Another one from Banner’s Sex, Drugs, and Video Games mixtape, hitting May 22nd. You can donate to Banner’s project campaign here.

A little something from Blu’s upcoming NoYork! album. Meanwhile, we’ll have a review for the official release of Her Favorite Colo(u)r on the site soon.

LISTEN: Blu – “Doin’ Something” (feat. Pac Div, U-N-I, J*Davey, TiRon, Ayomari)

Blu – “Doin’ Something” (feat. Pac Div, U-N-I, J*Davey, TiRon, Ayomari)

First selection from Blu’s upcoming No York LP, which definitely is on some other shit. Production goes to the far reaches of space, yet with two talents like Blu and Jack Davey attached, they make it work with ease.

LISTEN: Blu – “Everythings OK” (feat. Jack Davey)

Blu – “Everything’s Okay” (feat. Jack Davey)

Evil Christian Cop was inspired by the dark undercurrents that exist in the phrase “To protect and serve.” As producer Brook D’Leau explains, “Why should we rely on an evil stranger to protect and serve when you have the power to protect and serve yourself?” The EP features co-production by Greg Wells (“Teen Spirit”), GB (“Lazy Daze”), and LA-based lyricist DefSound. Full of synths, alluring vocals, and distinct production, the seductive twosome provide a dreamy soundscape for listeners to lose themselves in. Jack Davey and Brook leave all interpretations up to the listener. “We cannot provide the message, we simply provide the mental playground for the listeners’ minds to go wild upon,” says Brook.

Bay Area production team return with all new remix album/mixtape thing, where they reimagine tracks from Zero 7, PPP, Kid Cudi, Common, Kanye West, J*DaVey, Zo! & Tigallo, Janelle Monet, Wale, Kenna, Chromeo, and more.

Trackademiks Remix Tape Vol. 3 (Mixtape)

Feverish anticipation continues to rise as Jack Davey and Brook D’Leau of J*DaVeY ready the release of their Warner Bros. album, New Designer Drug, for the world. Fortunately, J*DaVeY has prepared another visual feast to indulge those among us who cannot wait to get another fix from the genre bending duo with their new video for “Outta The Window.” Electro sounds from the future collide with pop and soul sensibilities from way back when in this video that finds space age curiosities unfolding in a desert dystopia.

Helmed by director V-Chip, “Outta The Window” was brought to life through an organic guerilla-style shoot. “One camera, awesome location, awesome talent and a ton of creativity” explains V-Chip. Originally envisioned as an adventure through an ethereal abandoned carnival, the video took on a new life of its own once the crew discovered a desolate Mad Max-esque setting for the shoot. “In the end this location was so great,” says Jack Davey, “All we needed was a camera, a few cool outfit changes, a psychedelic Indian, colored smoke balls and props found in the rubble.” The otherworldly spirit of the video did not confine itself to the set, as Jack Davey returned to his car after shooting, only to find the battery drained of all life. “The sun was setting and the demolished buildings eerily lurked around us… it seemed to be the start of a horror flick as we waited for a triple tow truck to find us” recalls Jack. Luckily, J*DaVeY were rescued from the clutches of the shadows, and now Jack and Brook invite you to take a journey into the mirage of the mind with them.

V-Chip directed vid, taken from J*DaVey’s “Boudoir Synema: The Great Mistapes” EP, released for free on Bandcamp late last year.

J*DaVey’s “Boudoir Synema: The Great Mistapes” EP

The sound of J*DaVeY is hard to explain. Broken down to it’s very last compound, it could be described as “neo-soul”, for lack of a better term, but it’s much more than that. Listening to the group’s double album, the influences creep out left and right, most obviously being Prince, but other times channeling more recent acts like Erykah Badu and Outkast (also whom share Prince as an influence), not to mention J. Dilla, Radiohead, Funkadelic, and the list goes on.

Of the two releases, Beauty In Distortion is the stronger of the two, assumingly recorded second, as it has more dynamic material. Or, perhaps it’s the manifestation of years of pent up brilliance, taking form as the group’s debut. Whatever the case may be, it seems to outshine it’s predecessor (or is that “sequel”?), Land Of The Lost, also included here.

Beauty.. begins with the cleverly tilted “Division Of Joy” – hardly a tribute to Joy Division, but regardless a swingy nod to “a real warm place” as Davey teases “don’t you want to come and lay in the division of my joy”. The Kid A influenced drum programming of “Mr. Mister” (also not a tribute to an 80′s band) helps propel perhaps the group’s catchiest number (and accompanying YouTube video), with it’s infectious hook and Davey’s breezy vocals. Almost instrumental number “Everybody Touch” allows producer D’Leau to take the spotlight, as he crafts a very Ummah-esque groove that pulls you into the music with it’s hypnotic, bass-heavy rhythm. Also notable here is “Camera”, where Davey pokes fun at the gangster rap image, over a thumping beat that would make Q-Tip jealous.

“Land Of The Lost” however seems to be a series of leftovers, hence it’s “mixtape” designation. Here, we have a series of solid tracks, such as the Kardinal Offishall collaboration “Rock The Dancehall”, as “Lil Big Heads”, which finds Jack taunting her competitors with tough girl talk over Brook’s lo-fi funk. However, also mixed in are a few mishaps that might have been better left on the studio floor. “sLAyers”, for instance, allows a collection of local emcees to flex their skills on one of Brook’s beats, but this freestyle session simply doesn’t fit in with the rest of the tracks on either release. The performance of “No More Live @ The Temple Bar” is also one for the secret diary, as DaVeY uncomfortably struggles with a lousy crowd.

Despite Land of The Lost’s abundance of so-so material, you are still getting a lot of bang for your buck. Coupled with the fact that Beauty In Distortion is such a solid release from top to bottom, J*DaVey’s unofficial debut is definitely worth the price of admission. In today’s age of disposable commercial acts and redundant backpack groups, Jack and Brook are offering something unique, new, and different. - Pizzo