Friday night at home with my suitcase and laptop

I'm packing. And eating chocolates and drinking red wine (relaxed, much?) while listening to this.

Tea leaf dancers Flying Lotus (deep range jackin remix) Mp3 [z hare]

I forgot how good it was. A lovely friend just sent me a selection of tracks for my trip and this was among them. Thank fully. Los Angeles was one of the best albums of this year, and I fucking forgot about it when I posted my yearly wrap up. I knew I'd forget something!

And also, my Facebook was hacked - taken over by strangers asking my friends for money - so my girl Catcall made me a twitter. I'm not really sure how it works yet, but if you're on there head here and we can tweet at each other. I am so bummed. I lost all my photos and all the details of people I was supposed to meet up with in New York. If you live in NYC and wanna hang, I'll be there in two weeks. After I hang with some Sphinx and Pyramids.

lend a hand

Downtown Records are auctioning off a whole bunch of limited edition, exclusive, and signed memorabilia from Cold War Kids, Justice, Santogold, Gnarls Barkley, Kid Sister, Carla Bruni, Brett Dennen, Eagles of Death Metal, Art Brut, Spank Rock for the Food Back For New York City.

From their RCRDLBL blog, the charity serves
more than three million New Yorkers who have difficulty affording food, working to end food poverty and increasing access to affordable, nutritious food for low-income city residents. The food bank has been in operation for over 25 years, and uses 96 cents of every dollar donation to go towards food programs.

You can make a direct donation to a Virtual Food Drive, which will then be matched by the Robin Hood Foundation 2-1, or you can bid in the Ebay Auction. 100% of the proceeds are going directly to the charity.

Downtown's Benefit Food Bank EBay Bonanza!

I can't call this a best of, but it is a summation of sorts

I started 2008 at a warehouse party with friends in Melbourne with a boy who changed my view of music forever; he introduced me to a world I’d not yet been invited into and I was awed, and inspired. Because of him, 2008 has been full. He nudged me towards the decision to quit my job and try out some other stuff, which I did, and wouldn’t have had he not convinced me I was capable of more than I thought I was. It wasn't the greatest relationship, it was very short lived and we didn't work, but he was good for me regardless, I guess.

A lot happened this year, but they were all small things that you don’t quantify at the time.

I don’t wake up at 4am everyday for work anymore, I get up around 8am instead. But when my office was a radio studio, I now work at desks with groups of people, which is really different. That’s strange; I’m still not yet used to that. I started 7 jobs, writing, editing, producing, scouting, publicising, and more. I had to give up 2 of them because I couldn't find the time. That upset me a little. I lost weight, I gained weight. I doubted myself, and continue to do so, but I’m trying not to. I searched for a smart and cute Jewish boy to take me to the movies, but I didn’t find him. Instead I briefly dated or slept with a few boys, but they’re not really worth mentioning. Is that sad? I don't mean it to be, they just weren't amazing.

I fell out with a girlfriend - my oldest and best friend. I miss her and I didn’t call her on her birthday last month. I really regret that. Maybe we grew apart, or maybe I became someone I shouldn’t have. I still have two weeks before the year is over to work that out.

I interviewed more bands and musicians than I can remember, everyone from Vampire Weekend to Animal Collective to No Age to Telepathe to Vivian Girls to Kid Cudi to Air France to Santogold to Ebony Bones to Weird Tapes to Brian Jonestown Massacre to… oh I can’t remember. I went to one funeral. It was for my great, great grandmother Hazel who was 102. I have her watch now, but I have to get a new battery for it because it's stopped working. That was just last week. I spent a lot of time with parents, and even more time with my younger brother which is amazing. I love spending time with him. I didn't spend enough time with my extended family I don't think. I drank wine and ate salad, cheese and chocolate with my best friends. I think they have been my favourite moments of 2008 - I spent much more time with my friends. Maybe because I’ve been single.

I dreamt of getting the tattoo I’ve planned to get every year since I left high school but typically didn't go through with it. I listened to M83 heaps, while sitting on my balcony reading magazines by candlelight and drinking peppermint tea. I drank a lot of peppermint tea this year.

I didn’t have a holiday, but I did have three sick days. I’m ending the year in Egypt on a big overseas trip, which I am so excited about. I need to not work for a month. I’m not very good at that though, and I’m taking my computer so I can write while I am overseas.

I listened to more surf punk, and more disco than ever before. A documentary on Arthur Russell made me cry. I decided I hated remixes, and then decided they weren’t so bad. But I still think a remix won’t make an average song anything more than average. Except if it's an Eli Escobar remix, he is amazing. You know what else, after the warehouse party in Melbourne I didn’t do drugs this year. I just didn’t feel like it I guess.

albums released this year I listened to on repeat

Bon Iver – For Emma, Forever Ago
High Places – 03/07 – 09/07
Lucky Dragons - Widows
James Pants - Welcome
Brightback Morning Light – Motion To Rejoin
School Of Seven Bells – Alpinisms
M83 – Saturdays = Youth
Vivian Girls - Vivian Girls
Liquid Liquid – Slip In And Out Of Phenomenon
Lykke Li – Youth Novels
Tobacco – Fucked Up Friends
College - Secret Diary
Chromatics - Night Drive
Abe Vigoda – Skeleton
Gang Gang Dance – Saint Dymphna
Yeasayer – All Hour Cymbols
Beach House – Devotion
Vampire Weekend – Vampire Weekend
MGMT - Orucular Spectacular
Dirty Projectors - Rise Above
Santogold - Santogold

songs released this year I listened to on repeat that aren't on the albums above
Passion Pit - Sleepyhead
Fleet Foxes - White Winter Hymnal
Friendly Fires - Jump In The Pool
Friendly Fires - Paris (Aeroplane remix feat Au Revoir Simone)
Mi Ami – African Rhythms
Invisible Conga People – Cable Dazed
Trouble Andrew – Run Hide
Aeroplane - Whispers
Soft Circle - Shimmer
Telepathe - Chromes On It
Teyana Taylor - Google Me
Lemonade – Big Weekend (Delorean edit)
Ebony Bones – We Know All About You
Minitel Rose – Magic Powder
We Have Band – Oh!
Busy Signal – Tic Tic Toc
Teki Latex – Go Go Go
Glass Candy – Beatific
Air France – Collapsing At Your Doorstep
Megapuss – Adam and Steve
Estelle – No Substitute Lover
Beaches - Sandy
Ryan Lesile feat. Cassie- Addicted
Firekites - Last Ships
Daedelus - Fair Weather Friends
Memory Cassette - Asleep At A Party

