RAC, The Remix Artist Collective, is about as explanatory as it gets. This collectives is comprised of numerous talented producers and dj's spanning the globe from Portland, Paris and Portugal (other destinations as well, but they don't start with "P"). This group has been at not only the remix game but has been producing original work for such groups as Penguin Prison, Ra Ra Riot and Tegan & Sara. Their remixes span the indie spectrum and have fearlessly groups no necessarily on the cool kid's beaten path.
The Phoenix remix of 'Armistice,' I must say, took me entirely off guard. Soaring and blissful - true artistry. Be sure to check out their incredibly extensive library of remixes off of their recently released RAC VOL.2 and most FO FREE!!! Let the legal downloading commence!!!
Young Digeratiis a four-piece band from San Francisco, who began to play together in high school. Their EP "Amanda" was realeased last monday. Its a lovely dreamwave excersion with a sturdy foundation of indie and electropop sensibilities. "The Amanda EP," includes remixes by Boston's Good Morning Good Night (GMGN), Ride The Universe (Fiero/Digitalfoxgolove...yum), Muffinand, Whorer House from Modesto, not to mention five different versions of the title track.
This fella watched Banksy's "Exit Through the Gift Shop" with his kids, and needless to say his children were inspired to make art. But, not just any art (tee-hee) but guerilla street art. Yes, the good stuff. However, he was concerned with the legalities of potential vandalism and what that could possibly be teaching the kids. But whatever they did had to be, as he put it: Artsy, Public, Stealthy, Fun, and in no way damaging. What he came up with is pure genius and definitely something I'm going to attempt with my boys. You can probably guess what he and the younglings created, but CONTINUE HERE FOR THE REST, its a good story!!
In all honesty, I am extremely giddy about SebastiAn's debut album 'Total.' I have the drop date marked on my calendar (for realsies), and have been stalking SebastiAn's career since his Smoking Kills EP on Ed Banger. He also sealed his place as a top notch remixing Cavalier (official title) with his reworks of Das Pop, the Kills, Uffie, Kavinsky and Rage Against the Machine. 'Embody' is the first single off the new album, and its a pleasant departure from his signature growling clavinets, chopped minor key melodies and fuzzy beats. But if the dirty groove of this chic daytime disco hit is any foreshadowing of whats to come, I'm a happy boy!
There's a little hipster in all of us. Granted, there are definite saturation levels from one victim to the next and some of us are more honest about it than others (understanding, I still have friends donning thick rimmed cosmetic eyewear and/or overwhelmingly fitted pants grooving to M. Ward and Bon Iver insisting on their lack of a hipsteresque lifestyle). Nonetheless, its an infestation that demands greater priority on an international scale.
Until the UN addresses this obvious crisis, I have some recommendations on subduing the internal über cool kid. One simple way that I myself repress breakouts is indulging in pop music as much as possible. This process usually works but be warned: the more obscure the genre or taste also increases your "irony" points, strengthens your inner hipster and therefore could possibly prove counterproductive to your initial goal.
My personal prescription for holding back my elitist break-outs are aforementioned contemporary Pop music, Pixar, the Everly Brothers, John Hughes' movies, Guns n' Roses, trampolines, Hall and Oats, and having small children who make me laugh alot (and play with toys).
Today our beefy grooves are brought to you by Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs (hence, the T.E.E.D. in the title). This Oxford-born artist who creates 'just dance music,' as he puts it. His sound is completely contagious, well put together and most definitely straddles most genres under the 'Dance music' category. Here's his redo of Katy Perry's self empowering, believe in yourself, don't give up, look-in-the-mirror-and-give-a-hug-to-who-you-see, motivational puddin' track, "Firework." Plus a freebie from T.E.E.D! Katy Perry - Firework (Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs Remix) by T-E-E-D How Far (The 2 Bears remix) FREE DOWNLOAD by T-E-E-D
Also, as the Bottom Heavy Humpday demands, plus we're on the whole Katy Perry kick, here's Noisa's dubstep throwdown of her new track E.T. Katy Perry - E.T. (Noisia Remix) by NOISIA
Daft Punk's cinematic opus from the halfway decent movie Tron Legacy, has been remixed and Disney will be releasing the "TRON LEGACY: R3CONF1GUR3D" album in early April. I got a sneak peek and it seems this album received more attention than Tron's script did. Its 15 tracks of top drawer remixes by the best in the business. M83, Glitch Mob, Crystal Method, Moby, Boys Noize, Photek, Com Truise and Pretty Lights are just a few of the heavy hitters having their way with our favorite gentlemen robot's compositions. A few highlights come from Pretty Lights beautiful dubbed out reworking of 'Solar Sailer,' M83's fresh and soaring approach to 'Fall,' and Boys Noize's glitched tech monster 'End of the Line.' I must say, I'm quite excited for the April 4th drop!! Daft Punk - End Of Line (Boys Noize Remix) by Mr. TMS
No, I don't have them, cuz someone with some type of official clipboard containing internet copyright rules would yell at me and threaten my young and budding blog. We wouldn't want that would we? Besides, my ego is way too fragile.
