Welcome to  SMASHACHUSETTS! A place were The Rolling Stones can live happily down the street from Lil’ Wayne and 80’s band A-HA. A place where you might see Nina Simone and the Beastie Boys playing chess in the park. A place where Temple of the Dog and Miniature Tigers can lie side by side peacefully. SMASHACHUSETTS isn’t just a location, its a state of mind! Enjoy a very fun and unique playlist with some toe-tappin’ and slammin’ tracks, while others are gonna make ya laugh and nod your head. Download entire playlist in order HERE (playlist will fit on regular cd)

The Rolling Stones -”Can’t Always Get What You Want” (Soulwax remix)

Cee-Lo -”Fuck You” (Baltimore Remix)

Empire of the Sun -”We the People” (Kotchy Remix)

Wale -”Embers/ Good Girls” [Phillip Martell Mash-Up Remix]

A-Ha -”Take on Me” [Twelves Remix]

Beastie Boys -”Word to the Mic” [Beatles Mash Up]

The Moody Blues -”White Satin” [Zeds Dead Remix]

Temple of the Dog -”Hunger Strike 5000″ [Bird Peterson Remix]

Miniature Tigers -”Bullfighters Jacket” [Aislyn Remix]

Lil Wayne -”Stuntin with a Mili” [Phoenix vs Pretty Lights Mash-Up)

Sunday Girl -”Self Control” [Young Empires Remix)

Maximum Balloon -”Groove Me” (Alex Metric Remix)

Jimi Hendrix -”Purple Haze” (Benny Benassi Remix)

Nina Simone -”I Put a Spell On You” (Mimosa Remix)

Klassons -”Golden Skans” (SebastAin Remix)

Mermaids -”We Ztay Shynin ” (Sleigh Bells Mash-Up)

Biggie Smalls -”Sky’s the Limit ” (Passion Pit vs Beyonce Mash-Up)

The XX -”Island ” (Nosaj Thang Remix)

The Hood Internet -”Dougie Vision” (Cali Swag District vs Toro y Moi)

Keepaway a  Brooklyn, New York based band, has a sound that actually gives this 3 piece the freedom to play a diverse genre of shows and grow an audience where ever they play. With their off-the-wall, harmonic chant based vocals and recipe of electronic meets organic, they can be compared to the the likes of Animal Collective, but in a much more marketable and structured package.

Keepaway -”Yellow Wings”
Keepaway -”I Think About You All the Time”

Glasser is the dreamy, ethereal one-woman project of Cameron Mesirow of LA.  She flew onto the scene last year with her Apply EP, beautifully composed on Garage Band.  For her upcoming full length debut, Ring, she gets the full studio treatment.  And the organic sounds of strings and woodwinds float her layers of vocals to new heights. In your face, lo-fi!

Glasser -”Home”
Glasser -”Tremel”

The five members of Grouplove met on the small Island of Crete in Greece. Whether it was fate, destiny, circumstance, or some combination of the three, they became so close to each other that they were compelled to come together in Los Angeles nearly a year later to record an album. Together they have created aggressively catchy little diddies and epic knee-slappin jamborees, minus the twang!

Grouplove -”Colours”
Grouplove -”Naked Kids”

UK producer Darren Williams mixes chopped and sliced beats with Dilla-like precision to create addictive instrumental hip-hop.  His first full length, Volume 1, can be snatched from his bandcamp page.  Also, check out his remix of the new Small Black song “Photojournalist”.

Star Slinger -”May I Walk With You”
Star Slinger -”Minted”

This Vermont based outfit, led by Kyle Thomas (known from the band Feathers) initially was put together to play only one show  in support of Thomas’s solo project. This project led to them being signed by Sub Pop less than six months after recording (not releasing) their first LP. Happy Birthday weave together near perfect pop gems while channeling equal parts Marc Bolan and Lou Reed.

Happy Birthday -”Subliminal Message”
Happy Birthday -”Girls FM”

Russia hasn’t produced a band this good since . . . well, Russia has never produced a band this good.  This quintet sounds like the Clientele with jangly Johnny Marr guitars and deep baritone Ian Curtis vocals.  Perfectly tuned for some Autumn leaves to drop.  Their debut LP, ALPS, can be downloaded FREE from their blog.

