I’d definitely go far enough to call him the most innovative artist of our time, even though he’s been in the game since most of us were born. Los Angeles’s very own Beck (born Bek David Campbell) has gone through many phases of sound in his career and didn’t get mainstream credit until the mid 90s. A lot of his songs and beats are remindful of 60s and 70s funk, but sung by a short, skinny white guy that can rap. He mixes rock and roll styles from the past, while throwing in a dancier electronic sound and hip hop vibes. A style that I haven’t seen emulated in the slightest. He’s got several albums ranging from acoustic/rock to electronic remixes of his earlier songs. There isn’t much he can’t do, and you’ll find that in the tracks below.

-Skinny Genes

Delightful Treats

Beck – Minus From YOLO18. Punky but funky.
Beck – I Think I’m In Love Delightful Choice!
Beck – Que Onda Guero This guy can rap.
Beck – Mixed Business ✓+

All this Thanksgiving cheer has got me especially thankful for the disco house songs and remixes that have been coming out lately. This one in particular strikes all the right chords, as far as funk and bass goes. Brought to us by none other than Ed Banger Record’s (Justice, sebastiAn, Mr. Oizo, Uffie, Busy P) very own: Breakbot. This French house extraordinaire brings nothing but consistent funked-out mixes of all the best artists and songs, while putting out a lot of his own stuff too. He doesn’t seem to let up, as they just keep coming. I’ve put some of his songs on previous YOLO lists, but this one is definitely my favorite.

-Skinny Genes

Delightful Treats

Aeroplane – Without Lies (Breakbot Remix)
Breakbot – Baby I’m yours feat. IRFANE
Breakbot – Happy Rabbit

Credit: Jason Shindler

Lots of big updates for events coming up. The KROQ Almost Acoustic Christmas lineup rivaled some of the best I’ve ever seen. Ridden with the best indie/alternative acts that you can book: Phoenix, Vampire Weekend, Florence and the Machine, Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeroes, The Black Keys, Broken Bells (The Shins side project) to name a few. All at one place. All on one stage. I tried to snag tickets right when they went on sale. I got nose bleeds so I ditched em, and it sold out the next minute. To anyone that has tickets and needs a partner, let me know!

In other news…these side-numbing lineups seem to be all the rage nowadays. The Together As One crew continues to bring us the more of the most talented acts in the world. The other day we got Rusko, Dada Life, and Pendulum (DJ SET) added to the bill! Feelin’ a lot better about dropping $80 on tickets…Anyway, I’ve got a good feeling about this YOLO list. Enjoy the jams.

Click to Download

It doesn’t get better than hearing a completely new rendition of a song you love. Takes you back to the first time you heard the track, but sheds light on what it could have been to begin with. Welcome to the beauty of electronic music. There is no end to the direction this genre will take. A song can be the inspiration that an artist needed to make another track that would change the game. Hey Today! took the liberty of turning Boys Noize’s “Nerve” and converting it into a headbanger’s raved-out dream come true. They’re another DJ duo that I can definitely get used to hearing more of. Their remixes are getting a lot of attention on blogs all over. This one just so happened to make it on Boys Noize’s NOTT EP that you can get from beatport. The EP features extra remixes from Paul Chambers and Shadow Dancer.

Delightful Treats

Boys Noize – Nerve
Boys Noize – Nerve (Hey Today! Remix)
Tiga – You Gonna Want Me Delightful Choice!

Download these songs and the rest of the 17th installment of the YOLO Lists right here.

There’s something about the surf rock bands that are reminiscent of those summer drives to the beach that make winter easier to deal with. Don’t get me wrong, winter has got its pros too…but the mellow, carefree vibes of these garage rock bands hit the spot. My Pet Saddle is a 5 piece band that hails from beautiful southern California. They used to play shows all around here and Newport Beach, alongside local favorite and YOLO list candidate: The Growlers. While they’re getting shows with The Black Keys, The Strange Boys, Julian Casablancas, and others, My Pet Saddle is working to be on the same route, which they rightfully deserve. Fulfill your garage rock and summer desires with their album titled “Laughing At Me,” which you can download here. If you’re into this kind of music, this album is necessary.

They’re playing a show at THE ECHO on November 29th if you want to go see them. Link to buy tickets and more info is here.

Delightful Treats

My Pet Saddle – Alaskan Sun
My Pet Saddle – Il Fait Beau

Download these songs and the rest of the 17th installment of the YOLO Lists right here.

Credit: Jason Shindler

Knocked another “must see” band off my list this Friday (Sonny & The Sunsets)…which isn’t saying much, because any band I haven’t seen is a must see. Anyway, it was one of those shows where the band I wanted to see met my expectations, which weren’t that high to begin with. It was a folk rock band, so I guess I shoulda known I wasn’t going to get the energy I wanted out of a show on a Friday. I did, on the other hand, find out about a San Francisco band called Weekend and the genre of “shoe gaze.” Very dream like, experimental music driven by sounds most would qualify as noise. Something about it gets to me though, and I threw one of their songs on this week’s YOLO. Enjoy!

Click to Download

I came across Panda Bear when I was looking through Pitchfork’s Top 10 Albums of the Decade, where Panda Bear’s Person Pitch came at #9. Panda Bear is the solo/side project of Animal Collective‘s Noah Lennox. When I started listening, I still wasn’t able to accept or get into Animal Collective’s sound. I was hoping Person Pitch would ease me into the dream like, experimental, and psychedelic sound of Animal Collective, and it did just that. I wish I could have put the whole album in the YOLO List, as it’s more of a conceptual album (where you need to listen to the whole album through to get the intended effects), but I figured I’d start you off on your journey with its opening track. Panda Bear sends you floating on a magic carpet through the clouds of wonder land. There are times of clear sunny skies and times of massive thunderstorms, a perfect balance of the ins and outs of this psychedelic genre.

I got to see him perform at FYF Fest at the end of summer and it was a trip, to say the least. Would not recommend for epileptics as I feel like that was the closest to getting seizure as I’ll ever get. Check out the video I got:

Delightful Treats

Panda Bear – Comfy In Nautica
Panda Bear – Tomboy Single off his fourth album!