NOTE: This list will be updated with songs and music and pictures galore until the end of December! Please keep checking back!
Sorry I haven't been around. I've been trying to figure out what to do. In my opinion if I can't give you guys my all then... there is no point in even trying...
Normally that would lead to me saying I'm packing it in... BUT that's not what I want to do. I want to pull my extraordinarily depressed head out of my arse and get back to work.
All the experiences I've had with this blog have been brilliant! I mean whether it was bowling with Klaxons, or FreQ Nasty interviewing me lol, I can't imagine anything cooler. It would be insane to give up now. Plus I still have archived stuff you guys want to hear/see for sure and how could I possibly deprive you of that?
Enough blather... this is why you came here... BEST OF 2010 Remember this is (mostly) based on U.S. release dates (unless the album didn't come out here *cough* TMB)!
Best Albums:
It would be hard to beat the epic scope of Plastic Beach and the inclusion of "Cloud Of Unknowing" sort of seals the deal on it being my "record of the year". I will say that Surfing The Void was a very very very close second.
Gorillaz - "Plastic Beach" Klaxons - "Surfing The Void" To My Boy - "The Habitable Zone" The xx - S/T Editors - "In This Light And On This Evening" Ellie Goulding - "Lights" Foals - "Total Life Forever" Hot Chip - "One Life Stand" M.I.A. - "Maya" The Chemical Brothers - "Further"
Best Singles:
This time Klaxons win as they rightly should! If I could I'd give 'em like every award for best everything (which I almost am) so we'll save some time here and say that the narco-dreamscape vibe of "Twin Flames" wins both best single and best video of the year!
Klaxons - "Twin Flames" (Best song also best video!) La Roux - "Bulletproof" To My Boy - "Hello Horizon" Gorillaz - "On Melancholy Hill" Ellie Goulding - "The Writer" Foals - "This Orient" Kele - "Everything You Wanted" Frankmusik - "Fear Inside Of Me"
Best Non-Brit Dance Album: Matthew Dear - "Black City"
Best Non-Brit Album: Kanye West - "My Beautiful Dark Fantasy"
Best Remix Of The Year: Lady Gaga - "Bad Romance (Starsmith Remix)"
Best Concert Of The Year: Klaxons This is fun because there's a nice story with it.
Well let's start at the end and work our way back to the beginning. Right as we parted company, on our second night with the Klaxons, Jamie Reynolds said "Never has something so negative, in my mind, brought about something so positive"...
What is this negativity you ask? It's around 1:12... it probably worth you knowing that my radio show is called "The Spirit Of Albion" :)
And what was the positivity? The fact I ended up making friends with my favourite band after that mess.
I went to the Klaxons show at the Magic Stick with the expectation that I would have some time to talk to them. I'd already talked to their manager so it was a sure thing (but I kind of expected it to be like 5 minutes, and a hand shake, and off we go). Instead it turned into hanging out with the whole band til 2am and going bowling. Then getting an invitation extended to join them in Chicago the next day blew the lid off of awesome and we entered some new realm of awesome lol...
Highlights: Bowling with Jamie and creating our own new technique; surprisingly I won which made no sense... Bursting into song with James singing Kajagoogoo's "Too Shy" (as he could not remember the city of Kalamazoo) Simon inviting us to Chicago where the list read "Guy from Detroit" Exposing the band to Bell's beer one of Kalamazoo's greatest exports Hearing loads of awesome stories that I'd never read in a magazine, or write about here Jamie bought a fucking CROSSBOW because that's how truck stops in America work Making friends with one of my favourite bands of all time
Lowlights: (or "The stupid shit I say to this band every time I see Klaxons") James: "So I guess the original version of the album sounded more like 'Echoes'"... Me: "(Me thinking of the sound) You mean like Ride? Like shoegazey music?!?" James: "Umm, no, like the song 'Echoes'" Me: "Oh, yeah... *awkward pause*"
Me: "Anthony, I'm really glad I didn't realize who you were last night. I think I would have geeked out" Note: For those of you who don't know Anthony Rossmondo was Pete Doherty's replacement in The Libertines which is this blog's other favourite band Anthony: "I'm really glad that you didn't do that" Me: "Yeah me too, me too" (if you picture me acting like Scott Pilgrim that scene just comes alive with how retarded I was acting)
As far as a review of the live show: The shows both nights were great but the Chicago show had more energy than the Detroit one (largely due to crowd size). They really killed nearly every song they did but one of the biggest tunes was "Flashover"... they do a great job with their poppier songs? But the intensity of their harder songs sort of transforms the crowd and everyone is sort of in tandem (like the "Twin Flames" vid without the nudity lol)... further proof of this was "Atlantis To Interzone" which literally was an amazing bolt of sonic energy bouncing around the room. I've seen them perform 4 times and this tour has been their best so far. They seem more centered, more grounded, and generally happier dudes... or maybe I just caught them on a couple great days and had a wonderful time? Perhaps I can confirm that next time they roll through the Midwest...
I could continue to blather about fun times but let's just say Klaxons are as nice in real life as they are in your heads.
Ok I've got some work to do... but there are literally pages and pages of written material for this I simply have to go back and proof read. I figured if I was going to disappear for months I'd come back with something big lol. Love you guys... thanks for the on going support!
It is no secret that here at Arcadia we are huge fans of Klaxons... I haven't written a review for their new album yet because I want the review to be a little deeper than "OMFG IT'S SO GOOD" lol... In fact I realize that I don't have a whole lot of objectivity with bands like them and Bloc Party so it takes me longer to review the material.
WHILE we are waiting for that... hows about you kids enjoy this live version of "Echoes" in anticipation of their new tour!
“one of the best pop albums of the year – but still one of the most individual and ambitious.” – NME
“Even at low volume, it sounds astonishingly loud and euphoric – a self consciously epic record of rampant ambition and deliberately arcane weirdness.” – Nylon
It’s been 3 years since Klaxons burst onto the music scene, injecting a dazzling and much needed moment of rave hedonism into the midst of indie tedium with the truly original and enormously influential Mercury award-winning album Myths of the Near Future. The band is back with the eagerly awaited follow up, Surfing the Void. This ten track offering was produced in LA by rock legend Ross Robinson (Sepultura, Slipknot, At the Drive In, The Cure) and written over the course of a three year long musical journey, it’s a brilliantly diverse and engaging alternative rock record. While the record is now available to lucky fans overseas, stateside fans that can't wait to download the album at iTunes on September 21st. The record will see a US physical release in the coming months on tinyOGRE Entertainment.
