Originally from North Wales and hailing from London, The Joy Formidable is a three-member indie rock band who made their way to the music scene in 2008. Acclaimed by the Times (UK), who described them as “dreamy indie pop” and regarded as one band to watch by the Guardian (UK) upon the release of their debut single “Austere” in August 2008  – the group is of pure sensation with regard. Their syncopated style draws on a contention of riffs that are backed with the resounds of pleasing and rejoicing melodies. The reavealing voice of lead singer Ritzy Bryan plays off their forceful drums and raw guitars to create a sound that is fervently fit for a  jaunt. It is also nice to come across a band that isn’t trying to sell you anything. Their music is their brand – and a good one that is! Tagged with the likes of the Editors, White Lies, and Passion Pit, The Joy Formidable will be making a stint in New York City from January 8th to January 12th. (Their exact schedule is below.)

Selling out their debut UK tour, the heavily creative group is more than the sense of optimism they omit in song. True artists, we can only imagine them live…for now. With four dates to choose from, we certainly won’t miss them. Check out their tracks “Austere” and “Cradle” below. Click through for the video of their recently released track “Greyhounds in the Slips” featuring Paul Draper.

The Joy Formidable - “Austere”

click here and save-as to download track

The Joy Formidable - “Cradle”

click here and save-as to download track

The Joy Formidable – 2010 New York Tour Dates

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Last March, attendees from 80 countries flocked to Miami for the annual Winter Music Conference. The legendary five-day event , which goes from March 23-27, will host some of the best parties of the year, informative panels with world-renown DJs, and of course, Ultra Music Festival.

The initial line-up for the music festival, taking place once more at Bicentennial Park, already includes A-Trak, Major Lazer, Steve Aoki, the Bloody Beetroots, and Pretty Lights. The added presence of Rusko, Skream, Bassnectar and Crookers is just another indication of how prolific dubstep has become in the music scene. Tiesto, Carl Cox, Dirty South, Rabbit in the Moon, Infected Mushroom, Deadmau5 and Armin Van Buuren were on the bill last year and will make repeat appearance in 2010.

A ticket to Ultra is included with the purchase of the Winter Music Conference badge, which is $325 if you purchase by January 6. On it’s own, a two-day pass to the festival costs $139.50.

Click through to view the complete list of the initial acts set to perform at Ultra, along with the official festival trailer. If the line-up wasn’t enough to get you psyched, check out photos from Ultra 2009 with Santigold, The Ting Tings, Armin van Buuren and Prodigy.

Stay tuned for our complete coverage of WMC – we’ll be posting info about the week’s best parties, panels, concerts, and more…

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The best present this holiday season came from none other than the beat junkie Flying Lotus. He released a mixtape chronicling cosmic dubs and edits from the past ten years, blended perfectly by The Gaslamp Killer. Here are FlyLo’s words:

Merry Christmas and happy holidays to everyone
as we’re approaching this new year, I felt it was time to let go of some things that have been gathering dust. Some old things, and some new things, I tried to pick out tracks that I know yall haven’t heard yet so there should be surprises around every turn.

can’t believe i’ve been making tracks for over 10 years now..That said, there’s so much to learn still.

I hope you all enjoy this mix. Thanks to the Gaslamp Killer for doing an incredible job on this.

Can’t wait for you all to hear my album ‘Cosmogramma’ coming out April 20th 2010 on Warp Records.

Enjoy
s

Brainfeeder

The Gaslamp Killer – “A Decade of Flying Lotus”

If the Grim Reaper had to sing, he would probably sing about death. Cage, the New York-bred rapper and indie-rocker may not meet the reaper’s demise in song but gives him a run for his money in a fashion reminiscent of Charlie Daniels’ Johnny in “The Devil Went To Georgia.” In such a case, the Reaper should have been at BB King in New York City this past Friday for the “Depart From Me Round 2″ tour.  With Shinobi Ninja and Tame One setting the stage, Cage’s appearance was met by fans who were eager for his story-driven lyrical journeys. Backed by DJ Chauncey, he spewed over beats in the familiar form that garnered acclaim in the New York underground and independent hip-hop scene. With a cult status following, the audience responded to every single jagged and jilted word in his lyrics.

CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE PHOTO GALLERY

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Dubbed the “Daft Punk” of Brazil”, The Twelves bring us one of the freshest mixes to BBC Radio 1. João Miguel and Luciano Oliveira, who formed the duo in 2005, have made a huge impact on the blogosphere with a series of remixes, cover versions and original tracks. Be sure not to miss this one.

The Twelves – Essential Mix

Tracklist and download after the jump…

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The British rave band is the latest example of electro’s pollination to different styles of music. The dynamics of Hadouken! combines the genre-hopping tactics of dance music in a catacomb fit for the mainstream with appeal to the underground. Their second album, For The Masses, is already being compared to the innovative breakthrough scales of the Prodigy and Chemical Brothers. (If you can, imagine the metamorphic fragmented doors that were opened by the mainstream releases of Fat Of The Land and Dig Your Own Hole.)

