Butter Team

Butter Team Weekend Beats Vol. 41

2012-01-01T13:33:00.002-04:00

Butter Team Weekend Beats Vol. 41 (right-click to DL mp3)

A Butter Message to the USA
Gaz Nevada - IC Love Affair (Italian version)
Kavinsky - Nightcall (Breakbot Rmx)
Tears for Fears - Mad World
Cold Cave - Life Magazine (Delorean Rmx)
Miami Horror - Sometimes
Daniel Diamond - Champu
Hot Chip - Baby Said
ASAP Rocky - Demons
Baby Huey - Hard Times
Ghostface Killah - Buck 50 feat. Method Man
The Field - Then It's White
Open Mike Eagle - Nightmares

Butter Team Weekend Beats Vol. 40

2011-07-07T15:03:00.000-03:00

Butter Team Weekend Beats Vol. 40 (right-click to DL mp3)

DJ Shadow - Organ Donor intro
Kings of Swing - Nod Your Head to This
Wiz Khalifa - The Kid Frankie
The Emotions - I Like It
RZA - O'Day
Javelin - Andean Ocean Mixtape
Toro Y Moi - New Beat (Fare Soldi Rmx)
Booka Shade - Night Falls
Fatboy Slim - Apache
Fleetwood Mac - Dreams outro
Holy Other - Touch (Supreme Cuts Mix)

Butter Team Weekend Beats Vol. 39

2011-05-19T23:21:00.000-03:00

Butter Team Weekend Beats Vol. 39 (right-click to DL mp3)

Air - Kelly Watch the Stars (Moog Cookbook Rmx)
Holy Ghost! - Hold On
Cut Copy - Saturdays
Mike Dunn presents Mr. 69 - Phreaky MF
Discodeine - Synchornize (feat. Jarvis Cocker)
De La Soul - Roller Skating Jam Named Saturdays
Ol' Dirty Bastard - Baby Got Ya Money
Roy Ayers - Running away
Kid Creole & The Coconuts - Stool Pigeon
The Avalanches - Close to You
Shit Robot - I Got A Feeling

Butter Team Weekend Beats Vol. 38

2011-03-05T17:53:00.000-04:00

Butter Team Weekend Beats Vol. 38 (right-click to DL mp3)

Jay-Z - 99 Problems (Dap Kings Remix)
Gang Starr feat. Nice & Smooth - DWYCK
P.M. Dawn - Set Adrift On Memory Bliss
Blondes - Paradise City
Radiohead - Nudez (AmpLive Remix feat. Too Short)
Hieroglyphics - You Never Knew (Domino Remix)
Notorious B.I.G. - If You See Me (feat. Lil Wayne)
Jorts outro

Butter Team Weekend Beats Vol. 37

2011-01-21T12:29:00.000-04:00

Butter Team Weekend Beats Vol. 37 (right-click to DL mp3)

CEO - Illuminati
Das Racist - Rappin 2 U
Creep - Days
Mirrors - Hide and Seek
Treasure Fingers - Cross the Dancefloor (Lifelike Rmx)
New Order - Everything's Gone Green
The Human League - Things That Dreams Are Made Of (Kissy Sell Out Rmx)
Debbie Gibson - Only in My Dreams
Casco - Cybernetic Love

BT Video: Holy Other - YR Love

2011-01-09T23:56:00.004-04:00

Padmasambhava's Tibetan Book of the Dead (8th century) is a funerary text that guides readers through the experience of our consciousness between death and our next rebirth.

Gaspar Noé's Enter the Void (2009) is a fucked-up psychedelic melodrama that guides viewers through the experience of a recently-deceased drug dealer before (and after) his "great liberation" in subterranean Tokyo.

Holy Other's YR Love (2010) is a white-light liturgy that guides listeners through the experience of a shaman's DMT homebrew trip, a spiritual understanding you will learn and forget for eternity.

I figured it might be good to give these a spin together. This video contains heavy drug use and strippers. Enjoy.

full screen version is better
get the mp3 at GvB

Butter Team Weekend Beats Vol. 36

2010-12-03T12:53:00.002-04:00

Butter Team Weekend Beats Vol. 36 (right-click to DL mp3)

Frankie Knuckles - Your Love
Poni Hoax - Antibodies
Q Lazzarus - Goodbye Horses
Death in Vegas - Hands Around My Throat
Twin Shadow - At My Heels
Big Boi + Portishead interlude
Daft Punk - End of the Line
Astrud Gilberto - Manha De Carnaval
Teengirl Fantasy - Koi Pond
Mount Kimbie - Carbonated

BT Video: Death in Vegas - Girls

2010-11-22T18:06:00.004-04:00

i know everyone hates gwyneth
but this is the life and regrets of margot tenenbaum
soapy, sepia-soaked bathtub noir
full screen version here

Death in Vegas - Girls (also featured in Weekend Beats Vol. 34)

Butter Team Weekend Beats Vol. 35

2010-11-12T13:36:00.001-04:00

Butter Team Weekend Beats Vol. 35 (right click to DL mp3)

Javelin - On It On It
The Embassy - Some Indulgence
Air France - Collapsing at Your Doorstep
Vitalic - See the Sea (Red)
Miss Kittin & the Hacker - Stock XXXchange (feat. Rick Ross)
Bonde do Role - Melo de Tabacco (XXXchange mix)
Schneider TM - Frogtoise

Butter Team Weekend Beats Vol. 34

2010-10-15T12:53:00.001-03:00

Butter Team Weekend Beats Vol. 34 (right click to DL mp3)

The Avalanches - Stay Another Season
The Zombies - Don't Go Away
The Field Mice - You're Kidding Aren't You
Radio Dept. - Domestic Scene
Kings of Convenience - Misread
Japan - Life in Tokyo
Death in Vegas - Girls

Butter Team Weekend Beats Vol. 33

2010-09-10T13:26:00.001-03:00

Butter Team Weekend Beats Vol. 33 (right click to DL mp3)

Jay-Z feat. Lil Wayne - Hello Brooklyn
Althea & Donna - Uptown Top Ranking
DJ Escobar - Heavenly Fears (interlude)
Spank Rock/Fully Fitted - I'm Ready feat. Pase
Sonny Jim - Can't Stop Moving

Butter Team Weekend Beats Vol. 32

2010-08-09T11:34:00.003-03:00

I'm DJing at Sweet Revenge in Clinton Hill/Bed Stuy tomorrow night (and every other Tuesday after that for the near future). Here's a quick preview.

Butter Team Sampler - August 2k10 (right click to DL mp3)

Big Boi - Night Night
Debbie Harry - Rush Rush
Notorious BIG vs. Aloe Blacc - Juicy Dollars
Air - Kelly Watch the Stars (Moog Cookbook Remix)

Previous mix: BT Weekend Beats Vol. 31

Wavves - King of the Beach (feat. Corey Worthington)

2010-07-07T12:00:00.001-03:00

This is what bro sounds like.

Wavves - King of the Beach (feat. Corey Worthington)

Listen to the rest of King of the Beach here.

Related:
Bros I Want to Chill With (1)
Bros I Want to Chill With (2)

Weekend Beats Vol. 31

2010-06-25T15:14:00.001-03:00

Butter Team - Weekend Beats Vol. 31 (right-click to DL mp3)

1. Al Green - I Want To Hold Your Hand - from the 40th anniversary re-release of 1969's Green Is Blues. I pop this off every Sunday morning.
2. Peter Gordon & The Love of Life Orchestra - Beginning of the Heartbreak - Among everything in their crates, LCD Soundsystem chose THIS track to kick off their disco roots-themed FabricLive mix in 2007. They also re-recorded and re-issued it on DFA earlier this year. Now that's how you let the beat build.
3. Delorean - Deli - from their Ayrton Senna EP (not the new album). kind of an odd choice given everything else on this mix is a bit more chill BPM-wise, but it kills, so.
4. Jacques Dutronc - Le Responsable - a French take on British garage/freakbeat. nobody knows about this bro but he's a pimp. here's the mp3.
5. The Outcasts - Loving You, Sometimes - According to Garage Hangover, The Outcasts paid for their own studio time to record "Loving You" in 1969, got some local airplay in Kentucky, scored an opening slot for Neil Diamond, and split. an all-time favorite.
6. Twin Sister - I Want A House (outro) - just a chill lil' outro.

Cut Copy - Far Away (Rad Redux)

2010-03-30T13:23:00.009-03:00

Two years ago I posted a Cut Copy/Rad mashup that was quasi-successful (100K+ views, not bad for a 5 minute vid), but the quality was terrible. The source video was a YouTube rip (after who knows how many compressions) which was then edited and re-uploaded, and the audio was a shitty MySpace rip (In Ghost Colours hadn't come out yet).

This movie*, this band, and you the reader all deserve better. So allow me to introduce a much higher quality version, complete with tighter edits and some new high school danceoff scenes from earlier in the movie (3:03!). Enjoy.

*Fun fact: the family in the center of the Butter Team header is enjoying a 1971 RCA color TV with an XL-100 advanced tuning system and Solid State Accucolor. They are excited about this transformative technology and what it will do for their lives. They're preparing to watch Rad, except the opening title sequence was replaced with "Butter Team," which by transference leads them to conclude this blog is rad.

Butter Team: Now Available In Superchill Tumblr Form

2010-01-13T14:16:00.012-04:00

Feel it.