With the release of Myths of the Near Future the Klaxons burst into the consciousness of music fans everywhere, going platinum in the UK and gold in Australia, France and Japan. Their debut release earned the band a Mercury Award, two NME UK awards (Best New Band, Best Album) as well as two NME US awards (Best International Band, Best International Song). Surfing the Void is already a smash overseas, launching in the top 10 in the UK, France, Japan, Australia and Germany. Following some fantastic European dates this past summer and performances at festivals like Reading & Leeds, the band are set to kick of a nationwide headlining tour on our side of the ocean. Don’t miss your chance to see the band’s riveting live show in a city near you this fall!
We were given a taster of what to expect – or perhaps what not to expect - with the teaser track ‘Flashover’ being streamed on their site and via first single ‘Echoes’ fantastic video. Now it’s time for the full sonic explosion.
“villainous guitar rambling, dread-in-the-gut bass lines, and stentorian falsetto shrieks. But even Klaxons’ most ominously rambunctious tracks grind out plenty of bug-eyed dream pop chants.” – Spin
“it might be time to sit up and pay Klaxons some respect.” – BBC
TOUR DATES Hoboken, Maxwells – 19th Sept New York, Bowery Ballroom – 20th Sept Washington, 9.30 Club – 21st Sept Brooklyn, Music Hall of Williamsburg 22nd Sept Boston, Paradise Rock Club – 24th Sept Columbus, The Basement – 28th Sept Detroit, Magic Stick – 29th Sept Chicago, Lincoln Hall – 30th Sept Minneapolis, Triple Rock Social Club – 1st Oct Vancouver, Venue – 4th Oct Seattle, Chop Suey – 5th Oct San Francisco, Great American Music Hall – 7th Oct Los Angeles, Filter Magazine Culture Collide Festival – 8th Oct West Hollywood, Troubadour – 9th Oct
Surfing the Void Tracklist: 1) Echoes 2) The Same Space 3) Surfing the Void 4) Valley of the Calm Trees 5) Venusia 6) Extra Astronomical 7) Twin Flames 8) Flashover 9) Future Memories 10) Cypherspeed
It's hard to draw any parallel here between Acid Washed and uhhhhhh Britain (in order to connect them to this blog lol) buttttttttttt Acid Washed is playing a show for Clash Magazine in London (broad format breaking smile) soooooo that's how I'm working them into the blog!
Normally I don't break format but there are just too many good records coming from Record Makers for me to ignore. I want to write more but Blogger is being weird so I think I'm just going to have to publish this one!
Link to purchase: http://shop.recordmakers.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=146 HQ artwork: http://pressgang.tv/images/Front- AW.jpg
Release date: 17/09/10
Record Makers & French duo Acid Washed are proud to announce the release of their eponymous 12" with remixes from The Hacker, Mickey Moonlight, DANGER, Daniel Haaksman, Digikid84, Lazy Flow, Jungle Fiction and Stuff.
Since the release of their debut album in March, Acid Washed’s luscious disco has steadily gained admirers from all corners of the globe. From Cannes to New York, Berlin to London with fashion designer Jenny Packham, their reputation as DJs and live performers is growing. Their collaboration with British designer Anthony Burrill has provided hypnotic visuals, accompanying them wherever they go on this non-stop tour.
The time has now come for Record Makers to release their signature track, Acid Washed. The euphoric finale to every live set has undergone the deluxe remix treatment from the very best in established and upcoming producers.
The Hacker, long-time Miss Kittin collaborator and old friend of Acid Washed, shows why he is universally held in high regard. His minimal adjustments have maximum impact, a massive horn rising out of this sublime effort. Man Recordings supremo, Daniel Haaksman, adds a touch of funk mondial to the original, resulting in a slow-burning tropical house re-rub. Harpsichords float over eerie, space electro as DANGER cements his reputation as the dark horse of the French electronic scene with a future classic.
Mickey Moonlight took time out from finishing his debut album to contribute, Ed Banger’s finest pushing the highs and lows of the original into a swirling, summery mix. The hell-raising Young Gunz crew turn up with two of their finest, Digikid84 and Lazy Flow demonstrating why the party never stops when they are around. Icelandic teenagers, Jungle Fiction, serve notice of their undoubted potential with a sensational slice of French-house. Wrapping up proceedings with a dark disco cut is Stuff, a Grenoble based producer signed to Space Factory Records.
10/09 - Social Club, Paris, 24/09 - Clash Magazine Party @ CAMP w/ ShitRobot, London, UK - ticket link 25/09 - Chez Moune, Paris, 30/09 - El Rey Theatre, Los Angeles - Acid Washed, Sebastien Tellier, Kavinsky, Turzi - Festival Oohlala 19/10 - CMJ, New York, USA
Richard D'Alpert and Andrew Claristidge had a vision of creating sophisticated electronics with a sharp pop aesthetic, using vintage and modern equipment. The result is a fusion of late nineties French house vibes and DFA disco touches that acknowledges the influence of Chicago and Detroit without being overly reverential. Throw names like Steve Reich, Giorgio Moroder into the hat as well if you like, but don’t dwell on them. Cosmic tunes for the party tonight.
Simian Mobile Disco are funny guys. I mean they are humble, very amusing, and very dedicated to their work. After their awesome Temporary Pleasure they're working up some new tracks and a new mix... here's what Wikipedia has to say about the former:
"During the introduction of their Essential Mix made for Radio 1, broadcasted on the 9 January 2010, they gave hints on what would be a "techno-based album" expected for later in 2010. Since then, the duo has also established what will be a quarterly residency to JDH and Dave P’s Fixed nights, in NYC. In March 2010 the duo announced their new club night project 'Delicatessen', curated by the duo and accompanied by what they say to be "a brand new imprint" entitled Delicacies. The first single on Delicacies is set to be released in late May, both physically and then digitally. The first two tracks are titled "Aspic" and "Nerve Salad". Simian Mobile Disco announced that every track will "take the name of an exotic, and often bizarre, delicacy from around the world".
