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 long, long-awaited track from resurgent ’90s icons Redd Kross, a descent to the ocean floor with Bon Iver How to Dress Well, new work from Yeasayer and Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros, an M83 remix for those not sick of M83, and the answer to the question that’s been bugging everyone: how come they don’t sell batteries on the subway any more? 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.
Redd Kross — “Researching the Blues” Well, now. Yay for the return of Redd Kross, who are finally releasing a new studio album, some five years after they got back together to play a bunch of festivals and etc. The album’s called Researching the Blues, and it’s out in August — this is the title track, and it’s available for free download via SoundCloud.
How to Dress Well — “Ocean Floor for Everything” Here’s a track that sounds pretty much exactly like its title — if we ever descended in a bathysphere to the bottom of the Marianas, we can certainly imagine the journey being soundtracked by this aquatic R&B number. It’s more than a little Bon Iver, terrifyingly, but it’s still worth a listen here.
Yeasayer — “Henrietta” Occasional DJs and former Pitchfork favorites Yeasayer are back with a new record, which is blessed with the curious title Fragrant World and preceded by a single called “Henrietta,” which is available via the band’s website. Get it right here.
M83 — “Reunion (Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. Remix)” If the ubiquity of “Midnight City” hasn’t turned you off M83 forever, then you may be interested in getting hold of this remix of “Reunion,” which premiered earlier this week at Stereogum. It’s by amusingly named Detroit duo Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr., and you can get it here.
Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros — “I Don’t Want to Pray” Meanwhile, here’s a track from the new Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros record, which sounds, um, as one might expect. As with all KCRW’s downloads, it’s available today (Friday) only, so get onto it quickly — click here to download.
Perfume Genius — “Rusty Chains” The pernicious Bon Iver influence is spreading, it appears, if this piece of epic piano balladry and spacious production from Perfume Genius is anything to go by. We’re not sure how we feel about this, to be honest, but you can make up your own mind right here.
Age of Consent — “Ghost Rider” Suicide covers seem to be all the rage at the moment — there was Neneh Cherry’s unexpectedly awesome take on “Dream Baby Dream,” and this is a cover of “Ghost Rider” by London duo Age of Consent, which takes the original and turns it into something that sounds like it could come off an ’80s horror movie soundtrack. It even has Alan Vega-style yelps and screams! Grab it via 20 Jazz Funk Greats.
Childish Gambino feat. Heems — “Tell Me” Prefix have posted a radio rip of a new track by Childish Gambino, featuring a guest appearance by Heems of Das Racist. It’s pretty great, both because it’s pretty much perfect for soundtracking a summer afternoon sitting on a stoop drinking beer in Brookyln, and because it namedrops tUnE-yArDs. And features the line, “How come they don’t sell batteries on the train no more?/ I guess it’s because the iPod came out.” Well, yes. Grab it here.
DOOM x Oh No — “3 Dollars” Also on the hip hop front, here’s a new track by Stones Throw signees Oh No, featuring the man formerly known as MF DOOM on vocals. The track has a pleasantly old school vibe, built around a horn sample and a bit of dialogue that sounds like it’s from some sort of old film, and it’s available via Gorilla Vs Bear.
Crocodiles — “Endless Flowers” And finally, we kinda spaced on this one last week, but we thought we’d rectify our oversight this week, because we’re big fans of San Francisco neo-pysch types Crocodiles — this is the title track from the band’s upcoming new album Endless Flowers, and it’s available (in exchange for your email address) from RCRD LBL.