track Singles Series, Vol. 2. 

11. “Buick MacKane” - Ty Segall: Ty Segall has never been shy about revealing his influences and affections. This track is from his album of T. Rex covers, Ty Rex.

12. “Love is a Battlefield” - Pikachunes feat. AVIVA: Who’d have pegged Pat Benatar as an artist who’d be rehabbed in recent years? Royal Teeth perform “Love is a Battlefield” live, and now New Zealander Miles G. Loveless (who performs as Pikachunes) has remade it as well.

13. “Bestmode” - Alvin Risk feat. Hodgy Beats: A frequently surprising track with Odd Future’s Hodgy Beats in the spotlight.

14. “Dancin’” (Harry Romero & Doorly Remix) - Erick Morillo, Harry Romero and Jose Nunez feat. Jessica Eve: A modern remix to freshen up this track from the early 2000s as part of Subliminal Records’ effort to relaunch the label and reassert classic techno values.

15. “Robots Have a Voice” - Human Movement: Techno from the young Australian duo that got attention when the people at the German Exposure label became fans. Human Movement has a new EP, Dancing Room, and this track is on it.

16. “Bouncybob” - Martin Garrix: Dutch DJ Martin Garrix had a good 2015, and this track recorded for his set at the Ultra Music Festival in Miami became a hit for him as well.

17. “Smokers Delight” - Crew Love feat. PillowTalk and Soul Clap: Some of the artists in the Crew Love Posse come together for this piece of blunted funk from the upcoming Based on a True Story, due out February 26.

18. “Kiss Kiss” - ELEL: This Nashville rock band has got a reveals a hint of nostalgia for the ‘80s—or maybe it’s just the keyboards in the chorus that sound straight out of a Hall and Oates single.

19. “Hello” (Someone Re-Imagining Remix) - Someone: Does Adele’s voice prompt an automatic respect? Someone—perhaps the equally anonymously named producer Gotta—doesn’t do as much with Adele’s hit as you might wish, but it is interesting to hear her voice next to synths and electronic instruments. 

Bonus

Branko Presents 10 Years of Lisbon Sounds: Portuguese producer Branko was the force behind Buraka Som Sistema, and he has advocated for “Global Club Music” with his own music and that released on his Enchufada label (which posted the free, downloadable sampler from its Upper Cuts series that you want if like this). This mix highlights the Lisbon scene and includes a previously unreleased track by Buraka Som Sistema with Azealia Banks from 2011 (when she performed under the name Miss Bank$).