Ahhh yes "Nerve Salad"... the new track is posted below to help hype SMD's upcoming U.S. mix for "Fixed". What is this all about you ask? Well here's the press (track below)...
Simian Mobile Disco returns with their first domestic US mix CD Simian Mobile Disco Is Fixed
The first in a new compilation series celebrating New York City’s forward thinking FIXED party
Simian Mobile Disco - “Nerve Salad” Out: October 12, 2010 Label: Defend Music www.defendmusic.com www.myspace.com/fixednyc www.facebook.com/simianmobiledisco www.myspace.com/simianmobiledisco www.simianmobiledisco.co.uk
“The mix we have done for Fixed is based on how we hope our residency with them in New York will pan out. Fixed has always been a forum for the deeper and odder end of disco and techno, but without forgetting that it's still a party. We mixed this live in our studio, allowing us to throw some extra effects in there and also a bit of the 808 from time to time.” - Jas (of Simian Mobile Disco)
****************
Defend Music is proud to announce the first release in a new series of mix CDs celebrating New York City’s famed FIXED parties – Simian Mobile Disco Is Fixed. Released on October 12, this marks the first Domestic USA release for the famed British DJ/Production/Remix team.
This mix perfectly represents what you’d expect to hear from Simian Mobile Disco (AKA James Ford and Jas Shaw) at one of their FIXED residency nights - it’s all wondrous techno. There’s no messing around here as the mix launches with the spacey, wobbly, jazz tinged one-two punch of Brain Machine “Eternal Night” and Etienne Jaumet “For Falling Asleep.” Next, Jurek Przezdziecki “Qwerty Poema” and Conrad Schnitzler “Ballet Statique” reveal techno’s beautiful side with divine melodies and flowing beats before Andre Walter “Malphas” and Bam Bam “Where's Your Child?” contrast with tougher and more ominous sounds. It’s the perfect lead into Simian Mobile Disco’s own remix of DJ Hell’s gothic techno track “U Can Dance (feat. Brian Ferry) and Paul Woolford’s rubbery “False Prophet.”
Phillip Sherburne starts off the second half of the disc with his excellent “Salt And Vinegar,” and when paired with the next track, Clement Meyer “Midnight Madness” you’ve got the sound of a plane spinning out of control (good in the context of this mix). Simian Mobile Disco pulls up next with their most recent single, “Nerve Salad,” a full on techno assault with nightmarish sounds weaving in and out. Pantha Du Prince “Behind The Stars” is equally dark, slowing things down before Carl Craig brings back the acid with his remix of Hot Chip’s “One Life Stand.” The mix starts winding down with Chateau Flight’s bouncy electro “Baroque” before the BPMs start freefalling with SND “05:36:58” and Delia Derbyshire’s tripped out and droning “Dreams.”
FIXED was launched in 2004 by DJ’s JDH and Dave P at the Tribeca Grand hotel and the party quickly took off as a result of a forward-thinking booking policy. One week you’d find heavyweight, Berlin-based techno jocks like Ewan Pearson playing with on-the-rise indie acts such as Little Boots or Friendly Fires the next. To date, blue-chip artists like Erol Alkan, Soulwax, Booka Shade, Justice, Superpitcher, the Klaxons, Peaches, LCD Soundsystem, Mylo, Vitalic, Simian Mobile Disco, The Rapture, Tiefschwarz, M.A.N.D.Y. and many more have all made appearances. The party celebrated its five-year anniversary in November 2009, with Basement Jaxx headlining the night.
Simian Mobile Disco takes the reigns of the first mix in FIXED’s new series embodying what the New York institution’s parties are all about. Simian Mobile Disco’s James Ford and Jas Shaw comment, “Josh and Dave were the first people to put us on in America, and they consistently put on the craziest parties with the best dance music in the United States. We jumped at the chance to do a mix for them, as Fixed is a beacon of hope in a sea of generic bangers. It has a broad, classy music policy and is set to follow in the footsteps of legendary nights such as Trash and Optimo,”
The new mix called Simian Mobile Disco Is Fixed is coming out October 12, 2010 on Defend Music. I'm pretty excited about it as just about all their mixes have been either time capsules of the zeitgeist or forward thinking genre benders!
Let me know what you think of "Nerve Salad"! I'll be back soon with more goodies as I have a billion of them in my inbox still. Again, sorry for the absence, I'm really back this time :)
I don't even need to tell you how good this is... just look at the track listing. Our man Don Diablo has killed it again... I promise you'll be seeing his name a lot more here again in the future. Now that I'm getting my shit back together!
Don Diablo takes you on a trip down memory lane! This thursday, Don did an interview with BBC Radio 1 and dropped a Klassroom mix for Kissy Sell Out's radioshow. Grab the radio broadcast right here, and check out what Don was bobbing his head to in highschool! From Massive Attack to The Smashing Pumpkins and from Prince to Bruce Springsteen and way beyond that...! In short: 40 classics in 20 minutes, enjoy!
