Animal Collective accidentally leak Fall Be Kind EP

Posted in New stuff with tags , , , , , on November 20, 2009 by Chapperdeemus

Animal Collective have apparently sent out CDs of their new EP to customers three weeks early by accident.

This, inevitably, has lead to an immediate full quality version leaking on to the internet.

The experimental band from Baltimore’s new release has been highly anticipated by fans after the massive success of Merriweather Post Pavilion.

On the first listen, the EP brings the same haphazardness of their 2008 album, but with a little more chilled feeling. I can imagine that, just like MPP, I will grow to love it. But it will take quite a few listens. It took me a very long time to get into MPP, and that was only because of persistent efforts from Jami Welch.

The best on the EP in my opinion is “What would I want? Sky”, a song that was recorded all the way back in February 2008, during the height of the MPP hype. It has a great running, looping hook, fused with probably Animal Collective’s most regular sounding drumming yet. In fact, it could almost be a Moby song. But I don’t mean that in a bad way.

Here’s one of the tracks, ‘Graze’, which has an amazing pan flute solo (only AC could get away with that) half way through. I’ve also posted my favourite remix of 2009, Phaseone’s remix of ‘Daily Routine’. It takes the best bits of the song; the lyrics and bassline, then adds a beat. It does wonders.

Animal Collective – Graze

Animal Collective – Daily Routine (Phaseone Remix)

D.I.S.C.O.

Posted in Downloads, New stuff with tags , , , , on November 19, 2009 by SimR


Those wonderful Belgium disco merchants are back. Yes, everyone’s favourite aviation-related DJs, Aeroplane, have returned with a remix of New York’s Au Revoir Simone’s Another Likely Story. I first heard this on one of Mixmag’s podcasts not so long ago and it is exactly what the doctor ordered for the coming winter months: fun disco, full of ranging synths and feel-good lyrics which feel just as at home in your bedroom as on the dancefloor. I’ve yet to hear Aeroplane make a remixing mistake and long may this continue.

Au Revoir Simone – Another Likely Story (Aeroplane remix) (BN)
Au Revoir Simone – Another Likely Story (Aeroplane remix) (MF)

Here’s another awesome remix they’re done:
Friendly Fires – Paris (Aeroplane remix) (BN)
Friendly Fires – Paris (Aeroplane remix) (MF)

Hot Chip announce more album details

Posted in New stuff, News with tags , , , on November 11, 2009 by Chapperdeemus

I posted a few weeks ago that English electro band Hot Chip have announced they are releasing their album in February 2010.

Well I can do you one better now. The album is called ‘One Life Stand’. Awesome name. They are releasing the album on 8th February, and they have unleashed the first single, according to Pitchfork, called ‘Take It In’.

I am not entirely convinced that this is actually the first single off the album, as it has already been released in Hot Chip’s 2009 Bugged Out Mix. We’ll see, it’s early days yet.

Nevertheless, the song is really good. I got worried about their announcement that the album would be a lot more chilled out than ‘Made in the Dark’. But this song is as upbeat as ‘Ready for the Floor’ really.

2010 is shaping up to be a great year for music, and we still have 2 more months of this year to come.

Hot Chip – Take It In

Return of the Motherbird

Posted in Downloads, New stuff with tags , , , , , , , on November 6, 2009 by SimR

Claude VonStroke
San Francisco’s favourite ornithologist, Claude VonStroke aka Barclay Crenshaw, returned last month with his eagerly anticipated second album and, following the huge success of Beware of the Bird, I was expecting big things. Released on his own Dirtybird label, the album is filled with the quirky, wonky basslines and bleeps you’d expect with similar inane samples to his debut long player e.g. ‘beat that bird with a bat’. Classic stuff. It’s an awesome album that any Claude fan, or any tech house/minimal fan in fact, will love and there’s now doubt in my mind that it’s not gonna be far from my playlists for a while to come.

Claude VonStroke – Big ‘n Round (BN)
Claude VonStroke – Big ‘n Round (MF)

Leaked Them Crooked Vultures tracks

Posted in New stuff with tags , , , on November 3, 2009 by Chapperdeemus

Them+Crooked+Vultures

Full versions of two Them Crooked Vultures songs have now surfaced on the internet, and they sound amazing.

