stream | postiljonen | on the run

summer's so frickin close to being a real thing up here. while we continue to make every attempt to get through these last painstaking weeks of portland's offensively exaggerated winter, it's more than nice to receive a bit of a morale boost in the form of an ideal, chilled-out summer jam—a taste of things to come. sweden's postiljonen recently dropped a tiny-bit-dope track by the name of "on the run," as if it were a direct response to our stifled cries for less rain crud and more summer fun.  floating, dreamy vocals hover above a subdued synth and marching snare, creating a laid-back, whimsical pop jam that does well to usher in the impending warmth of june.  and to top it off, their album skyer drops next week. summer, let's go.

photo | dslr | may thirteen

mp3 | joey bada$$ | word is bond

the brooklyn born upstart is at it again. "word is bond," the first single released from joey bada$$' upcoming summer knights mixtape, is exactly what we've come to expect and hope for out of the young hip hop scholar. produced by bostonian statik selektah, the track is a banger from beginning to end, a concise and clean cut founded upon crisp snares and hi-hats and fleshed-out with a fleeting, fluttering piano melody.  joey's verses soar effortlessly above the beat with a sense of ease and urgency, balancing his aggressive flow against controlled and masterful delivery. since the stellar 1999 release last year, there's been little worth mention out of the youngin, but when he's on it, he makes it look easy—like he was born to do it.  stream the track above and be sure to snag the (right click, save link as) download here before the link blows up.

previously on butyouwould: joey bada$$ »

stream | baths | miasma sky

will wiesenfield, more commonly known as baths, the los angeles-based producer responsible for 2010's top-notch cerulean is poised to drop his second full-length: obsidian.  at the time of this post, the youngster's new album is quite literally moments from its release date and it seems appropriate—almost obligatory—to feature a track from his promising sophomore effort.  "miasma sky" was the first single released from his forthcoming lp, hitting the web about two months ago.  the track employs baths' prevalent falsetto vocals over an intricately weaved and delicately layered tapestry of gentle synths, muddy bass lines and crisp drums.  with any luck, this is old news and simply a reminder to most of you.  if you're into it, be sure to check out obsidian, released tomorrow via one of our most nostalgic labels, anticon.

photo | dslr | may thirteen

stream | alela diane | about farewell

it's been a bit of a struggle to consider an approach in properly featuring a song like alela diane's "about farewell." the nevada city, california native and current portland, oregon transplant has created a number of memorable tracks since her first self-released album ten years ago, but this one eclipses and transcends them all. we're tempted to say nothing, as the song speaks for itself, in an irrefutably graceful, delicate and conversely jarring fashion, foregoing superficial pitfalls on a direct route to one's beating core.  everything that could be said of "about farewell" is already conveyed within the song itself, and with a grace and authenticity that'd likely render our words redundant and uninspired by comparison.  it's not as though diane is breaking new ground here and in a lot of ways it's a tired and abused style—it's simply the degree of craftsmanship with which she's so deftly honed a concise and genuine delivery that allows her music to resonate and put her at the forefront of an otherwise congested, boring genre.  maybe we're just crushin'.  "about farewell" is the second single from her upcoming full-length that shares the same name.  give it a stream above.

photo set | dslr | may thirteen

mp3 | chance the rapper | chain smoker

it's been a while since we've thrown some hiphop on the blog and during our down time we missed some top-notch crud. at the forefront of those neglected is chicago's own chancelor bennett, aka chance the rapper and his unreal acid rap mixtape. facilitated by some of today's better up-and-coming producers and the development of a style that remains fresh in an ultimately stagnant scene, chance owns his approach and delivery in a way that feels authentic and genuine. granted, his form isn't for everyone but afforded a few listens, there's an underlying talent and precision that's virtually undeniable. aside from occasionally sounding too whiny on a couple verses, chance's second mixtape is a cohesive and uniquely rewarding experience. boasting an impressive list of featured artists to boot, it's more than worth a look at. stream one of our favorites, "chain smoker" produced by nate fox above and grab the (right click, save link as) download here. if you like what you hear be sure to grab acid rap in its entirety via audiomack.

photo set | dslr | may thirteen

stream | dead ghosts | when it comes to you

it's dumped rain for the past four days up here.  on the three minute walk to popeyes we hit a patch of sun, existing in a moment alongside a prevailing downpour. the warmth alone was enough to incite an involuntary smile; a three minute window of reprieve—just like this little jam.  super dope segue.  we featured dead ghost's "roky said" a couple months back and have been running their second full-length can't get no on the reg. but to forego mention of their 2010 debut self-titled album entirely, would be a disservice to the canadian jammers and you guys alike. "when it comes to you" is lighthearted, jangly, rock and roll at its finest, often conjuring parallels to the likes of king khan and the bbq show. dirty, crashing symbols, cathartic twangy riffs and the colorfully distorted vocals of eras passed is what dead ghosts do best and this track is no exception.  stream one of many great joints from the bands first full-length above.

previously on butyouwould: dead ghosts »

UPDATE:

dearest friends and followers,

turns out art school is a fuckin' drag on the livelihood of blogs.  but summer is here and like that galvanizing golden sun, we're back!  you guys can expect daily updates and a wealth of new and original content.  thanks for hanging around; we'll make it up to you in the coming months.  and alongside the dreary quietus of a returning winter we will disappear beyond the footlamps once more, like so many lumbering beasts, receding into the enveloping empty vastness that is the system of higher education.

