Honestly, who isn’t? The sixth and final season of Lost, one of the best series ever created, just started and we are sure spending more time talking, reading and thinking about it than watching it. Well, from what we read some mysteries won’t be answered (the real meaning of the numbers, anyone?), but if there's something we've learned from accompanying Locke’s island friends (and enemies) is that the travel is always more enjoyable than the actual place it’s taking you to. Well, not if the smoke monster is trying to kill you.
Berlin people! What you doing tonight? Our good friends at WOAH! gallery (well it's a gallery for this month anyway. It is also sometimes a shop, but it's always a studio) are having an opening tonight for their own Ian Liddle, exhibiting his life drawings of women from the past twelve months.
Come by say hiyaaaaaaa.
I can't tell how many times Yeah Yeah Yeahs are being remixed with their latest album, but frankly after this remix I think you can put all the others to retirement. The hyperactive DJ A-trak gives a hip-house treatment to 'Heads Will Roll' and the result sounds so fresh and danceable that I think people should start playing this song right now - and this is only a rip from Annie Mac's show.
Speaking of which, I have to agree with Annie Mac on this one, I think it's A-trak's best work so far, only to be matchesd by his great Sébastien Tellier remix (that intro wins me over every time) but I'll only be sure about this after listening to a better quality version of the file, of course. Meanwhile, let's just be impressed with the one we've got.
*UPDATE*
The final version is here! It's a great blend of tech-house synths and hip-hop beats. No doubt this one is going to get played to death!
Somehow, Ellie Goulding has her timing right. I feel like she's doing things at exactly the right pace with the right people. And that's aside from her own awesome-ness. She's releasing her first proper single, entitled 'Under the Sheets' on November 9th via Neon Gold Records. We've gushed about her before, as we found her to be a shining oasis in the sandy monotonous desert that is female pop music.
Accompanied by this uber lush, almost over-laden track, Ellie's voice ricochets in a manner that reminds me Shakira, particularly in that opening sequence. Is that a weird reference? Perhaps it's Shakira's 'Underneath Your Clothes' song title that prompted the link. With all my talk of Shakira lately, you'd think I obsessed or something - I'm really not, promise!
Ellie's vocal is as nimble as a mountain goat, jumping from octave to octave, and just as nimble is Starsmith's production; which makes me feel like I'm in a teen romance film with his tinkling highlights, reminding me of Mr Dan's Magic Wand mix of my favourite Sebastien Tellier track as heard on Gossip Girl, 'La Ritournelle'. Anyhoo, cop the track below and feel the pop power.
In the tumult of bands that always seem to emerge at the same time with similarities in their name (maybe because Google will throw up all of them when one is searched), I have a bad tendency to pass over bands that have any kind of lupine or equine references in their name. It's the only thing I can think of that would explain how I missed this little gem of a track. Only now with recent favourites Crystal Fighters' remix of 'Hey You' have Pony Pony Run Run garnered my attention properly.
Discovering now that Pony Pony Run Run have, according to their press release, "had huge success across Europe playing with the likes of Katy Perry, Calvin Harris simple minds and appearing on talk shows with La Roux", might be another reason as to why I missed them. Hmpf.
In any case, if you, like me, missed the original single, 'Hey You' is a piano based bit of synth pop with Chromeo feelings minus the cheese and vocal effects. Check the original track and the video below:
So then Crystal Fighters have come in to give Pony Pony Run Run the remix treatment, adding in their signature Basque sounds; dynamically moving the track to another level by cutting the vocals, throwing in a swirling house buildup and electro rave break down in an almost haphazard layering of sounds to make it even more danceable. Awesome.
We've all heard the Ladyhawke album. Some liked it, some didn't and some liked only the singles. There is no point in saying, for example, that she is like a new version of The Pretenders, because, yes, she is so 2008 and she reached out to her people already. But hey, she has a new video out that looks like a cheap Disney movie with pirates, space themes and white horses for the song 'Magic' and you might be doing nothing at the moment... I personally think both song and video are a bit "meh" (watch it below) but it has a good remix in the packet that won me over.
That's because it's Classixx, and, as usual, beautifully produced. They kept the 80's vibe of the original, but instead of the guitars they used a sea of different synths. This remix isn't supposed to be played in clubs, but it delivers a nice new version of the song to be played at home. And you know what? The same can be said about The Swiss remix, except it's actually better than the Classixx one...
photographs by Christopher James
Charlie Le Mindu's latest collection was above and beyond the most creative and boundary pushing collection that showed at London Fashion Week - fact.
Just check it below and you'll see what I mean.
Here are two of my favourite looks from the show below, including the bags that we told you about earlier made by the uber talented Gabriella Marina Gonzalez. Latex body suits by House of Harlot
And here you go again, the latest catwalk mix that the ever amazing Kap Bambino duo did for the show:
How much do you miss LCD Soundsystem? If your taste is anything like our taste then you should miss them a lot. Not only are they one of the best live bands I've had the pleasure to witness but they also released one of the most important albums of this decade. And if you are a fan (like myself) you know that there hasn't been any new releases since the great Sound of the Silver of 2007, but this is going to change now.
Before releasing the much waited third album, James Murphy's group is releasing the single 'Bye Bye Bayou' on the 24th of November via DFA Records. And before you get all anxious and start biting your fingernails off we have the song already and it's a free download - just check it below!
'Bye Bye Bayou' is a cover from the highly influential Alan Vega, from the New York duo Suicide, and it's taken from his debut solo album from '81. Although very good, this 7 minute groove jam will not make it onto the band's next album (which will be released around March) but for sure it'll get you hyper excited - that or you don't know shit.
Vampire Weekend is massive. But this sweet new song 'Horchata' won't make them bigger, just more loved. And this is what all the bands should be aiming for, right? I know I haven't heard a sweet early night song like this since I last watched Disney's 'Lion King'. Hopefully, their second album, Contra (which will be released on January 11th), will follow 'Horchata' and leave aside the guitars to focus on the melodies.
And according to the interview that Stereogum had with Rostam Batmanglij, who also happens to be producing his band again, it might be a reality (or half reality). He explained that although some songs like 'Horchata' are guitar free, others are more guitar driven than ever. Let's hope that when they use this, it will be wisely so we can all Hakuna Matata under a tree while drinking some alcoholic fruit mix - or maybe a glass of cold Horchata.