Motorama -”Wind in Her Hair”
Motorama -”Ghost”

If Villa Nah were from New York, London or Berlin, you’d have heard of them before now, But they’re from Finland for crying out loud! Juho Paalosmaa and Tomi Hyyppä’s (common names) comprise this sleek synth duo. At times  Junior Boys, Cut Copy, The Russian Futurists, and Ariel Pink can be heard through tangled moog cables.
Villa Nah -”Envelope”
Villa Nah -”Ways To be With You”

Beat Connection have brought the sunshine to Seattle’s beaches.  This duo describes their sound as “challenging surf-y-psychedelic-balearic-disco-dance-electro-pop infused with a healthy dose of rock and house music”.  Whether you love it for its BPM or its SPF, grab their Surf Noir EP for FREE on their bandcamp page.

Beat Connection -”In the Water”
Beat Connection -”Sliver Screen”

Philadelphia duo Sun Airway are the latest of tropical/chill/electro tsunami’s flooding music blogs and ipods. Though they sound more like an airline than a band,  they’ve done remixes for Caribou, Delorean, Here We Go Magic and The Hundred In The Hands but their own tunes are amazingly ethereal entities on their own. Comprised of songwriter Jon Barthmus and musician Patrick Marsceill, Sun Airways recorded their first album in Barthmus’s basement. End result: a gorgeous selection of mystically warm, sun-island electro pop.

Sun Airway -”Oh Naoko”
Sun Airway -”Waiting on You”

Jersey boy, Judd Hower, is Navajo Bixby.  He’s been floating these tracks around for a while now and recently added a video for Moonlighting.  But for now, I’m standing here in my swim trunks, twiddling my thumbs, waiting for a full length of his Panda-Bear-plays-calypso-core pop jams

Navajo Bixby -”Moonlighting”
Navajo Bixby -”Many Ways”

Well it’s that time again! Its time for another Covers Edition of [Music Friday]. One thing I have noticed after gathering hundreds of cover songs is that as a majority they tend to be slower versions. Which makes it hard to put together a playlist that isn’t a real snoozer! Also I’ve noticed that Flaming Lips cover just about everyone and that there is never a shortage of interesting Radiohead covers. This week the covers range from Neon Indian to the Jungle Book to Whitney Houston. Yeah pretty random. So sit back relax and sing along, cause the best part about covers is that you already know the words! To download tracks click HERE

Flaming Lips -Borderline (Madonna Cover)

Senor Coconut -Around the World (Daft Punk Cover)

Mason Proper -Love Lockdown/ Get Innocuous (LCD/Kanye Mash-up Cover)

John Vanderslice -Karma Police (Radiohead Cover)

Telephoned -O.N.E. (Yeasayer Cover)

Pale Young Gentlemen -Paper Planes (MIA Cover)

Temper Trap -Dancing in the Dark (Bruce Springsteen Cover)

Jesse Woods -Mind Drips (Neon Indian Cover)

Marching Band -Out of Touch (Hall and Oats Cover)

The Morning Benders -I Wanna Be Like You (Jungle Book Cover)

Jonsi -Time to Pretend (MGMT Cover)

Death metal Disco Scene -I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Whitney Houston Cover)

This [Music Friday] we explore the evolution of Psychedelic Rock. From it’s beginning to modern day. I was lucky to have guess music blogger “Shannon the Boy” help split the duties with me. His contributions will be in red. So sit back, relax , set a sugar cube gently on your tongue and push play.

Psychedelic Music dropped way back in 1965 with Roky Erickson’s band, 13th Floor Elevators, and quickly exploded from the underground into the mainstream.  The Beatles brought it to the masses; and the masses flocked to San Francisco, where the Haight-Ashbury scene was the Mecca of Psych.   In the decades to come, psych fell in and out of fashion and splintered into a million sub-genres.  Today, it permeates so many aspects of music it can be tough to say what is and isn’t psych.  These days, psychedelia is in the dilated eye of the beholder. To download entire playlist click HERE. (playlist will fit on a single cd)

60’s

Far Out, Man -Intro
The Beatles -Tomorrow Never Knows
The 13th Floor Elevators -She Lives in a Time of Her Own
Free Design -Bubbles
Jimi Hendrix -Burning of the Midnight Lamp
Grateful Dead -China Cat Sunflower

