With the recent release of Body Talk Pt. 1 and the imminent release of Pt. 2, I was eager to see how Robyn’s performance has evolved since I last saw her in 2008. The good news: Robyn’s headlining performance on Friday was everything I could have hoped for and more. The bad: she left “Konichiwa Bitches” off an otherwise strong set list. But personal gripes aside, Robyn’s set was hands-down my favorite of the week.

She started things off with ”Fembot” and went straight into “Cry When You Get Older” before kicking back to 2005’s Robyn with a retooled version of “Cobrastyle”. The set list was perfectly balanced between old and new songs, and included almost every track from Body Talk Part 1 (“Dancing On My Own”, “Dancehall Queen”, “None of Dem” and “Don’t Fucking Tell Me What to Do”). As with “Cobrastyle”, Robyn offered up fresh interpretations of several old favorites, including “Be Mine”, “Who’s That Girl” and her breakout debut single, “Show Me Love”. She also played “Dream On”, a collaboration with Swedish musician/producer Christian Falk, and closed the show with an epic rendition of “With Every Heartbeat” in its full original glory.

The creativity that Robyn displays in her impressive body of work has already set her apart from the droves of pop stars that have come and gone over the course of her fifteen-year career. Add her showmanship to the mix and she is completely untouchable. Robyn had me captivated from the moment she took the stage for her first-ever U.S. show at Highline Ballroom in February 2008. She began the show with “Cobrastyle”, delivering the first four lines with a rigidity that matched the form of the song, then suddenly broke into a dance so uninhibited and natural, I can still remember the audience’s collective awe and delight.

What I find so admirable about Robyn (aside from her music, of course) is how high she set the bar back in 2008, and how easily she cleared it two years later. Almost all of the artists I’ve seen on multiple occasions have failed to live up to magic of the first time, but Robyn is a clear exception. Not only did she wisely wait until she had new material before embarking on a major tour, her effervescent personality is so infectious, it makes you wish she was your best friend.

Body Talk Pt. 2 will be released in the U.S. on September 7 with Pt. 3 on the horizon, also slated for a 2010 release. Click through for photos of Robyn’s amazing Øya performance, and CLICK HERE to see more photos from the festival.

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According to his own description, Claude VonStroke does not scowl and look mean while he DJs. He does not pretend to know everything and he will be nice to you and your friends. He is grateful to be doing music for a living and he knows that the reason people go to parties is to have fun. If you want to act cool and not have any fun then please do not book him.

It’s probably due to this attitude that dirtybird has always been synonymous with sweaty bass-lines, quirky ideas, bumpin’ funk, and most importantly, FUN. It is therefore only fitting that a label based on a philosophy of bringing smiles to the dance-floor was created by a party. Claude VonStroke’s enigmatic tech funk label released its first record in Janaury 2005, but the idea actually began in 2002 during the production of “Intellect,” one of the most intensive studies on DJs and producers of house and techno music ever filmed. Director Claude VonStroke (aka Barclay Crenshaw) created the concept of the label in order to supply tracks for the DVD soundtrack, and in 2003 his friend Christian Martin purchased a massive portable sound system and began throwing outdoor parties in San Francisco called “dirtybird” with the grand idea of changing the landscape of San Francisco house music by throwing an epic free party in the park based on a new sound.

In 2005, “dirtybird” the record label began releasing vinyl. At the same time, the DJ alias “Claude VonStroke” was created as a joke, but the name stuck forever after the debut record “Deep Throat” sold through more than 11,000 vinyl copies worldwide. Since then, both the label and the dirtybird party have enjoyed great success, particularly through the release of classic dirtybird records such as “Deep Throat,” “Stoopit,” “Who’s Afraid of Detroit?,” and “The Whistler.” Artists on the label are mostly from San Francisco (like Justin Martin, Worthy, and Claude VonStroke), but the label has recently been expanding beyond its West Coast home base to include a more diverse roster of talent.

