Friday Fascination: Panama

This is definitely not the first time I've fallen in love with a song from this sleek duo from Australia, but Panama's (not to be confused with Panama Wedding) most recent release "Jungle" is something to grow an immediate fascination about. It's a known fact that Panama's craft is creating music that gets the feet moving, but relaxes the mind almost instantly. Their 2013 sophomore EP titled Always was one of my favorites from the year, and since then it's been rather quiet. The proper release for "Jungle" is June 5th, but you can listen to the track above via SoundCloud, and peep the music video that was directed by Fabian Rottger & Vivien Weyrauch at A Nice Idea Everyday

Do your ears a favor and go visit Panama on SoundCloud, you can thank me later. http://wearepanamatheband.com/

LYED SXSW 2014 Wish List

South By Southwest (SXSW) is one of the best places to discover new & rising talent - or see Lady Gaga perform at the Doritos stage? Either way, if you make your way to Austin, Texas this year - you're bound to witness events that are equal parts weird & amazing. Last year was a great experience for me personally, and definitely opened up my eyes to more than what I had imagined SXSW to be. All I have to say is: be prepared to run around (aka wear comfortable shoes) & always have a few extra backup plans because as the week goes on - the crowd multiplies and you might not get to see who you originally wanted to. If that has to happen - look at the bright side, take a chance and go see someone relatively *new* or venture to one of the smaller venues for a showcase, because you'll never know if you'll see those artists in such a small setting ever again. 
This year I'll only be there from 03/14-03/16 (Friday-Sunday) but if I was going to be there for the entire Music portion of the fest, here's who I'd definitely make plans to see! (Cross your fingers I'll get to see the ones who are still playing shows while I'm there.) 

My SXSW Wish List
(in no particular order)

1. Torres
Learn more about this talented singer-songwriter from when I first fell in love with her back in September.

2. Future Islands

3. Tomas Barfod 

03/15 HYPE HOTEL - ISO50 + No Fear of Pop (1pm)

 After reading that Nina Kinert will also be at SXSW this year, I hope the two of them perform a bit together since Nina supplies most of the vocals on Barfod's well-known tracks. 

4. Chela

5. Scavenger Hunt
(SH was one of my favorite finds from 2013, and you can check out their Friday Fascination feature here!)

6. Painted Palms

7. The Casket Girls

8. Young Summer

(Stumbling upon Young Summer was a real treat, check out her FF feature on the blog here!)
03/12: The Iron Bear - 121 W 8th St, Austin, TX (9pm)


9. Wye Oak

03/12: Hype Machine + Consequence of Sound @ Hype Hotel (4pm)
03/13: KUTX Austin @ Four Seasons Hotel Austin (10am)
03/13: Merge Records Official Showcase @ The Parish(11:45pm)
03/14: KEXP + Merge Records 25th Anniversary @ Mellow Johnny's Bike Shop (12pm)
03/14: The A.V. Club Rainey Day Party @ The Blackheart(4pm)


10.Temples
(This UK psychedelic band won my ears over last summer, and it wasn't long before I had to feature them on the blog.)

03/13: South By San Jose (3pm)
03/14: SPIN Day Party (1:30-2pm)

11. Panama

12. Wolf Alice
03/14 All Things Go + Indie Shuffle Showcase @Maggie Mae's Rooftop (11pm)
http://www.eventbrite.com/e/all-things-go-indie-shuffle-sxsw-2014-showcase-tickets-10820431201

If you're on the hunt for finding more artists, check out this: THE AUSTIN 100: A SXSW 2014 Mix for NPR or Showlist Austin.
Hope everyone has a great time in ATX!  xx -Emz

Some Remixes + Listen to Sam Smith's debut EP 'Nirvana'

It's been awhile since I posted a handful of remixes that I can't seem to stray away from, but guess what - here they are.

I've been a huge fan of the mysterious Baardsen's previous remixes for artists such as Grimes & Dan Croll, so when I found out "Biggy" by Warpaint was the latest project - I didn't waste time in looking it up. Smooth and synth-y, just how I like it. Listen to the original here! 

The last track on Panama's debut Always EP is a pleasant remix from Sydney duo Cosmo's Midnight. Listen to the entire EP on Spotify here! 

Not only are The 1975 amazing at making music, but their ability to remix practically anyone else's music seems like a walk in the park. Ever since James Vincent McMorrow released his sophomore album Post Tropical, I haven't gone a day without listening to it. This is a dreamy remix that flows just as well as the original. Check it out! 

Michael David & Tyler Blake aka Classixx transformed "Is This How You Feel?" by Sydney five-piece The Preatures into one of the grooviest tracks my ears have ever heard. Another Classixx remix you should check out is of Panama's "Always." 

P.S. Catch both The Preatures & LA duo Classixx at this year's Coachella

Today Sam Smith's debut EP Nirvana was released in the US & boy is it a keeper! Listen above via Spotify and you'll find a variety of material including his acoustic version of "Latch." Sam Smith is definitely on my list of must-see artists of 2014 after hearing nothing but great things about his two-day residency at Troubadour in West Hollywood. 

Pick it up on iTunes here! 

LYED Favorite Treats of 2013: The EPs

Welp, it's that time of the year again when music writers & bloggers from all over post their "end of the year" lists. Last year I was a little late to the party, so this year I'm doing things a little different. Below are 16 EP's (also known as Extended Play) from this year that we really had a thing for. Most of these EP's were the first proper release from the artist, or were a form of a follow-up to the last studio release. They're in no specific order, although I will say one thing - Phantogram's self-titled release & Young Wonder's sophomore EP didn't make it far from leaving the repeat button. 

I'm well aware that I'm might be leaving out a few from the list, but hey I'm not trying to post a novel here. Feel free to leave your thoughts/comments/concerns below &

stay tuned for more treats of 2013!   

Dan Croll - From Nowhere

Phantogram - Phantogram

Panama - Always

Iggy Azalea - Change Your Life

Young Wonder - Show Your Teeth

Flume & Chet Faker - Lockjaw

Fmlybnd - Gold

Jessie Ware - If You're Never Gonna Move 

FKA twigs - EP2

Jaymes Young - Dark Star 

Bear's Den - Agape

Sir Sly - Gold

Tennis - Small Sound

MØ - Bikini Daze EP

Cold War Kids - Tuxedos

Kitten - Like A Stranger