(© Bong Rodent

Roanoke, VA’s Bong Rodent (aka Ben Trogdon) specializes in downtempo beats in the vein of Clams Casino or COOLRUNNINGS. Trogdon makes use of whimsical samples (“Dilweed Focus”), gauzy synths (“I Think There’s Just One Kind of Folks. Folks.”), and the occasional nod to old-school hip-hop instrumentation (“Life As a Gangsta [2K11]“) to create a sound that beckons the aesthetic of decades past while keeping a very current feel. Definitely worth a download if you’re into this kind of shit (SoundCloud or Bandcamp). 7/10

mp3: Bong Rodent–”Dilweed Focus”

(© Sub Pop)

It really wasn’t a shock to me when Washed Out (a.k.a. Atlanta’s Ernest Greene) was signed to Sub Pop a minute ago; his ’80s-based nostalgia seems right at home on the Seattle-based label. This, the first release from his debut LP Within and Without, finds him taking a cleaner approach (think of an updated Duran Duran). The drums on this track are beyond fantastic, and I’m genuinely excited for the album. July 12th can’t come soon enough. [via Gorilla vs. Bear]

mp3: Washed Out-”Eyes Be Closed”

(© Lefse Records)

The lead single from Still Living, Ganglian’s followup to 2009′s jangling Monster Head Room, has me fighting the urge to use phrases like “marked departure” and “a more mature album.” If “Jungle” is any indication of the feel of the rest of the album, the Sacramento quartet has ditched much of their fuzzy, reverb-laden tendencies and adopted a more garage-ready sound that wouldn’t feel out of place at a cheesy ’50s-themed car show.

Seriously though, I really like Ganglians and this is kind of great. [via Get Off The Coast]

mp3: Ganglians-”Jungle”

[via Gorilla vs. Bear]

4/20 is fast becoming an industry day for hip-hop and rap, with a multitude of artists releasing singles, videos, and even LPs on the smoked-out date. Domo Genesis of OFWGKTA can be counted among them this year, despite the group’s collective hatred of hip-hop cliches. It kills me to say it, but “Cashmere” gives us a side of Domo that we didn’t really get on his recent full-length, “Rolling Papers”; a softer, less nihilistic miscreant. Swagged out just the same, but I miss the days of Domo and Ace Creator trading death threats in line at the grocery store.

mp3: Domo Genesis-”Cashmere”

(© Rebel)

Rebel Magazine now has an imprint, and this release from California producer Abel Mariam is its second digital release. Packaged in mp3 format for free over at Rebel’s Bandcamp along with two remixes by Lalaplux and Obey City, the track is reminiscent of early Saturday mornings spent slumped in front of the TV–and not just because of the vocal samples from Nintendo ads. Mariam makes use of a pastiche of eclectic samples, ranging from babbling synths to chimes to the sound of running water. Worth a listen for the sublime mix of nostalgia and futurism. [via Get Off The Coast]

mp3: Abel-”Skipping Puddles”

(© Sam Ray)

This is the leadoff track from the Haunt U Forever, the latest album from Baltimore’s Ricky Eat Acid, otherwise known as Sam Ray. I hate the “glo-fi” tag as much as everyone else, but I can’t help but think that this track is a perfect example of it. “Foxxx” is essentially Moby’s Play condensed into a miniscule package and drenched with sunlight. The hypnotic synths and bass kicks that wouldn’t feel out of place on a Tribe Called Quest album have got me pressing the replay button, which is probably necessary anyway because 1:28 is way too short for such a massive song. And it’s all for free (also here). #doinitanddoinitanddoinitwell

Also, Ray is a SoundCloud superstar.

mp3: Ricky Eat Acid-”Foxxx”

“Girls on my dick when I pretty boy swag”–Soulja Boy (2010)

P.S. Skip to 0:28 for a seamless transition into some A+ teleprompter-reading.