As for the man himself, since 2005, VonStroke has released two artist albums as well as a Fabric mix and over 25 remixes for a wide range of commercial and underground artists from Indy rock group “The Rapture” to Detroit techno legend Kevin Saunderson. Tour wise, Claude has headlined almost every major club, festival and basement after-party in the world. He will be appearing Saturday, September 4th on the Sunday School Grove stage at Electric Zoo Festival, an opportunity to experience the tech house master for yourself that you definitely do not want to miss.

To celebrate the five year anniversary of one of America’s quirkiest labels, a 3 CD package with over 50 tracks has been put together representing the past, present, and future of the label.

Disc One – The Past: Includes all the greatest hits and most loved dirtybird tracks including everthing from Claude VonStroke’s classic “Who’s Afraid of Detroit?” to the Martin Brothers hyphy-house anthem, “Stoopit.”

Disc Two – The Present: Justin Martin, the man behind DB001, one half of the Martin Brothers, and one of the original founders of the dirtybird party represents the full catalog with a superb DJ mix using bit, pieces, and parts from over 30 dirtybird classic and future tracks.

Disc Three – The Future: Claude VonStroke spent almost a full year A&R-ing this cd filled with new classics and crazy cuts representing the future of the dirtybird sound, further expanding the label from SF to Europe, Canada and beyond.

Visit the dirtybird WEBSITE to pick up a copy of Five Years of dirtybird, as well as other releases from the label’s impressive array of talent, and to see what else the dirtybird gang is up to.

Just remember, Claude VonStroke is only coming to see you if you want to enjoy yourself and get sweaty and nasty. If you want to wear a sweater and frown in the VIP section, he is not the right DJ for you. With that in mind, we’ll see you Saturday at Electric Zoo, stage front and center.

Just in time for his appearance at Electric Zoo this Labor Day weekend, pioneer beat master Flying Lotus has announced a September 21 release date for his new EP, Pattern+Grid World, through Warp Records. Still riding the wave of epic success that was Cosmogramma as well as touring all over the globe, it’s astounding to think the man had time to produce a new EP so soon – not that we’re complaining. Flying Lotus’ abstract and jazz-tinted style of electronic music pushes boundaries and challenges listeners in the best possible way, creating an aural journey that is thought provoking, inspirational, and often downright extraordinary. Judging by the evolution of his talent for production and his artistic vision, this new EP promises to be just as incredible and forward looking as his other releases, if not more so.

Make sure to catch FlyLo’s set Saturday September 4th at the Red Bull Music Academy Riverside Stage during Electric Zoo. You can also pre-order the EP in either CD or 12″ vinyl form here, as well as other material from the innovative artist.

Just in case you’re not excited enough about the prospect of this, FlyLo has released his first track “Camera Day” off the new EP, which you can stream below. Feel free to dance around the room, we know we are.

Check out the over art by Theo Ellsworth pictured above, and the EP’s full tracklist after the jump…

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What’s left to say about Major Lazer? After attending every single NYC appearance, I thought I’d tire of seeing them live. Not so. Diplo and Skerrit Bwoy took over Øya’s Vika stage with lazers blazing for one of the most explosive sets of the week. Though there were familiar elements I’d come to expect from a Major Lazer show – Skerrit Bwoy’s “Pon De Floor” moves, girls dancing on stage, and a touch of Ace of Base – there were definitely some surprises in store.

Assigned the sunset time slot, Major Lazer ushered in the night with a full-blown party, transforming the stage into outdoor dancehall. Flaming Lips lead singer Wayne Coyne joined us in the photo pit to take some choice shots of his own, a testament to Major Lazer’s growing popularity. Coyne wasn’t the only one who made a guest appearance – Die Antwoord joined the action and clearly had a blast on stage, wearing Pokemon and Stitch onesies, no less. Unpredictable as always, Skerrit Bwoy took advantage of the scenic atmosphere, disappearing for a moment only to emerge in one of the trees surrounding the stage.

All in all, it was one of my favorite Major Lazer performances to date. I had to take off a little early to catch Robyn, but given their recent collaboration, I have to wonder if La Roux made a cameo after I left.

Catch some snaps of Major Lazer’s set after the jump… and CLICK HERE for more photos from the festival.

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Miike Snow’s performance was the one I was most looking forward to on Øya’s second day. And while Richie Adomako and Kenroy George reported on one of three sold-out NYC shows back in March, I personally never had the pleasure of seeing them live.