Nas - Queens Get The Money (from Untitled, 2009)

Best Butter Team Mixes of 2k9

2009-12-29T08:21:00.003-04:00

Oh snap, 500th post. It's been a pleasure. I'll be shutting down BT to work on some other sites (including Sketchy Santas, Sketchy Bunnies and Urlesque), but please enjoy this wintry mix + my other two favorites from this year. Be sure to sign up for email updates on the right for a few mixes in 2k10.

Butter Team Winter 2k9 Mix (right click to download mp3)

Tracklist:
1. The Avalanches - Little Journey
2. Royksopp feat. Fever Ray - This Must Be It (Thin White Duke edit)
3. Discovery - Osaka Loop Line
4. Fleetwood Mac - Dreams (Mingus Rude/Avalanches edits)
5. The Outcasts - Loving You, Sometimes
6. Okkervil River - On Tour With Zykos
7. The Zombies - I Can't Make Up My Mind
8. Benji Hughes - The Mummy
9. Ruby Andrews - You Made A Believer Out of Me
10. Q-Tip - Won't Trade
11. Avalanches/Daft Punk/Cut Copy - SuperNightVisions
12. VEGA - Kyoto Gardens
13. Mark Mothersbaugh - Look At That Old Grizzly Bear
14. Sufjan Stevens - That Was The Worst Christmas Ever!

Summer Sanka Mix (Deux) - right click to download

Tracklist:
1. Electric Light Orchestra - Livin' Thing (Avalanches redux)
2. Instant Funk - Got My Mind Made Up (Avalanches redux + Spank Rock intro)
3. The Main Attraction - Everyday
4. Atlas Sound feat. Panda Bear - Walkabout
5. Beach Boys - You Still Believe in Me
6. Bullion feat. J Dilla - You Still Believe in Dee
7. Roy Ayers - Running Away
8. Kid Creole & the Coconuts - Stool Pigeon
9. Organ Morgan - Cocaine Afternoon
10. The Avalanches - Slow Walking
11. Tough Alliance - 25 Years and Runnin'
12. The Very Best - Yalira
13. Junior Byron - Dance to the Music (LCD Soundsystem redux)

Buttery Soul Mix (right click to download)

New Holidays - Maybe So, Maybe No (1969)
Smokey Robinson - If You Can Want (1968)
Ruby Andrews - You Made a Believer Out of Me (1969)
The Jarmels - A Little of Bit of Soap (1961)
The Impressions - Seven Years (1969)
The Mad Lads - No Strings Attached (1969)
Betty Padgett - Sugar Daddy (1975)
Harvey Averne - You're No Good (1968)
Jackson Sisters - I Believe in Miracles (1976)
The Johnny Otis Show - Watts Breakaway (1969)

The Last Days of Digi Stax

2009-11-18T16:58:00.004-04:00

NPR recently chronicled the story of a sample - in this case, The Charmels' 1967 single "As Long As I've Got You" - which RZA copped for "C.R.E.A.M." on 1993's Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers). That opening piano tinkle from the Stax house band (which often included Isaac Hayes or Booker T. and the M.G.'s) also marked the debut of RZA's most consistent influence - sweet Southern soul.

More than 15 years and 40 albums later, the two most prominent samples from RZA's Digi Snax hail back to 1969; The Tempations' Message From A Black Man, and "I Like It" from Stax staples The Emotions (who just finished their secular conversion from gospel act The Heavenly Sunbeams). Jonathan Kaslow, producer of Stax's The Soul of Hip Hop, said, "After 1969, things got much more interesting rhythmically. The BPM’s got to around 88 or 90…just the kind of tempos that would become perfect to rap to. And a lot of the beats that are sampled from Stax are just so perfect that they just loop it and do nothing else. They don’t have to layer it or anything. They’re perfect."

The beats might be right, but it appears the price is not. When Prefix asked RZA about samples from Digi Snax, he said: "I got mad records, but I didn’t even go through my records and do shit like that for the album...One, I’m a musician now myself, so I can create my own music. And two, the sample business is fucked up because they still haven’t met a standard of doing business. It’s like I do a song and you take 90 percent of my fuckin’ song when your track never even went gold and it’s about to go platinum. Until they get it right soon, I’ve declined on using samples lately."

That's a shame, especially considering what he did with these two:

The Emotions - I Like It (from So I Can Love You, 1969)

RZA - Don't Be Afraid (from Digi Snax, 2008)

The Tempations - Message From A Black Man (from Puzzle People, 1969)

RZA - You Cant Stop Me Now feat. Inspectah Deck (from Digi Snax)

Check out RZA's other classic soul samples on Shaolin Soul or The Soul of Hip Hop.

(pic via Soul Sides)

Other BT sample posts:
Messages From Black Men (Nas, Mos Def)
More Than U Know (Prince Paul, De La Soul)
You Never Knew (Hieroglyphics)
Since I Met You (Avalanches)
You Made A Believer Out of Me (Q-Tip)
3 Feet High and Rising (De La Soul)

BT Video: Should Have Taken Acid w/ Yall

2009-10-13T08:58:00.002-03:00

Although the arrival date of VEGA's debut EP still remains a mystery, Alan Palomo's side gig Neon Indian goes legit today with the release of Psychic Chasms. We celebrated by making a video for the song that started it all - this gentleman most likely celebrated via an all-night (or multi-day) chillbrocore sesh, and upon entering a store the next morning found himself unable to complete any transactions/basic motor functions.

Neon Indian - Should Have Taken Acid With You

Stream a few tracks from Psychic Chasms here or pick it up at Insound.

(original clip via Every Day I'm Tumblin')

Previously:
BT Video: No Reasons (VEGA)
Seems Chill/Not Chill (Neon Indian)
More posts about VEGA
Nude (Hipster Runoff Remix)

BT Video: Nude (Hipster Runoff Remix)

2009-10-08T16:00:00.006-03:00

Whilst listening to the new Jesus Christ cassingle in bed tonight and staring at the ceiling of your suburban cocoon, remember the remix that launched HRO's career as a meaningful artist/DJ back in early 2k8.

Produced by Butter Team with footage courtesy of GroceryBag.TV, this new video examines how teens use technology to experiment with self-expression, and expose their hopes and fears for the world to see. This is 'what it's like' growing up in the YouTube era.

Radiohead - Nude (Hipster Runoff remix)

"Jesus Christ" (the indie band) - Is This Really What You Want?

Related vids:
Thrashin' to VEGA
Cut Copy vs. Rad
Architecture in Helsinki vs. Mac and Me
Unicorns vs. Look Around You

See the Sea

2009-10-06T12:40:00.006-03:00

Vitalic - See the Sea (Red)

Every single instrument from Vitalic's debut OK Cowboy - even the voices - were synthesized. With rare exceptions like Trahison (featured here in French film Naissance des Pieuvres), songs don't fade in or out with a human's touch, they power up and down in rapid combustion.

Four years later Pascal Arbez still owns the Formula One formula with
Flashmob, but as dummy mag says, he's "found scope in disco that the sleazy ice of electroclash did not allow for." Vitalic's disco - the Ridley Scott/20JFG version - finds Justice and Glass Candy tied together at the wrist, thrashing across a strobe-lit Studio 2054 basement with switchblades. Instead of orchestral flourishes and Wurlitzers, we get acid squelches and seas of straight up hot magma.

Vitalic - See the Sea (Blue)

HRO's take: "I think Vitalic made electro techno music before there were computers. Have only heard them on the Party Monster soundtrack, back when I was trying to ‘learn what it would be like to move to NYC and become part of a relevant party scene.’ [In the video for single "Your Disco Song"] there is a broad who has a disco ball surgically attached to her skull. Think she ‘lives to party’ and she just wants to ‘disco so fucking hard.’

Indeed. While his robotic French contemporaries lust over humanity, Vitalic embraces the first pop genre built on synthesizers with a cold, industrial precision we can still dance to - even if the hott claps aren't from real hands.

Flashmob is available now.

photos: Neil Krug (check this bro out)

Girls, Man

2009-09-15T23:09:00.002-03:00

"I'm just crazy...and fucked in the head," C. Owens whines over complimentary doo wops and bop bops from his crew of studio bros. While he rides cul-de-sac curbs and laments a general lack of anything awesome, we get it all - the harmonica, the hand claps, a sun tan, some pizza, and "Girls," who release "Album" on 9/22 via True Panther.

Girls - Lust For Life

(PS - pretty sure that is not Zach Galifianakis playing barkeep, but if you'd like to analyze further here are his Top 20 Most Awesomely-Awkward Internet Moments via SARAHSPY. Also looking forward to his new HBO bromedy Bored To Death, the first episode of which premieres this Sunday and can be downloaded for free on iTunes.)