Tracklist: 1 Ace of Base - All that she wants 2 Melodie MC - Dum Dam Dum 3 Yello - Oh yeah 4 Babylon Zoo - Spaceman 5 TQ - West side 6 Smashing Pumpkins - 1979 7 Kriss Kross - Jump 8 Jurassic 5 - What's golden 9 Moby - Honey 10 Smash Mouth - All Star 11 Felix - Don't u want me (Classical Cover) 12 The prodigy / Lisa Stansfield - No good (Start the dance) 13 Oasis v.s. Queen - Wonderwall will rock u (Don Diablo MashUp) 14 Moby - Feeling so real (Don Diablo Remix) 15 Marusha - Over the rainbow 16 Sunbeam - Outside world 17 Bertocucci Feranzano - XTC Love 18 Westbam - Mayday Anthem 19 Soul II Soul - Back to life 20 Daft Punk - Aerodynamic (Don Diablo Refix) 21 Skee-Lo - I wish 22 New Radicals - You get what u give 22 Salt-n-Pepa - Push it 23 Prince - I wanna be your lover 24 De la Soul - Me, myself & I (Don Diablo Refix) 25 Wildchild - Renegade Master 26 Massive Attack - Unfinished symphony 27 Bruce Springsteen - Streets of Philadelphia 28 System of a down - Chop Suey 29 EMF - Unbelievable 30 Weirdo & Sim - Go get busy 31 Mainx - 88 to Piano 32 Natural Born Chillers - Rock the funky beats 33 Roni Size - Brown Paper Bag 34 Fatboy Slim - Don't let the man get you down 35 Dr. Dre - Keep their heads ringin' 36 Warren G ft. Nate Dogg - Regulate 37 Eric B & Rakim - Pump up the volume 38 2Unlimited - Let the beat control your body 39 Michael Jackson- Remember the time (Don Diablo Remix) 40 Ryuichi Sakamoto - Merry Christmas Mr Lawrence
The Charlatans are back and of course this is cause for excitement... it's even more exciting for those of us stuck in the U.S. since they're touring here in September! This song is actually a lot heavier than what I was expecting for their lead single but I really like it. Check out their "beautiful Michael Clarke inspired, Douglas Hart of The Jesus & Mary Chain fame directed video" for their new single below!
With a career that has already spanned two decades, The Charlatans - Martin Blunt (bass), Jon Brookes (drums), Tim Burgess (vocals), Mark Collins (guitar) and Tony Rogers (keyboards) - release their new album ‘Who We Touch’ on September 6th 2010 through Cooking Vinyl. A 2 CD limited edition package, including exclusive early versions of tracks and additional tracks that never made it onto the album will also be available.
Their eleventh studio album, ‘Who We Touch’ was produced by Youth (Paul McCartney, Primal Scream and The Verve) and was recorded at Britannia Row in London, on the same desk that saw the creation of New Order’s ‘Blue Monday’. Featuring eleven tracks, the album must surely rank as their boldest to date, radically broadening their aesthetic remit. It is, says Burgess, “a soulful voyage”, a journey through moods uplifting and profound, dark and delirious and ultimately concluding in blissful optimism. Its sound is inspired by many heroes, yet always sounds like no-one other than The Charlatans themselves.
Album opener, ‘Love Is Ending’ is the first single to be taken from the album and is available on August 2nd on limited edition 7” vinyl. The Horrors have also done a remix of the track which will be exclusively available through itunes.
The video to ‘Love is Ending’ was directed by The Jesus & Mary Chain’s Douglas Hart, who wanted something very simple yet visually striking to compliment the energy of the track. The ballet dancer/choreographer Aisling Cook was selected due to her influences, style and understanding of Michael Clarke’s work, who is famous for his unique and pioneering style of contemporary ballet with a 'punk' edge whilst maintaining the fluidity and grace of classical ballet.
Further into the album ‘Oh!’ is a beautiful song of reconciliation, as complex as its shifting time signatures. ‘You Can Swim’, an exquisite ooze of ambience, reminiscent of ‘Another Green World’-era Eno, with whose creative ideas the album began. Lurking at the end of the album is hidden track ‘I Sing The Body Eclectic’ featuring Crass’s Penny Rimbauld on vocals. Gee Vaucher who did the iconic artwork for all of Crass’s releases, also provides ‘Who We Touch’ with it’s eerie collaged cover image.
The full tracklisting is:
1. Love Is Ending 2. My foolish Pride 3. Your Pure Soul 4. Smash The System 5. Intimacy 6. Sincerity 7. Trust In Desire 8. When I Wonder 9. Oh! 10. You Can Swim
Their North American tour is as follows: Charlatans UK - 2010 North American Tour Dates 09/07 - Atlanta, GA @ The Loft 09/08 - Chapel Hill, NC @ Cat's Cradle 09/09 - Washington, DC @ Black Cat 09/10 - Boston, MA @ Royale 09/11 - Hoboken, NJ @ Maxwell's 09/13 - New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom 09/14 - Brooklyn, NY @ Music Hall of Williamsburg 09/15 - Philadelphia, PA @ Johnny Brenda's 09/16 - Montreal, QC @ Cabaret 09/17 - Toronto, ON @ Lee's Palace 09/18 - Chicago, IL @ Double Door 09/20 - San Francisco, CA @ Bimbo' 09/21 - Costa Mesa, CA @ Detroit Bar 09/22 - Los Angeles, CA @ El Rey
The Charlatans play the following shows in October:
5th Hatfield, The Forum 7th Newcastle, O2 Academy 8th Edinburgh, HMV Picture House 9th Dundee, Fat Sam’s Live 11th Liverpool, O2 Academy 12th Nottingham, Rock City 14th Leeds, O2 Academy 15th Sheffield, O2 Academy 16th Manchester, Apollo 18th Oxford, O2 Academy 19th Bristol, O2 Academy 21st Norwich, UEA 22nd London, O2 Academy Brixton 23rd Birmingham, O2 Academy
I just got at Toddla T about an interview we've been waiting on since before his first feature in Dazed and Confused (i.e. a LONG time). I got an early listen of this beast of a song and wanted to try to get his attention before he was doing like 20,000 magazine interviews because of this... and of course I don't think I emailed him lol. Who knows, maybe it'll still happen, but if it doesn't you'll understand why right after you hear this song... it's so Summer perfect that everyone will want a piece of him...
Here's some press: Toddla T comes absolutely busting out of the traps for his very first single for Ninja Tune/Girls Music. On a recent trip to Jamaica to collaborate with Major Lazer, Mr T found himself alone in the legendary Tuff Gong Studios in Kingston. Who should wonder in but the one-and-only Wayne Marshall who asked Toddla to play him some rhythms. As soon as he heard the beat which would become “Sky Surfing” he told the Sheffield whizz kid to hit RECORD.
The result is the hyperactive club smasher “Sky Surfing,” which runs through a million styles from dancehall to jump up hip hop to cheesy rave and makes them all sound as fresh, as squelchy and as downright fun as they ever have. Marshall himself sounds utterly revitalised by this genre-crusher, chatting and singing with equal ease and thoroughly enjoying this “JA-UK connect.” A blast of good time energy summed up in its title, “Sky Surfing” is set to go stratospheric.
