Well, we can finally pursue other mysteries* - it seems Neon Indian is composed of none other than VEGA's Alan Palomo. Just going to dip into the press release for a bit: "Orbiting around the themes of drug induced heartbreak, weary afternoons, and lost chances, this music provides a lush soundtrack to the deadbeat exploits of teenage ennui. Neon Indian's bedroom ballads have already forged the upcoming Psychic Chasms, the debut full-length, set for release this fall." Assuming ennui means lack of interest or boredom, then yes, this is an accurate description of what you're hearing. If VEGA is considered "dreamwave," then we will call this "chillbrocore," or the opposite of this.
*Here are some clues for the next mystery I'm working on: A tiny submarine that flies through the air...A half-dollar worth five thousand dollars...Some tipsy birds...A world that fits in the palm of your hand...And a case that turns out to be a real can of worms! (via Encyclopedia Brown on my summer reading list)
If you're not into chillbrocore, new unreleased VEGA joint "Kyoto Gardens" can be found in this mix courtesy of VEGA and Nicky Digital. "This was made in a single unit surrounded by kangaroos on the outskirts of Melbourne working with my dear friend Miami Horror. The frantic sound of hopping brought to mind the similar bubbling of arpeggiated basslines and bouncing tom fills. They made the mix; I was merely dictated by their beat-juggling nature. This mix also premieres my track 'Kyoto Gardens.' Enjoy! Or don’t." - AP
Miami Horror Vs. Dan Hartman - Starmaker Gary Low - You Are Danger (Romeo Erotic Re-Edit) B.W.H. - Livin Up (Putsch 79 Remix) Casco - Cybernetic Love Lifelike - L.O.V.E. Is What You Need New Edition - Cool It Now Alan Braxe/ Fred Falke - Arena VEGA - No Reasons Sebastian Tellier - Kilometer (Aeroplane ‘Itao 84’ Remix) Kano - It’s A War (Serge Santiago Re-Edit) Dynasty - I Don’t Want To Be A Freak (Lmr Edit) Breakbot - Penelope Pitstop Rhigeria - Vamos A La Playa Empire Of The Sun - Walking On A Dream (Treasure Fingers Remix) VEGA - Kyoto Gardens (Unreleased)
Feel sad and confused about this weather. Might just spend the whole summer sitting at hearth's edge and thinking about other, radder summers when we won trophies for being awesome outdoors. I had made this special mix of relevant mp3s just in case things improve later, but what's the point, you know? Might add a gray or dark blue overlay on my Twitter avatar to "take a stand" against El Niño.
We've got two free tickets to tonight's very, very sold out Phoenix show at Terminal 5. Want them? Just sign up for email updates on the right (we post an average of once a week here so it's not a big commitment) and leave a comment making your case. Begging, flirting, flattery or sob stories not necessary to enter - we'll pick a random. Winner will be emailed this afternoon, you can pick these babies up in Chelsea anytime afterwards, and maybe your evening will resemble the video above.
Were the ice cold tallboy Sapporos not frothy enough? Your homemade chorizo huareche too filling? Scenic canal-side dancefloor (w/ disco ball) not adequately shaded? Beats not buttery enough? You forgot how to play Connect Four? What? The lampshade is listening.
Cheers to Sunday Best and Brklyn Yard for not only hosting Mr. Scruff a few weeks back as part of their ongoing summer/Sunday series, but also offering the full set for each DJ afterwards. Only problem with this almost three-hour mix, really, is certain parts are so nasty that I literally just get uncomfortable. Like 12:38 - is that Bill Withers covering "Summertime?" Or the aggro hott claps/gymnasium danceoff beat around 1:31:45 - that was just kind of inappropriate with all the kids and dogs around.
Ten years ago Hockey Night was just a bunch of four track demos from a chill bro in Red Wing, MN named Paul Sprangers (who may or may not have contributed to this video about people from Minnesota who use knives inappropriately). When he wasn't popping wheelies, hanging with dubious Julies or performing in spazz-punk trio The Renegades (with drummer Alex Achen and guitarist Scott Wells), P penned songs that would later be compared to Pavement, Thin Lizzy, T. Rex and The Wyld Stallyns.