(I tried to make top 10. I tried to make a top 20. I tried, I really did. But this was an amazing year for music, and so many releases completely rocked my world. That's a culled list already!)

people I want to hear heaps more of/see heaps more from in 2009
Charles Hamilton
Mi Ami
Pacific
Seekae
Bridezilla
Dan Black
Cocknbullkid
Friend
Florence and the Machine
Ebony Bones
Ninjasonik
Soft Circle
La Roux
Pegase
Weird Tapes
The Big Pink

Merry Hanukkah and happy Christmas. I really hope you had a wonderful 2008, or you at least learnt and experienced something you didn't know in 2007. I think I did.

x Michaella

Loin Brothers

Sydney's Loin Brothers from Paradise Lost are the first released in the new Future Classic Aprés vinyl series.

After running the Aprés parties Sundays at the Tilbury (the only reason to ever venture to the Woolloomooloo Wharf district aside from Harry's Cafe but I don't eat pies so really, the only reason) for the past year or so, Nathan McLay from Future Classic decided he could further collaborate with some of the artists who've performed at the arvo BBQ/Beer sessions and launched Aprés 12inches yesterday. Joakim, Mock & Toof, Aeroplane, and Padded Cell have all spun records at Aprés, often under aliases to avoid large crowds and thus giving them the freedom to play whatever they feel like.

If you head to the Future Classic website you can download free Mp3s of the 12inch, and order yourself a copy of the vinyl.

I am really digging it, especially the Mock & Toof remix:

'Heavy Helmet' Loin Brothers - Mock & Toof remix Mp3 [z share]

So Summer it hurts (makes me a little sad I'm going to be in the Northern Hemmisphere during dec/jan in Sydney...)

Future Classic commissioned original artwork by Gemma Smith for the series (see above image), whose geometric and abstract pieces are currently showing in Primavera at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Sydney, and in Contemporary Australia: Optimism at the Gallery of Modern Art in Brisbane.

official boy

The way to a woman's heart

I'm listening to the CFCF remix of Cassie right now and it's perfect for my current mood. Feeling quite pensive after going to a funeral today and wonderously tired after not sleeping at all last night. I needed sweet r&b pop vocals and a smooth disco jam with an Apache flavour to carry me to bed, and this is perfect.

'Official Girl' Cassie CFCF remix free download
(courtesy of The Fader blog)

Last night Seekae launched their debut album at the Hopetoun Hotel in Surry Hills Sydney and entirely sold out the venue, which is so fabulous! I interviewed them a while back for Lost At E Minor at talked about them here too. The album is great, and if you tune in to FBi this week you'll hear it featured as their Album of the Week, and you can listen at their myspace too.

Also, last week the new issue of NO. (issue #4) was published. It was the Family Issue and for it, I interviewed The Fiery Furnaces and Courtney Taylor Taylor. Check it out here and grab it from their website or by emailing subscriptions@nomagazine.co.nz. A yearly subscription is $40 and you get one of 3 limited Edition NO. Tees designed by either Cobrasnake, Lonely hearts or DMOTE.





And hey guess what this time next week I'll be in Cairo. Wow!! I am so excited.

Good night x

Wolfy Vs Projections Vs Invisible Conga People Vs Mi Ami

Sorry for taking so long, life has been busy. I am currently busier than I have ever been before. Which is really great, I'm occupying myself with engaging and challenging things and working with wonderful people... I just said "yes" to one (or three) too many things. Nonetheless, Hi! I missed you! I've thought about Grey Gardens often the past week! I've been continuously logging things thinking to myself "Oh! Mustn't forget to post this on Grey Gardens I love it" and then, predictably, forgetting...


Wolfy is DJ Simon James, and Projections is James' project with Dan (D-Hastie) from Breakestra, and together they recently released The Astral Project Of Starlight LP through Permanent Vacation (and just while on the subject - if you haven't yet heard it please go to the website and stream the Hercules And Love Affair remix of 'Falls' by Bostro Pesopeo. Amazing!)

The Astral Project of Starlight is full of lovely funky dub disco moments but can be a little lounge-bar at times, which is why I was blown away by this remix, which smooths it out so nicely.

Wolfy Vs Projections 'Return Of Starlight' Invisible Conga People remix Mp3 [z share]

Huge thanks to (awing, intimidating, outstanding) 20jazzfunkgreats for bringing this remix to my attention. I'd heard the 12" and enjoyed it, but this remix is sublime.

And, funnily enough, I'd been wondering about Invisible Conga People, as the past six months they'd been very quiet. This remix makes me think they're preparing some new material of their own. Or maybe it was just a favour for a friend? I hope they're gearing up for some new stuff, as 'Cable Dazed' is my favourite tracks of this year. Their Myspace does say "new tracks 2009" but should I believe that?

'Cable Dazed' Invisible Conga People Mp3 [z share]


While talking favourites, I was super excited to read last week that Mi Ami are releasing their debut album February 17! After months of silence, they remixed 'Devils Trident' by Telepathy, so I started poking around to see what I could uncover.

The album will be titled Watersports, first single 'Echonoecho' is due out January 27, then they're playing shows all over the US and in London - go see them for me if you live in America or London and buy me a 12" as a belated Hanukkah present.

Dan Black

Also, while we're talking Biggie (kinda)...
Despite the fact that he reminds me a little too much of Calvin Harris, I am nonetheless really liking this tune from the UK's fave new pop/dance/wooooonderkiddd Dan Black

Radio-friendly pop/dance cross-over acts aren't usually my thing, but I can't help myself with this tune! My shoulders start shaking, I start lip syncing the chorus, I open up blogger...

Blaqstarr just remixed his first single Yours - listen out for the Rye Rye yelp at the track's beginning!