70’s

Pink Floyd -One of These Days
Led Zepplin -Misty Mountain Hop

80’s

Lenny Kravitz -Freedom Train

90’s

Primal Scream -Higher Than the Sun
Apples in Stereo -Strawberryfire
Spacemen 3 -Big City
Jesus and Mary Chain -Reverence
Olivia Tremor Control -Can You Come Down With Us
Stone Roses -Love Spread

2000’s

Animal Collective -What Would I Want Sky
Of Montreal -Penelope
Dungen -Panda
Black Moth Super Rainbow -Rollerdisco
Caribou -Melody Day

Time to fill up the tank, take a last minute restroom break and hit the open road! This week’s [Music Friday] is a driving playlist. All songs were picked and arranged to be the soundtrack to your drive time. The playlist moves from aggressive high octane tracks in the MAXIMUM OVERDRIVE section to baselines being slapped around and hand claps on the FUNKY FREEWAY. Urban beats and hip-hop heat blaze the pavement on BEAT STREET. Finally the sparks fly as the sun sets and the synths are your cruise control on your home stretch of the TWILIGHT TURNPIKE! (From blog post, playlist will play in order from the beginning on computer and on iphone. To download whole playlist click HERE)

MAXIMUM OVERDRIVE:

Mr. Oizo -Square Surf

Royal Bangs -War Bells

Tobacco -Motorlicker

Crystal Castles -Vietnam

The Faint -The Geeks Were Right (Does It Offend You, Yeah? Remix)

FUNKY FREEWAY:

Teams -Close to Me

Elephant and The Castle -Look

Pud People -Pud Music

Star Slinger -Minted

BEAT STREET:

Kanye West -Power

SALEM -King Knight

Wale -Black and Gold

Data (Feat. Sebastian Grainger) -Rapture (PTII)

Miami Horror + Gucci Mane + Cutting Crew + Radiohead + Sweet Rush + The Twelves -Running In Your Arms

TWILIGHT TURNPIKE:

D/A/D -The Look of Being Old

Chemical Brothers -Another World

Royksopp -What Else Is There?

Hot Chip -I Feel Better(Den Haan Remix)

Built to Spill -Else (Electric Anthology Project Rework)

Caribou -Sun (Altrice’s Only What You Gave Me Remix)

Fishing -OOOO —— (this one will not fit on CD if you try to burn it, sorry)

Yes sir The Granada Theater is bringing you yet another amazing show this week as Flosstradamus rolls through Dallas on Saturday 7/31. To honor this great event we are giving away TWO pair of tickets at random to anyone who TWEETS they love @hellox6 and @GranadaTheater , or leaves a comment on this post with some unique flavor. Good luck to all contest ends Saturday 11 a.m. – SHOK

Grab the sunscreen and a drink with lime, kiddos! Everyone has a Summer Playlist, well this [Music Friday] Hellox6 gives you a Beach Playlist. A somewhat irregular selection of indie beach rock, tropical inspired electro and a few classic latin jams! The whole playlist will play in order or individual tracks. To download the entire playlist click HERE

Righeria -Vamos a La Playa

Aeroplane -We Can’t Fly

Shy Child -Summer

El Guincho -Bombay

The Very Best (Feat. Vampire Weekend) -Warm Heart of Africa (Alan Wilkis Remix)

Neon Indian -Psychic Chasms (BRAHMS Remix)

Kid Cudi, Best Coast, Rostam Batmanglij -All Summer

Trentemoller -Sliver Surfer, Ghost Rider Go!!

The Cults -Go Outside (Brainbheats Remix)

Mr. Loco -Papas

Delorean -Real Love (Tiedye Remix)

Foals -This Orient (Sliver Columns Remix)

CEO -Everything Is Gonna Be Alright

Wavves -Idiot

Annuals -Eyes in the Darkness

Darwin Deez -Up in the Clouds (Jake Bullit Remix)

Apache Beat -Another Day

The Ruby Suns -Cranberry

Minks -Funeral Song

Righeria -Vamos A La Playa (Reprise)

Fitz and Tantrums

Fitz and the Tantrums is an LA Based group with a Motown and soul-influenced indie pop vibe. Six killer musicians, five dapper suits, irresistible songs, some serendipity and one vintage organ. Oddly enough grew to fame after opening up for Maroon Five. But we won’t judge!