In 2003 I ordered their debut LP Rad Zapping, and the boys included an additional CD-R with "Hockey Night Demos" scribbled on it. Kind of like they knew Zapping was "OK" while future material would be "pretty nasty." And indeed, that series of unnamed dueling axe-wizardry was so righteous, so scrumptralescent, that three years later Daytrotter would dub it "the most wickedly great, face-freezing guitar lines this side of the apocalypse or pearly gates."
In 2007 after the crew surprisingly failed to achieve interplanetary harmony, guitarists Spranger and Wells left the band to sign with DFA Records. Blog chaos and verbal shivving ensued; we spent two years poring over 2005's Keep Guessin' for clues.
The road was for us It paved the ocean with trust Started a band, but man We never took care of all the Renegade rust
What happened, bros? While we may never fully know, Hockey Night's latest status signals an era of enhanced vibes is directly ahead: "BAD STUFF + PEACE ATTACK = FREE ENERGY." And regardless of which guitar rock era you most covet, there can be no doubt that "Dream City" is a proper summer 2k9 jumpoff. It's light, it's tight, verses end with the words "tonight" and "allright." Maybe we can move on.
Exotic cuts and liquid assets have been carefully inventoried to match the disparate temperments of the world's premier living experts in sensory communication. As new (old) beats fill the hall, the Fellows' collective unconscious arrives at a state in which past, present and future* Avalanches recordings exist in simultaneous potentiality. Cutlery and carafes clink quietly amongst Chateaubriand and Château Margaux; cheeks glisten with duck meat and dill curry.
*This month a cryptic image appeared on the Avalanches news section consisting of Keith Moon's picture with Clearasil spot cream from the back cover of The Who's 1967 album, The Who Sell Out, accompanied with the words "clearing samples." The status "...are clearing samples" also now appears on their Myspace page, and a blank page on Play.com has been created for a New Album TBA. Preliminary inquiries into the Fellows' advisory body have not been returned.
This is what the chaps from Air France probably looked like whilst discussing the blueprints of their splendid 2k8 rooftop mix - cool and confident, with well-pressed slacks and Julies waiting on the wing. While they haven't dropped anything new for this summer (yet), feel free to continue celebrating a few of last year's individual highlights. Just don't be fooled by Treasure Fingers - most of this mix is REALLY CHILL. Like "donking out in the sun after a plate of hand-battered Honey Chiptole Chicken Crispers® from Chili's" chill.
Although the last track is easily the best (and Avalanches fans should read more about that one here), Prefab Sprout's 1987 uberweak Cars and Girls is getting a lot of air time for some reason. Not sure why. It's pretty much the exact opposite of a "highly bloggable" track by today's standards - and even cornier than the Perfect Strangers theme - yet I keep coming back, first post-ironically and now for serious.
Sometimes no matter how much you try, the white horse simply can't get you through the swamp of sadness. And when it's time to go alone, only The Streets' prang-powered, hooligan house bangers can push things forward.
Recently Mike Skinner has been sharing new beats with us "electronically" via "Twitter." While this week's addition isn't exactly the Southern Oracle, it does harken back to the higher-BPM Original Pirate Material days when life was pear-shaped and we drew unicorns in math books.
Also - Center for Meme Control officials released a new report this morning - evidently Keyboard Cat has mutated beyond fail/fainting vids into hidden cams, political/religious memes and movies. Here's our "classic cinema" addition:
Do you like the new Streets track? Where do you think Keyboard Cat will strike next? Have you ever met an ancient turtle who said he was allergic to youth?
Today we revisit the popular 1986 skate drama Thrashin', in which a skater bro named Corey (aka Josh Brolin, the older bro from Goonies) gets with a Julie named Chrissy who just happens to be the younger sister of Hook, leader of tuff punk skate gang The Daggers. As you could probably guess, those courting Tommy Hook's lil sis must be prepared for harsh pool jousting and downhill skate-race shenanigans on the reg. You ready for that, Valley Boy?
