When Frank Ocean’s Channel Orange dropped, Big Boi said that he was meant to have a feature on it but things fell through. One half of Outkast, Andre 3000, guested on the melancholic “Pink Matter” with a poignant and thoughtful voice alongside Ocean’s smooth vocals. Now here’s the remix featuring both members of the ATLiens, Andre 3000 AND Big Boi over bluesy guitars courtesy of John Mayer. 

Wow. This cover is amazing. The London duo performed Frank Ocean’s brilliant “Thinkin About You” for BBC Radio 1Extra’s Live Lounge as part of their Hot for 2013 series. AlunaGeorge come along and put their style all over the Ocean track and put a completely different spin on it making it a little more upbeat alongside the melancholic lyrics.

Its that time of the year again, its the best of lists. There’s been a few rolling around but I know y’all have been waiting for me to grace the interwebs with my choices, right?

Anyway, here are my top 10 albums of 2012, the ones that have been in heavy rotation, the ones that made me think about music differently- the ones that made me listen different. 

…in no particular order.

Read More

It’s been a while since we’ve had a disCOVER in our lives but here’s a beautiful one from Atlas that gives it that UK garage/90s RnB tinge that is so popular right now.

Atlas: Facebook…Soundcloud…Twitter…Buy

Did y’all see Ocean’s SNL performance? You should. Anyway, here’s a track from Frank called “Blue Whale” where he switches the singing for rapping, its sweet and simple. 

Riding high after his amazing performance of “Thinkin’ Bout You” and “Pyramids” on SNL last weekend, Frank Ocean has put out the video for “Pyramids”, directed by Australian director Nabil (who directed “Novacane”, Kanye’s “Mercy” and Bon Iver’s “Holocene” among others).

So back in the day I used to do a monthly round up of what was posted up to catch you guys up, then that moved to a bi-monthly thing because I kept forgetting and now we’ve achieved a world record (olympic fever y’all) and we’re going for the big three month round up, it just got real. 

Here are the highlights of the last three months…

Check out the ITYLTS Best of 2012…so far - 30 of the best of 2012

Work Drugs dropped their latest album Absolute Bearing, with “Boogie Lights”, “License to Drive” and I chatted to them about important worldly issues. 

Childish Gambino dropped a new mixtape Royalty (first new material since last year’s Camp). Highlights were his collaboration with Beck on “Silk Pillows“ 

The Neighbourhood released their debut EP, I’m Sorry and got everyone very excited for what was going to come next, definitely check out “Sweater Weather“ 

Frank Ocean surprised the internet by releasing his hotly anticipated debut album Channel Orange a week before originally scheduled, before all this “Pyramids” gave us a taster of what we were to expect from the album. 

Hit-Boy stepped from behind the boards in the studio to say hey I can rap, here’s “Old School Caddy” with Kid Cudi. 

Passion Pit gave us the first taste of their new album Gossamer with “Take A Walk” “Constant Conversations” and “I’ll Be Alright”

Moby re-recorded “Extreme Ways” for the new Bourne film. 

Tame Impala have new material out, “Elephant” and “Apocalypse Dreams”

The Olympics are upon us and Underworld were in charge of the music for the opening ceremony, check out “Caliban’s Dream” featuring Alex Trimble from Two Door Cinema Club- who also have new track out “Sleep Alone“ 

Fiona Apple came out of a hiatus to deliver her first album in 7 years, The Idler Wheel… and did not disappoint- check out “Every Single Night“ 

Yeasayer teased their new album with “Henrietta” and “Longevity“ 

The Griswolds followed up “Mississippi” with the amazing “Heart of a Lion” while chatting with me about even more important global issues. 

The Helio Sequence broke their silence with “October” from their forthcoming album.

Nas came back to a career high with new album Life is Good, check out “Bye Baby” and “Cherry Wine ft. Amy Winehouse“ 

Theophilus London dropped his new mixtape Rose Island, Vol. 1 with the amazing cover of Wang Chung’s “Dance Hall Days“ 

The xx leaked the first track “Angels” from Coexist, the follow up to their massive debut. 

The Antlers released a game changing EP Undersea, “Drift Drive”

Hoodie Allen kept on giving with “Hey Now” that didn’t quite make it to All American

Freelance Whales has a new album coming out, here’s “Locked Out“ 

Slow Club had a video starring Daniel Radcliffe for “Beginners“ 

Carly Rae Jepson took over the whole world with “Call Me Maybe”, so check out these live performances with Jimmy Fallon and covers by Ben Howard. 

Remix, Baby: Some amazing remixes of AlunaGeorge, Fiona Apple, Theophilus London, The Weeknd, Lana Del Rey and Imagine Dragons and of course remix artist LEANN GRIMES.

disCOVER: Here are some flipped covers of Lana Del Rey, Robyn, Twin Peaks by She’s So Rad, Foster The People by Usher, Coldplay, Spoon, Frankie goes to Hollywood by Fossil Collective, Body Language by Emil & Friends, Gotye by fun. and Active Child by Ellie Goulding.  

New Discoveries (new to me at least): the amazing of Verona, Kick Up The Fire, Splash, Friends, JMSN, Rhye, UMA, Alex Evans, Big K.R.I.T., Wild Combination and Youth Lagoon. 

Summer Playlist 2012 with Poolside, Trails and Ways, RAC, The Knocks, Blackbird Blackbird and Tyler the Creator & Toro Y Moi. 

Biggest Videos: If you haven’t seen these, well go and see brand new videos from Lana Del Rey, Delta Heavy, Watch The Throne, Coldplay & Rihanna, San Cisco and Charli XCX. 

Enjoy party people.  

Frank Ocean’s ChannelOrange is the gift that keeps on giving. Expecting to sell 100K in its first week, Ocean’s surprise early drop of his debut gave the internet nothing else to talk about. Not wanting to make the physical copy crowd feel let out, Ocean has saved a bonus track for the physical copy in the shape of “Golden Girl” featuring Odd Future’s Tyler the Creator. Coming a few seconds after “The End”, the bonus track lightens the mood somewhat after the heavy one-two punch of “Pink Matter” and “Bad Religion”.

(apologies for the quality)

but…

What an album. 

Here you go, Happy Tuesday here’s Frank Ocean’s debut LP Channel Orange. Stream it and then go and grab it. 

Frank Ocean has just put out the first taster of things to come, “Pyramids” from his debut full length album, Channel Orange due July 17. “Pyramids” is a sprawling electric journey across genres coming in at 9.54min that showcases Ocean at his best, a smooth singing maestro that has complete command of his talent- and he’s only just started.