Black Keys - Howlin For You

This video is all sorts of hot.  Staring Battle Star Galactica's Tricia Helfer. Its shot like a 70's explotation film.  I wish the video actually included a bit more of the song, its shot more like a 70's explotation film with the Black Key's track as the soundtrack.  Something not done very often in the music biz.  Worth watching, so is the album this song comes from, Brothers

The Flying Lizards "Her Story"

I've been sick and overworked recently but that does not mean I haven't been listening to good music. Currently I'm all ears for anything Flying Lizards. "Her Story" has my attention because I'm also a Roots fan and love that they (heavily) sampled this experimental rock song from the 70's.

Slave - Feel My Love (InnerWestSoul Remix)

Feel My Love (InnerWestSoul Edit) by InnerWestSoul

My friend and Chicago house legend Derrick Carter once gave a really good summary of "deep house" saying something to the effect of, "Disco, R&B, funk and soul are all house music. We used to call that music 'deep house,' because it's like reaching back to the music of your roots."

Last month, I did a feature on an amazing rework of ELO's Evil Woman by Sydney-based cratedigger InnerWestSoul. There really isn't much representation for this bloke online beyond his SoundCloud page, so I can't tell you much about him.

What I can say, though is that I think this guy is doing an amazing job at putting his fingerprint on classics, and turning them into dancefloor-ready jams for the 21st century. What I especially like is the fact that a lot of his remixes are concocted using only original bits of the tracks, with no extra additives. I appreciate this purist process, because it leaves so much of what makes the original intact, while somehow strengthening its soul.

Tensnake - In The End I Want You To Cry

A little deep house to get your body shaking.

I first found out about Tensnake one night while listening to a club radio program on MotorFM here in Berlin when they played this awesome remix of Aloe Blacc's "I Need A Dollar." After some quick research, I came across this Hamburger's prolific Soundcloud page. Wish I could have gotten a chance to go to one of his shows in Germany before my deportation coming up on Saturday. Wah-wah.

Azari & Ill - Into The Night (Prince Language Remix)

Simple house music. Simply good. And it stays true to that early house sound Chicago pioneered back in the dawn of the scene. Toronto-based house outfit Azari & Ill have been pumping out a lot of great work in the past year or so. This gem comes from their "Into The Night" EP, which you can download for free here. The player also has a download function for this individual track.

Dr. Dog - Say Something

Here's a little video mash-up set to "Say Something" by Dr. Dog. This is not an official music video, rather a fan-made piece of work. And though it's non-linear, it's somehow visually cohesive.

One thing I really like about Dr. Dog's early releases is their well composed vocal harmonies paired with the gritty lo-fi recording quality that makes you stop and wonder what decade they were active. This treat was released on their second album "Easy Beat" from 2005.

And here's a free download from their official website (right-click to save.)

King Crimson - 21st Century Schizoid Man

Progressive rock meets psychedelic metal? Not really sure how to categorize this tripper from King Crimson's 1969 debut release "In the Court of the Crimson King." London in the late 60's was probably just smashing back then. These guys have been popping up in my music life for many years, but it doesn't seem without cause, since their recording history doesn't end until to 2003.

I've got to admit, this track is a challenge to listen to (like a good piece of jazz). But that's one of the things I like about it. It's so atypical that it got me hooked from the very beginning, with those rambling slow-motion drums. I'm leaving for Michigan on Saturday and look forward to being reunited with my vinyl copy of this.

Emilie Simon "Dame de Lotus"

I first heard of Emilie Simon in 2006 on Thievery Corporation's Versions. It took me this long to further investigate the sweet, sweet voice I heard. What I found was this awesome track and a super fun video to go with it. I can't get enough of her electronic french-ness.

Whiskey Barons - Whiskey Makossa

whiskey makossa by flavorheardA couple months ago Tyler introduced me to the Whiskey Barons, a DJ/Producer duo.

Would you like some sex with that Whiskey?

This track is awesome, I'm not sure of its origins, and according to facebook this track is a reworking.  So if anyone can point me towards the original I'd be much obliged.

Kano "I'm Ready"

The day I was asked to contribute to the Sound Birdz blog I got an interesting phone call from my dad. (I will be mentioning him a lot here because he is my biggest musical influence.) So apparently, each one of us daughters has a song that he recorded (on a cassette tape) the day that we were born. On this particular day he asked me to help him figure out the name of my song. Most of the call was spent listening to him fast forward and rewind the tape to find the song in question. But it was well worth it and I find it most appropriate for my first post.

My dad waited about 27 years to find out the name of this song and All I did was play the song into an iPhone App for a couple of seconds and voila-"I'm Ready" by Kano! The song that started Italo-Disco and helped pave the way for hip-hop. It's been sampled heavily with it's most notable use being Tag Team's "Whoomp! (There It Is)".

Enjoy!