It’s Friday, and we’re back with another installment of our regular roundup of downloadable MP3 goodness from around the web. This week, there’s a new Nas track, which features an appearance by the late and lamented Amy Winehouse. There’s also new Azealia Banks, a killer Coil remix, new tracks from Mi Ami and Tacocat, what Coco Gordon Moore did next, and more Lil B than anyone could conceivably want, ever. EVER. In other words, there’s plenty of interesting sounds awaiting you after the jump, and since they won’t cost a penny or land you an RIAA lawsuit, as your attorneys we advise you to start downloading immediately.
Nas feat Amy Winehouse — “Cherry Wine” There’s something that’ll always be more than a little depressing about hearing Amy Winehouse’s voice coming out of your speakers, no matter how long it’s been since her tragic death. So it is with this track, which despite being really rather good — it finds Winehouse sounding great on the hook, and Nas’s general renaissance continuing during the verses — is nevertheless difficult listening. But still, download it here.
Azealia Banks feat Styles P — “Nathan” More free Azealia Banks action, featuring the rapper’s trademark hyperspeed pottymouthed rhyming. And she looks so nice! Get it via SoundCloud.
Tacocat — “Spring Break Up” Yay for weed-obsessed Seattle punks Tacocat, who are back with another exuberantly poppy gem of a song, just in time for the weekend. Excellent. It’s yours if you can brave Brooklyn Vegan.
Mi Ami — “Time of Love” The consistently excellent 100% Silk label haven’t really put a foot wrong yet, and that’s certainly not about to change with this track, which is from Decades, Mi Ami’s upcoming record for the aforementioned label. It’s brooding space-y disco par excellence — get it via 20 Jazz Funk Greats.
Coil — “Teenage Lightning” (Surgeon remix) Behold: a remix of experimental pioneers Coil by UK producer Surgeon, which we spotted via our friends at The Quietus. The producer explains the story behind the remix on his SoundCloud page, where the track is up for download: “To accompany the 2001 re-releases of their first 3 albums, Coil decided to also release a vinyl box set edition which would include a 12″ of remixes by Autechre and Surgeon. The remixes were completed and approved by Coil, but the project stayed on the shelf. Sadly since then both John Balance and Peter Christopherson have both died and it’s with the greatest respect to their memories that I make this remix publicly available.” Bravo. Get it here.
Ghosting Season — “A Muffled Sound of Voices” (alternate version) Rarely have a band been better named than Ghosting Season — if you like atmospheric, rhythmic, slightly spooky music, you’ll probably like this alternate version of a track from the band’s excellent debut The Very Last of the Saints, which came out earlier this year. Get it via XLR8R.
Big Nils — “Looking Through My Eyeballs” If you don’t recognize the band name, chances are you’ll recognize the singer — one Coco Gordon Moore, who bears an ever more striking resemblance to both her parents with every passing day. This is the closing track to her band’s upcoming 7″, and it’s fairly bratty high school punk that’s not without its charms. It’s available for whatever you’d like to pay via Bandcamp.
Gatekeeper — “Tree Drum” We missed this last week, but we’re generally all for anything on LA label Hippos in Tanks, and so we thought we’d correct the oversight this week. We’re not quite sure what you’d call this — maybe it’s time to invent another genre name! — but in the meantime, we’ll stick with something like “weird ambient rainforest-y sounds that devolve into a pretty nasty 8-bit groove.” We’re rather impressed that it comes with a font download, too. Get the whole package via Soundcloud.
Ethan Ballinger — “What You Done To Me” We don’t know a whole lot about Nashville singer/songwriter Ethan Ballinger, but we like what we hear — songs that are spacious, understated yet effective. Apparently his debut record — from which this track is taken — was recorded entirely at Ballinger’s home, which rather impressive in our book. The track’s available for a name-your-price download from his Bandcamp.
Lil B — Everything, ever And finally, if your life needs 5GB of Lil B — 848 tracks, to be precise — then look no further.