The Fader has got the radio rips from Four Tet's own radio show "Rinse FM." These tracks, Mirror and Ego, are the two upcoming releases from the collaboration of the century (at least to UK standards): Thom Yorke, Four Tet and Burial.
For those who might be scratching their heads at these names: Thom Yorke is the lead singer of a small up-and-coming band called Radiohead (notice the sarcasm? Yeah, you do!). Four Tet has created a fist full of my favorite remixes in the past few years and is a smashing producer who incessantly pushes that stubborn-but-weak boundary of genre. Burial is an elusive producer of 2-step/dubstep. His airy and haunting originals and remixes have helped to validate dbstp as an art form and not just mindless 18+ dancefloor bangers (Burial's debut album under the same name, is one of my Top Ten in electronic music's Must Haves). PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS IS A BRIEF SYNOPSIS OF THSES LEGENDARY FELLAS, AND THEIR WORK IS NOT LIMITED TO WHAT I HAVE WRITTEN. SORRY TO THE PURISTS AND STALKERS WHO MAY HAVE BEEN EMOTIONALLY STIRRED BY THE LACK OF ACCOLADES PLACED IN THIS SMALL PARAGRAPH. TAKE A DEEP BREATH, GO OUTSIDE, TAKE A WALK AND RE-ENTER SOCIETY. THANKS.
So with the education out of the way, the release is on Four Tet's own label Text Records. Its only been on vinyl (proper) so far and immediately sold out. Its now on you tube, and I'm sure these links will hit critical mass soon and be unavailable. No word on when they'll be available for those of us enslaved by the digital mainframe (others refer to it as "mp3's").
I've been a fan of Aaron's for a small spell now. Attracted to his consistent elements and astounding practice of repetition. Has an undeniable Herring feel to it, not only in his line quality but also in its public accessibility.
Todays BOTTOM HEAVY HUMPDAY has one stone, and we're planning on bumping off two little tweeties. On April 1st, FIGURE will be back in Charlotte alongside the Queen City's menacing bass darlings, Your Dirty Habit!! So on behalf of this April 1st barn-stormer, todays track is a nasty killer from Figure himself.Consider this show prep for his live set on April 1st!
I'm such a stickler for old sound bites. This track is so much fun!
Crystal Fighters is most definitely one of my favorite bands in recent days.
Deeply concreted in electronic music, the Fighters manage to maintain a magically organic whimsy woven into a patchwork quilt - off beat, quirky, melodic and occasionally abrasive. Their lyrics derive from the lead's Spaniard Grandfather's poetry-reminiscent of TS Elliot's rhythmical genius, and longs for times before his migration to London. I generally mouse away from investing in full length releases, nevertheless I took the plunge on 'Star of Love.' Maintaining an extremely high caliber on every track, there is no "filler" to advance through, and every one is as much art as it is fantastic music making.
"At Home" is their latest single off of 'Star of Love.' The single includes remixes from Mistabishi, Pony Pony Run Run and Fusty Delights. GO GET IT!!
George Lenton has been consistently shelling the dancefloor with his explosive DBSTP for some time now. I'm excited to, possibly, deliver you the goods from his overflowing cache of highly combustible tracks-if you haven't been a fan already (and why wouldn't you be????).
He just released a remix of Paper Crows 'Follow the Leader.' His rework is outstanding, but the track in question from Paper Crows is an unfortunate bitter rant on the topic of faith. And as much as I enjoy taking notes from the Theologically clueless, its hard to escape the vocalists' shallow middle-schoolesque lyrics (scratched on the backside of their math trapper keeper) and still enjoy Lenton's remixing savvy.
If you want to hear "FTL' head over to George's ever-abounding SOUNDCLOUD page. I, would like to direct you to two tracks that have been on deep circulation on lappy all week now. George's remix of Dizze Rascal's "I Love You" is a tumbly glitch-ridden ride toward what I believe to be the future of dubstep. Well crafted with a greater focus on syncopation and melody, not just an über focus on window-cracking basslines.