9/25 update - Pitchfork gives it a 9.1 (not that it matters, but let's be honest, it's good to see a great album get recognized)

Summer Sanka Mix (Deux)

2009-08-28T19:39:00.010-03:00

Summer Sanka Mix (Deux) - right click to download

Tracklist:
1. Electric Light Orchestra - Livin' Thing (Avalanches redux)
2. Instant Funk - Got My Mind Made Up (Avalanches redux + Spank Rock intro)
3. The Main Attraction - Everyday
4. Atlas Sound feat. Panda Bear - Walkabout
5. Beach Boys - You Still Believe in Me
6. Bullion feat. J Dilla - You Still Believe in Dee
7. Roy Ayers - Running Away
8. Kid Creole & the Coconuts - Stool Pigeon
9. Organ Morgan - Cocaine Afternoon
10. The Avalanches - Slow Walking
11. Tough Alliance - 25 Years and Runnin'
12. The Very Best - Yalira
13. Junior Byron - Dance to the Music (LCD Soundsystem redux)

---

Notes:
1 & 2. part of When I Met You, a special compilation The Avalanches prepared to shed some light on their influences behind Since I Left You, with some Spank Rock and other intro flavorings added
3. backbone of the title track for Since I Left You, but like a lot of their sample selection it stands well enough on its own (more Avalanches source material here)
4. pretty chill
5. pretty chill
6. damn
7 & 8. you may know these beats from such hit songs as "Baby I Got Your Money" and the Troy McLure afterschool special "Lead Paint: Delicious but Deadly," respectively
9. pretty chill, more songs by Organ Morgan here
10. from the limited release 2001 At Last Alone comp (other rarities here)
11. easily the best summer band of 2k6 - 2k10, from their New Waves EP (video here)
12. buy the full length Warm Heart of Africa LP immediately ($8.99 bob digi)
13. intro is part of LCD Soundsystem's goggle-fogging FabricLive 36 mix, spliced with the original extended version for extra "ride on outability"

Also recommended:
Summer Sanka Mix
Buttery Soul Mix
Chocolate Bobkast #27
GvB Summer Mix

Mrs. Cold

2009-08-20T10:26:00.003-03:00

Slide on a ribbed pastel mock and peruse frozen prepared foods with this on blast.

Kings of Convenience - Mrs. Cold (from Declaration of Dependence, out October 2k9)

Related:

Kings of Convenience - I Don't Know What I Can Save You From (Mojib remix)

Bumpin' with Ma Barker

2009-08-14T16:37:00.001-03:00

When a female Depression-era outlaw becomes the inspiration for a hit 1977 disco single, which is then remade into an even funkier instrumental three decades later, only to become the backbone of the liveliest song on The Avalanches' 2001 classic Since I Left You, this person is worth knowing at least briefly.

Kate "Ma" Barker was left to raise four deliquents by herself, and later became an accomplice to her sons' spree of robberies, kidnappings and other crimes. Arthur was arrested for murder and Llyod for robbery, Herman committed suicide at a police roadblock, and Fred was gunned down with Mom in an FBI standoff in 1935. Without her shenanigans, though, we probably wouldn't have had Mama Fratelli from The Goonies, Ma Beagle from Ducktales, or the goggle-fogging beats below.

Boney M - Ma Bakes (Ma Baker re-edit)

The Avalanches - Live at Dominoes (from Since I Left You)

"Live at Dominoes" also includes a sample from Dimension 5ive by The 5th Dimension.

Thanks to Apache Cleo for the tip.

Related:
Fellows of the Royal Society (Lost Avalanches Vol. 1)
Since I Met You
Flight Tonight
Diners Only (Foam City Redux)

Cocaine Afternoon

2009-08-06T09:52:00.003-03:00

Grandparents shouldn't be disheartened by Organ Morgan's debut song/EP title or the "do you wanna have a party?" intro - his beats are as wholesome as ginger snaps, a nice pair of slacks, and robot insurance.

Organ Morgan - Cocaine Afternoon

As young Matthew Mayes explains: "it's very much in the same vein as The Avalanches, and was heavily inspired by their one and only album Since I Left You. I personally feel there wasn't and still isn't enough of this music around...other influences include The Go Team!, Lemon Jelly, Pepe Deluxe, Hot Chip, Passion Pit and artists that aren't scared to try something new and different for a great sound. I'm basically having a lot of fun cutting the summery bits out of all my old and dusty vinyl."

The Cocaine Afternoon EP isn't yet available for sale, so Mayes has kindly offered all three songs for download. Stay tuned for a 26-track Alphabet LP very soon.

Organ Morgan - Do Not Disturb

Organ Morgan - Broken Heart

(photo credit: Old Glory)

Related:
Fellows of the Royal Society (Lost Avalanches Vol. 1)
Since I Met You
Flight Tonight

Allow Myself to Remix Myself

2009-07-29T11:18:00.000-03:00

OK now...OK now I have two versions of this Memory Cassette song. Wigscrambling part is the remix was done by Dayve Hawk, who is Weird Tapes...who is also Memory Cassette. All five rmxs are available for free to celebrate MC's debut Call & Response EP (vinyl is sold out but you can buy the bob digis on Amazon for $4). Considering this bro's already given us more than a full album's worth of incredible music between his various aliases, maybe we can all pick this one up.

Tracklist:
Surfin
Body in the Water
Asleep at a Party
Last One Awake

Buy the Call & Response EP here for less than half of one Hamilton

Memory Cassette - Surfin (Weird Tapes version)

Memory Cassette - Last One Awake (Friend version)

Also notice the crescenfresh artwork provided by Chris from GvB.

Related:
Asleep at a Party
Collapsing At Your Doorstep (Friend rmx)

What's Your "Cool it Now" Number?

2009-07-22T08:49:00.003-03:00

How many times can you listen to this song in a row? I start seeing unfavorable side effects around 38, but found the collective office threshold is much, much lower.

As coffee highs waned, bagel carbs crashed and the cube farm fell into silence, we enlisted Ronnie, Bobby, Rickie and Mike (+ Ralph) for a motivational experiment. Everyone knows playing New Edition's "Cool it Now" over the paging system provides a noticeable five-minute productivity bump (it's been in the effective manager's toolbox for years), but exactly how long could heightened performance levels be sustained? How would coworkers react to having their dopamine receptors milked repeatedly for hours?

Not too well, as it turns out. Although results were initially promising, the HR rep pulled the plug after an unfortunate "I'm so excited/scared" incident about 14 plays in, and for the rest of the day we were only allowed to listen to Sven Libaek's Open Sea Theme (via Life Aquatic). Please use the streaming dashboard below to discover your personal threshold and share the results.

New Edition - Cool It Now (buy the mp3 on Amazon)

New Edition - Cool It Now (VEGA remix) (from VEGA's Nicky Digital mix)

Robbers on High Street - Cool It Now (from Guilt By Association Vol. 2)

New Edition - Cool It Now (Extended Dub)

Oshit! Ebaahi Highlife Soundz

2009-07-17T14:59:00.005-03:00

"Highlife music from Ghana and Sierra Leone emerged in the 1920's and has been a major influence on all subsequent African Music. The fusion of indigenous dance rhythms and melodies with Western sounds began in the coastal towns of Ghana, including regimental brass bands, sea shanty hymns, European foxtrots, Caribbean kaiso, African rhythms of Liberia (dagomba), Sierra Leone (ashiko and goombe) and Fante (osibisaba). The instrumentation included African drums, harmonicas, guitars, accordions; and by 1920's were known collectively as Highlife."

Several different styles of highlife emerged since - ballroom dance, village brass band, rural guitar, etc., but as Awesome Tapes From Africa tells us, "unfortunately there are not many bands still active in this realm of vintage highlife today...but these are my JAMZ."

"Oshitℇ" is more Ghanaian Crosby/Stills than pre-Vampire Weekend juju, and "Kpanlogo" is a simple, yet wig-scrambling reminder that you are not on vacation right now.

Ebaahi Soundz - Oshitℇ (1992)

Ebaahi Soundz - Kpanlogo (1992)

Lots more here, and don't forget Very Best is @ LPR tomorrow (you could try to catch King Sunny Adé @ the African Music Festival first).

Very Best - Salota (2008, from The Very Best Mixtape)

Related: Oh Shit. Gang Gang

Buttery Soul Mix

2009-07-13T21:00:00.001-03:00

Just under 30 minutes of speaker pimp classics you've never heard.

New Holidays - Maybe So, Maybe No (1969)
Smokey Robinson - If You Can Want (1968)
Ruby Andrews - You Made a Believer Out of Me (1969)
The Jarmels - A Little of Bit of Soap (1961)
The Impressions - Seven Years (1969)
The Mad Lads - No Strings Attached (1969)
Betty Padgett - Sugar Daddy (1975)
Harvey Averne - You're No Good (1968)
Jackson Sisters - I Believe in Miracles (1976)
The Johnny Otis Show - Watts Breakaway (1969)

Buttery Soul Mix (right click to download mp3)

Enjoy - and remember to hit up Soul Sides for your old soul/funk/latin/hip hop needs.

Related:
Here Comes Shuggie (+ Johhny) Otis
3 Feet High and Rising - Original Samples
Q-Tip flips Ruby Andrews

Seems Chill/Not Chill

2009-07-02T17:20:00.011-03:00

Well, we can finally pursue other mysteries* - it seems Neon Indian is composed of none other than VEGA's Alan Palomo..."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 "dreamwave," then we will call this "chillbrocore."

Neon Indian - Terminally Chill

Neon Indian - Deadbeat Summer

*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

VEGA's Pregame Jamz

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)

illustration via shantz

Related:
Bros I Want To Chill With Vol. 1
Bros I Want To Chill With Vol. 2

Summer Sanka Mix

2009-06-23T08:11:00.002-03:00

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.

The Very Best - Warm Heart of Africa (feat. Vampire Weekend)
Tough Alliance - Hung Up On A Dream (Zombies Cover)
Phoenix - Lisztomania (Star Guitar Remix)
Memory Tapes - Bicycle
Air France - GBG Belongs to Us
Weird Tapes - Party Trash
The Avalanches - Undersea Community
Toro Y Moi - Blessa
VEGA - No Reasons
The Zombies - This Old Heart of Mine (BBC)

Summer Sanka Mix (right click to download mp3)

You may also enjoy our new Buttery Soul Mix featuring crescrenfresh speaker pimp classics.

