Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo and Thomas Bangalter, better known by their stage name Daft Punk, are hard at work on their followup album to 2005′s Human After All. True, they worked on the soundtrack for 2010′s Tron: Legacy, but this new collection of tracks marks the fourth studio album release for the French electronic music duo. The name of their next album is Random Access Memories (I love it) and it will include 13 new tracks, one of which was teased in a commercial break during a recent episode of SNL. Take a listen to the 15 second snippet above.

Random Access Memories is out May 17 and it’s up for preorder at iTunes today ($11.99). Visit the Columbia-signed artists website to preorder a physical copy of the CD ($12.98) or the vinyl ($39.98) which includes a digital album download code, an LP size booklet, and a 180 gram double vinyl gatefold. Check out the official album artwork after the break.

Come on, people; it’s time make it get funky. (Click here for more…)

On Friday at midnight Kid Cudi released the third single off his coming album Indicud for the world to hear. The track is called “Immortal” and in it Cudder forgets he’s a rapper and croons his way through a self-produced track that features a rock-ish vibe similar to what can be heard on his collection of songs found on his 2011 release WZRD. In the chorus he sings, “I am living my life as if I had powers/And tonight I feel immortal.” Clearly Cudi is high offa life on this track and the positive vibe is definitely infectious. However, if you were looking forward to hearing hard raps and rhymes you won’t find that here; but then again, I think it’s time we acknowledged that Cudder has evolved into a unique artist flaunting his ability to rap, sing, and rock a mean guitar.

In a tweet Kid Cudi revealed the production behind his new track. “Ok, so heres what I did. I took one of my favorite bands MGMT’s song “Congratulations“, put it in reverse, sped it up, and produced over it.” It works. So does the opening scream from Billy Madison‘s Adam Sandler.

Listen to “Immortal” below and anticipate Indicud‘s April 23 release.

October’s Very Own is back with a new single off his upcoming third studio album. “Started From The Bottom” stars Drake the Rapper since the majority of the track features the former Degrassi star laying down hard rhymes as opposed to his usual crooning abilities. It’s not as bouncy as his previous singles “Take Care” and “The Motto” but that is not necessarily a bad thing. Drizzy gets real in this track as he takes listeners on a journey through his rise to fame.

He took to his blog to formally introduce his latest cut to fans. “I am proud of every part of my past and I’m excited for this song to find a place in your life as well. I didn’t feel I needed any interviews or radio or press to launch this song. It felt right to come back to the site that I started on and release it to the people that started here with me. Judging by this post, the tour that we’ve been planning, the conversations about new songs and album artwork…I think it’s safe to say we’re back together again. Looking forward to seeing you all soon.”

Listen to “Started From The Bottom” here. Download it at iTunes. An accompanying music video hangs after the break.

(Click here for more…)

This round you are being introduced to DDFRx (or Daily Dope Fix, and the Rx makes it a prescription “because you are guaranteed to become addicted to their sound” or so they say). The New York-based group consists of producers and rappers, namely beats maker Eric Ficocelli (who goes by the handle The Fics) and rappers Mike.M and R. Crooked Letter. Their latest creation “PAM,” produced by The Fics with creative direction from Corey Zaretsky (Beatstache), can be described as an electric fusion of dance music and hip hop. It’s got a flashy, positively schizophrenic beat that’s sprinkled with catchy samples provided by Kanye West’s “Mercy” and Trinidad James’ “All Gold Everything.” It’s the kind of music you’d want to hear at night clubs precisely when the night reaches that point of ecstasy.

Preview “PAM” in full below and download it for keeps at DDFRx’s SoundCloud page. There you will also find the group’s previously released track “Media Training” which features rhymes from Mike.M. Coming soon is a new Fics beat with Mike.M and R. Crooked Letter taking turns at the mic. As DDFRx continues to expand its exciting sound we’ll follow its steps.

Skrillex has cooked up three new tracks and the producer/DJ is bundling them together in his latest Extended Play titled Leaving. Whether or not he meant this by the EP’s title, Skrillex (whose real name is Sonny Moore) leaves behind his typical affection for loud, grinding dubstep and replaces it with a calmer, more fluid take on the underground-turned-mainstream musical genre. Listeners will especially notice the difference on the track “Leaving” which features heavy drums and will put you in a trance. “The Reason” is more up-tempo to call itself a dance track. Where you might find some of the old Sonny is in “Scary Bolly Dub,” a mix with a reggae vibe that he’s played countless times live. Overall, however, if you’ve been waiting for Skrillex to release tunes that are easier on the ears now is your time.