In this new BT video Corey wakes up one morning, throws on his VSW/Jimmy Zs, and hitchskates to grind rails w/ the ramp locals. As the afternoon sun beats down and VEGA's outstanding new joint "No Reasons" ramps up, so does the crowd. Does he have what it takes to get nice at the next level?
GvB and Big Stereo are rightfully tagging this to be the essential summer 2k9 jammy, and it's also the lead single for VEGA's Well Known Pleasures EP dropping digitally May 19 soon via Vogue College Records. It's great to see Alan's finally putting a release together; I may have the whole thing before then but I'll still buy it twice. Because VEGA is that crescenfresh.
Bonus - although an official soundtrack for Thrashin' was never released (what's up with that), the team at J Projex pulled together most of the lineup including old school Chili Peppers, Devo, Circle Jerks, etc. You really don't need to hear a Meatloaf movie theme titled "Thrashin'," it's not even post-ironically funny, but they have it, so.
Play Him Off, Keyboard Cat is a virulent, powerful new meme strain responsible for a recent outbreak of mild interweb shenanigans. While its origin has been linked back to this seemingly harmless 2007 video, Keyboard Cat is now mutating by wrapping itself around the DNA of more popular memes; deftly eluding the protective antibodies that render cat videos unfunny to most of the adult male population. At the moment it's primarily isolated within fail/fainting videos, but 80s sitcom clips and music videos are likely next. Worst case scenario, we could be looking at a preview of the mysterious The Entertainment video from Infinite Jest. Here's one example (do not watch):
Comedic art or global pandemic? The anonymous creator of Keyboard Cat weighs in: "Who says it was supposed to be funny. Keyboard Cat is a form of modern art comparable to dadaism. Most people aren't able to grasp the complexities and attention to detail that a 'play him off, keyboard cat' encompasses."
Tips for helping your family avoid this meme: - Stay away from your home, office or anywhere that may have internets - Wear a Peter Sarsgaard-branded SARS guard at all times - Do NOT open or play video files friends may have sent you labeled "funnie" - Learn more about the meme economy (via HRO)
However if you'd prefer to knowingly contribute to society's downfall by facilitating KC's transmedia spread, we've provided you with an mp3 to share via mixtapes, ringtones, banger remixes, etc. Also works well as an alarm clock notification (for "zany" people who like to take jokes too far).
Bea Arthur is not a meme, OK. I want to take a serious moment to appreciate all that Dorothy and The Golden Girls have given us, while also examining what role, if any, these Miami post-panthers have had on some of the music you appreciate today. Sure, she taught us crucial pre-Degrassi lessons about teen pregnancy, infidelity, and accepting cross-dressing siblings. But what does Bea have to do with beats? We asked a few of our favorite musicians that very question.
How has Bea Arthur and/or the GGs in general influenced your musical career?
Thomas from Bellman Barker: "John owns an autographed photo of Bea Arthur that he got at a garage sale years ago - he has it hanging in front of his electronic drum kit in Baltimore. So clearly, it's the inspiration for all his beats. Most of our songs are about marrying Leslie Nielsen and moving to Atlanta (ed: in the series' final episode, Dorothy married Blanche's uncle Lucas Hollingsworth, played by Leslie Nielsen). Also, we have a shelved project called 'Let it Bea' - honestly, it's kind of hard to tell where Bea ends and BB begins." Dan from Dan Deacon: "Like claws. Deep bold strokes of light."
Brian aka Mux Mool: "Brother Ali had a remix contest for one of his songs (Original King). A line from the song is 'That shit's Golden Girls that ain't golden gloves' - that was the first time I had ever synced up one of my beats with vocals. I actually used what became the Death 9000 beat. Similarly, I did watch a lot of Golden Girls at my grandma's house when I was a kid, which in retrospect, has had absolutely no effect."
Bruce from Double Dagger: "No influence whatsoever. R.I.P."
Who's your favorite Golden Girl and why?
Brian from Silversun Pickups: (takes a deep breath, scratches chin scrubble...) "How to answer what is undoubtedly the quagmire of our generation?" (This was followed by a long, well-executed platform outlining the attributes and faults of each Golden Girl before he finally settled on Betty White.)
