HOLY GODS does this song make me want to get super, super faded in a park somewhere and watch the sun set in a haze of light pollution as the bar rats come out to play. “Alarm,” the second track off Wise Blood’s debut full-length id is an impossibly rich, layered, true weirdo banger – noise pushing up against melody, a song as algorithmic as it is wild. Chris Laufman, known for Wise Blood’s previous sample-pop tracks, keeps the whole thing straight with a slow, hot hip-hop beat that’s had me on this song all goddamn day.

Wise Blood’s id – produced by Nicolas Vernhes, who’s worked with Dirty Projectors and Animal Collective – is out June 25th on Dovecote.

STREAM: Wise Blood – “Alarm”

Darragh Nolan (Sacred Animals) is a rising name in the remix game, having already whipped up indie-experimental spins on tracks from Twin Shadow, Young Wonder, House of Wolves and more. His latest finds the Wexford-based producer reworking Pretty Heart‘s gorgeous entrancing single “Toy.” Nolan’s take on the track sounds a bit less brooding than the original, chopping Morgan Holliger’s vocals over dreamy toybox synths and percussion. Stream it below.

Sacred Animals’ remix of “Toy” will appear on his upcoming rework album, Versus.

STREAM: Pretty Heart – “Toy (Sacred Animals Remix)” [PREMIERE]

Black Atlass is the latest producer wünderkind to come from up north. Né Alex Fleming, the 18 year old London, Ontario artist is a newly minted member of the Fools Good family, so he must be doing something right. His debut self-titled EP is a fantastic six-track collection of moody electro-soul. The latest highlight from the release is “Paris,” a fuzzy, piano-driven track that sounds like a chopped up version of fellow Canadians Arcade Fire. Now that we think of it, his voice sounds a bit like Win Butler too. You can watch the new monochrome video for “Paris” above or stream it by itself below. If you want to hear more, check out the rest of the Black Atlass EP here.

STREAM: Black Atlass – “Paris”

Disclosure‘s “You & Me” has already seen official remixes from the likes of Baauer and Toro y Moi – diverse names that added unique twists to Disclosure’s collaboration with Eliza Doolittle. If the Brothers Lawrence have peer in the fast-rising producers rankings, it may in fact be Sydney-based Flume, whose dramatic, bass-driven brand of hip hop and electronic music has made him the toast of Down Under. The original track pairs Doolittle’s light, poppy vocals with Disclosure’s distinct, skittering drums and grooving basslines. Flume’s remix of “You & Me” – which he labeled as “Orchestral Crunkwave” on Soundcloud – opens with steadily building strings and Doolittle’s vocal, climbing until it descends into a wobbling, bombastic hip hop beat. Brash and broad synths almost sound like horns, like a vintage Trick Daddy beat updated for today’s electronic times (and who doesn’t miss Trick Daddy?). An elegant and simple breakdown with a steady quarter beat clap builds the energy back up to towering heights, before joyously tumbling back into frothy glory. Stream it below.

STREAM: Disclosure – “You & Me (Flume Remix)”

Until you watch this new Grouplove video, you can’t possibly know how satisfying it is to watch a day in the life of a chubby young Kim Jong-Un double who’s rocking a Hawaiian shirt, a solid bowl cut and a mission to revise the cruel legacies of his country’s dictatorship through flowers and an increasingly unfettered dance party. But once you’ve seen the video – and grooved along with the proletariat to the hook-heavy, irresistible summer-jam single – you (unlike the citizens of North Korea) will never be the same. Watch it above.

Grouplove’s new album Spreading Rumours is out September 17th via Canvasback/Atlantic.

STREAM: Grouplove – “Ways To Go”

Mad Decent’s Block Party is stepping things up this summer and making its away across the country, bringing along some of today’s finest acts in electronic music, hip hop and more. Lucky for DC, the party will be rolling through Merriweather on Friday, August 2nd with Major Lazer, Flosstradamus, SBTRKT, Anamanaguchi and more. We’ve got two tickets to give away for this shindig. What do you have to do to win?

Sure, this block party’s cool but nothing quite beats an actual one in the city. We want to know what street(s) in DC would be best suited for a good ol’ fashioned block party of your creation. Bonus points if you make up a name and line-up. Let us know in the comments below. Those of you who don’t win can grab tickets here. Have at it!

STREAM: Bruno Mars – “Locked Out Of Heaven (Major Lazer Remix)”

Next Thursday, June 20th we’re incredibly excited to welcome one of our favorite bands of the past year — The 1975 — to the U Street Music Hall stage. The Manchester outfit has had quite a 2013, most recently capping off their four-EP series with IV, a five-track release showcasing their biggest tracks yet. You’ll get the chance to see those and other cuts in full force, along with a special opening set from Melbourne’s Alpine, another one of this year’s best rising acts. Yeah, this one’s going to be good.

This all goes down next Thursday, June 20th at U Street Music Hall. Limited tickets are available now for $12 advance or $15 at the door. Grab yours at the link below.

STREAM: Alpine – “Gasoline”

Betty Who? Betty Who. Stop asking questions and start listening. The 6’2 Sydney native has an irresistible ’80s pop feel fused with Katy Perry lyrics and Robyn beats. Her self-released EP The Movement draws influence form Joni Mitchell, Carole King, Missy Higgins, M83 and MGMT. A seriously eclectic grouping at first sight, but upon further reflection a compilation of prominent singer-songwriters (a category that Betty herself can be filed under).

Who’s hit “High Society” was recently remixed by the production/DJ duo The Soundmen. A song that already had a light, free-spirited feel, The Soundmen manage to elicit feelings of summer nostalgia. Perhaps it is the MTUME sample 3 minutes in (hello “Juicy“) that has got me bopping, but I can’t help but anticipate the feel of the sun on my face and the breeze flowing through my hair as I zoom around town with the windows down blasting Betty Who for the world to hear.  She is going to be huge guys, so get on board now…WHO WHOOOOO. Stream below.

STREAM: Betty Who – “High Society (The Soundmen Remix)”

It’s always interesting to see seminal records get the “official remix” treatment where modern producers are given the master tapes and freedom to run wild. These projects typically end up in two categories: one filled with great tracks that subtly re-imagine the originals to highlight a unique instrument or groove, and one filled with train wrecks. This mix from My Morning Jacket front man Jim James is one of the good ones.

The apparent goal was to highlight the amazing vocals above all else; the mix largely does away with the staccato piano rhythm that defines the original and starts off with nothing but the vocals and a minimalistic bass synth that wouldn’t sound out of place on a Postal Service B-side. As the song progresses, little bits of other instruments come into play – some splashy drums here, a lush guitar solo there, a little bit of the Hammond B3 organ – until the mix starts to glue together. If you told me this was a Soulwax production, I’d believe you. I mean that in a good way. Stream it below.

The rest of Legend: Remixed drops June 25th and there’s sure to be more tracks trickling out in the coming weeks. Stay tuned.

STREAM: Bob Marley & The Wailers – “Waiting In Vain (Jim James Remix)”

CHVRCHES‘ latest electro-pop gem “Gun” gets spun on its head with a moody remix from South Londoner Jamie Isaac. The young producer trades the sparkling synths of the original for distant chords, sacrifices some of the infectious vocal hooks and lowers the pace several notches, all without losing the intensity of Lauren Mayberry’s vocals. It’s gentle and dark off-kilter jazz that brings to mind some of the very best aspects of English electronic music at the moment. We know you’re already keeping an eye on CHVRCHES, but the 18-year-old’s latest remix serves notice to keep an eye on him as well. Stream it below.

STREAM: CHVRCHES – “Gun (Jamie Isaac Remix)”