As of today, the EP is not available for digital download via iTunes and the like. You’ll have to stream it from YouTube, but don’t complain, that makes it free! Jump after the break to listen to all three tracks. There you’ll also find Skrillex’s latest music video for “Summit” off his last EP Bangarang, a collaborative effort with his now ex-girlfriend Ellie Goulding.

What’s next for multiple Grammy winner Sonny Moore? In a recent interview with Billboard, he promises more music is on the way. “I have so much music. I have too many songs to even know what to do with. I just always make music anyway… But I want to make a record. I just haven’t had enough time to really sit down and idle myself and clear my mind and go, ‘OK, what’s the next thing I want to say? How’s it different from what I said before?’ and think of all these things. I have so much inside me, so many ideas, I’m more excited than ever to make music again, ’cause I haven’t done that for, like, two years.” (Click here for more…)

With every Bond movie comes a title sequence theme song. For Bond 23 aka Skyfall, the Grammy-award winning sensation Adele was chosen to produce the latest 007 track. She collaborated with producer Paul Epworth, the man who helped her turn “Rolling In The Deep” into the massive hit it has become. Adele’s vocals shine in this composition definitely worthy of the James Bond seal of approvement. What do you think? Thumbs up? Purchase the track at iTunes.

Skyfall opens November 9. And while you’re here, check out some snazzy posters in the gallery below.

Update: A new trailer that features Adele was recently whipped together. Check it out after the break.

Cudi is back with another new track off his upcoming fourth studio album Indicud. The song is called “King Wizard” and it’s during the hook when Cudi blocks out haters and makes it clear this is his time: “I push the lames aside/They’ll learn…F**k all the talk/In time, they’ll burn…They’ll never take me alive/King Wizard.” Sample the beat and Cudi’s flow in the player below, and click the download button for keeps.

In related news, Cudder officially dropped Indicud‘s first single “Just What I Am” (Featuring King Chip) on iTunes this week.

[Via Complex]

Can’t get enough of Channel Orange? Then get a load of this. Crooner Frank Ocean opts to rap in a brand new, previously unheard track called “Blue Whale.” He simply posted it to his Tumblr and let it ride. So now it’s time you do the same.

Click here to listen to Ocean’s latest drop.

Before her previous album’s single leave the radio Rihanna is already back with a new one that’s off her upcoming still untitled seventh studio album. Her next radio hit is called “Diamonds” but unlike her previous smashes “We Found Love” and “Where Have You Been” this one features a more subtle beat (from producers Stargate and Benny Blanco) and a more mature RiRi (“Find light in the beautiful sea/I choose to be happy/You and I, you and I/We’re like diamonds in the sky”, written by Sia).

Rihanna shed light on the inspiration behind the track. “You’re not sad or dancing. You’re happy and hippie. It’s laid-back, but it’s hopeful. It gives me such a great feeling when I listen to it. The lyrics are very hopeful and positive, but it’s about love and the gears are a little different from what people would expect. I’m excited to surprise them sonically.”

Take a listen above; download at iTunes. Could this be a softer, reinvigorated Rihanna stepping into the spotlight? She is rolling diamonds into a joint in the single artwork… Her next album is due out later this year.

Twenty-two year old Abel Tesfaye, better known by his stage name The Weeknd, is about to take the industry by storm. If you haven’t heard of the R&B crooner, it’s about time you did. In 2011, Tesfaye released three critically acclaimed mixtapes consisting of nine tracks each through his own label XO. It didn’t take very long for rap superstar Drake to notice his talents; Drake is featured on the second mixtape in the song “The Zone” and Tesfaye would go on to take over Drake’s Take Care track “Crew Love.” After performing at this year’s Coachella, he started a US tour that goes into the fall when he will release Trilogy, an album that will combine all three previously released mixtapes–House of Balloons, Thursday, and Echoes of Silence–delicately mixed and remastered. It will also include three bonus tracks he’s currently producing in the studio today. His label XO has teamed with Universal Music Group’s Republic Records for the commercial release.

Fans of The Weeknd will all agree: choosing standout track “Wicked Games” from House of Balloons is the perfect single to promote Tesfaye’s Trilogy. You’ll notice striking and subtle differences in the remastered, radio-friendly version of the song. Listen to it below, and compare it to the original. Soon the single will be sold via iTunes, and when it hits the ‘Net I’ll amend the post. If you haven’t already, you can download the mixtapes for free right here.