Dave 1 from Chromeo: "Man I haven't watched that show in so long...I don't even remember what their names were...one of them had orange hair. Which one had orange hair? Which one was the youngest one, the cool one? (someone says 'Blanche'). Yeah she got the leather pants like me!" (full interview here)
Joshua from Santa Dads: "My sister [Wham City artist Dina Kelberman] and I watched it growing up along with almost any other sitcom of the 80's and early 90's. At the time I watched it, we did not express any emotional attachment towards the characters on the show. It was more an affection for the concept of the television, not the shows or characters themselves. But if I must choose, as I know I must, my favourite Golden Girl will be Rose Nylund (Betty White). I love her hair, her innocence, her devotion to kindness and childish grace."
And when we both get older With walking canes and hair of gray Have no fear even though it's hard to hear I will stand real close and say Thank you for being a friend
And when we die And float away Into the night The milky way You'll hear me call As we ascend I'll say your name Then once again Thank you for being a friend
Because it doesn't make sense that a song as crescenfresh as "All Too Vivid" should only be featured once. Because we made a sweet unofficial Vega-endorsed video for it. Because on a Friday night a long time ago, a GT Pro Freestyle and a Hutch Trick Star with Peregrine 48s met in the middle of a high school gymnasium.
We just featured Del the Funky Homosapien* (not pictured) last week, but that was before he dropped a fresh new album for free. Freshness, or using olfactory analysis as an intuitive means for judging one's character, seems to be a recurring motif throughout his catalogue. We all remember the Both Sides of the Brain classic "If You Must" - and while newest release Funk Man also addresses who stank and who don't, this time whether that's a good thing or not is up for debate. Sir Diesel now embraces Funkee in all of its forms - he's musty with a buzz - and it is what it is 'cause he do what he does. Download Funk Man for free here.
*Apparently now it's "the Funky" and not "tha Funkee," so. **There are plenty of other good tracks on this album if this one isn't your steez. ***Oh, and he said 3/4 of yall is wack.
We've heard at least a half dozen "1901" remixes already, but our main homey Alan Wilkis finally made one worth cranking in your Tata. Though this version doesn't outmuscle the original (obviously), the extra-ominously layered synth raises disturbing questions about nineteen second recaps of Kubrick classics and turn of the century soirées. In this video we ask, "What does '1901' really mean, Phoenix? What?"
While this video only raises more questions, know this: Wolfgang Amadeus and Wilkis' new EP Pink and Purple are both slated for a May release, and our imaginary friend Tony says they're going to be dope.
NYC writer/DJ Jon Oliver recently featured Hieroglyphic's "You Never Knew" from their 1998 debut Third Eye Vision, and although the original is indeed a summer stoop classic, Hiero member/manager/beatmaker Domino's 2007 remix is way better. Make sure you grab that along with the original sample from Dom-produced "At the Helm" below, because as Pep Love says, "Those that know not doze, and it shows."
Domino produced many of the songs on Third Eye Vision except "You Never Knew," but he kicked off b-side/rarities comp Over Time with this upgraded backpack banger almost ten years later. Crew leader Del tha Funkee Homosapien jumps in over a scratch break at the two minute mark: "Del - been rhyming for more than a decade - onto the next stage while MCs need aid - stay paid, I'm still grade A - none of that tomfoolery as you you can see this shit ain't nothing new to me." Since the original verse was already more than ten years old, we know Cube's cousin started flowing well before most kids started driving (his solo debut dropped when he was 18).
Unlike Pure Essence, Southside Movement's powerhouse funk was well known throughout Chicago (and the nation) in the mid 70s. The first minute of "I've Been Watching You," with an icy electric piano bit dripping over fuzzy guitars, stomping basslines, horn blasts, etc. was a perfect grab for "At the Helm." RJD2's instrumental redux (around 3:15) also includes a Jethro Tull mashup of "Pistol Grip Pump," The Watts 103rd St. Rhythm Band, Double Trouble, and three different versions of Sly & the Family Stone's "Sing a Simple Song."
4/15 add: Del went and released a whole new album for free on the creep last week. Get it right now!
