Talent is the name of the game, and today’s Daily Dose isn’t skimping out on the essential ingredient. Whether coming from the beats of J Dilla and James Pants, or the individualistic stylings of Aloe Blacc, Luna is Honey, Salem, Au Revoir Simone, or Tinariwen, you can't deny the musical abilities of these bands. Enjoy several different approaches to the music world...just be sure to keep an open mind. Besides, that's what indie music is all about, right?

Luna is Honey
True to Luna is Honey fashion, “Claws” is a bopping and subliminally distant sound bite. The L.A.-based band has been together since 2006, reconstructing themselves into several different bands before settling in with Luna is Honey. This song is off of their most recent release, Copy Cats, and exemplifies their gaze-pop sound. Let us know if you like their self-described “sunny, morbid” jams, and we’ll be sure to keep ‘em coming!

J Dilla
Hip-hop producer J Dilla (a.k.a. Jay Dee) has worked with the likes of De La Soul, Busta Rhymes and Common before starting to make it on his own. After collaborating with Madlib on an album, both artists' careers took off. Unfortunately, in 2006, J Dilla died of the blood disease TTP, but his music lives on. Check out the electronic beats in “Safety Dance”, one of his posthumous releases.

Aloe Blacc
If you were a fan of Motown or are even a second-generation Motown lover, Aloe Blacc is for you! With an updated soulful flavor, “Femme Fatal” is what we’ve been missing in the past forty years or so. Aloe Blacc uses the perfect mix of R&B, jazz, soul, and hip hop in an effort to create “positive social change.” This will be the second single from his upcoming record Good Things. Grab “Femme Fatale” on a 7” here!

James Pants
At the end of 2009, we were amazed at the ease in which James Pants’ Seven Seals was able to transcend the musical styles of electo boogie, new wave, and early rap. Here, he’s done it again! “Driftwood” is off of his latest EP, New Tropical, which is out now. Can you believe this guy got started from a lucky meeting with Stones Throw’s Peanut Butter Wolf at James Pants’ prom??

Au Revoir Simone
Au Revoir Simone has gained more and more popularity since they started making music and we have yet another example of that. The original version of “Shadows” came from last year’s Still Night, Still Light, but we have a remix for you today. Coming out on Au Revoir Simone’s remix album Night Light on July 5th is the Jens Lekman rework of the song. Maybe he put together the playful remix during his swine flu quarantine last year.

Salem
With a hauntingly grand combination of operatic singing and electronic contexts, Salem creates a masterpiece in their title track for King Night. John Holland, Heather Marlatt, Jack Donoghue will release the album on September 28 via IAMSOUND. While the trio have been producing sounds separately for some time now, they only recently combined efforts to create Salem and we’re sure glad they did!

Tinariwen
Festival favorite Tinariwen hails from the Sahara Desert. Composed of Tuareg (or nomadic pastoralist) musicians, they have been around and gaining international appeal since 1979. If you’re having a hard time classifying their sound, imagine traditional American blues played West African style. This is one style of music you can’t miss and Tinaiwen is the perfect introduction. Check out the videos below!