The Weeknd started out as an undercover oddity whose actual identity was shrouded in mystery. With “Wicked Games” on the rise and Trilogy around the corner, Abel Tesfaye and his decadent themes and soothing, sophisticated style better be ready for the spotlight.

[Via PotholesInMyBlog; Billboard]

The latest single off Kanye West’s G.O.O.D. Music compilation album Cruel Summer is “Clique.” It features verses from Big Sean, Mr. West, and the other half of The Throne, Jay-Z. The track is produced by Hit-Boy and it’s a hot one. Hear it below and get ready for Cruel Summer due out September 18.

After releasing two rap albums and a rock album, Kid Cudi is returning to his roots with Indicud, his upcoming fourth studio album that promises to prominently feature Cudi the rapper. “Just What Iam” was produced by Cudi himself and it features guest artist and long-time Cudder collaborator Chip tha Ripper who now likes to be called King Chip. During the hook Cudi makes it clear: “I need smoke.” But I thought he quit smoking… Preview the track below and snag it for keeps at the download link.

Download: Kid Cudi – “Just What Iam” (Featuring King Chip)

[Via DatNewCudi]

G.O.O.D. Music member Hit-Boy is best known for wearing his producer hat; he’s collaborated with Kanye West, Jay-Z, Lil Wayne, and A$AP Rocky to design the beats behind “Christmas in Harlem,” N****s in Paris,” “Drop the World,” and “Goldie.” But now he’s ready to step into the spotlight and become a solo artist, his own rapper. Earlier this summer he dropped his first single “Jay-Z Interview” and left the producing to Bink!; it blew up on Twitter as he quickly made a name for himself as a solo rapper in the hip-hop community. This week he shared a new track “Old School Caddy,” and for this one he jumped behind the boards to produce. He is joined by fellow G.O.O.D. Music signee Kid Cudi in the laid back rap that’s spit in front of a smooth-as-butter beat. Listen above. (This release was teased with a 30-second clip featuring Hit-Boy and Cudi, so a full-fledged music video may be coming soon.)

All of this comes ahead of HITstory, the producer-turned-rapper’s first album that’s expected to release August 7. “This album is for the sophisticated ear,” tweets 25-year-old Hit-Boy. Check back here next week for a link to download the free album.

Update (8/7): HITstory is out today. Hit-Boy’s first release contains 11 tracks and guest appearances from Big Sean, Kid Cudi, Chip tha Ripper, Bun B, John Legend, and Stacy Barthe. Download it for free here. Snag the cover art and back tracklisting after the break. (Click here for more…)

What happens when you team up synth-pop maestro Adam Young and current pop sensation Carly Rae Jepsen? Well, this.

It’s funny; when I first heard Jepson’s radio smash “Call Me Maybe” I imagined the orchestration as something that could have been birthed by Owl City. Perhaps Young was mesmerized by the track, too, and insisted to collaborate with the Canadian singer-songwriter. The result is “Good Time,” a song that is light on lyrics but instead focuses on a catchy synthy beat that is destined to become the next song to carry us through the summer days. Listen to it in the SoundCloud embed below, and come June 26 I’ll provide an iTunes download link.

In related Owl City news, Young has named his fourth studio album and given it a late summer release date. The Midsummer Station is out August 21. On May 15 he released Shooting Star, a four-track EP that’s a taste of what’s to come in a couple months.

A long overdue music video for Kanye West’s “Lost in the World” released late last week. The Justin Vernon-assisted track comes from West’s 2010 masterpiece My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy and the visionary rapper entrusted filmmaker Ruth Hogben to direct this black-and-white clip. ‘Ye stars alongside his trusty models in this flashy, artistic rendition that certainly complements the heavy drums and emotions that this standout track elicits. Enjoy, above.

Also last week Kanye dropped not one but two new tracks on his website: a remix of the Cheif Keef song “I Don’t Like” featuring Pusha T, Jadakiss, and Big Sean and a track titled “Burn” featuring Big Sean and Maybach Music Group’s Meek Mill. Listen and download after the break. (Click here for more…)

Yep, that’s the name of Kid Cudi’s latest track that leaked onto the ‘Net today. Though Cudi recently went on a Twitter rant saying he’s done with raps so he can focus solely on his newfound fascination for rocking out WZRD-style, all of that has been thrown out the window when he dropped “Dennis, Hook Me Up With Some More Of That Whiskey!” just before midnight on Complex. Cudder jumped on Twitter to hype the release of the surprise track and claimed producer credit. “Ok so what I did was, I took “Ghost” [a Man on the Moon track], reversed it, [and] added new drums and guitar,” he tweeted.