Fitz and Tantrums “Breakin The Chains of Love”

Chappo

New York City’s Chappo brings us the whimsical track “Come Home.” A duo with a vocal style and musical direction that has a cosmic twang one would hope an actual Space Cowboy would listen to. Sometimes reminiscent vocally of Neil Young or Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, hey will get your fingers snappin and your feet a stompin!

Chappo  “Come Home”

The Samps

This two-some from California, the Samps (short for South African Metaphysical Society, what else?), have formulated a low fidelity dance floor funk  usually only found in the classics .“Peppergood” is as funky as retro-electro-disco gets! …..Say that 5 times fast: retro-electro-disco, retro-electro-disco…..

The Samps “Peppergood”

Light Pollution

Straight out of Chi-town, Light Pollution serves up a good old-fashioned helping of irregular song composition,  synthesizer textures, and new wave basslines, all wrapped in heavy reverb. I had the pleasure of seeing these guys a month ago here in Austin, they definitely bring the same musical intensity to their live show. This is true indie rock at its finest!

Light Pollution  “Good Feeling”

Light Pollution  “Oh, Ivory”

Psychobuildings

Brooklyn darkwave/synth trio Psychobuildings, featuring members of Small Black and Silk Flowers, soundtrack your next dungeon dance party.  No worries, however, this is not “fear for your life” darkwave, via SALEM, Psychobuilding’s flavor of darkwave is pure 80’s-synth-neon-lit-dungeon-danceclub.

Psychobuidings “Terror Management”

Psychobuildings  “Paradise”

Everything Everything

Hailing from Newcastle and Kent but congregating in Manchester, Everything Everything make “unconventional pop at its bravest and best”, inspired by everyone from R Kelly to Ezra Pound. This 3 piece made their mark at SXSW ‘09 and are slowly working their way in to the hearts of Nu-New Wavers everywhere. Infectious melodies and quick time changes make for some amazingly catchy brit pop!

Everything Everything “Schoolin”

Everything Everything “My Kz Ur Bf”

Monarchy

Little is known about Monarchy, apart from the fact that they are (once again) based in London and these two bring soul back to the synth. Putting out tracks that are flash-frozen, blistering cold electro-soul. Sometimes compared to Junior Boys laced with the a louder presence of emotional gesturing. I have the lovely Miss Hannah from Tick Tick Bang to thank for this amazing little discovery.

Monarchy “Love Get Out of My Way”

Monarchy “Gold in the Fire”

Blue Hawaii

More warm, beach-ready sounds coming downstairs from frosty Canada.  This Montreal boy/girl duo’s lilting breezes and percolating beats drift more toward, say, Hawaii, than the Hudson Bay.  Perfect sounds for docking the boat at sunset and lighting the fire.  Download their Arbutus Records debut album, Blooming Summer, from their MySpace page (while it’s still free).

Blue Hawaii “Blue Gowns”

Blue Hawaii “Belize”

Teen Daze

Mysterious producer out of “Vancougar”, Teen Daze has been leaking delicious tracks for a few months now, not to mention some great remixes of Local Natives, Washed Out, and Caribou, and a perfectly matched duet with Houses.  Call it “dreamwave”, call it “post-glo-fi”, but whatever you call it, it’s worth picking up his debut LP, Four More Years, coming out any second now on Arcade Sound Ltd.

Teen Daze “Gone for Summer”

Teen Daze  “Around”

Dominique Young Unique

Dominique Young Unique, 18-year-old rapper from Tampa Bay, a quick flowing provocateur ready to show that- this gurl aint playin! First brought to my attention by Matt Shiv at SXSW, Dominique dropped the heat at this years event, especially at Austin’s own Knuckle Rumbler Lounge. Her raunchy sex driven single “Show My Ass” displays her uninhibited, bleeding sass, operated at 180 mph.

Dominique Young Unique “Show My Ass”

It’s time to hear a song again for the first time. In this Remix Edition of Music Friday, we will explore 10 remixes that you may or may not have heard or artists you may or may not have heard of. So just shut up and listen!