Phoenix Tonite

2009-06-19T11:20:00.009-03:00

~~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.

Update: Chana is the winner.

Phoenix - Lisztomania (Holy Ghost! Remix Remix)

Phoenix - Lisztomania (Star Guitar Remix)

Phoenix - Lisztomania (Classixx Version)

Mr. Scruff @ Sunday Best

2009-06-16T17:30:00.004-03:00

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.

Mr. Scruff - Sunday Best 5.31.09 (link via Sunday Best)

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.

The Road Was For Us

2009-06-04T15:24:00.003-03:00

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

Hockey Night - Renegades (from Keep Guessin')

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.

Free Energy - Dream City

PS - would hate to be whoever stayed inside to work on the wikipedia entry for summer, although they did a pretty decent job.

Fellows of the Royal Society (Lost Avalanches Vol. 1)

2009-05-28T11:50:00.008-03:00

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.

With My Baby (Frontier Psychiatrist single, 2001)

Undersea Community (Undersea Community single, 1999)

Thank You Caroline (Rock City 7", 1997)

*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.

Is that Artax in the back?

Related:
Since I Met You
Flight Tonight

Easy Life Rooftop Beats

2009-05-19T10:57:00.006-03:00

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.

Orpheus - Can't Find The Time
Quiet Village - Victoria's Secret
Ashra - Don't Stop The Fan
Saint Etienne - Avenue
Treasure Fingers- Cross The Dancefloor
Prefab Sprout - Cars And Girls
Hugo Montenegro - Greatest Love Of All
Happy Mondays - Hallelujah (Club Mix)
Aeroplane - Pacific Air Race
The Main Attraction - Everyday

Air France Rooftop Mix (43 MB)

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.

Related:
Butter Team's Zesty Island Mix
Roundtable Knights Summer Mix
Frank's Boogie Trip: Special Nigerian Disco Mix
Air France vs. Doves: Fear at Your Doorstep

Keyboard Cat Plays Off Artax, Falkor/Streets FTW

2009-05-12T12:43:00.006-03:00

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.

The Streets - Where My Heart Has Been (new)

The Streets - Turn the Page (from Original Pirate Material, 2002)

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:

Play Him Off, Keyboard Cat (Theme)

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?

Thrashin' to VEGA

2009-05-08T12:51:00.019-03:00

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?

VEGA - No Reasons (from Well Known Pleasures, out this summer)

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.

Red Hot Chili Peppers - Blackeyed Blonde (from Freaky Styley, 1985)

Devo - That's Good (from Oh, No! It's Devo, 1982)

Related:
VEGA vs. Rad
Cut Copy vs. Rad
Architecture in Helsinki vs. Mac and Me

Bacon-Wrapped Memes

2009-05-04T11:05:00.013-03:00

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).

Play Him Off, Keyboard Cat (Theme)

In other viral news, The Streets just released a timely new video/song called "He's Behind You, He's Got Swine Flu" (via Mike Skinner).

Gold Soundz (Let it Bea)

2009-04-28T09:27:00.005-03:00

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."

Andrew Gold - Thank You For Being a Friend (LP version, 1978)

Pavement - Gold Soundz (live in Hamburg, 1994)

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

Related: The Teenagers Teen Chat: Beverly Hills 90210

Rad Repost: All Too Vivid

2009-04-23T21:11:00.003-03:00

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.

Vega - All Too Vivid

Vega - Well Known Pleasures

Previously: Rad vs. Cutters

I Don't Feel You, But I Smell You

2009-04-17T09:07:00.001-03:00

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.

Del the Funky Homosapien - I'm Smellin' Myself** (from Funk Man, 2009)

Del the Funky Homosapien - If You Must (from Both Sides of the Brain, 2000)

*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.

(pic via Sexy People, tip via So Much Silence)

Yo JT, Pop That New Phoenx Rmx

2009-04-14T22:31:00.002-03:00

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.

Phoenix - 1901 (from Wolfgang Amadeus)

Phoenix - 1901 (Alan Wilkis Rmx)

Phoenix - 1901 (Diese Rmx)

Related investigatory journalism:
Life Before Interstella 5555
Mac & Me/Architecture in Helsinki
Count Duckula/Danger Mouse
Planisphere/Interstella 5555
Adventures of Air Wolf/McGyver/Nintendo

You Never Knew

2009-04-05T21:00:00.003-03:00

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."

Hieroglyphics - You Never Knew (Domino Remix) (from Over Time, 2007)

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).

Southside Movement - I've Been Watching You (from Moving South, 1975)

Hieroglyphics - At the Helm (from Third Eye Vision, 1998)

RJD2 - Raised in the Ghetto (from Your Face or Your Kneecaps, 2001)

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!

Related/Original Samples
Avalanches
More Avalanches
De La Soul
Eazy-E
Mos Def/Rza

Where The Wild Things Aren't

2009-03-31T16:19:00.006-03:00

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.

Pure Essence - Wake Up (from the Pure Essence 12")

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.

Hung Up On A Dream

2009-03-27T10:46:00.001-03:00

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.

Tough Alliance - Hung Up On A Dream

The Zombies - Hung Up On A Dream (from Odessey and Oracle: 30th Anniversary Edition)

via Mod Blog
Previously on BT: Zombie Heaven

New Mux Mool EP: Just Saying is All

2009-03-24T12:50:00.001-03:00

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.

Mux Mool - 2muxLUV (from Just Saying is All, available on iTunes)

Mux Mool - Night Court (from the Ghostly Swim comp)

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.

Tuff Ghost

2009-03-20T14:26:00.002-03:00

This message appeared on December 28, 2004:

THE UNICORNS ARE DEAD, (R.I.P.)

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 Unicorns - Tuff Ghost (from Who Will Cut Our Hair When We're Gone?)

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.

Islands - Creeper (from Arm's Way)

Thanks to Kitsune for the tip.

Here Comes Shuggie (+ Johnny) Otis

2009-03-17T08:15:00.003-03:00

(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).

Shuggie Otis - Bootie Cooler (from Here Comes Shuggie Otis, recently remastered and reissued)

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).

The Johnny Otis Show - Watts Breakaway (from Watts Funky)

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)

Butter Team Weekend Beats Vol. 30

2009-03-13T18:43:00.019-03:00

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.

(animation by Jonne Laakso)

Calvin Harris - Dance Wiv Me (feat. Dizzee Rascal)

We Have Band - West End Girls (Pet Shop Boys cover) (from Buffet Libre Rewind 2)

Bullion - Time For Us All To Love (from Young Heartache, buy it here)

Magic Disco Machine - Scratchin'

Spank Rock - Backyard Betty (Two Fingers Rmx)

Welcome to the Party Life

2009-03-10T08:43:00.005-03:00

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's Amsterdam Gangster kicks open with a hanging Hammond riff (courtesy of Meters progeny/funk collective Lefties Soul Connection) while Hove hovers on the lip.

Jay's Soul Connection - Frank's Party Life (from Amsterdam Gangster, buy it here)

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.

Weird Tapes - Party Trash (from Get Religion, grab their first two EPs here)

(thanks to sexy people for the epic wall balloon/half-filled balloon pix)

Related:
Memory Cassette - Asleep at a Party
Ween - Your Party
Misc. Butter Team Party Pixx
Notorious BIG - Party & Bullshit (Ratatat rmx)
Sorry I Missed Your Party

Soul Sides Turns Five

2009-03-03T15:48:00.002-04:00

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.

Johnny Cash - Five Feet High and Rising (from Songs of Our Soil, 1959)

Related:
3 Feet High and Rising: Original Samples
I Like It (More Than U Know)
The Temptations - Messages From Black Men
Q-Tip - You Made A Believer Out Of Me
Here's How E Samples

Zesty Island Mix

2009-03-02T12:06:00.005-04:00

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!

Jonathan Boulet - A Community Service Annoucement (from his 2009 self-titled debut, buy it here)

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.

The Whitest Boy Alive - Island (from Rules, 2009)

"I had the college, I had the material trip...I just decided I was going to find a new way of life, so I took off on my bicycle."

Mylo - Sun Worshipper (from Destroy Rock & Roll, 2006)

The picture above is the album art for the single to my favorite track on Premiers Symptomes; the track below is my favorite b-side on the single.

Air - Casanova 70 (The Secret of Cool) (b-side from Casanova 70, 1999)

So besides The Avalanches and Air France, which is a given, what would be on your zesty mix?

Related:
The Avalanches/My Blue Hustle
Air France's Rooftop Mix
Roundtable Knights' Buttery Summer Mix
The More You Know - Other Languages

Bros I Want To Chill With Vol. 2

2009-02-24T11:03:00.003-04:00

The winners of this round are:

- 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.

Babaluga - My Paradise

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?

Weird Tapes - Nightstalking

Also, Hall and Oates. There are no losers in my paradise.

Related:
Bros I Want To Chill With Vol. 1

Bring It On Home

2009-02-18T14:16:00.000-04:00

Just as Madlib tastefully finger-flipped through the Blue Note crates, San Antonio-based civil rights attorney Diego Bernal introduces For Corners, a smart collection of Latin (and Dilla) influenced instrumentals. "Bring It On Home" is a perfect ride-out tune for any Sergio Leone Italo-Western or just when Robbie makes a T. Bell run.

Diego Bernal - Bring It On Home

Diego Bernal - Velcro Flow

Download the Four Corners LP for free here.

