Exciting news: Your latest Flavorpill Mixtape has arrived. Your ears are salivating. Your fingers are ready to click ctrl + left click and ‘save as.’ Ten essential downloads from this past week in music after the jump — all free for the taking! Take a listen, and then leave us a comment with what you think.
1. Le Loup – “Beach Town” Eclectic, middle-eastern drums over a funky lounge bassline with Devendra Banhart spirituality. [Download Now] via Stereogum
2. Volcano Choir – “Husk and Shells” Bon Iver’s side project of oddly spaced acoustic guitar loops and encompassing vocal harmonies. [Download Now] via Music for Rants 3. Girls – “Hellhole Ratrace” Girls pairs melancholy vocals (“I don’t want to cry my whole life through, I wanna do some laughing too”) with dripping, reverberating guitar under muted drums. Distortion boils over mid-song and an anthem is born. [Download Now] via RCRDLBL
4. Animal Collective vs. The Beach Boys – “I’m Waiting for My Banshee” From a man with arguably the coolest name (Johnny Disaster) and the coolest band name (Porch of the Mystics), comes an equally cool mashup. The song mixes Animal Collective’s “Banshee Beat” and The Beach Boys – “I’m Waiting for the Day.” The result proves that, sometimes, Animal Collective can make sense. [Download Now] via Gorilla Vs. Bear
5. Julian Casablancas – “11th Dimension” The Strokes frontman Julian Casablancas’ side project. A joyous celebration of bouncy ’80s synth pop that sounds futuristic with Casablancas’ raspy vocals. The track is especially interesting, as he rarely plays any of the instruments on The Strokes’ records. [Download Now] via Pretty Much Amazing
6. Thom Yorke -“The Hollow Earth” Similar to Yorke’s first solo album, The Eraser, this track has the normal drum machine clickity clickitys and crooning vocals that you’d expect. It is, however, more upbeat than the usual Yorke, especially in comparison to his other new song, “Feeling Pulled Apart By Horses.” [Download Now] via Winnie Cooper
7. The Mantles – “Don’t Lie” In the words of the great Gorilla Vs. Bear: “hazy, vaguely psychedelic, and consistently awesome garage pop that recalls the Chills and other assorted ’80s Dunedin Sound disciples.” [Download Now] via Gorilla Vs. Bear
8. Dead Man’s Bones – “In the Room Where You Sleep” Ryan Gosling (The Notebook, Half Nelson) has a partially morbid, partially tongue-in-cheek Halloween side project. The song relies on an arpeggio organ line and Gosling’s deep vocals. It’s like the indie version of “Monster Mash.” [Download Now] via The Fader
9. Fool’s Gold – “Surprise Hotel” Possibly a tropical remake of Sebastian’s “Under the Sea,” which is a very, very good thing. [Download Now] via The Fader
10. Real Estate – “Beach Comber” Comparatively less beach-toned than Real Estate’s other work, the song wistfully chugs along with twangy guitars. Beach combing is a sad affair. [Download Now] via Pitchfork