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

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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.

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)

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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]

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

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

SPLIT SERIES LYKKE LI & EL PERRO DEL MAR- DANCE DANCE DANCE
by lablogotheque

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.

U.S Girls

(drawing credit: James Nascent from U.S Girls myspace)

I saw that last week Siltbreeze released a vinyl by U.S Girls. I'd never heard anything by U.S Girls before, and I was intrigued because there seems to be a trend at the moment with using 'Girl' or 'Girls' for names of band.

U.S Girls is Megan Remy from Chicago. Her sound is muggy, distorted and psychedelic. Sort of. I don't actually know how to accurately describe the sound. I think what is more important though, is the experience of listening to it. Initially the recordings confused me, as I wasn't sure what I was listening to. I couldn't pick the instruments and couldn't decipher what Remy was singing, and I found that really difficult. But when I surrendered to the songs, and just went with the muggy, confused hysteria I began to really enjoy them. They are strange, but I really like it. She sounds a little like High Places to me, but a much more punk version, or something.

I think you just have to hear it for yourself! Listen via Myspace, and then buy yourself a copy of the release if you like what you hear through her Siltbreeze page, where you can also get yourself a free download of 'Prove It All Night'

I have a headache after listening to all the songs. But it is a good headache.

Not Nickelback

I've just been listening to two months' worth of Authentic Shit podcasts I've downloaded but not yet listened to, and was struck by this amazing bass-driven pop song by a band called Nickel Eye.



I googled them because I wanted to hear more, and realised that Nickle Eye was a new side project for Nikolai Fraiture from The Strokes. I didn't care when Julian teamed up with Santi and Pharrell for Converse, and I've had a copy of Albert's album on my desk for weeks and still haven't bothered to listen to it, but this I am interested by! Strangely he hasn't made any music available through his Myspace page, but does link to Ronson's EVR show for a webstream of two songs and an interview. His myspace also says the Nickel Eye debut record will be out soon, and titled The Time Of The Assassins. I wonder if the remaining two will start side projects of their own also? It also makes me wonder whether The Strokes are planning a fourth album, or quietly calling it quits?

Just because I'm feeling a little nostalgic: Strokes You Tube Channel

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In other news, last night Slick Rick and Laurie Anderson had shows in NYC. Sometimes living in Australia is great (being so far removed and all) but when you see the lists of incredible performers who gig at small venues for next to nothing, it breaks your heart.

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And also.

What do you think of Katy Perry? I honestly can't make up my mind. I think she has quite a captivating voice and every time I hear 'I Kissed A Girl' I can't stop my foot from tapping in time. But then I hear what has to be the most ridiculous lyric of the year ("I kissed a girl and I liked it, the taste of her Cheery Chapstick") and am reminded of the many reasons I really can't stand her at all. But my foot is still tapping along in time.

dazed and confused

Do you get it?



I don't.

Tussle

Night of the Hunter is one of my favourite films, so naturally when I came across a song named after the classic, I took notice.

San Fran band Tussle have been together since 2001 and are currently recording their 3rd album Cream Cuts. Last year after they toured with Hot Chip and Yacht and I remember reading reviews of their live show but never looked further into their stuff. My mistake!

Their sound is progressive electronic rock, similar to Battles and Pivot I guess, and older examples Can and Cluster (they have actually just finished a support slot for Cluster in San Fransisco which must have been phenomenal.) Their sound is hugely varied and fabulously re workable too - Yacht, Hot Chip and others having transformed some of their original tracks into true dance floor fillers, some of which you can download free at their website tussle.org (I recommend 'elephant', the build is great!) The thing I love about their sound is that with a bass, two drums and a synthesizer, it can be twisted to fit any genre, and when you look at the varied support slots they've had over the past few years, having played with Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Erase Errata, Trevor Jackson, Arial Pink, and Deerhoof, it's obvious that this flexibility does them well.

Through Geographic North they have just issued a 7" with two singles exclusive to that release, while their new album Cream Cuts is scheduled for release August 25 through Smalltown Supersound. Smalltown is a wonderful label, also home to Lindstrom, Nisennenmondai (whose Australian re-release earlier this year blew me away) and 120 Days. Worth checking out.

Night Of The Hunter mp3 [z share]

no excuses

What were they thinking?



This is horrible. Everything about it is horrible. I had to stop halfway through.