Established in late 2006, the talents of Hadouken! took hold by word-of-mouth and internet fandom, ultimately leading to the success of their 2008 debut album Music For An Accelerated Culture (an appropriate title given the musical style of the band). The album debuted at number twelve on the UK charts and number four in Japan with little to no media attention or press. While we await the release of their widely anticipated album and the announcement of their North American tour, the group has released a bass-heavy EP of the track “M.A.D.” (Mutually Assured Destruction), with reworks by Detboi, Plastician (known for producing “Snoop Dogg Millionaire”) and Phace.  Click here to check out the EP, where four of the six tracks are available for free download.

The band will make the cross-over to the US markets in 2010 with For The Masses, slated for a February release. In the meantime, check out  two tracks from the EP below and the video for “Turn The Lights Out” after the jump.

UPDATE:  Hadouken! will make their first stop in the us at the Mercury Lounge on February 8th 2010.

Hadouken! – M. A. D.

Hadouken! – M.A.D. (Detboi Remix)

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After taking on CMJ, The Electric Zoo, Street Scene, All Points West, and the Winter Music Conference in 2009, it seems only natural to add South by Southwest to our growing itinerary for 2010.

Last year, the festival drew 12,000 participants and showcased nearly 2,000 musical acts on 88 stages. The 2009 line-up included AC Slater, Amanda Blank, Buraka Som Sistema, Deadmau5, The Golden Filter, Grizzly Bear, Ben Harper & Relentless7, Jack Beats, MSTRKRFT and The Twelves, among others.

Now in its 24th year, the annual SXSW Music Conference and Festival will be held in Austin from March 17-21. The initial line-up of 450+ artists is likely to quadruple by March, and already includes Treasure Fingers, Kidz in the Hall, HEARTSREVOLUTION, Team Facelift, Adam Tensta and The Postelles. Chauffeur is also rumored to make a rare appearance at the festival, but is yet to be confirmed.

Music badges cost $675 if you register by January 12, and will allow you to participate in all of the official SXSW music parties, panels, and courses. Click here for a full list of badge levels, rates and details about the programs that the badges include. While the price tag might seem a little steep, it includes five full days of music with nearly 2,000 acts (which, if you do the math, breaks down to less than five cents per artist).

Don’t forget, the Winter Music Conference kicks off the following week in Miami (March 23-27), so plan accordingly. But more on that later…

This Friday, Fixed, Mishka and the whole Trouble & Bass crew will ring in the holidays with funky Finnish breakbeat  producer Rico Tubbs. We have you covered with a pair of tickets to what’s for sure going to be the best party of the season. Simply fill out the information below or send THIS MESSAGE to Twitter. You must be following both HiFi Cartel and Trouble & Bass to be eligible to win. We will then select a random winner by 12pm Thursday. If you don’t win, don’t fret, as tickets are only $7 in advance. Good luck and happy holidays!

CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED – THANKS FOR YOUR ENTRIES

KASORE : Bunnies (Rico Tubbs FUNKY Remix)

Public Assembly
70 N. 6th St. bet. Berry & Wythe
Brooklyn, NY

This past weekend, we checked out Themselves at the Knitting Factory in Brooklyn. The Left Coast indie hip-hop duo, Jeffrey “Jel” Logan and Adam “Doseone” Drucker, combine beats, rhymes and art. In colorful fashion, the DJ and MC rap over live beats with voice control while igniting on a lyrical expedition. Spewing over a juggernaut of of technical samples, from typewriter sounds to crying babies, the funkadelic lyrics of Themselves echo with effects to chaotic syncopates of sinister sarcasm and cool samplings.

Click Here for photos of Themselves at the Knitting Factory by Kenroy George.

Check the cupcake galore in the music video for “Roman Is As Roman Does” after the jump.

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If you have ever been to a large scale music festival, you know that it can be quite a spectacle of sight and sound. Long lines, muddy shoes, and nagging bugs are usually the price to pay for enjoying some of your favorite bands at outdoor festivals. Well, music lovers get ready as now you can sit back, relax, and enjoy the show from the comfort of a movie theater near you.

Larger Than Life…In 3D, is a full scale “visually surrounded, fully immersed” concert experience delivered to over 500 theater screens across the nation. The first production, releasing on December 11th, includes Gogol Bordello, Ben Harper & Relentless7, and Dave Matthews Band. Filmed at premier music festivals, All Points West, Mile High, and Austin City Limits, respectively, the audience will feel the excitement and energy of the bands as if they were at the festivals themselves.  Action 3D along with AEG Live has filmed over 50 artists utilizing innovative high definition 3D digital technology to give you a front row seat. Follow-up productions include “Best of Austin City Limits”, “Best of Lollapalooza”, Jay-Z, Widespread Panic and a three-day Halloween Phish festival, all slated for releases in 2010. Click HERE to find the closest theater near you.

As usual, we at The HiFi Cartel have you covered with free tickets to the show, t-shirts, and limited edition screen prints. Send us a Facebook message HERE telling us about your favorite or most memorable festival experience. The first people to post on our wall will win goodies.This contest is open to US residents, and remember supplies are first come, first serve so don’t sleep! Check out the film trailer and screen print below.

Make sure you do not miss this opportunity, as this is a limited engagement running for one week only, December 11th through December 17th.