'Yours' Dan Black (Blaqstarr remix) Mp3 [z share]

Head to his Myspace to hear the original, and while you're there hang around for his cover of Biggie's HPNTZ which was released earlier this year as a limited edition 7"

Yours was released today on A&M/Interscope, and you can buy it now on iTunes

Jay Z + Kanye + Santi

We've heard Jockin Jay Z and History... now Jay Z has just leaked his latest single due for release on Blueprint 3, which is also scheduled to feature in the upcoming Biggie biopic.



His version of the Santogold hometown anthem, the track was produced by Kanye (and borrows from/samples/features Santi White guesting too)

'Booklyn Go Hard' Jay Z (feat Santogold) Mp3 [z share]

Seemed the announcement de jour this year was "retirement" but I'm glad jeezy decided to step back into the limelight. I really like he and Kanye's looped Santi sampled chorus, and I can't wait to hear more of the album! And at this rate, we might get to hear the entire thing play out online before it's officially released...

Charles, Ricky, Ron, Cudi...

When will these kings of indie hip hop autotune release albums?

omg hurry up alreadyyyy

'Windows Media Player' Charles Hamilton Mp3 [z share]

'How Mi Look' Ricky Blaze Mp3 [z share]

'Feel Free' Ricky Blaze feat. Ron Browz Mp3 [z share]

'Jumping Out The Window' Ron Browz Mp3 [z share]

'Spazzin' Kid Cudi Mp3 [z share]

With Hamilton be the first? With a prolific mixtape output, one that rivals Lil Wayne if you can believe it, surely it's just a matter of time before he releases an official full length debut? Head to his website for his latest mixtape: iamnotcharleshamilton.com

Pegase 'Without Reason'

Minitel Rose vocalist Raphaél is demoing some solo material at the moment as Pegase.

If you head to his Myspace you can hear a few of the tracks. Most follow the delicately disco pop route of Minitel Rose, but are a little more contemplative with slightly melancholic tones.

Spellbound Girl is a gentle romp through French House and the gorgeous, lofty Without Reasons journeys through ambient electronic dreamscapes of love and romance. Things get a little more dramatic with Everywhere, which immediately brings to mind 70s Bowie and The Labyrinth - immediately I imagined this as the soundtrack as Jennifer Connolly runs frantically through the maze calling for Toby.

This comes courtesy of Valerie

'Without Reasons' (demo) Pegase Mp3 [z share]

I can't wait for more!

While talking Minitel Rose, don't forget College's debut Secret Diary is being released next week through Futur

Oh hey, it's just me again

Dear readers (Radge, Michael, Ben and Liz),
Is this easier to read? I just clicked the 'View Blog' button and realised how small and thus illegible my text was. Dear me! This is better, hopefully. Hopefully?

Friendly Fires

I have been sick with some killer flu virus for a week and I am so bored I could cry. I've been going to sleep, waking up to go to work, coming home from work to eat dinner, and climbing back into bed and going back to sleep. Now Sunday, this weekend has been spent in bed watching The Wire, catching up on past eps of Ugly Betty, and reading the newspapers.

Bored and lonely, I put my itunes on random in the hopes of inspiring an mp3 renaissance, and rediscovering something that'd leave me smiling for the rest of the afternoon.

I forgot how much I liked this cover

'I'm Good, I'm Gone' Friendly Fires cover Mp3 [z share]

Both bands are featuring it on their Myspace after Friendly Fires toured with Li through America.

I've often waxed lyrical of my adoration for Lykke Li, but I also really like Friendly Fires. Unfortunately, their record was released around the same time as Walter Meego, Late Of The Pier and Metronomy in Australia, and as a result those discs were paid much more attention that FF debut self-titled. Theirs is a record that I can listen to every day, and have been since I received it in September. Disco hooks, cowbell, 00s pop rhythms, moments of Detroit tech house, harmonised choruses, kick drums, and ambient breaks executed with precision, undeniable talent, and egos aside.

Listen to this tune, and there is no way you can deny the disco shoulder shake

'On Board' Friendly Fires Mp3 [z share]

They are about to perform a few shows with Foals (which is a great fit for them) and all their upcoming tour dates from now until Feb are at their myspace

Buy Friendly Fires from iTunes here or from their website wearefriendlyfires.com

Lykke Li news? She is touring through the UK currently, and on AUS shores in December for the Falls Festival and shows in Melbourne (Sunday 4th January at the Prince Bandroom - tickets from the Prince website) and Sydney (Monday 5th January, at Oxford Art Factory - tickets from Moshtix)

Zach Hill tonight

Live in NYC? Tonight, Zach Hill is performing with Subtle and Pattern Is Movement at The Knitting Factory. I've heard that this is going to be Subtle's last show in a while too...

Tickets are still available here

Seems the Californian has been confusing people lately. It is understandable, considering how many bands he plays in and the numerous solo projects he begins and sometimes follows through. To make things less confusing, he issued this statement on his Myspace here. If you're too lazy to follow a link, here's the post in full.

HELLO ! TO THOSE THAT HAVE BEEN INQUIRING ABOUT WHAT AND WHO "PEER PRESSURE" MAY BE IT'S ACTUALLY MY DRUM SET! HAHA THATS STRAIGHT TALK! IN THE FUTURE THIS MONIKER WILL MOST LIKELY DEFINE A COLLECTIVE OF HUMAN BEINGS PLAYING SONGS AND MY DRUM SET, BUT FOR THIS TOUR ITS A METAPHOR FOR THE DRUMS AND THATS ABOUT ALL I'M BRINGING AND ALL IM PLAYING. TO MAKE IT CLEAR SO THERES NO CONFUSION ABOUT MY UPCOMING PERFORMANCES I AM PERFORMING A 45 MINUTE NON STOP HEAVILY IMPROVISED RENDITION OF THE TRACK "NECROMANCER" OFF OF MY NEWEST SOLO RELEASE. THIS WILL BE ME ON DRUMS AND THE LAPTOP ON LAPTOP OR THE IPOD ON IPOD. I PLAN ON PERFORMING THE MORE SONG ORIENTED MATERIAL OFF THE ALBUM WITH A FULL BAND IN THE THE FUTURE BUT FOR MANY REASONS IT WAS UNREALISTIC AT THIS JUNCTURE. SO THIS IS HOW I WILL BE EXPRESSING MYSELF IN THE NOW ASIDE FROM THE SHOWS WERE ITS NOTED THAT I'LL HAVE SOMEONE AWESOME SITTING IN WITH ME! THANKS FOR THE INTEREST AND AMAZING POSITIVITY AND SUPPORT YOU ALL PROJECT! HOPE TO SEE YOU WHERE YR DWELL'N!

