The Witzard

It all started about two months ago now, when I received a rather intriguing cold sent email from James Barker at London-based PR company Mystic Sons, which read, "First Listen – New Album from Australia's [Answer to] Bon Iver – Hayden Calnin, Cut Love Pt. 1;" described as a "fantastic artist" whose debut single, "Cut Love," at the time, already garnered 40,000 digi-spins at Hype Machine and had received stylistic comparisons to the likes of Justin Vernon (Bon Iver), M83, Dawn Golden, Beach House, and whom, I, myself, immediately likened to Electro-Soul crooner James Blake. "'Cut Love Pt. 1" the album is a testament to Hayden's creative abilities, demonstrating that each track can resemble a new chapter. It is experimental to say the least, but an experiment that certainly works. It's exhilarating, truthful, and vicariously touching," Mystic Sons befittingly wrote within their initial emailed press release. Leading up to Cu...

" Cut Love Pt. 1 is a conceptual bunch of songs, which should be taken on as a journey. This is not a pop record, so don't expect bangerzzz or much adhering to standard song structure. It's weird, but I like weird. I wanted to make something that was 100% me and the result is something I am really proud of. I recorded [Cut Love] Pt. 1 all at home in my studio and it's taken me a lot of time to get it finished, and I'm so excited to share it with you all. I have so many people to thank, but above all, this record wouldn't have been possible without all of your support and believing in what I create. So, thank you! I'll be posting some more on it tonight to give you a little more insight, but I really just wanted to let everyone know that I've put everything I have into this record, and to not go into listening to it with any expectations, and just let it translate to you as it does naturally. Some of you may love it, others may hate it, but all in all...

This very Thanksgiving Day , much to fan delight, Lupe Fiasco liberated what has become a "lost album," of sorts: Friend of The People . The companion album mixtape to Enemy of The State (2009), which was scheduled to be released that coming Christmas holiday... until Fiasco decided to climb Mount Everest with Jessica Biel and then boyfriend, Justin Timberlake . The final released product seems to be a re-mixed and re-furbished version, as many of the sampled tracks [freestyles] weren't even out in 2009-10. That being said: Justice, Coltrane, M83, Ellie Goulding , and Skrillex originals are effectively sampled and "MURDERED" within the sonic confines of Friend of The People's 12 tracks. In addition to 2 separate audio sound bites pulled from Justice 's recent Audio, Video, Disco ... "Life, Death & Love from San Francisco" is yet another track of particular interest; Lupe Fiasco laces aggressive rhymes over an edited chunk of A Lov...

Mauro Remiddi is a well-traveled man (Rome, Brooklyn, London) who's not afraid to show his emotions through song, when need be. Remiddi moonlights as "Porcelain Raft," crafting densely-layered Dream Pop tunes, and mildly reminds this particular listener of one Steven Morrissey . Maybe it's the androgynous vocal stylings and "artsy" public image, paired with that all too familiar devil-may-care sate of being [attitude]. Porcelain Raft 's music is dark and emotional. But not in that worn out, "obvious" sort of way. The casual music fan might find it a bit shocking to realize that Mauro Remiddi has been involved in the world of music for the bulk of his 27-year existence; From playing circus gypsy music to tap dance piano, Remiddi has tracked a wide array of tunes to tape, mini-disc, and CD. Secretly Canadian will liberate his proper debut, Strange Weekend , this coming Jan. 23-24th. "Once a dear friend of mine said, "Imagine if in...

Frenchmen, Antony Gonzalez has been artfully crafting Dream -tinged Pop music as "M83" since roughly 2001; Averaging nearly 1 full-length album every 1.66666666667 years. That would mean that this most recent M83 commercial offering (Hurry Up, We're Dreaming) is essentially Album # 6-7. "Midnight City," a track pulled from the Justin Meldal-Johnsen produced album, has been effectively pushed as lead single. Since intercepting the music industry in 1993, Meldal-Johnsen has flexed his bass-playing abilities on a string of Beck albums between Mutations-Sea Change ... Jamiroquai - "Black Capricorn Day" (1999), Black Eyed Peas and Michelle Branch 's respective breakthrough albums - Monkey Business/Hotel Paper , and Nine Inch Nails' 2007-09 Tours. While recently speaking with a few media outlets, Anthony Gonzalez has publicly cited a number of classic [double] albums including: The Beatles ("White Album") , Smashing Pumpkins ...