“Wait Up (Boots of Danger)” – Tokyo Police Club (Passion Pit Remix)

One tour-mate remixing another, can you feel the love? Passion Pit has stripped Tokyo Police Club of its guitars and pop swagger, transforming this track into a vocal driven 808 earthquake. The build up on this one is absolutely amazing. Download HERE

“Baby I’m Yours” – Breakbot (Aeroplane Remix)

Paris based Breakbot gets muscled by Brussels in this “movie montage-esque” epic remix. Aeroplane took this track from its original electro funk state and created an 80’s action themed anthem! Once this track gets going, you are gonna want to throw on your boxing gloves and headband as you slowly achieve final awesomeness through clever movie editing! Go for it! Download HERE

“Tightrope” – Janelle Monae (Lupe Fiasco and B.o.B. Remix)

Janelle Monae has become a critical darling on the music scene for her unique music and overall personal style.  The R&B singer has remixed the single “Tightrope” with rappers B.O.B and Lupe Fiasco giving it less of retro radio vibe and more of slamm’in hip hop feel! Keep tippin! Download HERE

“Wide Eyes” – Local Natives (Fools Gold Remix)

Despite its happy-go-lucky demeanor, Local Natives “Wide Eyes” deals with sinister and spiritual subject matter. On this remix, Fools Gold finds a way to mirror the song’s uneasy terrain, burying the Natives’ pretty boy harmonies under an industrial coat of grime. With Hip-Hop high-hats, finger snaps and additional vocals by Aristotle Pop A Bottle seriously alter this one! Eyes wide shut! Download HERE

“Celestica” – Crystal Castles (Bear In Heaven Remix)

Bear In Heaven transformed this Crystal Castles tune it into something sensually soothing and more percussive. This new take maintains the original’s heavenly feel, but  feels more grounded in a manner in which they would normally never display. Kids these days… Download HERE

“Its Working” – MGMT (Air Remix)

Say what you want about the new MGMT album but this remix’s linear electric motion will definitely get the juices flowing. Air took a psychedelic rock track and manufactured a haunting baseline driven assembly line of pounding percussion and sonic smokestacks. By the end of it, the feel is  gently lifted from the grind by piano rolls and clarinets! Punch out and tune in. Download HERE

“Shakedown Street” – Grateful Dead (Tommie Sunshine Remix)

Deadheads are gonna poop their patchwork corduroy’s when they hear what Tommie Sunshine did to their lovable Jerry Garcia and crew! Tommie geniously took what was once called the only Disco Dead song and made it into a track that could easily be mistaken for the next Daft Punk hit. Download HERE

“Madder Red” -Yeasayer (Goldenfilter Remix)

This total rework of the Yeasayer single is minimal and truly tribal in its essence. Goldenfilter takes us on a trek through a vast landscape of the dramatic strings and electronic frequencies in this version. Penelope Trappes even contributes her own vocals to the Lion King like “oohs and awws”. Elton would be proud. Download HERE

“Animal” – Miike Snow (Mark Ronson Remix)

Lets roll one up and follow our animal instincts on this one. Mark Ronson dressed up this Miike Snow single in a dub step, horns blazing reggae vibe. A very clever take on the electro pop song. I still laugh every time I hear the sheep sounds. This track will definitely get the dreads a swingin. Near the beach, boh-eeee!!! Download HERE

“Symphonies”- Dan Black (Mahesh Raghavan Remix)

VERY RARE REMIX! This is actually a fan remix I took from an online contest. A very simple and enjoyable version of Dan Blacks once Biggie Smalls inspired hit. Enjoy it cause you will probably only hear it on Hellox6.com. Download HERE.

Ceelo Green- “No One’s Gonna Love You”(Band of Horses Cover)

This UNCENSORED video displays the voice behind Gnarls Barkley and Goodie Mob, Ceelo Green, introducing his eagerly anticipated new solo album by unveiling the Paul Epworth mix of the new track ‘No One’s Gonna Love You’. A bold interpretation of Band of Horses. Download HERE …….. HELLOX6 is the only place to download the MP3!

Mark Ronson- “Just”(Radiohead Cover)

One thing is for sure, there is no shortage of Radiohead covers out there. Though this one is a couple years old, it’s just too damn funky not to share with everyone who hasn’t experienced it yet! Download HERE.

Passion Pit- “Dreams”(Cranberries Cover)

A truly dreamy cover, from one somewhat annoying vocalist to another. The Cranberries high-pitch squeals and Celtic yodels have been replaced by Michael Angelekos’ echoing falsetto and childish playground yelps. Download HERE.