His solo album is out now through Anticon. It's damn good, featuring Tyler Pope and No Age and loads of other Hill collaborators from now and before and ages ago.

You can buy it here through Insound

Go to the show tonight. Get blown away.

Francois Virot

(image credit: beatriz lanchas)

It was released in September, but I have only just found the time to listen to Yes Or No by Lyon performer Francois Virot

The record is paired back, guitar and hand-clap based melodies wonderfully complemented by Francois' folkish twang. He actually reminds me a lot of Conor Oberst, particularly in the song Dummies. And just because he only uses his guitar, voice and hand-clapping skills, doesn't mean its retiring and gentle - oh no! - it's actually really fun and upbeat!

'Not The One' Francois Virot Mp3 [z share]

'Dummies' Francois Virot Mp3 [z share]

Our Shoot The Player father Vincent Moon filmed him in January last year for The Blogotheque. He performs with charming simplicity, and perhaps his style has changed significantly since considering it these videos were shot almost two years ago, but it is always great to see someone perform alone with a single guitar. It takes a damn engaging performer to hold my attention with just a voice and a few guitar strings. Watch Francois on the Blogotheque here

Visit Francois Virot on Myspace

Buy Yes Or No on iTunes

Little Joy 'Next Time Around'

Don't you think Binki Shapiro has such a beautiful voice?



(NB: Sometimes pitchfork tv videos don't appear in full, so if this happens, watch Next Time Around here)

I'm really enjoying Little Joy

Rough Trade describes their sound as tropical garage folk, which is exactly what it is! And exactly why I like it! I love folk pop vocals combined with a jangly, twanging garage guitar and tom tom drum beat. The songs have a slow but steady quality that I love too, they just unfold with ease and an understated craftsmanship.

Preview tracks at their Myspace, and buy the album from Rough Trade here

five reasons Daniele Baldelli is the greatest

one:
he basically invented 'dee-jaying', playing records without mixers and headphones and figuring when to switch songs and avoid silences by counting the grooves in the vinyl

two:
he pioneered cosmic disco, was a resident at Cosmic in the 70s, and is famous for his slow dub disco sets (slow space disco jams are my favourites)

three:
he was the greg gillies of his time - reich electronica, african incantations, depeche mode... everything was mixed in, chopped together and manipulated for dance floors

four:
'get funky' my funky side

five:
this compilation

I never tire of Spirit's 'Potatoland Theme' - so good, so cheesy, so jammin (handclaps, hello)

daniel baldelli website
daniele baldelli mypace
buy 'Cosmic Disco? Cosmic Guitars!' from eskimo recordings

This weekend, I was really enjoying

1.
Florence and The Machine has released a video for her new single Dog Days Are Over. The final song is much more anthemic and upbeat than the sample she posted on her myspace not too long ago, with a fuller chorus punctuated by the bell and handclaps I always love in pop tracks. The video was directed by Tom Beard and released this weekend, and you can grab the single December 2 through IAMSOUND (pre-order it here)

Florence And The Machine - Dog Days

2.
The RAC remix of Repetition Kills You by The Black Ghosts. I love this remix, because rather than taking the LOUD AND FAST route, RAC have made the Albarn vocals much more pronounced and turned it into a slower pop jam. It's lovely.

'Repetition Kills You' (RAC Remix) The Black Ghosts Mp3 [z share]


3.


'Grumpy' Free Blood Mp3 [z share]

I posted about DFA signed Free Blood (John Pugh + Madeline Davy) when they released the !!!'esque (no surprise really, considering Pugh's formerly a !!! member) Quick and Painful and had a little love-in, but then forgot about them - in true blogosphere style. Then the Telepathe remix was released and I had a big drunken whinge, completely ignoring that I had enjoyed any of their stuff prior to that remix. THEN this weekend I decided to revisit to their EP, specifically the single Grumpy, and remembered why I liked them in the first place. So typically Gen Y of me.

The Singles by Free Blood (on Amazon)

freebloodmusic.com

Megapuss

I have always imagined this song was written for me

'Shabob Shalom' Devendra Banhart Mp3 [z share]

And when I learnt my number one man was teaming up with my number two man (Fabrizio) I melted into a puddle of obsessive adoration.

Then, this video debuted on Pitchfork TV and my heart almost stopped. Remember this post? God, I take it all back. Please reverse the clock and sandwich me in between Fab and Greg while they're hugging at the end of the clip. It is almost Hanukkah, and I have been really good this year!



Surfing by Megapuss is being released in Australia through Stomp November 15

Sydney Festival 2009

In January this year, I took my parents to the opening of the Sydney Festival - Festival First Night. We watched my ex-boyfriend host the Fuzzy stage in front of thousands, sung along to Beach Boy Brian Wilson in The Domain, and then danced to Spankrock in Martin Place.

My mum still talks about that Spankrock show, she absolutely loved them. In fact, I went to my parent's house for dinner on Tuesday night and they were listening to yoyoyoyoyo when I arrived. Not a lie. Bump was playing and mum turned to me and said "I love this band!"

This year Grace Jones, Santogold and A-Trak are among the Festival First line up, with more announcements due in the upcoming weeks. The official launch party is tonight and media take the first announcement of the line up to press tomorrow morning (ooop, scooop)

My two favourite venues of the festival, The Becks Bar and The Spielegtent, have equally stellar line ups, the out door Becks bar hosting Buraka Som Sistema, Daedelus (at the Mad Racket night - always a highlight!), Fourtet, Holy Ghost, Metronomy and loads of others - see the full line up here. As I'd expected Bill Callahagn is back for shows at the Tent again, but this time without Joanna, and Bon Iver is also performing, in Australia for the very first time. It's a truly exquisite venue, intimate and breathtakingly beautiful. Full details here.