Also recommended:
Arcade Fire's 2k7 Western meme
Mux Mool
Shields

Postcards from Tiny Islands

2009-02-16T08:24:00.001-04:00

Tilt-shift miniature faking is a photography technique that manipulates life-size locations or objects to resemble a miniature scale model. By using a special lens, high angle, large aperture and distorted focus to simulate a shallow depth of field, the scene seems much smaller than it actually is.

Combining these techniques with thousands of time-lapse photos, as Sydney photographer Keith Loutit has done, creates incredibly powerful videos. ~~Combining clips from several of these videos with Air France's "Beach Party" (below), creates a video worthy of the song.~~ Update: Keith asked us to remove the "Beach Party" video, so instead here's an example of his work. Maybe you mute the video volume and enjoy some Air France to this instead?

Air France - Beach Party (from On Trade Winds)

Related:
Air France vs. The Doves
Tilt-Shift Miniatures on Flickr

Loving You (Sometimes)

2009-02-10T21:25:00.005-04:00

Devlin's new Bicicleta Mix features a few tastefully selected anti-bangers that have dominated this week's BT charts; most notably the closer from 60s garage pop outfit The Outcasts. Consider this a two-minute extension of The Zombies' Decca Stereo Anthology.

The Outcasts - Loving You Sometimes

According to Garage Hangover, The Outcasts paid for their own studio time to record "Loving You" in 1969, got some local airplay around their hometown of Ashland, Kentucky, scored an opening slot for Neil Diamond, and split. This song was later released four different times on four labels, most recently (and randomly) picked up by Arista for DJ Shadow and Cut Chemist's Product Placement LP. Like The Zombies, The Outcasts are still finding new fans of all kinds four decades later.

I'd also never heard T. Rex's "Cosmic Dancer," which easily stands up to any Bowie ballad and somehow fits right in between Turkish psychedelia and the RAH band (more on them, or him, later). It's mainly about werewolf barmitzvahs - boys becoming men, men becoming wolves - and dancing all the time, even when you're just a lil' fetus bro.

T. Rex - Cosmic Dancer (from Electric Warrior Remastered)

Unfortunately Devlin sampled the wrong Girls joint, but other than that this mix is top gear and still available at Fully Fitted.

P.S. That Garage Hangover site is legit - check out all the surviving Outcasts members repping in the comments section.
P.P.S. Can't believe Wes Anderson hasn't built a pointless/meaningful slo-mo around either of these songs yet.

Men in Black (No Country For Old Memes)

2009-02-03T12:02:00.002-04:00

What up son - one of the most anticipated albums of 2k7 is almost here. Some people are excited, others not so much.

Raekwon feat. Ghostface Killah and Method Man - Back From The Slums (formerly known as "Wu-Ooh," from the upcoming Only Built For Cuban Linx II)

image created via the YoDawgbuilder at Yo Dawg We Herd You Like Tumblr
original track + hilar comments via Nah Right

Bros I Want To Chill With Vol. 1

2009-02-02T13:15:00.010-04:00

Was inspired by HRO's new podcast about bros. It wasn't as powerful/authentic as the first one, but definitely illustrated the many different roles bros play in our lives. We have sharebros (via Google Reader/IM), carpool bros, hike school bros, social media bros, festival bros, etc. Another emerging category CRLS mentions is "bros I want to chill with" - which got me thinking about the qualities that we look for in potential bros.

Qualities like:
- Musical talent (piano, keytar, air keytar)
- Willingness to be "zany" by spraying his face with the hose
- Scopes chicks by lowering sunglasses or doing the shaking hand motion
- Does a ferosh Carlton on the beach with mesh muscle shirt/banana hammock
- Usually upbeat, but adjusts mustache/mullet to be "serious" when pointing his finger
- Can pull the ladies (in tug of war)

Luckily, I found all of these qualities in one man. His name is Pierre Nadaeu, and he submitted this video entry to our new "Bro Search" reality series.

Pierre Nadeau - Girls/Boys

This was the second place entry...pretty brahsome overall but the pelvic thrusts just weren't as genuine. Would probably team up with this bro if we were both stuck at a lame wedding reception or something, but that's about it.

Other first round finalists:

- Leprechan bro
- Falcor bro
- Game night bro
- Game night bro (2.0)
- Teeball bro

So again congrats to Pierre.

Asleep at a Party

2009-01-30T14:02:00.004-04:00

Emerge from a murky, foam-tongued stupor to the sound of everyone you've ever known giggling. Stumble to the bathroom and come face to face with your worst enemy. It hurts, just a little, to be conspired against by friends whilst unconscious. And also you might have wet yourself (just a little). Now stare back at Hitler and ask, "am I going to go pout on the couch and have trust issues, or defile this person's toothbrush and ice cube trays?"

Memory Cassette - Asleep at a Party (from The Hissed We Missed)

Memory Cassette - Sleep on the Roof (from Rewind While Sleeping)

Get more info at GvB, visit the Weird Tapes/Memory Cassette blog to download both EPs for free, and feel better about your own social fails at Sorry I Missed Your Party.

Dream Awake

2009-01-28T14:55:00.003-04:00

Here's a brand new demo + rmx from the Valerie Collective's youngest member/co-founder, Raphael Pegase. If you need a compelling reason to preview "Dream Awake," Pegase is the vox behind Minitel Rose, he produced College's Secret Diary debut and is already collabing/touring with the Outrunners, Anoraak, Russ Chimes and Jupiter (starting this weekend in Barcelona with Chimes).

Don't expect an EP any time soon - Raph said by email this morning, "I'm just at the beginning of my project. I want to travel with my music; I want to start with DJ/live sets around the world and then reflect on a release." Having caught most of Valerie last weekend at Webster Hall, the live piece fits either of these song titles perfectly.

Pegase - Dream Awake (demo)

Empire of the Sun - Walking on a Dream (Pegase Rmx)

Related: College = Youth

Think This Song is About Hygiene

2009-01-27T12:28:00.005-04:00

Today my local guerilla publicity rep sent out an eblast about this new band called Pavement. After checking their zany description, scanning enthusiastic blog review excerpts and Zsharing the single, which I haven't listened to yet, sounds like they could be pretty big over the next few days.

Figured it's best to go ahead and get this up before Stereogum/GvB, then do more of a full-paragraph review tomorrow while reblogging the secret Tumblrteque performance in an elementary school janitor's closet. After HRO tweets on their supporting dates for AnCo's global tour, I can reestablish Hype dominance with a Falke / Lifelike / Breakbot rmx. And that should pretty much cover it.

Pavement - Best Friend's Arm (from Wowee Zowee: Sordid Sentinels edition)

From the blast:

"Pavement's 'zany hook' is breathing pixie stix/Lik-M-Aid/fun dip dust off optically elusive DRM-free CD cases (320kbs), freaking out in unintelligible syllable strings from new languages, taking bluesy naps and doing it all over again. Conceptual bangers if you will." - RCRD LBL

Related:
Sister to a Father of Thought

Butter Team Weekend Beats Vol. 29

2009-01-22T15:02:00.004-04:00

Greetings from the set of Electroma II: Deliblatska Peščara. Tomorrow night we will drag Tang/vermouth-dipped lychee peels across each other's cheeks under the empty sky of Serbia's Vojvodina province, in honor of the Valerie Collective's US debut at Webster Hall (which includes College, Anoraak, Russ Chimes, Lovelock, and many special guests). We will do this in reverent silence but you may enjoy the beats below.

Frankie Knuckles - Your Love

College* - The Energy Story Feat. Minitel Rose

Anoraak* - Endless Summer

Chromeo - Fancy Footwork (Russ Chimes* Remix)

Lovelock* - Maybe Tonight

*at Webster Hall tomorrow night, tickets and details here

Related: College = Youth

America FTW

2009-01-20T17:48:00.001-04:00

My favorite part of today was when C-SPAN rocked a completely silent minute-plus of Cheney rolling out once and for all in his manual Rascal. Got a little meta/misty thinking about the jokes that write themselves, many of which can already be found in the comments section at Wonkette. It was boring with no sound, though, so instead we invite you to enjoy the inspirational Go Team! backing. Gets me every time.

Thom Yorke - Down is the New Up (From the Basement Sessions, 2006)

Teen Watch: Jonah Takalua

2009-01-19T13:57:00.003-04:00

Yo have you seen Summer Heights High yet? It's a ridiculously underrated HBO mockumentary series following life in an Australian public school from the perspectives of a drama teacher, a bitchy private school exchange student and our boy JT, who spends the first eight episodes punking, breaking and tagging his way to expulsion. (Incidentally all of these characters are played by the same person - writer/creator/comedian Chris Lilley).

Call it season four of The Wire* with a down under dash of Degrassi; a gripping firsthand look at the struggles of young Jonah's crew as they try to stay out of trouble whilst keeping it real. Other serious topics "made funny" include bullying, teen dating, drug overdoses, homosexuality, racial tolerance, ginger tolerance, anorexia, special people pooping in the classroom, suicide, obesity, AIDS, attention deficit disorder, and the top four kinds of abuse (verbal, physical, sexual, animal).

Twirl around to this frisky number while checking out montage videos for Mr. G and Ja'mie. Is SHH better than Flight of the Conchords, or Season 2 at least?

