Totally rad music video by Tin Spider Studio. It’s the new single from Black Noise feat. Lex One, taken from Black Noise ‘EP.02′ on Southern Fried Records. Just watch it, you’ll see.
Blockhead has only gotten better and better, and that’s saying a whole lot when you look at his contemporaries. Deeply intricate instrumental hip hop is a genre that gained numerous contributors after Endtroducing… told unspoken stories without the need for a lyricist. Subsequent albums made the style appear limited, as RJD2 managed only to put out one killer record (Deadringer), and DJ Shadow proved that being the founder doesn’t make you the king with The Outsider. After providing the maudlin soundtrack to Aesop Rock’s audible internal monologues, the New York based beatsmith dropped Music by Cavelight on Ninja Tune in the spring of ‘04. While the record had depth and staying power, it wasn’t a demonstration of Blockhead’s full potential. The following year’s Downtown Science was a similar story. Two years later, and after a couple of solid mixtapes, Uncle Tony’s Coloring Book came out, and the path of this producer’s skill had hit a brand new checkpoint, and it happened to come at a slightly higher average BPM rate. Blockhead has been playing with Ableton Live, so we can expect something a bit more loop based with The Music Scene. If you’ve used the software or seen it it used, you can probably guess that a guy like Blockhead will run with it. The Music Scene is out tomorrow on Ninja Tune records.
I created an animated handmade poster using a tub of black paint, a tub of white paint, photocopied images of the band, lots of newspaper pages and a flattened cardboard box. The strict rules I imposed on myself also included the use of only natural light and avoiding any fancy computer effects or short cuts. This made me concentrate purely on the stop motion and give the piece a punk spirit an energy that I think suits the song and the band.
Like live shows? Sick of the old-school ways to find them and buy tickets? Me too. Check out GigLocator. I’m impressed by the work of James Proud and his partner Miles in London. Keep up the good work guys!
Loving this new track by two of my favorite musical artists Lykke Li and Thom Yorke of Radiohead fame. Via Kanye West (or whoever is blogging on his behalf).
Kid Cudi’s first album (if you don’t count the 10.Deep mixtape) “Man on the Moon: The End of Day” just dropped and it is certainly meeting expectations. The 25 year old from Cleveland, Ohio rose to hip-hop stardom after being handpicked by Kanye West to appear on 808s & Heartbreak, lending his voice as well as garnering writing credits. Soon after, his anthem “Day N Nite” could be heard on the airwaves and clubs worldwide. His enunciation and flow is reminiscent of some of the best in the game and the tone of his voice garners respect but not fear. He’s someone you want to listen to, like a friend and while both Kid Cudi the rapper (as well as the man), gets a little emotional at times, he still keeps it fresh and interesting. His style is hard to categorize; “rap” is a safe bet but he has a knack for dragging out verses, turning raps into catchy songs that appeal to a broader audience. Take a listen to “Pursuit of Happiness” and of course the first single “Make Her Say” for a look at how diverse of an artist Cudi is.
If you know Dot Allison's past, you know her as for dance floor friendly tracks. Just a brief walk through her history, she headed up the band One Dove in the early nineties and became known for igniting the whole acid/pop/electro whatever scene. She went solo and pushed that sound through a few phases which leads us today when she dropped Room 7 1/2 on my lap. Dance beats turn into whispers of poetry and soft strums of a guitar. Sweaty ravers are just memories and old conversations. The record sounds like the weekend she stayed in, woke up early, wrote songs and didn't look back. I love artists who have eras in their body of work. Dot is definitely entering a new one with Room 7 1/2 and I'm totally digging it.
The album is up on itunes (both U.K. and U.S.) today and if you're in London head to Rough Trade Records on Brick Lane tonight for a little record release party. Things kick off about 7.
Under various names and through numerous styles, Luke Vibert has produced some of the best electronic music around for over a decade. Sticking to the format of simply good beats, he’s brought us masterpieces with every alias. Wagon Christ’s sugary yet dark trip hop grooves, the jungle stylings of Plug and Amen Andrews, acid of the Ace of Clubs, and dance floor candy of Kerrier District (not to mention a few others). Continuing under his given name and Planet Mu records, Luke is back with We Hear You , an album further extending his excursion into grime, yet retaining the straightforward goodness of all his previous work. If you haven’t heard of him, this is one record that will spark an adventure in digging back.
Last year our melodic mates at Insound commissioned gifted designer Jason Munn to create the limited edition Insound20 line of posters, hoodies, and tees in tribute to 20 contemporary indie rock stalwarts including the likes of The National, Beirut, and The Decemberists. If last year’s collaboration didn’t do a good enough job convincing us of their good taste in both graphic design and musical arenas, this year’s sequel finished the job and damn near knocked our socks off in the process. Insound has turned to one of our favorite artists, Mike Perry, to create the “Insound 10 Classic” collection. This time the focus has been turned away from the contemporary and towards creating an updated visual representation of influential bands that helped define the genres of punk, post-punk and indie rock between 1977-1997. Included in the visually inspired line of tees, totes, and posters are seminal acts like The Feelies, The Magnetic Fields, and Sleater-Kinney. While the products are slated to arrive in September, pre-order officially launched on Monday at the Insound store, so your time to grab them is already running out. Save a Galaxie 500 Tee for me.
Just a few days ago, we heard little more than a peep out of Radiohead when the last British veteran of the Great War passed. Their tribute to him is still available on their site for a quid and all proceeds going to veterans’ charity. Today, we get something that’s actually going to be on their next release. Even better: it’s free. The new track is called “These Are My Twisted Words” and we’re all hoping for the best.
New Orleans brings to mind sounds of big band and certain other persuasions of jazz, but oddly produced rock — not so much. Mute Math’s songs sound like their ingredients are pretty conventional, but then throw unusual instrumentation and production in a blender. Armistice (out August 18) is a rock album, but the rhythm section sets the sound apart from other bands in a similar vein. Produced by Dennis Herring, Armistice has only been heard in bits so far, but those little pieces hint at something great. There’s also rumor of a documentary about how the album was made that’s in the works.
Exactly ten years ago, summertime in every city was lit up for those listening by a warm weather anthem that wasn’t a hip hop song or a club banger. The distinct bossa nova kick and the breezy female vocal of Nicola Conte’s ‘Bossa Per Due’ is ever familiar, even if his name isn’t. The producer, DJ, snappy dresser, and purveyor of all sounds Italian doesn’t play out a ton, but he’s coming to the Highline Ballroom. He’ll be on guitar, accompanied by a hand picked jazz ensemble for this one-off show. I’m in Rome right now, so I don’t know how the weather is back in New York, but I promise it’ll be warm and clear while he’s there!
Antony Hegarty’s voice will give you goosebumps guaranteed. The tremolo and emotional croon is the kind of thing that can sound cheesy and over dramatic if it’s not done perfectly. Thankfully, it is done perfectly. Antony and the Johnsons showcase the frontman’s ability to sing us an honest and sad, yet uplifting song, the single entitled ‘Aeon’. The true stunt, however, is the B side that sideswipes you. Equally somber is the band’s cover of Beyonce’s ‘Crazy Right Now’, a pop hit turned inside out, making a perfectly played out song listenable again. Remember the Michael Andrews and Gary Jules cover of “Mad World”? Exactly.
If you know 
Under various names and through numerous styles, 
New Orleans brings to mind sounds of big band and certain other persuasions of jazz, but oddly produced rock — not so much. 