I am in NYC for most of the festival, but might be home in time for some of the final performances late January. All depends on what NYC can serve me! Don't know it'll be as good as Daedelus under a balmy Sydney twilight with some of my favourite people dancing beside me... but you never know...

All tickets on sale 9am Monday, Nov 10, through ticketek and the festival website sydneyfestival.org.au (be quick, they ALWAYS sell out early)

College + Minitel Rose + The Emperor Machine

I have been gradually making my way through a care package the lovely folk at DC Recordings mailed me last week which included all the available released material by The Emperor Machine. It also included a few releases from Padded Cell and the most recent release by The Oscillation. It was a really good package!

'Roller Daddy' The Emperor Machine Mp3 [z share]


College is about to release his debut record Secret Diary (out November 26) and recently leaked one of the album's first singles. The track features his Valerie buddies Minitel Rose - the Frenchies responsible for a song people ask me about every time I play it - Magic Powder. I posted this ages ago and the link expired, and then a while ago I played it on the radio and had so many callers ringing to ask who they were.

'Magic Powder' Minitel Rose Mp3 [z share]

I'm kinda too tired to write about it, but I just wanted to post it because I was thinking today on my walk home from work how excited I was about the album and thought I should share this, because every time I mention College, Valerie, Minitel Rose or others from the Valerie collective, people stare at me blankly and ask "who?"

'The Energy Story' College feat. Minitel Rose

There is a Valerie feature in the next issue of Pages, along side a piece I wrote about French punks The Feeling Of Love, out tomorrow.

'Shells' MIA

The How Many Votes Fix Mix EP is unavailable in iTunes Australia, but here is a taster if you live south of the Equator and love Maya as much as I do.

MIA 'Shells' Mp3 [z share] (via the fader)

The EP is currently only available digitally, but after the 4th is being released in CD format - so it isn't long until we can order hard copies of Shells, the Jay Z Boys rework and another new track called Far Far.

It is a shame it will cost our entire life savings now the AUS dollar is so damn low, but anything Maya touches turns to gold so maybe we can cash it in a while from now and make the cash back?

Merriweather Post Pavilion

I just interviewed Dave Portner (Avey Tare) from Animal Collective about their new record Merriweather Post Pavilion.

A courier arrived with a watermarked copy of the album (complete with skull and crossbones warning stickers!) and after unwrapping the sheets of plastic and signing a release form from Domino records, it went straight into the CD player. I know what you're thinking and you shouldn't bother trying to hack my computer - there is no way I would import it into iTunes.

It is a beautiful record. After Strawberry Jam last year, MMP is a little less cluttered. The focus on straightforward melody is much more apparent as songs (My Girls for example) have been simplified and avoid the density of some of their previous releases. It's not that I prefer one sound over the other, they are just different. Which is what you would expect from this collective of genius composers.

The outer sleeve CD casing has had everyone talking lately - an insane optical illusion Portner described as a homage of sorts, reminding him of a high school friend's house where he and Brian would go for parties, nearby the Merriweather Post Pavilion. He remembers faintly hearing music from the venue while sitting in his friend's back yard, and said the album was an attempt to capture that feeling - of seasons, and weather patterns, and sounds in nature. Songs were inspired by water and hurricanes and whatnot, and after trying to settle on an album title with 'spring' or 'weather' in the title, Merriweather Post Pavilion seemed a perfect fit. It was intimate for the band after growing up in Maryland, random for those unfamiliar with their history, and used the word 'weather' without being too explicit.

Below is the outer sleeve artwork. It moves until you focus on one area, then stops. Uh-mayzingggg



The interview will be in the Dec/Jan issue of Groupie Magazine. I'll let you know when it's online, as the feature will include audio snippets for you to salivate over!

For now, Animal Collective are working on a film - kinda like a collage of music videos, or a collection of vignettes with short, lose narratives - destined for live screenings at music and film festivals early next year.

If you live in NYC, there is a listening party for Merriweather Post Pavilion TONIGHT at a venue Portner described as his new favourite - somewhere in Harlem where you can see the Brookyln bridge. Want details?



Email merriweatherpostpavilion@gmail.com to RSVP - quick sticks!

nothing but everything: wander in and out

I went to a conversational lecture with Edward de Bono on Sunday. He was decsribing creativity as an acquirable skill, something you can learn and develop just as you can learn Algebra or learn how to play soccer.

For some reason it reminded me of an exhibition of work by Sister Corita I saw at the beginning of the year at Monster Children curated by Aaron Rose The Passion For The Possible. Rose spoke about the collective of artists involved in the Alleged Gallery in the early 1990s in LA, and his curatorial masterpiece Beautiful Losers. An apparently quite fabulous documentary is currently making its way around Europe and America, scheduled for screenings this weekend at the London Film Festival.


Beautiful Losers film trailer from beautifullosersfilm on Vimeo.

Unfortunately there are no screenings of the doco in Australia. But! If we band together we can request the film be shown - all we have to do is email bl@sidetrackfilms.com and stress how eager we are to see it. Please email!

ANP Quarterly has recently had a revamp (I have to say though, that the new blog doesn't look too different to the old blog) and has the latest issue available for purchase. If in my neck of the woods, I suggest you mail-order one for yourself - ANPQ don't often make it to Sydney, and those copies that are available (Monster Children Gallery always has a couple) get snapped up pretty quick.

I only just remembered. I still have to frame the Corita print I bought at the show.

BARR 'The Song Is The Single' mp3 [z share]

Beach House

With the first ever Beach House 7" released today, we can post this online. As heard on their recent Australian tour, Beach House with Used To Be

Blowing my mind, every time. TLC Waterfalls! Ah, every time.


Beach House: Used to Be from shoottheplayer on Vimeo.

More at the
Shoot The Player website

Purchase Used To Be at the Mistletone Shop for only $14. The cover art is so so pretty

Sydney: DJ Mecca

There is an interesting argument at My Old Kentucky today about the best bands in NYC.

NY Press kicked things off by posting their 'Definitive List' of the best bands currently residing and performing in New York. Their Top 20 includes LCD Soundsystem, Dirty Projectors, Yeasayer, Danger Mouse, TV On The Radio and Parts and Labour (um, why?!) and Animal Collective take the crown and number one.

