Talk about starting the year off with a bang – Theophilus London debuted his first official music video for “Humdrum Town” on MTV2 today. The video, which was shot in Brooklyn last December, showcases the artist’s unique style and point of view. Watch the video after the jump, and for an added bonus check out a live performance of “Humdrum Town” at CMJ last October.
For all you jet-setters out there, Theophilus will be performing at a Diesel event in Berlin on January 20, and at the World Wide Awards in London on February 2. Click here for tickets.
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.
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 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.
German DJ and producer Timo Maas delivers more than enough surprises to fuel a revelry fit for an Armageddon. Exhibiting creativity behind the decks and mixing with a unique selection of tracks, Timo Maas is a hybrid of an artist within the commercialization of Electronic Dance Music. DJs like Timo are the fresh air relieving from the cycle of methodology that often stifles the stigma of expectations when it comes to popular music – all while progressively pushing the threshold of familiarity. The Grammy-nominated producer emotes originality and a sense of his surroundings and audience. Timo Maas has worked with Kelis, Sweden’s Neneh Cherry, Placebo’s Brian Molko and contributed to soundtracks like The Italian Job (2003), Riders, FIFA Football (2003 and 2004) and a Budweiser commercial.
For the grand opening of Dance.Here.Too. at Santos Party House, Timo Maas created an electronic carnival, supported by a style and grace, that is nothing short of an enchantment. With treble and base on rectors that reformed faces in “the House,” it was an unfamiliar Santos. Fitting, his hash of a style combines familiar and unfamiliar tracks (some yet to be released) to hook the audience along with melodies and effects at the turn of knobs and twists to a frenzy of pure sounds sparking enjoyment. From ethnic Indian to Argentinean/Brazilian tracks, Timo’s capability on the stage is like a force of wind through a tunnel. The room was packed, yet everyone found some space to dance – dipping to the ground and rising while reaching up in the air. Timo inspired a dance of unison that only a ritual could conjure.
While he is considered to be a house DJ/producer, Timo Mass’ progressive style blows the roof off the house. Keeping the fires of a party ablaze in full force is very hard to do in New York City, yet Timo managed to keep the room alive until close. After a splendid eclectic set, our hope is that he will return to New York with another delivery soon.
Click here for photos by Kenroy George from the grand opening of Dance.Here.Too., and click through to check out Timo Maas’ interpretation of Tron for his video “Ubik”, featuring Martin Bettinghaus.
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.
After a successful debut last month, Hard has announced the line-up for their next New York City outing, which will once again take place at Terminal 5 on April 3rd, 2010. Hard NYC’s first event leaned heavily towards dubstep, with a line-up that included genre heavyweights Crookers and Rusko. While Destructo and Major Lazer will make repeat appearances, Hard is diversifying, adding German electro sensation Boys Noize, Portuguese quartet Buraka Som Sistema, and the US debut of Russian DJ Proxy. Like Major Lazer, Buraka Som Sistema bridges a musical and cultural gap by mixing familiar sounds with their worldly musical style.
Speaking of Major Lazer, they recently embarked on an international tour, with Jillionaire (aka Trini Chris) taking over for Skerrit Bwoy as the resident MC. Chris recently sent us this remix of Major Lazer’s “Jump Up”, which, apart from the vocals, is a totally different track with more of an electro-house vibe, done by Trinidad-based Razorshop Productions. Check it out below or download it here, and look out for more remixes and releases in the coming months from Chris’ fledgling label, Feel Up Recordings.
Major Lazer – “Jump Up” (Razorshop Funky Sax Dub Mix)
After weeks of anticipation, Theophilus London finally released his first single, “Humdrum Town”, on Green Label Sound. Since the debut of This Charming Mixtape in January, Theophilus London has made considerable strides in both his work and his career. Not only has his music matured, he is also a member of Chauffeur, a supergroup that also counts Mark Ronson, Sam Sparro, and The Dap Kings’ Victor Axelrod and Tommy Brenneck as members.