Expect to see remixes from Benga, Ross Orton + DJ Q when the single comes out 9th August 2010 on Ninja Tune... this is obviously a must have for Summer parties! Let me know what you think in the comment section!
You don't want to hear me talk about how awesome this is... you just need to hear this as fast as possible. One of dubstep's most important names, Caspa, returns with a very sick tune called 'Back For The First Time' and I promise after one listen you'll be fiending for more Caspa... at least a remix lol... check out some press and then the new video below!
After a short spell away, Caspa is back with one of the most highly anticipated releases of the year on his own Sub Soldiers imprint. Never one to rest on his laurels and take a backseat, this latest EP is yet further testament to the devotion and hard work of one of the UKʼs most prolific and prominent figures, cementing his place within the global electronic elite and establishing himself as an artist in his own right. First up is an anthem that has been lighting up airwaves globally for the last few months. This latest, club bound banger comes in the shape of 'Back For The First Time' featuring Dub Police label mate and fellow UK luminaire D1. Gathering heavy support on BBC Radio 1 from Annie Mac & Zane Lowe, as well as being battered in the clubs by the who's who of dubstep A-listers,this is fast becoming one of the biggest tracks to emerge from the scene so far this year - it's not hard to see why with it's catchy ascending and uplifting chords, juxtaposed with THAT trademark growling bass - this track will no doubt be the soundtrack of many festival attendee, clubber and music fans Summer, guaranteed to mash the dance and pronounce the return of one of the scenes key players. On the flip Caspa teams up with another label mate Subscape for a tune that, like its A side brethren, has already seen the light of day in countless clubs worldwide. 'Geordie Racer' takes no prisoners with its driving, furious beats and prominently low, penetrating basslines, anyone who has been lucky enough to be in the rave when this monster drops like a ten ton weight will no doubt inform you of the carnage it creates in its wake. Again gaining support from dubstep royalty and being featured on Caspa's 'MyStyle' mix CD (released last month), its another future classic from the real London deal. All in all, expect big things once again from the return of Caspa & the Sub Soliders / Dub Police
camp. And as ever, theres plenty more to come where that came from…keep those ears peeled and those bodies locked.
Of course one of the most talked about things on the blogosphere is the new M.I.A. album "MAYA". Some reviews are good, others are not so hot, but arguably the most important verdict comes from Diplo (who has been involved in the production of all of her albums thus far)...
For those of you who are just arriving to the M.I.A. and Diplo show... they started dating after she walked into our dear fabric's nightclub while he was playing her first single "Galang". They had a beautiful working relationship, and personal relationship, and they were the power couple of the year when her first album came out.
Eventually their personal relationship fell apart (we won't go into why, you can find that somewhere else on the interwebs if need be) but regardless they continued to work together... One can't help but wonder if their relationship woes helped inspire this song... Amanda Blank feat M.I.A. = "Take It Easy" YSI
Their continued collabo yielded, amongst other things, the worldwide smash "Paper Planes" (helped significantly by the trailer for Pineapple Express). And on top of raising both their profiles it also lead to interpolation by KanYe West in the form of "Swagga Like Us":
Anyway... now that "MAYA" is out there is a storm of hipster commentary out there (reminding me a lot of the wild reaction to Interpol's "Our Love To Admire")... however, the review that is most interesting to moi is this interview where Diplo speaks about M.I.A.'s new album.
Other collaborators on the new album include Blaqstarr... who wrote this killer jam (sampling the theme for 'The Wire' in a B-More stylee) that was originally believed to be written for the new M.I.A. album. M.I.A. feat Blaqstarr = "Way Down In Hole" YSI
If her next album didn't have Diplo on it I'd be very surprised (despite what that interview might lead you to believe). I've met both of them: Diplo is a very funny, kind, prankster of a guy... and M.I.A. (although I only very very briefly spoke to her) seems like a kind, level headed kind of woman... I have little doubt that all this will blow over and they'll be working together again soon.
Make sure to check out Diplo & Switch's Major Lazer EP that comes out this next week featuring the likes of Thom Yorke and M.I.A.!
I'll be back as soon as I can and hope you enjoyed this post... please leave comments telling what you think of the new M.I.A. album! I've got a silly video with Diplo which I'll probably post later this evening... see you guys soon!
EDIT: I realized I've posted this song a few times but I've never posted the original Omarion version with it... so here it is just in case you lived under a rock and somehow haven't heard this song.
After cellebrated remixes for Dragonette, The Antlers, Little Boots, Dragonette, Cartridge and Patrick Wolf, Barcelona's DJ duo Buffetlibre release an official remix on Plushgun's Mixtapes. A high energy electro remix which, as usual, Buffetlibre offer as free download.
Seemed like a good headline to get you interested... but then again how could you not be interested?!?! Even if I had just said "wicked remixes" in the headline it would have gotten a lot of people interested.. but by saying "remix competition" there is no way that any respecting blogger, dj, or producer can overlook this info.
Throwing the word "fame" in is like throwing in the word "free" lol...
Even if you win there are no promises of fame (as you can see below that's not part of the prize packages)... BUT if Kavinsky, himself, chooses your remix as the winner I can't see how you wouldn't end up making waves in the future!
So what's up with all this delicious information? How can you make the best remix of your life (and maybe get some swag while you're at it)? Read the press release below...
To celebrate the release of ‘Nightcall’, Record Makers and Kavinsky are proud to offer fans / budding producers the opportunity to remix the zombie vocals of Lovefoxxx and Kavinsky. Head over to kavinskyremix.com to get involved:
// 1 Download the vocal stems using the Soundcloud player.
// 2 Make your remix.
// 3 Submit to Record Makers via SoundCloud by Wednesday 30th June.
# 1st prize: (chosen by Kavinsky) Digital release on Record Makers + Nightcall vinyl + Soundcloud Pro. account
# 2nd prize: (chosen by the Record Makers staff) Nightcall vinyl + Teddy Boy vinyl + Soundcloud Lite account
# 3rd prize: (chosen by the fans - most favourites on SoundCloud) Nightcall vinyl + 1986 vinyl + Soundcloud Lite account
And if that's not enough music for ya, Kavinsky just created a mix for Dazed Digital! I love Dazed Digital... thank you for existing... without The Face someone has to be awesome... http://www.dazeddigital.com/Music/article/7474/1/Kavinsky_on_Autocruise
This is what he said about the Dazed Digital mix... “This mix is automatically generated by my car when I start the engine. This is the music that flows in my veins. My car knows this. For the first time ever, you are able to listen to this program outside of my car. Enjoy."