I don't really see what difference it makes where a band is from and where they perform, but perhaps NY Press is trying to stress the relevance of NYC music culture considering CMJ starts tomorrow?

Melbourne has a burgeoning live scene punctuated with musicians brave enough to push themselves to avoid the scene and its sound becoming stale. Sydney on the other hand is s strange place for live music. The scene is still building and there is a much stronger presence for clubs and DJs here than bands.

If we were to take lead from NY Press and compile a list for Sydney, should we select the Top 20 Sydney DJs? I'm curious, if you have 5 mins, who you'd put in that list (Levins, you can't put yourself at number one!)

My Top 20 would include:
Jimmy Sing, Magic Happens, Ragde, Canyons, Jamie Lloyd, Sleater Brockman, Spruce Lee, Anna Lunoe & Hoops, Kato, Kali, Simon Caldwell, Jamie Doom, Nathan Maclay, Deepchild, Mark Murphy, Goodwill, Roulade, Tyocity, James Bucknell (Paradise Lost) and Sexy Shower DJs. In no particular order. I think. I change my mind all the time. That's my Top 20 for now, off the top of my head, but it'll probably change if you suggest someone I love and have absentmindedly forgotten...

PS... If you are a Sydney DJ, you pretty much just have to play
'In Love With You' Alan Braxe [z share], 'Savage Skulls' Padded Cell [z share], or 'How To Build A Super Computer' The Emperor Machine[z share] to make the list (right click, save, play next time you DJ)

Well, they're my faves today, anyway.

Saint Dymphna

After the tribal meditative techno of 2005's God's Money, Gang Gang Dance are finally back.

The frenetic primitive percussion, stomping basslines, strained vocals and explosive interstellar synths of God's Money and the RAWWAR EP (2007) still permeate this new album, but there is a much stronger pop and hip hop focus, particularly in Lizzie's vocal delivery. She is clearer and more confrontational, like, as Dusted suggested in an album review, an early Madonna.

On Saint Dymphna GGD sound a little more contained, like they've pulled the reins in on themselves a little. The techno is a little less rave, their incantations a little less sprawling. There are moments throughout that feel contrived and uncomfortable, such as the Tinchy Stryder collaboration, but then songs like First Communion remind you what wonderful composers they are, sweeping you up in a wave of ceremonial cymbols, psychedelic chants and arresting cosmic guitar.

First Communion mp3 [z share]

House Jam (xxxchange remix) mp3 [z share]

The album is out tomorrow through Warp and The Social Registry. You can order the album online now, and if you hurry The Social Registry has super limited edition GGD tees for sale, but there are only 30 available so quick sticks!

And FYI at your next trivia tournament: Dymphna was the Patron Saint for sleepwalking, mental health, epilepsy, the possessed, princesses, incest, and happy families. Incest AND happy families - I kid you not!

My Love Sees You

I work for etcetc, home to Kitsuné releases in Australia and New Zealand, so I worry I'll be judged for banging on about their releases. BUT. One of the singles from the most recent Kitsuné Maison compilation, the debut solo release from Sydneysider, Bang Gang member and former Riot In Belgium half Beni, is so damn good- it is honestly one of my favourite dance tracks of the year. Possibly, even better than Teki's go go go chorus. Possibly.

My Love Sees You

Etenne de Crécy Coco Walsh remix [you send it - 320]

Beni's original edit [ you send it - 128]

My mate Lev called it "THE dance track of Summer" and famed Fools Golder A-Trak has said it is "one of my favorite songs of 2008, no lie" and his "secret weapon". This is sounding a bit press releasey... so I'll hold off on the gushings.

This single has such a forward sound - think of a timely moment in music from the past 40 years and it exists somewhere in this mix. It's late 60s disco, NY post punk, new wave crunching synth electro and indie hip hop/Bmore club xxxchange-style hand claps rolled into one beautiful package.

It's out tomorrow on Kitsuné Maison 6, and Beni is heading to Europe mid-November for the Kistuné Maison 6 launch tour. If you live in London, Brighton, Hong Kong, Berlin, Paris... details for the shows are posted on his Myspace page (linked above)

As a single My Love Sees You is being released November 8, but if you can't wait that long you can grab it through
thanks to Ministry Of Sound

Other news? As much as I love Mr Mars, this remix does not rock my world. Is he drunk and playing with a toy piano? Or do I just not get it?

Amended: The remix is by this dude - Thank god! I won't ever doubt Fake Blood again (and won't late-night-drunk-blog again either...)

no words

Nothing I can say could do justice to the magic of Beyonce.

• MTV
• Music Videos
• MTV Shows
• Entertainment News

tease

The haunting, breathtaking Beach House video by Amelia and Johnathan will be posted in the next few days. Keep your eyes on Shoot The Player

Friend

When not working as a graphics and website designer for Hi-Res!, Londoner Jesse Kanda produces music as Friend.

I've been enjoying his Air France reworking Secret for a while, but this morning (while searching through my library for music to accompany a German TV Ad for sleeping tablets) remembered his version of probably my favourite Chic track of all time

My Forbidden Lover (Friend remix) mp3 [z share]

He's also more recently remixed 18 year old supastarrrr Rye Rye, who's scheduled to perform at the Oxford Art Factory in three weeks Saturday October 25. Tickets are $22+bf and still available here. Tim Sweeny is playing that same night at a warehouse party in the city which I can't miss, but I would love to see what she does live so hopefully she starts early!

Stomp it to the Ground mp3 [z share]

UPDATE:

Aint no way I can miss the show after watching this video.

UH-mayzing!



(NB video features the late K-Swift behind the decks. She ruled, basically.)

oh and also

AU have just given Dusted the run down of their favourite tracks, which includes a song by (the man with the angelic phrasing) Mount Eerie who I saw perform in a church last week. It was a lovely show, but I was a little too tired and the church was a little too hot. I think my friends liked it though...

Read Dusted's AU fave songs list

I interviewed Luke Wyland (founder of AU) a while ago about his group's latest album Verbs. You can read a small excerpt of the interview at Lost At E Minor here. I'll post the rest of it here soon, when I get a second to find it in my cavernous Hard Drive.

