The Do Lab | Tickets

The Do Lab has been taking over the LA underground scene this year and we’re all about it. They’ve consistently brought out big names of the underground. Tomorrow night, they’ll be hosting two artists that have been keeping our ears happy for the past year. They come from somewhat opposite sides of the sound spectrum; but that just means it’ll be a great ride of a night. And there’s going to be a Super moon highlighting the fun!

Disco house by Mighty Mouse and deeper tech selections from Option4 will be blasting all night at King King. You should be there, especially cause tickets are super cheap for this kind of quality. Be sure to catch that big orb in the night sky too!

Take 2 Entertainment | Tickets

This weekend is of much celebratory import. We’ve got the birth of our nation on Friday. And then we’ve got the 1-year anniversary of Take 2 Entertainment’s sea-born baby: Boatylicious. I’m sure you know the setting by now. But if not, then there’s no reason not to get acquainted with the Long Beach Harbor backdrop, Pacific kisses, and California sun atop a triple decker of red, white, and blue. Deep, tech and disco house vibes and feel-good freedom ensure this party will be booming. Come catch the Sunset and IndepenDANCE with Moon Boots, Yolanda Be Cool, aRod, Ruby Sparks, and more. Check after the jump for music!

HOW TO ENTER

Standard procedure: The contest ends at 8PM Tuesday July 1st! The more ways you enter below, the better your chance is to win. Be sure to be ready to check your e-mail/twitter, because we’ll be giving it to the first person who responds when the contest is over. See you guys there!

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Lightning In A Bottle | Lineup | Tickets | Set Times

Kraak & Smaak are a trio from the Netherlands who have that whole “anti-genre” vibe about them that we love. You’ll find hints of jazz, disco, funk, indie, soul, pop, and house all throughout their music. Their 2013 album Chrome Waves is one of my favourites. They also host a weekly show on Sublime FM called Keep on Searching that spotlights the current underground as well as some rare, old school, dug-up tracks. It’s amazing.

They’re playing at 8:50pm on Saturday at the Lightning Stage – don’t miss out on what is promising to be a smooth and funky set.

LIB Spotlight brings attention to special artists that will be featured at Lightning In A Bottle Fest 2014.
Some we love. Some we just discovered. All essential.
Click here for more from this series.
3 Days

PillowTalk | Buy Je Ne Sais Quoi

Wolf+Lamb artists PillowTalk believe in sexy-smooth; 2011’s The Come Back exposed me to that. Their recent (and first) LP Je Ne Sais Quoi is a fusion of R&B, disco, house, dance, pop, and techno [D.A.G.!] that has surpassed all my expectations and has taken over our ears here at C+A+D. It’s been nearly 2 months of listening and we’re still finding out why we love it so much.

I like to think it is due to the heart-warming dreaminess in each track. Opener, ‘Our Story’, sets it up perfectly – this album is a soulful sonic dance adventure. The stories may differ, but the feel-good soul is absolute. They’ve put Je Ne Sais Quoi up for your free streaming pleasure on SoundCloud. Show the crew some love and buy it!

While you’re here, check out one of my all-time favourite mixes too.

CREW LOVE

Dreams in Sepia

Take 2 Entertainment | Tickets

Take2Entertainment’s premier concert cruise is back for another year. The first show of 2014 is next weekend (5/3) and its looking to be mental! Not to say we expected any less. 3 decks. 2 stages. Great music, beautiful faces, and good vibes adrift the Pacific. The last time we were at Boatylicious, we had too much fun cruising the bay. This round is looking to be even better. Check after the jump for music!

The soundtrack of the night will be supported by Kastle (DoLaB at Coachella. One of the better sets), Le Youth (absolutely fitting!), Plastic Plates (nothing but respect, Felix), and more of southern California’s finest residents.

HOW TO ENTER

Standard procedure: The contest ends at 12PM Tuesday April 29th! The more ways you enter below, the better your chance is to win. Be sure to be ready to check your e-mail/twitter, because we’ll be giving it to the first person who responds when the contest is over. See you guys there!

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Duck Sauce | Soundcloud | Buy QUACK

To say Duck Sauce’s debut album was “highly anticipated” would be a severe understatement. Anyone that had their records in steady rotation since aNYway, You’re Nasty, and even the heyday of Barbra Streisand knows that we were practically begging for them to release an album of funky, sample-based disco since 2011. Well, this past Tuesday, they finally satisfied our salivating taste buds and exceeded well beyond all the hype.

The album is the epitome of everything that is Duck Sauce. Random, hilarious samples and skits, articulate DJ cuts from A-Trak, rhythmic and bouncy bass, quacks, duck puns…the list goes on. Aside from the singles released over the years, the standout track for me was “Everyone ft. Teddy Toothpick,” which just so happens to be an alias for Dave 1 of Chromeo, A-Trak’s brother. Not only is it cool to see A-Trak and his brother working together, there couldn’t be a better fit. The track grooves on into what sounds like Danny Brown looking for a less than favorable booty call at the end. Just a text book track from these disco legends. It’s nice to comfortably bask in something you had such high hopes for. Enjoy and buy the album here.

Darius | Soundcloud

Every once and awhile I’ll hear a song that puts me at absolute peace. It will be a song that reminds me of just how powerful music can be; emotionally, physically, inspirationally. It’s a feeling that I only can imagine is comparable to being in a complete meditative state. Simply being one with your existence. It sounds extreme, but I’m positive everybody hears a song that makes them feel like this at least once.

Recently for me, that song was Darius’ remix of Crayon’s “Give You Up” (released on Yuksek’s record label Partyfine). I was hooked. It only made sense when I found out he was half of C+A+D Favorite Cherokee. The smooth synths and airy vocals give it this dreamy feel that gets me every time I listen to it. Though I can comfortably say that track is the pinnacle of Darius’ solo career so far, every track on his soundcloud has something special to offer.