Tuesday, August 26, 2008

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.

Tuesday, August 19, 2008

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

Photobucket

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.

Wednesday, August 13, 2008

1 (kanye), 2 (jeezy), 3 (lauren hill) amazing!

This great song now has a great video!


Champion from videos222 on Vimeo.

The verse about Lauren Hill really resonates with me - I miss her. After Estelle revisioned That Thing (if you don't remember, I posted both back here), I revisited Miseducation and maaaaannnnn.... she was amazing. She is amazing. Hopefully Estelle can lead the way for a new sincerity... I think she can.

It/s also rumoured that he is producing all of Blueprint 3, not just Jockin (click the link to listen)

++++++

Last night I went to watch These New Puritans, who put on a really tight and impressive show. Although. I found it strange that they didn't say hello or engage with the audience at all, but the lead singer found the time to shout "peace in the middle east." While I agree with the sentiment (obvs), a "Hello" or "G'day" would have been nice too!

Anyway, while I was there a friend of mine said that she liked this blog. I have a reader! Hi Vivian! Now for anyone other than Catherine, Phillipe and Ragde, my only other readers, who stumbles upon this grey garden, Vivian is in a band called 123 Amazing.




There is a wonderful energy for live music in Sydney at the moment, with more venues opening up and new bands forming daily. People are collaborating, reforming, starting new, and there is a general camaraderie which is really fun and exciting. 123 Amazing are friends with Van She, Lost Valentinos, and Teenagersintokyo and all are hanging out, drinking at Oxford Art Factory and generally just making good music.

Automatic mp3 [z share]

Wednesday, August 6, 2008

buried no more



It made me sad to read this morning that UK producer Burial had 'come out'

He'd released two albums and managed to keep his identity a secret, but after nominated for the Mercury Music Prize the UK tabloids made it their mission to discover the 'truth 'about the artist, The Sun going as far to launch a nation-wide search complete with a SMS number for alerts and reports after an article titled Help Me Dig Up The Real Burial.

I think it is unfortunate that the world is as obsessed with celebrity as it is, as often the 'personality' of a performer clouds their creative output. Just look at Amy Winehouse (although, she is probably not the best example.) Why does it matter who they are? Poor guy just wanted to anonymously produce music so as to avoid this sort of attention, but couldn't be left alone. I have to admit I'm guilty of logging on to The Superficial and Gawker for my celeb fix, and I do occasionally buy NW and WHO magazines... but this is too much.

If you want to read the bulletin he posted on Myspace this morning, it's here

I wasn't fussed earlier, but I really hope he wins now. Fingers crossed.

good bye pirates

Sometime in the past two weeks London-based Peggy Sue and The Pirates changed their name to Peggy Sue.

I never understand why bands change their name, aside from legal complications of course (eg. Ghostwood, formerly The Ghosts, and Cut Off Your Hands, formerly Shaky Hands). I always find it unnecessarily complicates things. Well, Peggy Sue seem to disagree, as they went ahead and made the switch. Now, just in case we weren't already confused enough, they've released a collaborative E.P with fellow UK group Left With Pictures called Peggy Sue and The Pictures. Way confusing.

If you're in London they are playing tonight at the The Enterprise in Camden with Liz Green, and again tomorrow night at The Windmill in Brixton with Scoobius Pip. August 8 they are performing with Left With Pictures at The Betsey Trotwood, Farringdon. If you go to the gig, please ask them why they gotta make things so confusing for us.

I interviewed Rosa and Katy when they were still Peggy Sue and The Pirates (so retro) for a feature on female indie bands in Groupie Magazine. Groupie is a great free online music mag, though I admit I am a little biased as I am assistant editor of the mag.

To check out the Peggy Sue piece, along with interviews with Ebony Bones, Little Boots, Jo Mistinguett, Beaches, Vivian Girls and Emmy The Great check out the latest issue of Groupie Magazine out today


Friday, August 1, 2008

Tobacco

I've decided to officially stop smoking (not that I do much anyway as it is but its bad and I have to stop 'weekend smoking' - I mean, please!) and I've decided this will be my replacement.



Tobacco hails from rural Pennsylvania. He does not desire contact with the public at large.

So says his label Anticon.

Tobacco (also of Black Moth Super Rainbow) is releasing a solo album through Anticon called Fucked Up Friends, out October 14.

Here's a sample thanks to XLR8R

Tobacco Truck Sweat mp3 [z share]

If you head to his myspace you can also listen to a few more gems, including the gorgeous shimmer and drum-driven Hairy Candy, and grimy fuzz of Dirt featuring Aesop Rock

It is so good. If you like Black Moth Super Rainbow you'll like this. I might even like it more because it is more beatsy. So good. Not much else to say. Apart of course, from "I can't wait for the record to drop".

I cant wait for the record to drop.

shoot em

Yesterday Shoot The Player filmed Dev Hynes along Oxford Street at Celebrity Wigs and inside a porn shop. The latter was his idea but at his show last night he seemed pretty embarrassed about the whole episode and I felt a little guilty... It made for an amazing video though, so hopefully he's happy with the final results! I'll post a link when available, but for now here's a sneak preview



His live show really impressed me and while I loved his record I thought the songs translated much better when played live. Lately I've found myself a little distracted at a gigs but I really enjoyed his entire show, and I was also hugely thankful that it was an early gig, on stage at 9:30! I know I'm only 23 and should be out paaaaaartin' but who wants to wait around until 11pm for a show to start? Wouldn't the performers get tired after all that waiting around? I do! Another wonderful thing was he didn't have an encore! I hate encores, I think to plan one is so pretentious, and predictable, and completely unnecessary. Dev just played his full set and that was it. It was really wonderful!

On a side note, the girl drumming in his band looked really familiar... Is she in another band? Does she play with Florence and The Machine live? I thought that could be it. Anyway, she was amazing! If you're heading up to Splendour keep an eye on her during Lightspeed's show


ALSO while talking Shoot The Player, Lykke Li released a new video overnight for Breaking It Up and it reminded me she filmed some great acoustic vids with our Paris contingent The Take Away Show



So gorgeous. But I've raved about her plenty, you don't need to hear it again.

Here's the link to the other videos from that series.