Last month, the up-and-coming artist packed in a whopping six appearances during CMJ’s five-day period, including the Green Label Sound party at the Brooklyn Bowl on October 23. Rocking a pair of sunglasses, Theophilus London’s presence on stage is decidedly cool. He made good use of the large stage, engaging the audience with his slick dance moves. Set highlights included “Humdrum Town”, “Ultraviolet”, and remixes of Amadou & Mariam’s “Sabali” and The Very Best’s “Julia”. He closed with his catchy rendition of Whitney Houston’s “Always Love You”.
It was clear that his sound developed considerably since the mixtape’s January release, evident in the drastic reimagining of “Ultraviolent”. The original version on This Charming Mixtape is punk rock fused with hip-hop, in a manner reminiscent of N.E.R.D. The new version, renamed “Ultraviolet”, retains the punk influence in the bass line and drums, but adds a synth-pop melody that gives the song a completely different feel. A silvery hook and smoothed-out vocals complete the transformation. Listen to the two tracks for yourself:
Theophilus London – “Ultraviolent”
Theophilus London – “Ultraviolet”
If you think Theophilus London’s music isn’t enough evidence of his growth, look no further than his latest incarnation, Chauffeur. Described by Mark Ronson as “a fictitious supergroup”, Chauffeur was commissioned to record a song to tie into the release of Mark Ronson’s new line of shoes for Gucci. There are very few bands that are fronted by both a vocalist and a rapper, proven to be a winning combination when Chauffeur performed at the Levis/Fader Fort on October 24.
With one original song under their Gucci belts, Chauffeur’s set only consisted two songs: a cover of Sheila E’s “This Glamorous Life”, and “Soles on Fire”, which has a soft electro melody over a subtle hip hop/funk beat. With lyrics like “Guccis on my feet, it’s about that time” and “I ran so far, my soles’ on fire”, Chauffeur does a great job of producing a solid track while tying in the brand. Gucci is giving away an exclusive 12″ vinyl of “Soles of Fire” with the purchase of Mark Ronson’s shoes.
Chauffeur has shown a lot of promise in their debut track, and we have a feeling this isn’t the last we’ve seen of their unique collaboration. As for Theophilus London, based on what we’ve heard in the past year, there’s no doubt in our minds that we have a lot to look forward to.
After the jump, check out a few photos of Theophilus London’s recent CMJ performances, and be sure to click here for a free download of “Humdrum Town” from Green Label Sound.
After a long wait – two years to be exact – Kid Sister (aka Melissa Young) has finally released her debut album. Originally titled Dream Date and set for a July 2008 release, Ultraviolet came out this week with beats and synths from Fool’s Gold Records founders A-Trak and Nick Catchdubs. With the help of XXXChange, Steve Angello, Sebastian Ingrosso, Rusko, Herve & Sniden, Yuksek and Spank Rock, Kid Sister creates flows with lexical quirks that makes Ultraviolet an enjoyable listen. The Chicago native joined the coveted club of female rappers in 2007 with her breakthrough billboard chart single “Pro Nails”, featuring Kanye West. Kid Sister got her start while touring with Flosstradamus (her younger brother, Josh Young makes up half of the duo), when she caught the attention of A-Trak, and the rest is nothing short of bumping erotic beats and warranted dancing.
The release of Ultraviolet makes it clear that Kid Sister has grown into a persona, taking the time to harness the interests that she garnered from her collaboration with Kanye West. Many artists take their brink and rush for the glory, but by allowing herself the time to mature, Kid Sister yielded a magnetic and fun album of polished dance tunes and charismatic lyrics.
Tonight (Wednesday, November 18), Fool’s Gold Records will celebrate the album’s release at Griffin with DJ sets by A-Trak, Nick Catchdubs, DRek Martinez and others (click here to RSVP). You can also catch her live with Flosstradamus at Webster Hall on November 27th.
This Saturday our friends at Trouble & Bass bring us a huge treat with Bristol’s own grime kid Joker. This young talent has remixed the likes of Roni Size, Simian Mobile Disco and Lil’ Boots while his dub plates get smashed by DJs including Skream, Rustie, Harmonic 313 and Plastician. Dubbed “the soundtrack to a pimp on an interstellar journey”, we at HiFi want you to bethatpimp. Click through to find out how you can score a pair of tickets and have a listen to one of his mixes…
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