fondly,

michael // butyouwould

stream | boards of canada | reach for the dead

the scottish brothers marcus and mike sandison, better known as boards of canada, have been in the game longer than most, with a number of cassette releases dating back as far as the late eighties. they have however, been under wraps since 2005 - which is a hiatus we've been less than down with.  to our—among everyone else's—delight, their first single "reach for the dead" from their upcoming full length tomorrow's harvest (june 11 in north america via warp records) just hit the web and while it feels as though it could be more of a teaser than a real indication of what to expect, it's top-notch, quintessential boards of canada.  sparse, subtle, delicate and deliberate, the track is simultaneously unsettling and promising.  ten years ago it took us time to consider and ultimately appreciate what these guys do—an investment that's more than paid off as the duo continue to create beautifully minimal and concise work.  stream their latest above, check out the video directed by neil krug below and stay the heck out of that rain.

stream | lightning dust | diamond

it's been a long day and a dreary one, still. as such, we'll keep up with this chilled-out wave we've been riding for the past few nights. jagjaguwar has consistently been at the forefront concerning modern indie labels, fostering talent across various music frontiers and producing artists that generally remain prolific, influential and inspired. the canadian duo known as lightning dust—which is evidently a little pony—created the band as a diversion from their primary work as black mountain, releasing a couple albums a few years back as well as a brand new full-length, fantasy—which is slated to drop on june 25.  exploring a minimal and wonderfully eighties vibe, "diamond" lunges along, employing a mellow pacing and bass-line that's as dirty as it is catchy.  amber webber's vocals gently bounce alongside joshua wells' bare-bones track, forming a docile pop jam that plays perfectly against the sound of incessant rain.  though, we're suckers for everything eighties, you know this.  give their debut single a well-deserved stream above and we'll keep our eyes out for a legit download, as always.

mp3 | ryan hemsworth | still awake ep

one of our favorite producers to emerge over the last couple years, ryan hemsworth, just released a new (free) ep for you and everyone else:

thank you for downloading this and putting it on your computer laptop iphone palm pilot, whatever, and listening to it while you’re doing stuff in the world. it’s free, so share it with anyone you think would like it. or keep it to yourself. cause it’s for you :) 

while the album marks a subtle departure from his earlier work, it's a perfect fit for the weather and this dreary business we've been working on since yesterday. still awake is a seven track album that ostensibly represents a period of inward reflection and self-exploration in the young artists life and career. deliberate and calculated melodies float weightlessly above the hip-hop rooted bass lines and crisp snares we've come to expect from hemsworth, developing an intricate and endearing soundtrack to a fully realized dreamscape. stream one of our favorites from the album above, (right click, save link as) download it here and head over here to download the entire ep - free! it's still raining and we're still drenched.

previously on butyouwould: ryan hemsworth »

mp3 | ladyfrnd | un petit message

portland is dreary as crud and looking to stay that way for the next week. in an attempt to enjoy the quiet, drenched nights we will be working to throw up some chilled out, and relatively subdued jams over the next few days. vancouver's humans spin-off ladyfrnd seems as good a place as any to start: "un petit message" is straightforward and uncomplicated. produced by peter ricq, the track employs a simple synth melody against soft drum-machine thumps that propel the delicate, yet, by contrast, piercing vocals of yuki holland to a gentle crescendo. it's ideal for a calm, rain-soaked night in the city.  the canadian duo are set to release their self-titled debut album on july 15 - check out the first single above and head over to their bandcamp where you can name your own price for the download.

mp3 | the orwells | other voices

the five chicago-based youngsters known as the orwells have been garnering a great deal of hype and love since they emerged with their top-notch, debut full-length remember when last summer.  the jangly, give-a-fuck, rock and roll is simple and unapologetic, relying on deftly executed riffs and catchy melodies to create a sound that's more than rewarding and entirely addictive.  "other voices" is the first of five tracks to hit the web from their upcoming - and aptly titled - other voices ep, which is slated for a june 26 release.  the album will include two iterations of the single: the original and a version produced by tv on the radio's dave sitek.  both are bangers, though, sitek seems to bring something to the table that wasn't necessarily missing before, but is far from unwelcome.  stream sitek's version above and be sure to grab the the orwells' originally produced (right click, save link as) download here.

photo | dslr | may thirteen

photo set | dslr | may thirteen

photo set | dslr | may thirteen

photo | dslr | april thirteen

mp3 | wampire | trains

it's been a while. the combination of finals, a propensity for procrastination and impressively poor time-management skills have found a way to leech the life from myself and all of my creative outlets.  i guess that's art school. but, for now, we're back! and with a great new track from portland's own wampire. we featured their breakout banger "the hearse" a couple months back, but with their first full-length, curiosity due for a may 14 release date, it only makes sense to highlight another of their topnotch tracks. while one could genuinely showcase any of the nine tracks off the upcoming release, "trains," has stolen our hearts and been on -- admittedly -- more than a couple recent playlists. rather than give you guys the rundown, we'll humbly suggest simply giving it a stream above. then grab that (right click, save link as) download here.

previously on butyouwould: wampire »