Mr. G - Naughty Girl

*if The Wire was directed by Christopher Guest

Related:
Teen Chat w/ The Teenagers
Flight of the Conchords vs. Pet Shop Boys
Flight of the Conchords vs. Daft Punk

Hot Milk + Bollywood Freaks

2009-01-13T16:45:00.003-04:00

If Dr. Evil had entertained co-villains with a Sparks/Ableton-fueled mashup of Midnite Vultures in lieu of Joan Osborne ballads, guests may have left his secret volcanic lair with the same wig-scrambling futureshock now provided regularly by NYC's Public and Double Crown.

Both restaurants from award-winning design/concept firm Avroko have redefined the art of indulgent, omnicultural shenanigans* - below we invite you to enjoy but a snippet of the hot milk, lobotomy beats, satin sheets/tropical oils, ~~shopping at Old Navy~~, hot dogs and No Doz we encountered on recent visits. Plus killer canapes.

Beck - Hollywood Freaks (from Midnite Vultures)

Beck - Milk and Honey (from Midnite Vultures)

+ here's a super quick recap we put together from Public's recent 5 year anniversary party, set to the best song of 2K8.

Air France - Collapsing at your Doorstep (from No Way Down)

(*And they only throw parties on the side - real action is in the kitchen. I'm not a food critic and would only use nonsensical terms like "scrumptralescently transcendent" to describe the cuisine, but you can check out a recent NY Times review of Double Crown or Public's Press/Awards section to see how they regularly dominate Best Brunch lists et al. Both also have splendid bars for day boozing.)

Butter Team Weekend Beats Vol. 28

2009-01-09T11:01:00.004-04:00

First person to name all of these languages correctly will receive a nifty book light* so that you may continue your worldly academic pursuits well after the sun goes down. If you live in NYC and these songs make you want to take off your pants, please join us tomorrow.

El Guincho - Palmitos Park (from Alegranza!)

The Ruby Suns - Tane Mahuta (from Sea Lion)

Esau Mwamwaya - Kamphopo (courtesy of Mad Decent)

Bola Johnson & His Easy Life Top Beats - Ezuku Buzo (from Lagos Jump)

*for real - assuming my Snuggie arrives in the mail next week. If not they are going to get an epic ass chewing, ordered that thing like a month ago. Actual book light niftiness may vary. Also note that if you enter but fail to properly identify all languages correctly, you'll have a choice of either watching the Microsoft Songsmith commercial or the beamz Music Performance System commercial in its entirety (face-melting air solo at 1:19). DO NOT WATCH BOTH OF THEM BACK TO BACK.

Mac and Me vs. Architecture in Helsinki

2009-01-07T17:08:00.003-04:00

Why did we make this? Because there is nothing radder than aliens, scary wheelchair falls, Reebok hi-tops, bear costumes and tightly choreographed teens breaking in McDonald's; except when all of that is scored against Architecture in Helsinki.

Architecture in Helsinki - It's 5! (Poutine Dream by 33Hz Rmx)

Check out AIH's new joint here, and be sure to visit our best of 2K8 post for more "zany mashups."

Butteriest 2K8 Butter Team Content

2009-01-05T15:31:00.014-04:00

We enjoyed providing you with lumpy mounds of moist, crescenfresh content last year; a random smattering of which can be found below for your perusal. Be sure to sign up for quasi-regular email/Greader updates so you don't miss anything new (special shot out to the sharebro community), and thanks for reading.

Investigatory Journalism/Conspiracies
Life Before Interstella 5555?
Count Duckula/Danger Mouse
Planisphere/Interstella 5555
Adventure vs. Air Wolf/McGyver/Nintendo
The Real Creed Bratton

Zany "Mashups"
Air France vs. Doves
Cut Copy vs. Rad
Girl Talk vs. Legal Community
M83 vs. Donnie Darko
Avalanches/Go! Team vs. Foam City
Vega vs. Rad
Bonde do Role vs. Bollywood

General Shenanigans
Teen Chat: The Teenagers Talk 90210
The Ultimate Cougar Muxtape
Ludacris Area Code Map/Jazz Tribute
Table Dance Fail
Make Out Fallout
'Til the Night Closes In

"Traditional Music Blog" Coverage
Whartscape
Weekend Beats
Misc. Party Pixx
Celebrating Chromeo/Spank Rock/Cut Copy/The Zombies
Independence Day Friendstival
Bmore Round Robin
Walkmen interview

Original Samples
Avalanches
More Avalanches
De La Soul
Eazy-E
Mos Def/Rza

Stimulus Packages
Diplo/Dan Deacon
Ratatat
Sebastien Tellier
Gza
Cut Copy
Hot Chip

We'd also like to thank all the label reps and new media/blog outreach coordinators who e-blasted their hot rmxs in 2K8 - this classic De La joint is dedicated to you.

De La Soul - Ring Ring Ring (from De La Soul is Dead)

Sister to a Father of Thought

2008-12-29T15:10:00.003-04:00

"The best a Pavement cover can hope to be is good and interesting and bring out something that was hinted at in the original, but not made explicit.”
- Fluxblog

The bar is so high most are smart enough not to try. Those who do - in this case, Zooey and Los Campesinos - escape blasphemy charges by bringing whimsical innocence and a deep-rooted appreciation for Malkmus and team's slacker catalogue (Zooey has been singing this song in the shower for a decade, and LC unanimously declare Pavement to be the band's favorite band).

Both artists also recontextualize Malkmus' wildly abstract lyrics to suit a female perspective - Zooey's lighter, big-city sibling slinks instead of sulks ("I'm just a woman, you see who I am"); and when Aleksandra Campesinos halts the seven-piece violin/glockenspiel march to quietly whisper "She the only one who always inhales," we know she can empathize.

Zooey - Father to a Sister of Thought (Pavement cover)

Los Campesinos! - Frontwards (Pavement cover)

Side note: Zooey's interpretation of "You Gave Your Love To Me Softly" is less of a win unless you're also a big fan of Ladytron/The Rentals.

Zooey - You Gave Your Love To Me Softly (Weezer cover, from Pique-nique et jeux dans l'eau)

The Man Who Saved Christmas Music

2008-12-22T19:35:00.003-04:00

With the exception of Vince Guaraldi or Wham!, most Christmas music is super played out and should only be enjoyed on or around the actual holiday. Sufjan Steven's Songs For Christmas collection, however, is so money you can keep it on blast all year.

You probably already knew that - but did you know the tradition continues with Songs For Christmas: Astral Inter Planet Space Captain Christmas Infinity Voyage, Volume VIII, which was quietly shared with superfriends earlier this week? And that it's now available for all to enjoy? Sample one below and dl the rest over at the V Knob.

Sufjan Stevens - Do You See What I See?

Bonus:
Fully Fitted Holiday Mixx Massacre
Wham! - Last Christmas video (or Karaoke version)
Archers of Loaf - Assassination on X-Mas Eve (via Fluxblog)

Heard She Broke Your Heart Again

2008-12-18T09:20:00.002-04:00

Metronomy's "Heartbreaker" is pretty much your standard pop story - girl breaks guy's heart, his homeys rally and take him out for Kronenbergs and crisps, they sit around watching a Belgian preteen choir performing "I Touch Myself," etc. But creeping, off-key vehicular instrumentation (a la Blur's Gene by Gene) and a bros-only whistle/sax chorus reminds us she'll want you much more for not hanging on (stop me if I'm wrong).

Metronomy - Heartbreaker (from Nights Out)

Metronomy - Heartbreaker (Anoraak Rmx)

Anoraak is part of the globe-conquering ~~Parisian~~ Nantes electro crew Valerie along with College, whose debut LP Secret Diary (now available on iTunes) may be the key to surviving extended holidays with extended relatives. Either that or this video.

Bonus bro support anthem:

The Streets - Don't Mug Yourself (from Original Pirate Material)

Rye Rye Redux

2008-12-17T08:48:00.003-04:00

It appears this version is simply known as "Shake the Ground."

Diplo feat. Rye Rye - Wassup Wassup (ddpesh Remix)

See also:
Table Dance Fail
Making you feel the rhythm is my occupation

Dgenetics - Generation V Sampler

2008-12-15T22:54:00.005-04:00

Dgenetics Musics is a central organization of mutant freedom fighters (from left: Fiore, DJ Pumpkin Patch, Dgenetics, Old Gold) defending Generation V from the old lords who struggle to maintain their power over the...well this video explains it:

Can't help but wonder if the crimefighting beacon is linked to recent RoboDensity Reports which indicate we may be dangerously close to reaching an unsafe robots per capita ratio, or the suspicious rise in Old Glory robot insurance premiums? Haven't been this confused/excited since Princess Alura got spanked on Voltron.

What we do know is LA-based Dgenetics has released a free quadruple-power Generation V comp with each team member contributing their own special powers, be it the ability to drop fierce roller jams, kick krautrock freak-folk or entrance tenderonis with Chromeo-esque hott claps. Godspeed sirs.

Dgenetics - Skate With Me

Fiore - Awakening

DJ Pumpkin Patch - Rushin

Old Gold - Drugged Out Girls

Since I Met You

2008-12-09T23:03:00.002-04:00

"When my two friends married they chose a song that says 'since I met you, I found a world so new.' When they got the actual lyrics it said 'since I left you, I found a world so new!' They still kept it though."
- some random

While the Avalanches' title track might differ dramatically from the Main Attractions' original intent, and anyone that chooses a wedding song titled "Since I Left You" from the album Since I Left You deserves altar abandonment/VD, you can hardly blame them for choosing such an otherwise perfect song.