Also just in case you don't get the emails, the latest issues of Pages and Groupie are online now! Pages features an interview I did with Michael from Passion Pit and a feature by the amazing Roland Pain with Riton's new project Eine Klein Nacht Musik.

Here's a snippet:



... the rest is online - click the links above if you'd like to have a read.

NYC

Today, yesterday’s rant about NYC and drumming continues, because this morning I came into work and was super excited to see NYC sitting on my desk at Groupie Mag.

Out through Domino November 18, NYC is the latest effort from long time collaborators Kieran Hebden and Steve Reid. After last year’s Tongues LP, this release combines the aesthetics of soul jazz and NY post punk to pay homage to the city Reid occupies and Hebden frequents. This is their fourth collaboration, recorded on the 5th and 6th of February this year at the legendary Avatar Studio.

Two days isn’t a long time, and much of the album tracks sound improvised, but regardless the six songs are dynamic and so engaging and I think by the sounds of it, I am going to feel really at home at '1st and 1st' come January…

(Do you know where that is? Does it even exist?)

Pre-order from Amazon

Fourtet/Kieren Hebden Myspace

Bore Drum Boredom Boadrum Boar Drum

One of my greatest claims to fame is that Kim Moyes from The Presets taught me how to drum when I was in high school. I was totally unreliable and only turned up to every second class, plus I never did the homework he set me, but what I have never actually told him is that when he played me the initial Presets demos he and Julian had sketched out after a Prop rehersal, I was floored and so embarrasingly impressed. Of course, I played cool and pretended the tracks were "OK..." but from that moment I was completely hooked on drums. The instrument is my favourite, one of my favourite past times, and drummers are always my favourite people.

Last year on the 7th of the 7th, Japanese psyche-noise band Boredrums gathered 77 drummers in Brooklyn Bridge Park and orchestrated a two hour drumming performance called 77 Boadrum. Unless you don't give a shit about music, you would have heard about it. The superbly talented Gang Gang Dance and Soft Circle warmed up the audience and then:



At the time, I became equally more upset and more elated as films of the performance appeared online - I was so excited to watch Eye command each drummer, jumping up and down and hollering into the microphone, but was also so disheartened that I missed the actual event. Performances of this significance and magnitude rarely happen in Australia.

I guess the next best thing to BEING THERE is a live recording, right? For those of us who don't live in or near NYC (or who were just unlucky and missed the show) Boredoms are releasing a DVD recording of the performance by Japanese artist Jun Kawaguchi this November 26.

The DVD is being released in Japan, but is making its international big-screen debut next week in NYC. As part of the the NYTFGP2008 Festival, 77 Boadrum is premiering October 13th at 7pm and 9pm at Anthology Archives (32 Second Street). Tickets are US$10 and available here and there is a Q&A after the screening with Kawaguchi. Please go. I would if I could.

If you need to catch up on Boredoms' back catalogue, there is a lot to trawl through but Insound can help you out (I'd start with Super Are!)

brain fry

After an amazing, exhausting, exhilarating weekend, my brain is on vacation. I'm up and about, but my brain has just decided to pull the bed sheets over it's head and tell the world to "go away".

Last night Tame Impala and Yeasayer played at Oxford Art Factory and it was the perfect remedy to the past week's adventures. I had a spare ticket which I couldn't seem to find a body for, which was disappointing considering it was such a fantastic show, but I entirely understood everyone's desires to stay in doors on the couch away from alcohol and watching a dvd.

But anyway, I digress. Brain dead: Biscuit mix.

A mix of psyche, kraut, ambient, disco it's perfect for days like today. Zone out.

Music 2 Brain 2 - Biscuit mix for Won Magazine [z share]

Track Listing:

1. Lucifer Rising Theme
2. Conrad Scnitzler – Gelb
3. Cluster & Eno – Fur Luise
4. Brian Eno – Slow water
5. Yello – Homer Hossa
6. Popol Vuh – In the realm of the shadow
7. Phantom Band – Relax
8. Kraftwerk – Ananas Symphonie
9. Harmonia – Kekse
10. Nine Circles – Deeply touched
11. La Dusseldorf – la dusseldorf
12. Throbbing gristle – Walkabout
13. Conrad Scnitzler – Gelb
14. Holger Czukay – Persian love

(Made for WON Magazine, Winter edition)

In case you haven't stumbled upon WON yet, the Melbourne street press is one of the best magazines available. My super talented friend Tom Jeppe is the Associate Editor and Photography Editor, and the most lovely publishing guru Chris Barton is Editor In Chief. Check it out here

Tobacco Post #2 (still excited)

Grey Gardens' last post about Black Moth Super Rainbow vocalist Tobacco was a preview of his debut solo album Fucked Up Friends (out through Anticon in 2 weeks.)

The debut video for Street Trash was released last week. Here, take a watch:



For some reason, the bubblegum girls made me feel much more uneasy than the stripper at the end...

Memory Cassette / Micachu

They are being very mysterious, but from what I can glean from Hail Social, GorillaVsBear and Myspace, Memory Cassette is a vocalist currently working with Philly producer and Hail Social member Weird Tapes: WT writes and produces the tunes, and MC sings.

Asleep At A Party (the lead single from The Hiss We Missed EP) sounds like a combination of the dreamy 1980's electro pop and hazy, summery positivity of Air France and the husky disco of Ida No from Glass Candy. Its so lovely.

Download the EP entirely for free from hailsocial

+++

Elsewhere:




Micachu has released her debut 7" on Itunes (can I say 7" and Itunes in the same sentence?!) and Rough Trade on Monday and I just got my copy.

Micachu is Mica Levi, 21 years old and from Surrey, UK. Her DIY laptop electro and spoken pop/hip hop vocals remind me of Need New Body and Ladyhawke. Live she performs with her friends Mat and Karina (as Micachu And The Shapes) and in the studio, she works with Matthew Herbert. You can hear his influence pretty heavily in Golden Phone, a love song with glitchy xylophone, staccato vocals and a sweetly harmonised chorus. Her songs have attitude, but she isn't at all overwhelming or over the top.