So get crackin! You've got a wicked song to mess around with, you've got a finite amount of time to do it, and you just might be the lucky bugger to win... who knows? Anyway, I hope you enjoy the remixes (make sure you go cop "Nightcall" from Record Makers) and Kavinsky's mix (which comes a little way toward making up for the fact that I couldn't be at DaFunkFest)... I'll be back soon, keep your ear to the ground!
After taking a brief break the boys are back veering away from the previous new rave tag placed upon them... it's a very new sound full of rich spacey pop perfection that won't leave your head for quite some time... read more in the press below:
To My Boy will release their sophomore album, The Habitable Zone, through their Von Braun imprint on the 31st May 2010.
The follow-up to 2007’s Messages catches the duo of Sam and Jack embarking on a new musical voyage, leaving behind the computer world in search of The Habitable Zone; the area around a star where the conditions to support life are just right. Planet Earth sits in one of these zones, but clings to it by the skin of its teeth, with impending doom in every direction. It's a beautiful but frightening position to be in.
A physicist and songwriter, Jack has been working on an energy device called a ‘Tokamak’ which recreates the conditions of a star on the surface of the earth. This will go on hold next month, as the release of The Habitable Zone brings life back into the beautiful machine and To My Boy.
The Habitable Zone, self-produced in the hills of Derbyshire, has already started receiving favorable press; “To My Boy are back with more winning eccentricity. But this time, it’s less oddball electro-pop, more sad-eyed folktronica...sweetly sad-eyed and lovely” (NME), as well as plays on John Kennedy’s XFM ‘Xposure’ and Steve Lamacq’s BBC 6 Music shows.
The video for lead single, ‘Hello Horizon’, is now available to view online. This will be followed by the full release of the album on physical and digital formats on Monday 31st May.
Got a new one here from good old Sarah Goldielocks called "3rd Eye Vision"! The track is available as a free download by tweeting or updating your Facebook status about the track... sounds like a solid deal, especially given the quality of her recent output!
Apparently Chris Ofili has an exhibition on now at the Tate Britain and Goldielocks, Mala, Cooly G, Tinie Tempah etc, and were asked to write songs to correspond to his paintings. In case somehow you forgot (or were too young) Mr Ofili was the object of some serious controversy...
"One of his paintings, The Holy Virgin Mary, a depiction of the Virgin Mary, was at issue in a lawsuit between the mayor of New York City, Rudy Giuliani, and the Brooklyn Museum of Art when it was exhibited there in 1999 as a part of the "Sensation" exhibit. The painting depicted a black African Mary surrounded by images from blaxploitation movies and close-ups of female genitalia cut from pornographic magazines, and elephant dung. These were formed into shapes reminiscent of the cherubim and seraphim commonly depicted in images of the Immaculate conception and the Assumption of Mary. Following the scandal surrounding this painting, Bernard Goldberg ranked Ofili #86 in 100 People Who Are Screwing Up America. Red Grooms showed his support of the artist by purchasing one of Ofili's paintings in 1999, even after Giuliani famously exclaimed, “There’s nothing in the First Amendment that supports horrible and disgusting projects!"
Here is the "scandalous" work...
I believe David Bowie at one point had his work exhibited on the once very very very popular subscription site BowieNet (On a random note happy 18th wedding anniversary to Bowie and Iman!)...
And of course there was even more controversy because of Ofili's connection to Charles Saatchi... click on the links above to find out more.
Here's a video of all these goings on over at the Tate!
Saaafe x
Check out more at Goldielocks World! I'll be back soon with the video etc for both the Major Lazer/Bassnectar and Echo & The Bunnymen shows... I just gotta get my finals taken care of and I'll sort you guys out! Keep checking back!
You know we love Adam Ficek's Roses Kings & Castles project... so it's exciting to hear some new material out of him... Enjoy this while waiting for the pics and videos from the Major Lazer & Bassnectar show :) One Born Every Minute by Roses Kings Castles by 360degreemusic DIGITAL RELEASE DATE: 2/5/10
CAT NO: 360dgmD(CDS)0013
a. ONE BORN EVERY MINUTE b. SIT DOWN (CASSETTE DEMO VERSION)
Originally conceived as a creative outlet whilst Babyshambles were on holiday, Roses Kings Castles have grown these past two years into a name that is synonymous with smart, witty, acerbic pop. Definitely not indie, yet proudly, defiantly and genuinely independent.
Eschewing the traditional album/tour/single route, RKC have established an identity that is often quirky yet never annoying, and in the process made some stunning music. Comparisons with Belle & Sebastian’s pastoral warmth and the acidic outsider pop of Syd Barrett, have now dissolved as RKC have moved into a sound that is comfortably their own.
The eponymus debut album has sold more than 3,000 copies since its release in September 2008 and an ever growing army of new fans across the globe have enabled a lengthy spell in the studio, which has produced a wealth of new material. The album Suburban Time Bombs was recorded in the second half of last year, and the first single from the album, One Born Every Minute will be issued on 2nd May, followed by the album later in the year.
RKC are currently deep into rehearsals with new band members to be revealed shortly, and to coincide with the release of the album, they will be playing selected live dates in the UK and across Europe.
Well apparently poor Bassnectar had a sort of surprise release of his new EP... Instead of kicking and screaming how does the Bassnectar team deal with it? Release it early and give stuff away for free!
The Bassnectar crew has decided to drop the latest Timestretch EP a week early with some exclusive DJ Pack bundles through the Bassnectar.net site. Release is 100% bangers with some remixes by MRK1, SPL, Jantsen, and iLL.Gates
It worth noting that the EP is actually out now (unlike when I got the email, sorry about that)... Check out more at the Bassnectar music store! I can tell you right now it's absolutely amazing haven taken a listen in the last few days. I wish I would have posted this earlier (I got it about two weeks ago) so this is old news to some of you....
