HAPPY HOLIDAZE! // Ellie Goulding Treats

 Happy Holidays to all of you who are reading this! 2012 has been a lot of fun, and full of new experiences (to say the least). None of this wouldn't have been possible with you guys who've either read, shared, re-tweeted or liked LYED's posts on this lovely page, Facebook, or Twitter! Thanks for everything! 

xx Emz

Don't forget to head over to LET YOUR EARS DECIDE via Facebook & click that "Like" button"! :) Thank you 

Ellie Goulding - "ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS IS YOU"

Fresh from Fearne Cotton's Christmas Party 2012, you might recognize this amazing track as a song that was originally by Mariah Carey. Lots of mixed feelings about this track, but come on... it's CHRISTMAS TIME! Okay I'll stop being cheesy now, but really.. what are your thoughts? These are some pretty big shoes to fill, but then again it's just a cover. It's called having fun for artists... & besides  Ellie Goulding has been blowing minds in 2012 by covering several artists from different genres i.e. Fun., Active Child, and The Weeknd. A Mariah Carey cover just adds to the diversity & demonstrates Ellie's level of talent (which is beyond amazing in LYED's opinion). 

P.S. Click on the names above to hear Ellie's cover if you haven't already. 

You're Welcome :) 

Since we're talking about Ellie Goulding, did you know that The Script recently covered Goulding's "Anything Could Happen" when they last visited the BBC Radio Live Lounge? You have to give them credit for it regardless. Artists/bands visit the BBC Radio Live Lounge with the main intention to play their hit tracks live at their fullest, but in return they must pick a song on the current UK Top 40 Singles Hit Chart to cover. This is a fact as I learned while chatting with the lovely Lucy Rose who covered (with Bombay Bicycle Club, aaah :D) "Video Games" by Lana Del Rey. Feel free to check out The Script's beautiful attempt at the first single off  Ellie Goulding's "Halcyon" below. 

Definitely worth a click/listen. :) 

'Tis the season for LYED FREEBIES!

What's better than free music that's worth a damn? While everyone is knee-deep in finishing their lists and lists of lists....I decided to do something a bit different (for LYED). This is the first of (hopefully) several posts that focus on music that's made available as a free download by the artists themselves. The gift of giving can be quite amazing if it's real. 
ANYWAYS... If you thought this post was a good idea, feel free to spread the word or head over to Let Your Ears Decide via FACEBOOK or TWITTER. 

YES, LYED finally has a twitter account that's made specifically for sharing all things music related for those who prefer the "twittersphere" rather than Facebook. So c'mon guys, let LYED know what you thought...these ears know how to listen. *insert winking emoji slash cheesy smile* 

To sum up this amazing "Life In Color" mix by a duo called Adventure Club that I've been praising since LYED first started back in March- there's a little bit of Ellie Goulding, a little bit of Disclosure, some TNGHT and a couple of your favorite AC remixes (to say the least). This mix is a little over 27 minutes, but it's definitely worth investing in for a little energetic pre-game ritual or whatever you feel like pairing it with. 

So.. what are you waiting for? Get it while it's in front of you!

Mornin' was one of the first Star Slinger tracks that I fell in love with, and to hear this newly edited version is quite a delight. Feel free to listen to this "2k12 edit", and if you're curious to hear the original - here it is! Definitely check out Star Slinger's SoundCloud for more gems! You won't regret it. 

Let me be the millionth person to say this... Jack Steadman is a genius. He's 1/4 of the UK indie rock band Bombay Bicycle Club, and one hell of a talented individual to say the least. If you haven't stumbled across Steadman's solo materials,this is your time to catch up on the magic he's been making from the past couple of years. It was a bit difficult when choosing which song to feature on here... so spend some time on his SoundCloud where you'll find several free downloads as well as some unique twists to tracks you might be familiar with (cough cough for those who are BBC & Lucy Rose fans). 

ON AN ON | The Hood Internet | Remix

If you've had the chance to catch up with LYED by reading previous posts (including my guest post on Soundisstyle.com) you could tell that I'm very excited about this hauntingly beautiful trio that go by the name of ON AN ON. Tonight I stumbled across this lovely remix that is also a *FREE DOWNLOAD* by The Hood Internet of their most recent release titled "The Hunter" and off their forthcoming album titled Give In (on Roll Call Records), due out next month! The Hood Internet is from Chicago, which is the same area in which ON AN ON is stationed, and have made a major name for themselves in 2012 with releasing some of the most unique remixes of popular tracks from the past year. Let the vibes do the talking and check out the track below! Enjoy :)
ON AN ON - HUNTER (THE HOOD INTERNET REMIX) *Free Download*

LET YOUR EARS DECIDE

P.S. ON AN ON will be the supporting act for Geographer's upcoming US tour, including a few stops at my favorite music venues in California, for more information head to ON AN ON's website! 

Revisiting YouTube Narnia

It's been awhile since LYED last visited "that part of YouTube"... so let's begin! 

High Highs - "OPEN SEASON"

High Highs are Jack Milas, Oli Chang, and newly added drummer Zachary Lipkins who currently reside in NYC. "Open Season" is off their self-titled EP, released in 2011. You can grab the EP for a very low price on their BandCamp, and it's also available for your listening pleasure if you check out the playlist featured at the end of this post! Keep an eye (or ear) out for their debut record which is due out sometime next month!  

