Desire is such a strong word, and an equally strong track for London trio Dems. The music is a heavy dose of R&B mixed with some blinking hi-hats and fancy percussion (maybe a sprinkle of the XX in there as well). The feeling is an incredible wave of passion and emotion. And that fire doesn't stop short with this track, as 'Christabel' carries the torch of blissful electro-pop with it's lush melodies. 

We've read that Dan Moss is the mastermind behind the music, but he is also joined by Dave and Duncan to make all that beautiful noise blend together. Give it a listen and wash away in the sprawling soundscapes. 

Ladies and germs, the Clash are back...Strummer is ALIVE! Alright, fine I'm kidding, this isn't a Tupac flipping burgers in Jamaica style rumor. But this new band, Casual Sex (great name), is probably the closest thing I've heard to the glory days of The Clash in a long time. The sneaky bass lines, the punched-in-the-mouth lazy vocals, the fierce confidence of the overall music.  It's fucking brilliant. There's even a little Gang Of Four, crass guitarness in here. Take a listen below.

Now the challenge of this band, like most today, is searching for them. Just don't type "casual sex" into Facebook, Google, Sound cloud, or any search engine while at work. Luckily, we're here for you.  'Like' the hell out of them here, and for all you twatters, click here. The quick and dirty is there a couple of dudes (Sam, Ed, Pete, Chris) rocking out some great sleaze rock with a sound that's probably much older than their ages combined. They release their first single on April 1 through Moshi Moshi. That's all you really need for now, so enjoy their tunes over some fine brews this weekend.

'Please have something special,' croons Sandra Lawson-Ndu over Bell Atlas' new Afro-Indie Soul mix, 'Video Star.' And special is exactly what this track is. First Yadi, and now Bells...we're being blessed with some great roots music.

Their first 'release' is filled with hints of African percussion and rhythms, sultry-smooth vocals and the slither of South Asian sounding strings and hums. It's a beautiful blend of styles that are truly captivating. The group consists of four very eclectic members, including Nigerian-American artist Sandra (lead vocals), Doug Stuart (soul-jazz bassist/vocalist), Derek Barber (guitarist) and Geneva Harrison (percussion/vibraphone, vocals). Based out of Oakland, CA, Bells are quickly refining their Hip-Hop, R&B, Jazz, Soul, Afro style music. 

Regardless of the little amount out there, I think this group deserve a bit of attention as I'm hearing a ton of potential here. Case in point, watch the video below of a cover of Future Island's 'Little Dreamer.' What seams a bit slow and thin at first, slowly builds to a beautiful harmony of vocal layering, smooth bass and highlife guitars mixing perfectly. If more up and coming music is rooted in such great style, I'm all open arms and ears.

Consider this another mini-spotlight, but a feature well deserved, nonetheless. Cry Guy is a new electro-pop project made up of Cameron Potter (Little Spoon) and his friend Virginia, based out of Boston, MA (hello, MVSCLES). I came across them the other day on NFOP and was taken back by the beauty and softness of 'Gumdrop Wishes.' But was even more shocked when I read Cameron's name, as he's a good friend of my brother. Seeing as the project is rather fresh, I've heard little from them, but countless respect about Cam as musician and all-around-good-dude. Give a listen below and I'm sure you'll agree there's a lot of talent here.

'Gumdrop Wishes' has a triumphant ring to it, pulling you in with its rich piano chords, mesmerizing vocal layering/harmonies and some intricately ambient textures -- signature of Cam (as you'll hear in his Little Spoon work). 'Sexcess,' as the title suggests, is a bit more playful in the POP realm. Filled with vibrant synths and a more upbeat tempo, the melodies will have you whistling throughout the day.

Cameron is quite active in the scene, with his constant touring or coming up with some pretty cool projects like the improvisational Midnight Tapes. Hopefully we can catch him on a break soon to catch up with the man himself. Stay tuned.