...but you may not be aware that Bassnectar and Major Lazer are playing TOMORROW at The Fillimore in Detroit! If you're going drop me a line and perhaps we can discuss how sick this bootleg is:
If you caught the last Bassnectar post you know our boy Robot Koch did a sick remix for him... so it only makes sense to post this info together. He's got an EP coming out in May that will no doubt melt your face lol...
And just to get you a little more excited there's new Jahcoozi on the horizon as well :) That is just about the only remotely British thing mention (because of their lead singer) in this post... I guess the remixers on the Bassnectar EP count right? This is basically just blatant favouritism hahaha... thank god both make awsome music! I'll do my best not to make friends with people who make crap music so we can keep the quality fresh!
After tomorrow you'll have some sick video, audio, whatever from the Bassnectar & Major Lazer show so... make sure to stay tuned!
Unless you've been in a coma, or are Osama Bin Laden's cavemate, you've probably heard of Ellie Goulding. She's been hailed as the most important musical artist (especially female) since The Beatles and is the future of everything and you should buy her album so you support the future of everything... right?
Well... hype is an AWFUL AWFUL thing... it's such a bad thing in fact that it put Miss Goulding in the hospital last year when she was opening for Florence & The Machine and had a wicked panic attack! And I think it's unfair to pin all the hopes and dreams of electro-pop-dance-futurism on one person all across the board... for example it's one thing for me to say "FRANKMUSIK IS THE GREATEST THING EVER IN THE HISTORY OF EVER" and it's another for every paper, blog, podcast etc to say the same. It makes the artists insane, and it kills credibility (unless you're like Lady Gaga or something and transcend all boundaries), and it creates expectations SO HIGH that they can't be meet...
So how is her album "Lights", the recently released debut from electro-pop's most talked about person since La Roux, when all the hype dust clears?
It's pretty damn good. I'd love to say I thought it was a 10/10 but I feel like maybe there was a "too many cooks spoil the broth" thing going on here with "Lights"... not like Ellie's primary collaborator, the brilliant Starsmith, doesn't know what he's doing... but I sometimes feel like maybe the label said "it's great but I think we need a little more of this" or something because some of the spark that came across in her demos and original versions of these songs is missing (something that often seems to be the byproduct of label tampering).
The album starts off with "Guns and Horses" which has transformed into a more dancefloor ready song compared to it's original version (provided by John Fortis' production). It's much more urgent and I think that's a great addition to the song. Not as hot about the "I'd do it all for you"s at the end of the song but... perhaps that because I'm used to a very different version of this song. "Guns and Horses" does however set a nice thematic tone for the album ("when I'm standing here in the dark I see your face in every star") when paired with "Starry Eyed".
I don't need to tell you anything about "Starry Eyed". It's a brilliant single (produced by Jonny Lattimer). The first time I saw the video I was breathless. My sister cried and couldn't explain why. The song is really that good... and it's this type of perfection that feeds that damn hype monster... but that doesn't take away from it's unbroken heart vulnerability/enthusiasm that makes the track nothing short of precious.
We move on to "This Love (Will Be Your Downfall)" which could easily be a single (but more likely a b-side remix bonanza for the dance kids) it's so catchy. It's lyrics have the quality of a song by The Smiths... in that they're not too upbeat but the song sounds (mostly) like rays of sunshine. This is her genius (again something that is highlighted by Monsieur Starsmith).
"Under The Sheets" is like super sick. The lyrics are really vivid and the production it's subtle without being too slick. I got my 7" copy in the mail the other day and was elated. If you don't know this song I'd be surprised so I don't have a lot to say about it.
Ok, now here is one of the songs that got a substantial overhaul, "The Writer". The last one was completely acoustic guitar, I think, so this version feel very different. This truly has "single" written all over it. It's nothing short of cinematic and I think that actually fits well... it's hard to listen to this version and not see some major love affair of a video, or some climatic problem where a couple gets separated (see see Jacob at the end 'Eclipse' lol)...
"Every Time You Go" is inventive and fun and thankfully doesn't sound like a single... because when an album is nothing but singles you don't ever feel connected to it because it feels far too universal (in my humble opinion). The lyrics on this one keep going with the 'star motif' and are some of the most tear worthy lyrics on the album. I give this one a big thumbs up.
Ok, now here's the tricky one. "Wish I Stayed" is produced by ISoA friend Frankmusik and I'm a tad confused why the album version of this song is so so so different from the original. I like the dubby vocal, the almost Chemical Brother sized beats, and I appreciate Vince's desire to constantly evolve (and change the songs he works on)... so I'm going to guess he just wasn't satisfied going with the version he and Ellie put together quite some time ago? But I still prefer the original to this (however the more I listen to it the more progressive and interesting it sounds). Going back and listening to the original it feels like it's dwarfed by these new changes... but the vocal stuttering, the backwards section after "freefall", the audible background vocals, and the bouncy synth groove of the chorus were what endeared this song to me. BUT the version I'm speaking out would be REALLY out of place on this album soooooooo... ultimately I'd give this one a high grade but would recommend for you the listener to hear the original, and for Vince to do a remix version for an upcoming single. That would be amazing. Ohhhhhh or re-record it as a duet... yeah do that lol :) Here's the album version, and then a download of the original...
"Your Biggest Mistake" is audibly produced by someone other than Starsmith. It's a good tune but the previous one was so huge that this song was one I had to listen to on it's own and not in the context of the album. It sounds very radio ready? And while very catchy it just doesn't have the impact of some of the other songs for me.
"I'll Hold My Breath" has Ellie and Starsmith back together and you can tell that they are both at their best together. This song isn't all fireworks like their other collaborations on the album but is a brilliant 2nd to last song. It keeps with the 'star motif' again and just sounds right... it just sounds right. There is no other way to explain it.
"Salt Skin" is the perfect album ender, and like watching a supernova or something. It's very experimental, shimmery perfect album closer. I recommend this to all the skeptics because this song touches on something that other albums in this sort of genre haven't.
Add all that together and I'd say it's somewhere between a 8.7/10 to a 9.5/10 lol. It just depends on how the tracks hit you and what you already know about Ellie. Hype aside it's a wonderful debut and is frankly MUCH better than some of her contemporaries who have had very successful careers.