The super three way combination of Josh Homme, Dave Grohl and John Paul Jones is going to be amazing. It is as epic as imagining Megan Fox inviting Cheryl Cole and Jessica Alba to make a dirty movie. Except this is really going to happen.

The most recently released song, called ‘Mind Eraser, No Chaser’, is as awesome as the name suggests, with the best drummer in the world working seamlessly with two of the most heralded guitarists of their respective generations.

I am hoping for the standard of Queens of the Stone Age’s ‘Songs for the Deaf’, with even more calibre with the addition of Led Zeppelin’s legendary bassist.

The album is due out on November 17th. This is going to be a long two weeks.

Here’s the track listing for their eponymous debut:

1. “No One Loves Me & Neither Do I” 5:10
2. “Mind Eraser, No Chaser” 4:07
3. New Fang 3:49
4. “Dead End Friends” 3:15
5. “Elephants” 6:50
6. “Scumbag Blues” 4:26
7. “Bandoliers” 5:42
8. “Reptiles” 4:16
9. “Interlude with Ludes” 3:45
10. “Warsaw or the First Breath You Take After You Give Up” 7:50
11. “Caligulove” 4:55
12. “Gunman” 4:45
13. “Spinning in Daffodils” 7:28

Them Crooked Vultures- Mind Eraser, No Chaser

Hot Chip to return in February 2010

Posted in News with tags , , , , , , on November 3, 2009 by Chapperdeemus

hotchip

Hot Chip have announced on their website that their fourth album is set for release next February.

The Grammy nominated british electro pop band are currently just putting the final touches on the album and preparing for a February UK tour to coincide with the album release.

No album name, art or track details have been released as of yet, but tour dates are as follows:

  • GLASGOW – Academy – Fri 12 February
  • EDINBURGH – Picture House – Sat 13 February
  • NOTTINGHAM – Rock City – Mon 15 February
  • LEEDS – Academy – Tues 16 February
  • NEWCASTLE – 02 Academy – Thurs 18 February
  • MANCHESTER – Academy – Fri 19 February
  • BIRMINGHAM – 02 Academy – Sat 20 February
  • BOURNEMOUTH – 02 Academy – Mon 22 February
  • BRISTOL – 02 Academy – Tue 23 February
  • NORWICH – 02 Academy – Weds 24 February
  • LONDON – 02 Brixton Academy – Fri 26 February
  • LONDON – 02 Brixton Academy – Sat 27 February

Lead singer Alexis Taylor has suggested that the album will be more mellow in comparison to ‘Made in the Dark’, which is a shame, because you cannot beat a bit of ‘Ready for the Floor to get your blood pumping.

Apparently, by pre ordering the album, you will “get a brand new track” send to you.

Here’s a bit of a tune to remind you of their brilliance.

Hot Chip- And I was a Boy from School

Riverside!

Posted in Downloads, New stuff with tags , , , , on October 18, 2009 by SimR


Back after a long break, I’m bringing you some pure dance floor cheese. Not conventional cheese really but it’s fairly basic, yet very effective, stuff. Still, it does the job. Sidney Samson, a Dutch DJ from Gelderland, has done a few successful remixes and tunes but it’s this club banger that’ll get him noticed.

Sidney Samson – Riverside (BN)
Sidney Samson – Riverside (MF)

Simian Mobile Disco at Birmingham’s Rainbow Warehouse

Posted in Reviews with tags , , , , , on October 15, 2009 by Chapperdeemus

puresimian

One of my most anticipated gigs came and went this weekend, without a doubt living up to it’s potential.

When the Hotcakes boys bought tickets to see Simian Mobile Disco, we were very excited, but our heart rate quickened at the discovery that it was being held at the epicentre of the Birmingham rave scene, Rainbow Warehouse.

But that was nothing compared to the explosive rise in adrenaline levels on finding out that we had inadvertently bought tickets to witness the who’s who of bezzler DJs in support of the duo.