Yesterday Cudi tweeted, “you aint heard nothing yet” … “So many amazing things to come” … “Ahh sh*t, found my old lap top with a gang of unfinished songs from MOTM1 and MOTM2. And so it begins….” … So many fuc*ing jams. Don’t worry. Ima make sure y’all here this stuff soon. trust. believe bruv!” So is “Dennis” the first of many, many new tracks Cudi the Rapper plans on releasing into the wild as we await his next studio album? Ponder that, then listen to and download “Dennis” below.

Download: Kid Cudi - ”Dennis, Hook Me Up With Some More Of That Whiskey!”

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Mr. West is in the building. And so are his record label mates. Today Kanye West dropped the first official single off his upcoming album that promises to bring together the artists that are housed under his Getting Out Our Dreams record label. The track is titled “Mercy” and it features Big Sean who is Finally Famous and rising rappers Pusha T and 2 Chainz. Much like his previous G.O.O.D. Friday releases, ‘Ye gives ample time to his featured guests before popping with his own hard verses. The beat literally explodes when ‘Ye puts his grill to the mic. The reggae infused chorus is sampled from Super Beagle’s Dust a Sound Boy. Take a listen below, and download “Mercy” at the iTunes link provided. The G.O.O.D. Music compilation album–with raps and croons from other G.O.O.D. artists like Kid Cudi, John Legend, Common, Mr. Hudson, and Cyhi the Prynce–is expected to come out this spring.

Download: Kanye West – Mercy (Featuring Big Sean, Pusha T & 2 Chainz)

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BONUS! Yesterday Kanye leaked a slick new track called “Theraflu” produced by Hit-Boy and featuring DJ Khaled and DJ Pharris. You’re going to want to hear this one, too. West goes hard and gets some things off his chest, to say the least. The audio is embedded after the break, along with a download link and the racy, hilarious George Condo designed artwork. (Click here for more…)

Coming off his recent WZRD release, now alt-rocker Kid Cudi has put out a new track that’s featured on the soundtrack for the movie The Hunger Games. Collaborating on a movie soundtrack isn’t new for Cudi; over the summer he teamed with director Craig Gillespie to produce a song for the Colin Ferrel vampire flick Fright Night. The new track is called “The Ruler and the Killer” and it gives off an eerie vibe and features guitar riffs that are in line with his WZRD effort. Listen to the track below, then download it at iTunes. And if you’re interested in learning more about how the track came about, click here to read an interview with the soundtrack’s producer Greg Wells.

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Kid Cudi fans, here it is, at long last, the mastered version of “Dose of Dopeness.” Fans of Cudder have been waiting four years for this track to release, ever since he performed it at an intimate session that got posted to YouTube way back in 2008. The Dot Da Genius-produced banger carries a vibe similar to J-Kwon’s “Tipsy”, but obviously it does enough to distance itself from anything you’ve heard before. This is classic Cudder; in fact it was originally invented in ’08 when Cudi was about to blow up with another Genius-produced song “Day ‘N’ Night.” The beat is fire and the raps have an introductory swagger. In “Dopeness” Cudi talks, “Some people call me Cudi, some people call me Scott; it don’t matter what you want to call me as long as you call me something.” And at the very end he even teases the name of his debut album: “Where are we going? The moon.” Listen to and download the stellar track below. Cop the official album artwork (designed by Dat New Cudi’s DP) above.

You can expect to hear a whole lot more from Kid Cudi and Dot Da Genius soon. Their collab album WZRD drops February 28.

Download: Kid Cudi – “Dose of Dopeness” (Produced by Dot Da Genius)

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[Via DatNewCudi]

You’re gonna be hearing them on the radio before you know it, so you might as well get to know Karmin ahead of time. You should already know who they are; vocalist Amy and keyboardist Nick–collectively Karmin–are the ones who made it big through YouTube by posting infectious cover tracks including a selection from Chris Brown’s catalog. After going viral they signed with Epic Records and in October they released their first single off their debut album. “Crash Your Party” is on its way to one million hits. Next week, they will be performing on SNL and to prepare for it they’ve release another new single to get the people buzzing. It’s called “Brokenhearted” and it sounds like Katy Perry and Nicki Minaj had a baby…which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Regardless of how you might think something like this will resonate with you, take a listen above and prepare for Karmin to dominate the radio waves in the coming months. Their debut album is set to release later this year.