The Avalanches - Since I Left You

The source material is pretty strong, too. Breaking down Avalanches songs is similar to watching the Daft Punk sample video except you don't feel so dirty/used after. Aside from the two main inspirations below, the opening track also embodies portions of Jimmy Webb's "By the Time I Get To Phoenix" and Car Wash.

The Main Attractions - Everyday (sampled in "Since I Left You")

Klaus Wunderlich - Do the Latin Hustle (sampled in "Since I Left You")

"Latin Hustle" is also great for scooping cougars on the frozen tundra of Trader J's - evidently you just play it, walk over, and say something awesome. Expect nothing less from a man named Klaus Wunderlich.

Related:
Flight Tonight

Sébastien Tellier: NYC Tix + Sexual Sportwear

2008-12-04T13:54:00.004-04:00

Please join us for a scrumptralescently sensous evening at (L)PR next Thursday 12/11 with French pop superstar Sébastien Tellier and friends. This shall be Purple Rain by hearth's edge; our bearded faces will glisten with the succulent juices of roasted duck meat. Hushed sotte voce vocals will drift under stabbing vintage synths, and whilst enjoying "Fingers of Steel" - a song about crushing on a robot - we shall collectively relish Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo's feathery production touch.

Sébastien Tellier - Fingers of Steel (from Sexuality)

Although you may buy tickets here ($13), Cosby's presence on BT always indicates free stuff; in this case two complimentary guest list spots (+1) to the 12/11 show. Those outside of NYC may be more interested in scoring a pink AmAppy shirt for your gf along with special edition Divine Vision/Remix CDs, and we have a few of those to give away as well (US residents only, specify M or L).

Hit us up if you're interested in either and we'll do a random drawing for tickets and tees early next week.

Sébastien Tellier - Kilometer (Moulinex Rmx)

Sébastien Tellier - Roche (Breakbot Rmx)

Merci beaucoup Record Makers pour le concours.

Mess Around/Test the Sound

2008-12-02T14:49:00.001-04:00

Don't usually listen to the kind of music Mr. Scruff makes - (Brit soul/funk? Latin/Afro breaks?) - but I do listen to a lot of Mr. Scruff because he's got it like that. Today Ninja Tune's tenured professor puts down his tea and rolls up elbow-padded sleeves to spin a 15-minute sampler celebrating new single Hold On/Get On Down, a clown car full of fat black foam snakes, high hats/Hammonds and squelching liquid lounge biscuits for the well-traveled.

Mr. Scruff - Hold On/Get On Down Mix

Tracklist:
1. Test the sound
2. Stockport carnival
3. Bang the floor (with danny breaks)
4. Nice up the function (with roots manuva)
5. Hold on (with andreya triana)
6. Fix that speaker! (from 'music takes me up single)
7. Music takes me up (with alice Russell)
8. Give up to get
9. Donkey ride (with Quantic)
10. The clock (from ‘music takes me up’ single)
11. Get on down
12. This way (with Pete Simpson)
13. Hairy Bumpercress
14. Kalimba
15. Whiplash
16. Test the sound

Hold On/Get On Down is available via Ninjashop in 12" or mp3.

Theme From Teenage Suicide

2008-11-26T09:00:00.001-04:00

(voices over two-way radio...siren starts...heart monitor beeping)
"What are you doing here, honey? You're not even old enough to know how bad life gets."
"Obviously, Doctor, you've never been a 13-year-old girl."

Do not make the mistake of ignoring My Teenage Stride due to band name confusion (I originally thought they must be lame, or a type of teen-oriented gum, or just generally teen-oriented). The Brooklyn-based duo is actually closer to the much cooler/older C86 crowd, those of the original DIY Britpop sound characterized by cheap drum machines, jangly guitars, high fidelity twee and a restless suburban isolation we can all relate to.

My Teenage Stride - Theme From Teenage Suicide (from Lesser Demons, 2008)

The title for Jeffrey Eugenides' 1993 novel (and Sophia Coppola's 1999 directorial debut) derives from a song by the fictional band Cruel Crux, a favorite of the Lisbon daughter Lux - who, unlike her four sisters, is anything but a virgin by the tale's end. Air composed the movie soundtrack, which along with standouts like "Playground Love" includes a heavily synthesized teen ghost summary of the whole creepy affair (below). Somewhere in Antibes, a young Anthony Gonzalez was deep into a pair of oversized headphones on a mattress tucked in the corner.

Phoenix - Playground Love (Air cover)

Air - Suicide Underground (from The Virgin Suicides soundtrack)

Did Sebadoh Invent Tektonic?

2008-11-24T15:34:00.001-04:00

Yes, that is correct. Turns out in 1994 they gave this Swedish kid five bucks and a pair of Voltron pumps if he agreed to not stop moving during their "License to Confuse" video, no matter how many times he got tired or ran out of moves:

Sebadoh - License To Confuse (from Bakesale)

The result was so hideous we didn't see any mainstream Tekkies resurface again until last year, which may or not be correlated with a decline of Peruvian pan flute bands during the same period.

Death By Zero

2008-11-21T08:48:00.002-04:00

Love commercials that haunt all of your waking moments and only become funny after someone else starts complaining about them too. Also love "mashups" of annoying commercials and commercially successful annoying movies. Original version of the song below in case you want to be an ass (ringtones, office pages, etc.).

The Fixx - Saved By Zero (from Reach the Beach)

The Death Set - Superzero (from Worldwide)

via have you seen this

You Made a Believer (Out of Me)

2008-11-20T21:32:00.004-04:00

It only took a dozen foaming reviews for me to finally check out Q-Tip's new joint beyond the first track I heard ("Gettin Up" was a little too Sunday School with Common and not enough weekend nasty). But thankfully Soul Sides offered "Won't Trade," where Q effortlessly slides between slabs of Ruby Andrews' Windy City soul classic. Well played sir.

Q-Tip - Won't Trade (from The Renaissance)

Ruby Andrews - You Made a Believer (Out of Me)

2008-11-19T21:31:00.005-04:00

Pavement - In The Mouth A Desert (from Slanted & Enchanted)

The Internet Was Awesome Today!

2008-11-15T18:51:00.003-04:00

Whilst cruising We Have Lasers - you know, the site dedicated to professional portraits with various laser backgrounds, I found the turning point in laser portrait culture, back in 1991, when almost 60% of the students in this 3rd grade class teamed up for either the classic pink/blue line lasers (closeup) or the more subtle purple/pink starburst lasers combo. You've got to hate it for the other kids who slept on this or failed to receive parent approval.

Wish I had opted for the spaghetti/cat backdrop instead.

My Morning Jacket - Picture of You (from The Tennessee Fire)

Also - if there's anything as cool as lasers it's eagles, and Department of Eagles is a pretty awesome band name, but if everyone could stop blogging about Department of Eagles for a week or two that would be swell.

New Height - The Woods

2008-11-14T19:58:00.006-04:00

Height n' friends invented something unprecedented, opium-scented and dark-tinted:

Height - The Woods

From Jones - "The song was made in parts, kind of like a chain letter. PT Burnem started the track with the main loop/melodic sample and the beat box sample. King Rhythm added the samples and programming on the hook part. Mickey Free did a lot of the filter/mixing to bring all the elements together, also adding additional low-end percussion, and I added live percussion. And of course Height, in addition to writing and performing the vocals, was always present in shaping the sound."

Stay tuned for more details on the upcoming Baltimore Highlands LP, check Height's podcast series, and be sure to catch Jones with Grand Buffet tomorrow night at Ottobar. Previously on BT from the Independence Day Friendstival:

College = Youth

2008-11-12T20:47:00.003-04:00

The real thing might suck sometimes, but the French concept of your teenage years is always perfect - self discovery, chemical (and peer) exploration, finding your personal brand, passing out on Sparks-soaked linoleum and doing it all over again.

But living for today is boring when you can be a Hollywood star from the glamorized redux of 80s pop culture. The Teenagers name drop Dirty Dancing and proclaim their love for all things 90210, M83's Saturdays=Youth is a self-described ode to teenage life on MTV, and Kavinsky's "Flashback," (from the 1986 EP, of course), documents the cool kid's dangerous post-prom moonlight Ferrari excursions.

Now France's David Grellier, known on the electrobloghaus circuit as College, is rebuilding the cache of your forgotten early-morning/after epiphanies right alongside his peers, retouching blemishes and socially awkward incidents with the stroke of a synth. Call it Kavinsky on klonopin or M83 on a hott clap holiday.

College - The Energy Story (feat. Minitel Rose)

College - Teenage Color (199 Chatarz Remix)

College and crew's Valerie blog are posting "Energy Story" remixes and more leading up to his Secret Diary debut later this winter.

College - Teenage Color Mix

01- Stephen Falken - Everything Must Go
02- Roman Salzger - Alpha Centauri
03- Alden Tyrell - Odessa Theme
04- Lifelike - High On
05- Lovelock - Love Reaction
06- College - Teenage Color (Russ Chimes Remix)
07- Pnau - Lover
08- Bangkok Impact - Bright Light, Dim Light
09- Pony Pony Run Run - Star Survivor (Russ Chimes'Drive To Survive Remix)
10- Sedat The Turkish Avenger - Sunrise (Original Mix)
11- Pnau featuring Ladyhawke - Embrace
12- Loose Shus - Total Fox
13- Xinobi - Day Off (Anoraak Remix)
14- Error Love - Top Of The Charts (Number One In The Uk)
15- Melinda Jackson - Magic (Moustache Remix)

Thanks to Hyperbole for enrolling us.
See also: M83 vs. Donnie Darko

Of Montreal (SFW Edition)

2008-11-11T09:20:00.000-04:00

Love Skeletal Lamping but occasionally get too sassed out by Georgie Fruit's glam pastiche. Miss Lisp Crispy's more sensitive catalogue which contains up to 88% fewer phallic references.