The band took the stage in matching black jackets and white theatrical masks, which coupled with the lights, fog and ambient intro, gave off an eerie vibe reminiscent of the Phantom of the Opera. They launched into “Cult Logic” and “Burial”, removing their masks in one fell swoop during “Black & Blue” to reveal the full emotional range behind their music.

Physically watching each member’s contribution to the sound made me appreciate the complexity of each song even more. While the entire set list came from their eponymous debut album, the live interpretations were not mere regurgitations of the originals. Miike Snow pushed the boundaries of each song’s structure, adding improvisational breaks to several album favorites, including “Sylvia” and “Black & Blue”. As expected, they ended the show with a rousing rendition of their first single, “Animal”.

Click through for photos from Miike Snow’s Øya performance, or CLICK HERE for more snaps of the festival.

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Øya’s Friday line-up was by far the most popular – single day passes sold out less than 20 minutes after their release. Stacked with MVPs like Die Antwoord, Flaming Lips, La Roux, Major Lazer and Robyn, the line-up was not only  good on paper, each artist delivered solid performances that collectively made the third day of the festival Øya’s best overall.

Check in throughout the week for highlights of individual performances…

CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE FULL ALBUM

Thursday was sunny and gorgeous, perfect weather for an outdoor festival. We kicked off our day with some appropriately tropical tunes, with Norway natives Casiokids and the LA-based Fool’s Gold (not to be confused with Fool’s Gold Records). Miike Snow was a definite highlight – their live set highlighted the complex layers of their music. LCD Soundsytem was great as expected, and it was especially nice to see Brooklyn’s own Yeasayer, who we’ve never had the pleasure of seeing live.

The beautiful weather rekindled our spirit of musical exploration and gave us more freedom to wander from stage to stage. Over the course of the day, we caught glimpses of Broken Bells, Lindstrøm & Christabelle and Jonsi.

CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE FULL ALBUM

Øya got off to a rainy start on Wednesday, where dedicated poncho-clad fans came out in droves to take in a wide variety of both local and international acts. We checked out performances by Imperial State Electric, Gaslight Anthem, Sleigh Bells and M.I.A., and stumbled upon a hilarious scene during Fucked Up’s set, when the lead singer stripped to his skivvies and sang from the audience, stopping for a photo opp along the way (above).

CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE FULL ALBUM

The night before the official start of the festival, Øya kicked things off with the annual Klubbdagen (Club Day), where nearly 80 local bands played in 25 venues scattered around Central Oslo. Armed with the official Klubbdagen map and our iPhone (which will surely come back to haunt us with an astronomical phone bill), we navigated the streets of Oslo, making stops to check out The Last Heat at Juicy På Sukkerbiten, Tre Små Tøser (which loosely translates to “Three Small Hussies”) at Blå, and Phone Joan at Gamla.

And since the experience was just as much about exploring the city as it was about exploring the music, we’ve included some snaps of the sights we encountered along the way.

CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE FULL ALBUM

Just in time to close out the outdoor concert season, Virgin Mobile FreeFest 2010 will take over Merriweather Post Pavilion on September 25. In addition to the two main stages, which will feature Thievery Corporation, LCD Soundsystem, M.I.A., Matt & Kim, and others, the festival will also include a “Dance Forest” soundtracked by Chromeo, Sleigh Bells, Neon Indian, Modeselektor and Die Antwoord. As if that weren’t enough, Trombone Shorty (featured on HBO’s Treme) will lead a second line march from stage to stage, a unique tradition from his hometown of New Orleans.

Not only is the line-up out-of-this-world awesome, the show is also free. Yes, free. So start buttering up your friends with cars because this mini-festival is worth the trip.

Tickets go “on free” Saturday, July 24 at 10 AM on Ticketfly, who is waiving all service fees for the occasion. If you miss out on the free tickets, Virgin Mobile is offering up a limited set of premium tickets, which gives access to pavilion seating. As an added bonus, Rusko has produced a mini mix featuring many of the artists on the line-up, which is available for $5. Proceeds from premium ticket sales and the mini mix will be donated to charities supporting homeless youth.