Not blogging about the new Where the Wild Things Are* theatrical trailer that you should have already seen by now. Not proclaiming it, by merit of the trailer alone, an early contender for film of the year. Not posting the shorter, lower-quality version of Arcade Fire's "Wake Up" that is included in the teaser (it's like they made that trailer just for us), though you can get it here.
Instead I invite you to stare directly into the yellow eyes of an even bigger monster; the sultry, black foam snake that is "Wake Up" by Pure Essence. Laid down more than twenty years ago by an unknown Cincinnati funk ensemble, this tender jam is indeed for laying down by hearth's edge.
DJ Shadow and RJD2 found these guys in the basement a few years ago (RJ samples their only other song, "Third Rock," in "Clean Living"), and it turns out that LA Reid was actually on the high hats. Point being, if that's not the nastiest bass line you've ever heard, I'll put on a wolf suit and chill in my room sans supper.
*pretty random that Carles and I both blogged about making fun of this alt movie meme within the same two hour span...maybe the movie looks pretty cool, but I just wanted to go ahead and get on the backlash train since the hype train already left like two months ago.
Exactly 45 seconds after I heard that Swedish electro-poppers The Tough Alliance had covered The Zombies' "Hung Up On A Dream," there was an extremely awkward moment. As the gravity of this news sank in, the sand underneath me began sinking as well. Vibrations filled the air, sweet confusion filled my mind, and a sea of nameless faces rippled in the heat. The volleyball coach just stood there with his hands in his pockets.
While he still owns industrial glitch clap, Mux Mool's new Just Saying is All EP features faster, stronger Daft/Dilla dance biscuits and autonomously powered robo-carnivals. As one guy says on the iTunes review section, "Mux Mool is a better mix of of 80s trance and millenial tools than most. More hip hop than these other softee electro nerds." Agreed - and the homemade cover art is classic Bmore gutter.
Download a radio edit of "End Guy" at Moodgadget, catch him at Cake Shop next Saturday (3/28), and most importantly, buy this EP right now. One of the songs is called "Eagle Fantasies" if you needed something to tip the scales.
With songs like "I Don't Wanna Die,""Ready to Die" and an unhealthy focus on disambiguation (Tuff Ghost, Sea Ghost, Ghost Mountain, etc.) we should have seen it coming. But just as they would have wanted, the 'corns spirit lives on in places like the Secret Unicorns Forum and our new (obviously unofficial) video for "Tuff Ghost."
The footage is taken from the first season of Look Around You, a British series of satirical homages to 1970s and early 1980s educational films and programmes. (Incidentally the cast from Season 2 grace the cover of our latest publishing project, Email Magazine.)
The last track on their last album ended with "I woke up thirsty on an island in the sea;" and two years later, two thirds of the band (frontman Nick Diamonds and drummer J'aime Tambeur) emerged as Islands, opening their debut with "Swans (Life After Death)." And first single from 2008's Arm's Way is about being stabbed in the heart, probably by a ghost, so here we go again.
(Have a look at Shuggie Otis. He was last seen being awesome in this patio which is where he probably is right now being awesome as usual.)
While most of you already enjoy 1974's Inspiration Information from the blues/funk singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist born Johnny Otis, Jr., the rest of the family catalogue is also worth a dig. His full-length debut, Here Comes Shuggie Otis, features nine original cuts co-written by 14-year-old Shug and his dad, including instrumental fun cooker "Bootie Cooler" (I'm guessing he got to pick the song names).
Johnny Otis, Sr. is equally awesome (if not more awesome). In addition to fathering American rhythm & blues, leading a swing band, penning hits for Gladys Knight, discovering Etta James, running a label/nightclub/TV variety show, inspiring Frank Zappa's facial hair and recording an album under the name Snatch and the Poontangs, he brought "Watts Breakaway" into the world. It's an airtight, lid-popping lesson in running Blues Brothers breaks (and this wasn't even a single).
Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings just released a pretty decent cover of "Inspiration Information" for Dark Was The Night, the best charity soundtrack since 1993's No Alternative. You can download this song along with exclusive joints from Sufjan Stevens, Arcade Fire, Yo La Tengo, Stuart Murdoch, Beirut, The National, My Morning Jacket, Spoon, Grizzly Bear, etc. for $11 on Amazon.
Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings - Inspiration Information (from the Dark Was The Night compilation, buy it here)
Tonight: Drink a seven hour power, invite friends for merrymaking at your place, then go see Calvin Harris, We Have Band and many more @ Webster Hall (proper flyer here). Is this guy the next Douglas Bubbletrousers or what?
Late tonight: Have a dream about hypothetical/improbable shark scenarios, wake up and draw it. Dan Meth, for example, pondered a world where sharks reproduced exponentially until every inch of the world’s oceans were filled with them, and what would that look like. Tomorrow: Play the new Studio 54/Avalanches-inspired Bullion joint below (via GvB), brainstorm some lunch options, and spend the rest of the weekend pretending you're Daft Punk.
Technically, we don't need any more Jay-Z mashup/concept albums (you'll notice we declined to mention Jaydiohead a few months ago), but dope is dope. Umatic'sAmsterdam Gangster kicks open with a hanging Hammond riff (courtesy of Meters progeny/funk collective Lefties Soul Connection) while Hove hovers on the lip.
Every Weird Tapes song is decadent, yet sleazy, like eating a Senior McFlurry on the hallway floor in your tux. This particular joint teases just the tip of The Isley Brothers' Footsteps in the Dark around 2:05, which is kind of sick (see McFlurry reference above). So Ice Cube borrowed his beat from the brothers and his flow from this chart.
Though it wasn't the first "audioblog" on the block, Soul Sides has remained the Interweb's best source for 60s/70s soul, disco, funk, and afro-latin crate gems for five years now. That's like 35 blog years.
For us younger folks who heard De La Soul before the Detroit Emeralds, Beck before Herbie Hancock, and Q-Tip before Ruby Andrews, Soul Sides helps discover, dust off, and most importantly, dissect exactly what today's artists grew up on and why it matters today. And while we link back over there as much as possible, you can pretty much assume that any classic sample searches either originated (or were inspired by) O. Wang and crew. So pay your respects son. To celebrate, they're revisiting and reposting twenty favorite tracks from the past few years. So far that's included an essential Dizzy Gillespie joint and a horn/xylophone-driven soul track from the Harvey Averne dozen (?). Thanks, as always, for the beats.
One way to mitigate nasty weather is to go ahead and lay out the ideal audio accoutrements for your first poolside/rooftop jaunt (in this case, my trip next month to Punta Cana). First up - The Loop Professor (Ben Allen) mixing Tropicalismo pioneer Gilberto Gil's "Maracatu Atomico" over Q-Tip's J-Dilla produced "Breathe and Stop" instrumental. The perfect lime for your morning's first Presidente.
Loop Professor - The Stop vs. Gil (from Get Your Hand Outta My Pocket! Vol. 3, 2006, track via Names You Can Trust) 20-year-old Aussie Jonathan Boulet has gone out and done the music world a frickin' service with his new compact disc, appropriately titled Jonathan Boulet. No chopless, dubious ruffians here, this is a professionally trained voice man that also wrote, recorded, produced and played almost every instrument. Boulet!
Although "Island" is the first single from Whitest Boy Alive's second EP (available in the US next month), it's actually been part of their live shows for the last five years or so. In this studio version Erlend Oye shares enigmatic clues about hidden Norwegian treasure.
- Weird Tapes - Hassan, Tito, Sonja and Thomas from Dutch teen powerpop group Babuluga (see wig-scrambling video below, prepare for your life to permanently improve around the :42 mark). No one knows anything about these guys, except for Tito is rumored to have dated the year 7 twins (Erica + Heather) from the first season of Degrassi Jr Hi. It's probably time for them to "get viral" like when that chimp went to the dentist.
I found them through asrestlessasweare, who I also want to chill w/ because they were the first to bloghard about Weird Tapes almost a year ago. What else do you need to know about a song called "Nightstalking" that elicits Information Society/Point Break paranoia?