We arrived to catch the end of Young Fathers’ set, who appear on SMD’s new album in the song ‘Turn Up The Dial’. They were quite average, but that is probably because we missed most of the set.

It was Hotcakes’ favourite Riton who really got the crowd going with a fantastic set, remixing great songs including Passion Pit’s ‘The Reeling’ and Major Lazer’s ‘Pon de Floor’. His unique style of manipulating the decks in a flamboyant fashion was hilarious as well.

Then out came James and Jas to a tumultuous welcome that made the small venue seem like a stadium. Everyone was quickly drowned out though by opening song ‘Sleep Deprivation’. The sound in the warehouse was intense, so mind-blowing that hardened gig goers were struggling to stay at the front for the whole set.

The set up of the equipment was uniquely brilliant, with desks put together in a circle where the pair would go round and round tweaking and flicking here and there, all the while gesticulating wildly to the crowd.

I was expecting ‘I Believe’  to dominate the set, but it was without a doubt the crowd rocking ‘Hustler’ that stole the show. The new live version of the song was fantastic, I would love to find a ripped version of it somewhere.

The only disappointment was I was hoping to hear a few more live versions of the songs with all the high profile vocals. They didn’t play ‘Cream Dream’ featuring Gruff Rhys, ‘Bad Blood’ featuring Hot Chip’s Alexis Taylor nor ‘Cruel Intentions’ with Gossip’s Beth Ditto. Shame.

But we didn’t have much time to dwell on that performance because on came after show DJ Kissy Sell-out, who smashed it. It seems like ‘Pon De Floor’ is the song on the lips of every DJ at the moment because he played it as well. It takes an amazing performance to get people to stay once the main act has finished, and he pulled it off.

We didn’t get home until 5am and spent the next hour attempting to find an iPhone app that would cancel out the insane tinnitus pounding through our ears. Rumour has it there is one out there, but we couldn’t find it. My ears are still ringing. Worth it.

Simian Mobile Disco- Hustler

Wait no more for Sigh No More

Posted in New stuff with tags , , on September 26, 2009 by Chapperdeemus

Mumford_&_Sons_5_small

Mumford & Sons are selling special edition pre release copies of their long awaited debut album at their gigs.

The multi instrumental quartet have made a stunning album, single handedly making the banjo and double bass combination sound like the coolest thing around at the moment.

I’ve been following this band for six months now and have been watching their progress, and I feel almost proud to see this finished article at last.

The album has most of the old favourites that won over crowd after crowd at their live shows, re recorded with even better versions. And the new songs are just as good.

I was worried that if the band recorded a fully refined and competently produced album, they would lose what made them so attractive, their live and energetic feel. But they have managed to keep that feeling that they are streaming directly into your ears, whilst still making their songs sound properly rendered.

I’m seeing them again next week and cannot wait to pick up my copy.

Here is my new favourite, a song that I loved immediately last month when I heard it for the first time at Field Day.

Mumford & Sons- Dustbowl Dance (zshare)

Dubstep Doorly does Temper Trap track

Posted in Good stuff with tags , , , , on September 20, 2009 by Chapperdeemus

the-temper-trap

I admit I have not been on the ball with these dubstep remixes, unlike SimR, who practically eats sleeps and secretes it.

However, when I come across a remix of one of my favourite songs of the moment, I take notice. And when Doorly does it, damn, I prick up my ears.

I came across this song from Phil Gordon of Lets.Have.It and his monthly mega mix. Man’s done a good job.

‘Sweet Disposition’ by The Temper Trap is already a great song, and has been thrust in my ears left right and centre the past couple of weeks. You may know it from the film ‘500 Days of Summer’.

The remix adds rolling, thumping beats to the song, as all good dubstep should. Where the original only threatens to burst into life, this remix actually realises the threat.

Cheers to Phil and his inspiring mixtape, the full version of which can be found here, which also includes mixes of Major Lazer, Does it Offend You, Yeah?, Friendly Fires and Toddla T.

The Temper Trap- Sweet Disposition

The Temper Trap- Sweet Disposition (Doorly Remix)