Hugo- “99 Problems”(Jay-Z Cover)

As a tip of the fedora to Roc Nation’s founder , Hugo puts a twist on the classic “99 Problems,” finding a new previously unforeseen nexus linking pop, rock, country, urban and hip-hop. As if Led Zepplin covered Jay-Z is how I see it! Download HERE.

Becks Record Club- “Never Tear Us Apart”(INXS Cover)

The ongoing online “record club” overseen by Beck, has enlisted the help of St. Vincent (née Annie Clark), Sergio Dias of Os Mutantes, and reigning art-rock weirdos Liars for a remake of INXS’s 1987 alt-pop classic, Kick. Here, the makeshift group released their version of “Never Tear Us Apart,” which every formerly acne-plagued child of the 80s is sure to remember from his or her first slow dance. Download HERE …….. HELLOX6 is the only place to download the MP3

Record Club: INXS “Never Tear Us Apart” from Beck Hansen on Vimeo.

“Come With Me” is taken from the newly released Ceo debut album “White Magic.” Ceo is the side project of Eric Berglund, frontman of Sweden’s Tough Alliance. Hip-hop undertones lay the groundwork for upbeat orchestral synths, slowly strummed harps and charisimatic 80’s pop vocals. Part of a complete breakfast.

Download HERE

“Die Slow (Tobacco Rmx)” is from the HEALTH remix album “Disco2”. These LA noise rockers get their haunting vocals literally sliced in half  by the signature sonic buzz-saws of mad genius Tom Fec. Tom who is better known for being the driving force behind Black Moth Super Rainbow. Watch your fingers on this cut!

Download HERE

“Number 41″ comes to us from the album “Tommy” by the Minneapolis experimental group Dosh. A track filled with noisey spliced boom-baps and sorrowful steel guitar swells. Only to be graced by collaborator Andrew Bird’s up lifting folk melody. My dedication to Shok and Dagnushka’s New Mexico outtings.

Download HERE

“All to All” a track from “Forgiveness Rock Record,” the most recent effort from Canadian indie rockers Broken Social Scene. Lisa Lobsinger delightfully wows us with her sexy yet adorable vocal stylings. Accompanied by driving baseline tremolos, violins and computer blips this track is an absolute dream. Or it might just be in the next apple commercial.

Download HERE

I first got to see Florene at our 1st annual SXSW backyard blowout this past year and it was a true treat as the duo made up of Gavin and Aaron literally gave it everything they had. I had a feeling then they would eventually get signed by a label and drop an album so interestingly enough this past Thursday Florene released their first album titled ‘Homemade Extacy’ via Waaga Records. Make sure to check out the track below and download the album if you like what you hear. Below is a track from the album called “Deal With It”. Special thanks to MK from Wagga Records.

Download the full track “Deal With It” HERE

This Music Friday we bring you a very special mix via FACELIFT titled “Hell loves synthesizers”. If you are wondering who FACELIFT is keep guessing as he wishes to stay anonymous so out of respect we wont blast his name. Some say he is in the witness protection program while others say he is just a felon in hiding. Regardless this mix is really sick and we are happy to have him send some music our way. Enjoy.

Click HERE to download the FREE mix

Damn it feels good to be back in LA. Constant, endless sunshine; sexy people everywhere; more than one options if I decide to go out. DJ S.co is one of those talents that makes it a pleasure to go out in this city. When he’s not in the studio producing bangers, dude holds it down everywhere you want to be from Voyeur to Drai’s Hollywood to Playhouse to yet-unopened Premiere. S.co was one of the first [Music Friday] contributors way back when and he thought to bless us with the premiere of TWO original mixes, available for download for the first time. Make sure to check out his site for more: www. DJ-Sco.com.

DJ S.co – I Need You (Original Mix)

Download original mix HERE

Edward Maya f. Vika Jigulina – Stereo Love (DJ S.co Remix)

Download original mix HERE

Yes sir The Granada Theater is bringing you a true hip-hop classic this week as Talib Kweli and Hi-Tek roll through Dallas on Thursday 5/13. To honor this great event we are giving away ONE pair of tickets at random to anyone who TWEETS they love @hellox6 and @RealTalibKweli , or leaves a comment on this post. Good luck to all.  - SHOK