This song isn't on the Golden Phone single, bit is a nice taste of what she/they are all about

Curly Teeth mp3 [Z Share]

I highly recommend you grab a copy of the release now, I don't think its long before a Little Boots or Vivian Girls style surge of interest in her and then, undoubtedly, the EP will be sold out and never to be seen of or heard again!

buy itunes

buy rough trade

Little Boots Vs MGMT

I interviewed Little Boots for Groupie a while ago and, along with the regular updates on her blog I read, she struck me as a total sweetheart.

I don't usually post videos and often can't sit through music videos, but this light show is pretty adorable!

Lullabies In The Dark

There is something very comforting about someone softly singing lullabies as you drift off to sleep.



Aeroplane's Vito De Luca started Lullabies In The Dark last year with Belgian DJ Jim Adam.

Permanent Vacation is releasing their first 12" with an Aeroplane remix of Song For Marie Elise. Its a wonderful remix, the melencholic melody of the original stressed through a dark, bass-heavy introduction that builds to a much warmer, shimmering climax - like a humid day interrupted by a sun shower. Or something.

You can listen to the remix at Lullabies' Myspace page. I loved it! Reminded me a lot of The Emergency's remix of August by Catcall, which is also online now through Myspace. Very brooding space disco sounds. Good stuff.

Song for Marie Elise mp3 [z share]

After listening, purchase the entire release here

dusk till dawn

I hated the original film clip. I totally understood what they were trying to do, just thought it sucked.

That's why I was super relieved when I saw this yesterday. Its so cute!



Ladyhawke and her Famous Musician friends taking the piss and having some fun.

Much improved!

busy as a buzzing bee

Over the weekend my music Bible The Fader published excerpts from interview I did with Michael Angelakos from Passion Pit. Read some of what he had to say here. A feature version of the interview will appear in the October issue of Pages Magazine, so if you liked what you read you can read more in a few weeks.



Last week NO magazine released it's 3rd issue, which included an interview I did with Hearts Revolution. See more here and order a copy online here. The issue also features interviews with Dave Benge of Speak n Spell, Cut Off Your Hands, The Teenagers, Uffie, Matthew Williams, Special Problems, Tom Kane and loads more!



Also last week we published the latest Pages and Groupie Magazines online. Two of the numerous features include an interview with breezy Swedish duo Air France and profile on the enigmatic Lykke Li. Download both magazines for free here



I also forgot to mention Lost At E Minor published a piece I wrote on Aeroplane which you can see here. I'm just finishing a piece with Sydney band Seekae which will be up later this week. If you haven't had a listen to them yet, please do. They're fantastic!

Better get back to it! Be back soon. Loads of love.

Launch Tonight

Just a reminder that tonight, Sydney's The Spring Press are launching their latest publication

Head along if you're not already booked - Should be a lovely night with wonderful people!

Trouble Andrew

You know how sometimes there are people who are so super talented at about everything they do?

Meet Trouble Andrew.

An ex-pro-snowboarder, he lives in Brooklyn with his girlfriend Santi (yep, Santogold) and makes beats on a four track she gave him while recovering from a knee injury.

"Oh my knee is sore. I might try and write a song..."

Kills me! If I could write songs full stop I'd be so super happy, let alone slow beat jams like the Diplo remixed Run Hide. The first time I heard it I thought it was Kid Cudi - Andrew has a similar husky pop sound don't you think?

Run Hide mp3 [z share]

His self-titled debut was produced by Shitake Monkey who recently started making their own similarly sunny and simple jams. Prior to Andrew, they'd worked with Lindsay, Nas, J-Lo, Yoko, Johnny and more. What did I say before about over-achievers...?!

Get his debut self-titled album for US$10 from cdbaby or hear the track posted above on the latest release from Diplo, the Santogold Top Ranking mix.

Betty Botox

Tailored Communication have uploaded a player profiling the Betty Botox album Mmmm Betty. The album is essentially a reissuing of old material, the tracks initially released in limited vinyl pressings two years ago and now put together in a CD format for us new-age-electronic-lovers.

Have a listen here. BB's edit Jive Baby On A Saturday by The Jellies is so relaxed and so sexy!

Betty Botox is one of the many monikers of Twitch from Optimo DJs.

The full album was released through Endless Flight yesterday, but Twitch has also split the tracks into three genre specific vinyl releases: Disco Not Disco, Krautrock/Industrial/Electro, and Dub. Kompakt had all three but you better be quick, the first (Disco Not Disco) has already sold out.

seekae

On their band profile at Triple J's Unearthed website, Sydney band Seekae say they sound like Prefuse 73, Apparat, and Hot Chip. While I often dismiss those sort of associations because they're most often totally off the mark, Seekae have hit the nail straight on the head - they sound like early Prefuse tracks and more minimal Aparat (when Ellen Aileen has had her way with his tunes!)

This song also reminds me of Efterklang and Electric President.

Crooks mp3 [z share]

They are in the running for the Homebake incentive program which, if they win, will see them performing to thousands at this year's Homebake festival. You can vote for them (go on, they're so fantastic and their atmospheric electo pop would be so lovely on a summery Sydney day!) here and listen to more and download a few tracks via myspace.com/seekaemusic

Part Of The Weekend Never Dies

Soulwax are a band I've always really liked, but I never really thought to ask myself what I liked about them. So obviously it never occurred to me how innovative their approach to production and touring was until last night when I watched their documentary Part Of The Weekend Never Dies.

I couldn't really see the point of the film. Apart from an attempt to explain the difference between Soulwax, 2ManyDjs, and Radio Soulwax in the film's first 10 mins, it doesn't seem to have a purpose other than to generate publicity, of course. But that didn't bother me. The film was an awesome snapshot into the Soulwax world, with footage from 120 Radio Soulwax shows woven between interviews with James Murphey, Nancy Wang, Peaches, and our very own Levins



So why did they make the film? Perhaps three years of non-stop world touring and not releasing new original material has seen ticket sales drop? Maybe they are creating new avenues for their music to be released and introduced to their ever-increasing audience? Or it could be that like Institubes, they just have so much fun on tour they thought it would be nice of them to let their fans in on the action ?!

The movie is out September 13, and until then check out their website - they've used stills from the film to make a remix-style track that you can program yourself by clicking 'next' when you've heard enough of each loop. It's pretty rad!

Also. This has been posted everywhere but the crunching synths still gets me. Oh. Every time. At once, the worst and best sound ever made.