Soundclouds of the Underground: Study Break Edition

ABOVE: JACK DAVEY. IMAGE COURTESY OF NAI VASHA

These days, music truly lives online, with an infinite number of websites dedicated to hosting tunes for the laptop-wielding masses. However, the web’s bottomless pit of blogs isn’t the only place to troll for mp3 treasures—some of the most new and exciting (Internet-friendly) artists can be sought out via Soundcloud, the online stage that allows musicians to promote and distribute their music to fans and friends across the globe. In this weekly column, expert Internet sleuth Alex Chapman goes deep into the depths of the music-sharing site, in hopes of shedding light on emerging acts, as well as sharing some digital diamonds in the rough.

Although 2012 hasn’t completely reached its close, the student population is inching towards their respective semesters’ ends, with only final exams standing in the way of a holiday vacation (if you have already reached your year’s academic finish line, we say congrats to you). We here at Soundclouds of the Underground are proud supporters of education, but we also know firsthand that a little break from the flashcards and study sessions can go a long way. That being said, we’ve found three fresh tracks that facilitate some escape from the tasks at hand. So listen, get some rest, work hard, and good luck!

Who: Jack Davey, the female half of the funkified Future & B band J Davey, has a voice that transcends genre—a bit rock & roll and a whole lot of soul, Miss Davey seems to find comfort in just about any stretch of musical space, which makes her all the more fun to listen to.

The Song: Badassery beams out of this grungy track from Davey’s new two-part solo project, Lo-F! With spoken word verses, an energetic chorus and fast-paced, distorted instrumentation, the husky-voiced singer invites us to “take a look around”—if her commanding cool doesn’t inspire you to drop your pencil and indulge in a momentary shimmy, we’re simply not sure what will.

Current Project: The “D’lux” version of Lo-F!, featuring new bonus tracks, is available on Jack Davey’s official website.

Serious Thugs: “Link Ting (Other Girls):

Who: Relatively new to the scene as a collective, the UK’s Serious Thugs is a wildly entertaining trio of rapper Yung Williuminati, vocalist Alis Pelleschi, and producer DJ Warlord.

The Song: The addictive, synth-driven grime jam is a great breaktime booty-shaker, perfectly straddling the line between sexy and silly. The Internet anthem follows a couple being torn apart by technology—Yung Willuminati pleads his case, arguing that his external online affairs are only a “link ting,” but Alis retorts, saying that she thought the two were “like Beyonce and Jay-Z.” Sigh… aren’t arguments like this what love is all about?

Current Project: The video for “Link Ting” is swiftly taking the web by storm—you can watch it here. Otherwise, stay tuned to Serious Thugs via their Facebook page.

BenZel: “Fallin’ Love (Demo)”

Who: Having allegedly met in a message board focusing on ankle socks (sure, why not), Osaka-born teens Umi Takahashi, 15, and Yoko Watanabe,16, operate under the moniker Benzel, making forward-thinking tunes nostalgic for R&B that existed before the two were born. The production team has gotten quite a bit of online love for their collaboration with breakout British star Jessie Ware, a sultry cover of ’90s girl group Brownstone’s “If You Love Me.”

The Song: When you have to get back to the books, a cool-down track, like the groovy “Fallin’ Love,” can serve you well. Pulling such impressively random samples as SWV and Missy Elliot’s “Can We” and Craig David’s “Insomnia,” the duo chops apart the old tracks into something entirely new; a sublime R&B song with a heavy kick dream and sublime, oscillating synths.

Current Project: Benzel is keeping elusive about their upcoming moves, but keep on eye on their official site for info as it appears.

For more Soundclouds of the Underground click here.