It's often mentioned (in almost every review) that Goulding is a "folkie" dressed up in Frankmusik/Starsmith's poptronica production sheen... which is kind of true? But I'm not exactly sure what it has to do with anything unless staying that is some derisive term to imply she doesn't know which direction she really wants to go in. I think that to focus on that too much is to negate her talent as an artist and is an attempt to corral her into some genre specific cage (which is goofy because I'll bet right now that her next album will sound nothing like this one). Since it doesn't really show up on the album though I thought I'd post some of her more acoustically inclined work :)
"Not Following You"'s lyrics on this are bit like 10cc's "I'm Not In Love" which makes it coy and adorable... Ellie Goulding - "Not Following You"
This one I listen to a LOT. "The End" stirs up a lot of memories and just sort of sounds like magic... even if the lyrics are a little sad in places... Ellie Goulding - "The End (Demo)"
I'd post more from Ellie but I think I'd get my ass handed to me by the illusive Polydor. Someone involved in her career said I could probably get away with this remix as well so enjoy, because it's probably the last you'll get from her for a while! This one is for the dubstep heads out there... I also suggest seeking out the Jakwob remix of "Starry Eyed" if you can manage.
I would say that I've probably listened to "The Killing Moon" as many times as I've brushed my teeth in my life (which is a high number, thank you, not a low number lol) so I was very excited when my friend Zoe shared with me that Echo & The Bunnymen have recorded a NEW VERSION, along with a bunch of other live tracks, for Daytrotter. I was initally a little put off by the 128 kbps download, but there are options to buy, and the interface is really cool and worked smoothly with my Mac... so for all the skeptics, go ahead and register and check it out, it's free!
Now, normally, you know I don't post things that aren't British... but frankly? I'm starting to see that this is going to be impossible. Why? Because frankly a lot of your favourite artists are on record labels that slap me with DMCA notifications for dumb shit like posting a WIDGET. So I'm willing to play ball with certain individuals/labels that are a step ahead of the average prerogative. So I guess let's intro the uber famous label Record Makers by saying Bobby Gillespie from Primal Scream is on Turzi's new record "B" which is awesome by the way!
Sebastian Tellier has been a pretty non-stop fixture in my car/iPod/phone recently (after wearing myself out on "Sexuality" when it first came out)... so I'm very relieved to see some new material here! The good people at Record Makers have a lot of cool stuff coming out starting with this...
And then there's all this! Have you ever played with the iDaft app? Because if you have then you know how baller this should be...
Launching twelve months of 10th anniversary celebrations in style, the Parisian label Record Makers are proud to announce the release of a free iPhone application along with a special digital compilation to commemorate a decade in existence.
Spectacular prizes are on offer to those who find the winning combinations and send in photographic proof to Record Makers HQ. The entire discography is up for grabs, whilst every entry will be entered into a prize draw to win a trip for two to Paris in October including a week’s stay at Hotel Amour and an invite to Record Makers’ anniversary celebrations on 10/10/10.*
- The first 100 to send in one combination will receive 2 CDs / vinyls from the Record Makers discography.
- The first 50 to send in two combinations will receive 10 CDs / vinyls from the Record Makers discography.
- The first 10 to send in three combinations will receive the entire Record Makers discography.
Players only permitted one entry.
You can find the app in the App Store on your iPhone!
Video Teaser - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IZ2DrsaBl6A
Head over to www.recordmakers.com for more info and a free download of the video to Sebastien Tellier's 'Look' by Mzyrk and Moriceau.
AND IF THAT WEREN'T ENOUGH... here's a the new Kavinsky called "Nightcall" (which you may have read above is produced by none other than Guy from Daft Punk) and "Pacific Coast Highway": Nightcall by Kavinsky Pacific Coast Highway by Kavinsky
WHOO! That was one hell of a post... I've got a bunch from Ninja Tune to post for you guys but it didn't seem like it would fit in this post. Plus I've got the line up for this years Movement and other little tidbits so PLEASE come back... and as usual you comments are always appreciated :) Be back soon!
Look at that face. Add the words DJ and dubstep. Then play the songs. Listen for the sounds of fanboys (and girls yeah?) fainting...
I'll add more later but check the press first: "Maya Janee Coles - unveils new dubstep project....
London based, British/Japanese producer Maya Jane Coles - http://www.myspace.com/mayajanecoles is the main production force behind female dub meets electronica act, She is Danger - http://www.myspace.com/sheisdangermusic and is ready to unveil her newest creation - Nocturnal Sunshine - http://www.myspace.com/nocturnalsunshinemusic - a dubstep project with elements of electronica, dub and tech house included with very interesting developments in the not too distant future....
Musical peers ranging from Massive Attack, The Orb, Delphic, Steve Bug, Sister Bliss, Doorly and Caspa count themselves as fans of her work and woman aren't suppose to be able to produce/engineer/write, right? Wrong - or so it would now appear and to prove she's versatile her prodcutions have placed top 10 in both the tech house and dubstep charts on Beatport!
Maya's official credits as a remixer under her varied monikers includes artists such as Massive Attack, Groove Armada, MSTRKRFT, Ellie Goulding and Todd Terry amongst others, not bad for a 23 year old! With her originals and remixes being played on BBC Radio 1 by the likes of Annie Mac, Pete Tong and Mary Anne Hobbs, as well as international spins and recognition by stations such as KCRW Stateside and many more across Europe, Asia and Australasia.
Additional Maya's remixes have won plaudits such as NME Radio 'Single of the week', NME Daily Download, Best of Myspace, Q Magazine 'Track of the Day' and RCRDLBL 'Track of the Day' with her 'She is Danger remix' of Massive Attack's 'Girl, I Love You' alongside band member Lena Cullen being included on the deluxe version of 'Heligoland'.
Maya continues to perform in She is Danger supporting Crystal Fighters, Theopolius London and The Orb as well as DJing under the 'Maya Jane Coles' playing parties stretching from Tokyo to Berlin to Barcelona with Sonar, Bestival, BBC Electric Proms and Fabric's sister club Matter just a few of her scalps."
Here's a little buffet of all the different irons Miss Coles has in the fire...
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