Feminine Effects (unreleased, live on MPR 10/3/07)

Little Rock (from She's a Rejector 7")

Make Out Fall Out Make Up (Love is All cover)

photo via fenchurch
unrelated Dulcolax commercial

BT Adventures Pt 3: Battle Cat + Bmore Round Robin

2008-11-07T11:51:00.011-04:00

We've uncovered the Air Wolf consipiracy and established connections between ~~McGruber~~ MacGuyver and Chuck Norris; now it's time to figure out what role, if any, Bmore-based Adventure's 8-bit synth compositions play in our earliest console memories. The clues are hidden inside this BT bootleg video of "Battle Cat" - if you're the first to name all 38 'tendo games in the comments section, in order, Benny will send you an autographed copy of his new self-titled debut. And we'll send you
everything you see here so that others may know your greatness.

Adventure is also available on iTunes or the CarPark shop (while you're there, scoop the new Beach House 7" and Lesser Gonazalez's joint).

You can also hear it live when the entire Bmore Round Robin crew host a proper Eyes/Feet weekend at Sonar on December 18th and 19th. Tickets for the whole weekend are $22 (includes a $7 "suck it Trebek" Ticketmaster charge) and they went on sale today, so. See our previous review here if you've any doubt this will be wig-scrambling.

Adventure - Wild Wild Ride

Mike Tyson's Punch Out!!

Notorious BIG - Super Nintendo/Sega Genesis

Far Away Rmxs

2008-11-05T18:44:00.007-04:00

Can't say Cut Copy's "Far Away" could possibly be improved upon or that I'd rather listen to any of these remixes over the original, but you can be the judge on that. The important thing is we're celebrating victorious radness in all of its forms today (Radiohead are also marking the occasion with a semi-fresh rmx of "Harrowdown Hill" via Dead Air Space, mp3 here).

Far Away (Ring Trick Rmx)

Far Away (Bag Raiders Rmx)

Far Away (ddpesh Rmx)

Update: Even more Far Away remixes

And for the sixteenth time, we plug the unofficial BT video for this song, which shall remain the default until they actually make one:

You may also enjoy throwing on the elbow-padded tweed whilst perusing our vast, leather-bound Cutters archives for additional pre-weekend morsels.

2008-11-05T10:02:00.001-04:00

How To Win Top Prize at the Science Fair

2008-11-03T14:11:00.004-04:00

Billy Manson and the Dang! crew offer a step-by-step walkthrough for how to win the science fair.

That's a nice volcano ashtray, but our proprietary "3I" system is the REAL scientific method you need to win:

Step 1: The Internet.

Step 2: Intimidation. You need to be all up in your competitor's respective kitchens, rattling the pots and pans, nonstop. Easiest way to do this is place old leftover pumpkins on smarts kids' doorsteps with a big knife in it and a note that just says "YOU." Also take a closer look at your judges for blackmail potential - was the principle a novelty heavyweight wrestler in the 80s? Is your science teacher a member of NAMBLA? This is the kind of research you need to be doing, and don't wait until the last minute. Prepare an outline of your intended targets at least two weeks out and plan to spend around 10-20 hours on the process. If things don't turn out the way you planned, you can always make something up.

On the big day, get there a little early with a magic marker and write "FAIL" in big letters on everyone else's trifold foam core. Also check with your school's IT administrator about advertising on the Web site. Say for example your name is Alex McClamb, purchase banner ads that say "McLamb Wins Science Fair!" and have them start running the morning of the competition. This saves you money by only needing one ad and you get in everyone's kitchen right up front.

Step 3: Intense Training Montage. Nothing cool has ever happened without one of these, and they're also the best way to make tons of progress in only a few minutes. If possible, try to mix in what we call "fuel for the fire," or competitive training footage, into the video. This could be a smart kid training in a real laboratory with beakers/schematics while you're experimenting on bums in the library (get the smart kid's permission to film this BEFORE you do the pumpkins). And song selection counts - the longer the song and the more obscure the artist, the stronger you'll be when it's over. If you can go more than four minutes to Mark Safan's Win in the End you are ready to be a champion. For a good sample montage, see Rad II: The Matthew Modine Challenge.

After you win, and you will win:

1. Leave the premises immediately. After the blue ribbon is handed out, you're ghost like Swayze. It might be tempting to schedule media opps with your school newsletter/local TV station right there in the gymnasium, but this is a mistake. Jealous losers will try to stomp on your volcano or deny you uncontested glory. We all remember the Dino Valley Debacle of 1982 (above) when the first prize winner hung around too long and caught the wrath of an unidentified honorable mention winner.

And let's clear this up right now - there is only one winner. Any ribbon of any other color might as well be a big handful of egg salad.

2. Talk lots and lots of smack. Once you're in a secure area, hold your press conference and begin a steady online barrage of domination claims. Be sure to publicly thank the other kids and their parents for being so weak. You should also have already made and distributed flyers announcing a celebratory jammy to all the hot mathletes and science groupies, so get to it, and start thinking about regionals.

Guided By Voices - I Am A Scientist

Oingo Boingo - Weird Science

Tokyo Police Club - Nature of the Experiment (RAC Rmx)

Last Minute Couples Costume Ideas

2008-10-30T13:20:00.006-03:00

Superman/Spiderwoman bollywood baile dance combo - make sure you get a child's smedium so it's fully fitted. Triple points if you replicate any of these sweet moves.

Bonde Do Role - Melo Do Tabacco (XXXChange remix)

Professional high school dance crashers (or "Bart Connor n' the twins"). Be sure to chalk up the balance beam ahead of time.

VEGA - All Too Vivid

Gretchen & Donnie and the Sparkle Motion crew (someone else could be "the wormhole").

M83 - Kim & Jessie

Mojib (Mojib Remix)

2008-10-29T09:30:00.006-03:00

We first featured Gothenburg, Sweden's Staffan Ulmert (aka Mojib) more than a year ago, and it's a testament to his mixology that debut LP Whimsical Lifestyle hasn't worn out its welcome on any playlists since. Sure, there's great material to work with - Kings of Convenience, Stone Roses, Go! Team, M83, Tribe Called Quest, Sigur Ros, Apples in Stereo, Thom Yorke and tastes of RJD2/DJ Shadow - but don't fault him for having good taste.

Radiohead - Videotape (Mojib Rmx)

Now Mo's offering a free two-part remix of Whimsical Lifestyle titled Whimsical Mixtape, which comes highly recommended, and not only because it's free. Just going to read this aloud:

"It's a mixtape that knows no boundaries as it remixes, mashes (ed: not in a 'Girl Talk' way) and reconstructs tracks from the LP while adding artists that inspired the album. The first part features a fast tempo and an upbeat style as underground and well-known commercial artists blend together. The second part leads the listener on a darker journey, following the footsteps of past projects such as 'Requeim' with Martin Erlandsson."

Don't sleep on this - download both mixes here.

Wassup (Holla ween edition)

2008-10-27T13:44:00.004-03:00

Everybody ready to get extra hood this weekend?

Diplo feat. Rye Rye - Wassup (ddpesh Rmx)

I'll be hitting the streets as Blade (group leader from Icy Hot Stuntaz), so if anyone wants to tag team it as Freeze, Da Flame or an anonymous hater, let me know.

Hot Ice - Theme From Friday The 13th Part III

And if you haven't seen it, there's a new politically-charged, "streets is real" edition of the Wassup commercial. Definitely not as strong as the grannies/Superfriends versions.

Project Bueller is Nigh

2008-10-25T17:10:00.002-03:00

Whatever type of shenanigans you've planned for Hallow's Eve, and/or if you have costume paralysis like me but would prefer it fits with your usual theme of "something 80's," the original Von Steuben Day parade from Ferris Bueller's Day Off will be in full NYC schwing thanks to the Project Bueller team. And they need your help.

In addition to a full-scale replication float full of chicks in barmaid uniforms and the "step dancing crew," organizers are recruiting secret agent parade watchers to help out. You can wear '80s business casual attire, be an out-of-breath jogger from 1982, or whatever; just be ready to rage when the float comes by.

Insider tip: "Arrive early to get a good spot - this means 6:30 if you are near the beginning (Spring and 6th Ave) and 8:30 if you are near the end (21st and 6th Ave). Where you and your friends decide to station yourselves is up to you. (Do what you feel like doing!!)

The TV Crews are stationed at 10th and 6th Ave and even though we’ll be repeating the routine throughout the path, we’re really going to rock the shit out of this block in particular. You should probably stake out good spots there as early as 6pm."

See the full FAQ here and then repeat after me: "I am not going to sit on my ass as the events that affect me unfold to determine the course of my life. I'm going to take a stand. I'm going to participate in Project Bueller and THEN go to whatever lame ass party I was planning to attend. This will be much cooler than pregaming in my underwear."

Previously on BT: You realize if we played by the rules right now we'd be in gym?

Table Dance Fail

2008-10-24T13:47:00.002-03:00

FF to 2:30 and pop some Nuprin.

If she had employed Girl Talk's strict table holding policy this wouldn't have happened.

AC Newman - On the Table (from The Slow Wonder)
Additional Fails