Cave Painting - "SO CALM"

If you're not sure who Cave Painting is, then we're on the same page. Not much is known about Cave Painting except that they're a group from the UK & was a recent supporting act for one of LYED's favorite finds of 2012, Alt-J! Much of today was spent listening to their debut album titled Votive Life, and it is suggested that you do the same. Good ol fashioned indie rock & plenty of shoegaze to keep your feet busy until the album ends...unless you're quick enough to hit the repeat button ;) 

To listen to the entire album on Spotify --> Cave Painting – Votive Life ! 

Letting Up Despite Great Faults - "HELIUM"

The right amount of lo-fi distortion paired with catchy background looping at best. LUDGF started in Los Angeles, California but is not situated in Austin, Texas! "Helium" was released as a solo single this year, but if you're interested in listening to Untogether, the most recent full-length release (October 2012) 

by LUDGF via Spotify - Letting Up Despite Great Faults – Untogether

Cherokee - "ONSET"

Now for some lovely French electronic vibes, because... why not? "Onset" is the first proper single from Cherokee & was released back in June of 2011, but it doesn't matter because you're hearing it now! When the repetition is groovy like this, 4 minutes & 30 seconds will fly by. 

Check out Cherokee's SoundCloud for more tunes, including their 2012 EP titled American Spirit.

Kartell - "COST OF LOVE"

Off Kartell's debut EP titled Riviera released back in May, I am a bit speechless. I love it so much that I included all 5 tracks (including the Darius remix of "Pantera) on the Spotify playlist featured below. If you thought this was it, head over to Kartell's SoundCloud for even more treats for your ears. Easy listeners paradise // Nu-disco French vibes. 

Now if that wasn't enough, here's a playlist featuring the artists above & a few more gems that have been Sunday favorites in the past. Enjoy! :)

TUNES FOR YOUR THURSDAY

To sum things up.. a lot has changed in the past couple of weeks! After 2 and a half months of living in Philadelphia, I made the decision to end my internship at Urban Outfitters Home Office a bit early & move to Fort Worth (Texas)! If you're a bit familiar with Fort Worth, I am now working at this lovely little location situated in the Cultural District! 

Feels like I've been playing the catchup game a little too much lately, so I decided to not only add a few songs but also a small Spotify playlist below for your listening pleasure :) 

ENJOY! 

Foals - "MY NUMBER"

This is for all of you who are just as much of a Foals fan as I am. A few weeks ago Foals stopped by "Later... With Jools Holland" to perform "My Number", a track off their forthcoming album titled Holy Fire. Earlier today Foals dropped the studio version of this track, and am still debating whether I liked the live or studio version better! Just in case you missed the news about "Inhaler" - the first track to be exposed from the upcoming album, check out the official video here! For those of you in the UK, Holy Fire will be released on February 11th & the US release date is February 12th! In my opinion, this is without a doubt one of the top albums to look forward to in 2013, as well as the upcoming albums for ON AN ON & Local Natives!  

The xx - "RECONSIDER" (Jamie XX Remix)
This is taken from Jamie's recent Boiler Room set, and when he dropped this - it definitely stood out to me. "Reconsider" was a bonus track off The XX's most recent album titled Coexist. I'm sure that last sentence didn't appear as something new to most of you, but if it did - don't worry! I was hoping that Jamie would include a couple snippets from Coexist, but I was a bit floored by the fact that he opened with a remix of "Reconsider".    If you missed the live set on Boiler Room TV you can find & listen to the audio HERE! To sum it up, it's 42 minutes & 54 seconds of smooth vibes and relaxing beats that will make your night end on a good note.

Kavinsky - "ProtoVision"

The name Kavinsky (aka Vincent Belorgrey) shouldn't come off as "mysterious". If you've seen the movie "Drive" starring Ryan Gosling, then you might be familiar with this tune that's also by Kavinsky.

"NIGHTCALL"
Hopefully by now things start to ring a bell ;). BACK TO PROTOVISION.. so it only makes sense to feature a dangerous yet classic car chase throughout the night in this video, because..well...what else do you imagine when you listen to Kavinsky? If you're one who loves a good night-time drive like I do, then you should without a doubt look into more of Kavinsky's material. You're welcome! ;)

Beach Fossils - "CARELESS"
This is off the upcoming album Clash The Truth, due out February 19th! I actually found out about this electro-pop group from working at Urban last year, and have been getting into them ever since! It seemed like this band had been weaving in and out of the spotlight lately, but it's probably because the members in Beach Fossils are also involved in side projects such as DIIV (who just wrapped up a small tour supporting one of my favorite bands JAPANDROIDS) & Heavenly Beat! So with all of this in mind, I am a bit curious & excited to hear the new album! 

YACHT - "SECOND SUMMER"
The dance/indie duo recently celebrated their 10 year anniversary of being a band, believe system, and business! This track was released as well as an intriguing and colorful  (to say the least) video to go with it directed by ADHD. It features the well-known YACHT "smiangle" coming to life and moving to the beat. Last week YACHT played a celebratory concert at the Echoplex in Los Angeles, and you can check out the pictures for yourself to see just how a party is thrown via L.A. RECORD. 

Hope you enjoyed this post! Feel free to check out the mini playlist I made of some stuff that I've been listening to lately, both new & old! I suggest you check out the latest material from Big Boi's album that feature one of my favorite duos - PHANTOGRAM!