Well, as the 4th of July approaches, the stream of new music is slowing down slightly (or I just need to broaden my range and taste), so I had some trouble finding stuff I really liked this week. Fear not, I did find some cool stuff. So, before you take off for an extended holiday, here is this week's batch of great new music.

Big Boi - "Gossip (Featuring UGK and Big K.R.I.T.):" Big Boi continues to impress post Outkast. Featuring a relentless bass-heavy midtempo beat, this  is undeniably tight. Guests UGK and Big K.R.I.T. sound as equally adept as Big Boi, who does not seem to be missing a step.



Erika Spring - "Hidden (Jensen Sportag Remix):" The fun thing about this column is  it forces me to dig around and listen to stuff I normally might not  look at, and this remix is an excellent example. Reminiscent of the opening to a very strange early '80s comedy, "Hidden" features warm squelching synths over a longing vocal track, and a sharp punctuated groove.




Minotaur Shock - "Saundersfoot:" I was torn between including this or another instrumental song this week, but "Saundersfoot" is far more interesting than the other possibility, which remains nameless. Light and with a nice spaced-out bridge, this is a really good song to zone out to this afternoon. Minotaur Shock's album will be out on August 20.



Thee Oh Sees - "Lupine Dominus:" Thee Oh Sees will be here with Ty Segall in September (a concert announcement that nearly made me weep with joy, no seriously, it was beautiful). "Lupine Dominus" is off their forthcoming 14th album, The Putrifiers II. The new song is another contained pyschedelic freak-out with the guitar line functioning as the chorus. Menacing in tone, with a droning low hum throughout, "Lupine Dominus," is another standout track from a band I am very excited to see on September 25.