Friday, November 28, 2008

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

Sunday, November 23, 2008

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)

Tuesday, November 18, 2008

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.

Friday, November 14, 2008

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 François Virot - Yes or No

Thursday, November 13, 2008

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

Tuesday, November 11, 2008

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

Monday, November 10, 2008

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

Friday, November 7, 2008

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

Wednesday, November 5, 2008

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)

Monday, November 3, 2008

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.