It’s Friday, which means another installment of our regular roundup of downloadable MP3 goodness from around the web. This week there’s another new track from the new Why? album, some reissued goodness from Chris and Cosey and Crime & the City Solution, AC Newman’s entry in the Song Title of the Year competition, killer mixes from Nicolas Jaar and Blackest Ever Black, and a whole heap more. Since all this action costs precisely nothing, what are you waiting for? All the download links await after the jump.
Why? — “Strawberries” We’ve generally been skeptical of Yoni Wolf and his Weezer-hop over the years, but we have to admit that we’ve liked what we’ve heard of upcoming record Mumps, Etc. — and especially this track, which among other things features the giggle-inducing line, “The shit I’ve said to hotel managers haunts me.” Download it via Stereogum.
Chris and Cosey — “Heartbeat” We generally only post new MP3s here, but with one of our favorite blogs — the consistently excellent 20 Jazz Funk Greats — posting some old Chris and Cosey stuff this week, we thought we’d share the wealth. As they say, “we couldn’t bear thinking that even a single one of you, perchance young & impressionable, may be saved from hell/decadent synthetic limbo by not being exposed to these samples of the virus when they may still represent damnation.” Accept salvation here.
AC Newman — “Encyclopedia of Classic Takedowns” Say hello to a new contender for the coveted “Year’s Best Song Title” prize. The song’s not half bad, either — you can get hold of it via Matador’s Matablog, which is generally a fine place to go hunting for new and interesting sounds.
Cat Power — “Silence Machine” If you haven’t got a copy of Sun yet (in which case, shame on you), then you can grab this song for free — today only — from KCRW.
Crime & the City Solution — “I Have the Gun” Well, now. These Australian post-punk types once counted the great Rowland S. Howard and Swell Maps’ drummer Kevin “Epic Soundtracks” Godfrey among their ranks, and released several of the 1980s’ most underrated records. They re-formed late last year with a new line-up (featuring Dirty Three’s Jim White) and have a new record due for release sometime in 2013. In the meantime, there’s a best-of compilation out next week, from which you can grab this track — originally from 1990 album Paradise Discotheque — for free. It’s available via the band’s Soundcloud.
Inc. — “The Place” You know R&B is making a comeback when eve 4AD is signing bands who sound like this. Ye gods. Get “The Place” via Pitchfork.
Lucius — “Turn It Around” Meanwhile, this is what the new Tegan and Sara song should have been — a snappy, well-crafted three-and-a-half-minute track that’s dripping with pop smarts. You can get it here (you may need to right-click that link to download).
Michael Mayer — “Good Times” “No hesitation/ No obligation/ Sweet temptation/ Let’s just have a good time.” Wow. Kompakt luminary Michael Mayer is mellowing in his old(ish) age, isn’t he? This track is available via ye olde Quietus, and you can get it here.
Nicolas Jaar — “Essential Mix” Frankly, we haven’t gotten all the way through this epic two-hour mix as yet, but it’s worth downloading for the first four minutes alone. Trust us on this. It’s available via RCRD LBL.
Blackest Ever Black — “Hastily Cobbled Together Mix” And while the title doesn’t exactly promise a great deal, you can’t really go wrong with excellent London label Blackest Ever Black — this mix was put together as a preview of a party the label is holding in London next month, and despite a couple of “monstrous cross-fades,” it’s still worth downloading, which you can do right here.