Check out the latest mixtape from my favorite mash-up duo, The Hood Internet. For Trillwave, ABX and STV SLV (who make up The Hood Internet) teamed up with clothier Mishka and made one hell of a summer mixtape. _Trillwave _is a laid-back, mellow experience perfect for your late-night afterparty/kickback. Listen to Birdman & Lil’ Wayne spit it over Washed Out, Lloyd Banks lay it down over Neon Indian, or the Young Money crew go hard to Javelin.

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Yesterday, M.I.A. performed the track “Born Free“ from her latest album /\/\/\Y/\ on The Late Show with David Letterman. The performance was characterized by the singer having an entourage of look-a-likes singing and dancing along with her. Pretty strange if you ask me, but it’s something that I’m not surprised to see her do— it’s her way of addressing the recent criticism that’s been tossed around about how she’s fake and an impostor.

Making a surprise cameo appearance alongside M.I.A. and her posse was Suicide band member Martin Rev on the keyboards.

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After another dreadfully monotonous day of assembling glasses for 8 hours, I routinely flipped on XMU channel 26 on Sirius Satellite Radio to hear the groggy and pleasingly apathetic voices of Matt Berninger and Aaron Dessner of The National.

For this week only, these guys will be hosting an hour-long show at 5 p.m. with replays at 11 p.m. everyday. They hand pick tracks off of their latest album High Violet as well as goodies from older stuff. Digging a little deeper, Berninger and Dessner also rotate some music that influenced their slowly but surely rise to indie rock fame.

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Listen to the new track “Workin’” from DC-based rapper Wale. Definitely sounds like him at his best— the track is on the same level as “Chillin’” and “Nike Boots.” Wale’s been keeping a pretty low profile these last few months, and a new video he’s released explains why.

“Workin’” is off of his upcoming mixtape, More About Nothing, which is set for release on August 3rd. Check out both below:

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M.I.A.’s third album /\/\/\Y/\ (MAYA), is now available for stream on her MySpace. After giving it a couple of quick listens, I’m surprised to say that I’m a little disappointed. I really _wanted to fall in love with it, since I still listen to _Arular and Kala on a weekly basis, but it didn’t happen.

I walked away thinking that there isn’t a standout song on /\/\/\Y/\. I know she’s been pushing for “XXXO” and “Born Free“ to be her hit songs ever since they were released a few weeks ago, but I just haven’t been feeling them. Maybe this album needs a little time to grow on me. Take a listen and decide for yourself:

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