Fresh off the “All Hearts” tour with Robyn and Kelis, Dan Black is stepping out on his own with a headlining engagement at Bowery Ballroom on September 9. The British singer-songwriter has been on a bit of a hot streak lately – his new single, “Alone”, will be released this week with a remix by MJ Cole, and his video for “Symphonies” has been nominated for two MTV Video Music Awards.
CLICK HERE to buy tickets for his show on September 9th, and in preparation for what is sure to be a fantastic show, check out his Weird Science mixtape HERE and his VMA-nominated video for “Symphonies” after the jump.
We have taken notice as major vocal artists flirt with dubstep. From Snoop Dogg, Britney Spears, Rihanna, to Wu-Tang, it seems everyone interacts with the genre differently. “Love Never Dies,” from Mr Hudson is one of the best infusions we have heard to date. We didn’t expect any less after learning that British dubstep impresario Caspa was behind the production.
The song is derived from an original Caspa track, “Back For The First Time“. While the song receives raves — already named by BBC Radio 1 as the ”Hottest Record in the World Today,” we wonder how it will take hold in the States, and whether there is a future collaboration in the works for the two artists. With the success of Skream’s remix of La Roux’s ”In for the Kill,” we expect a lot more mainstream artists to test the elements of this up-and-coming genre. Love Never Dies is available via iTunes today. Check out the video for the track after the jump.
The video for “I Am Europe”, the lead single fromChilly Gonzales’ highly-anticipated upcoming album, Ivory Tower, hit the interwebs yesterday, giving us an exciting glimpse of Gonzales’ collaboration with DJ/producer Boys Noize. The seemingly unlikely partnership has spawned a truly unique sound, blending Gonzales’ piano playing and trademark spoken word with a stripped-down version of Boys Noize’s electro beats.
Click through to watch the video, which not only has a fantastic concept, but also features a hilarious appearance by Tiga.
Trouble & Bass founder Drop the Lime has finally released the EP and video for “Sex Sax”, the first single off his upcoming album, set for an October release. The catchy beat, which is dominated by a saxophone (duh), is sure to ignite dance floors across the globe this summer. CLICK HERE to buy the EP from iTunes, which features the original track, along with remixes by Bart B More, MJ Cole, Sinden (previewed below), Zombies for Money and Blu Jemz. Then watch the hilarious music video, directed by T&B’s own Patrick “The Captain” Rood, starring Dirty South Joe and Kate Boyer. The video also features a ton of cameo appearances, including 77Klash, Telli Federline, Nick Catchdubs (our favorite), Dust La Rock and of course, the Trouble & Bass crew. Check it out after the jump…
Drop the Lime – “Sex Sax” (Sinden Remix)
Don’t miss Dance Right vs. Trouble & Bass this Friday at the Puma Social Club, where AC Slater, Star Eyes and The Captain will be joined by Them Jeans, resident DJ at Dim Mak Tuesedays at Cinespace in Los Angeles. The event is free with RSVP.
With the help of thirty musicians – yes you read that correctly, thirty(!!!) musicians – Mark Ronson’s upcoming album, Record Collection (due in September) will be a gathering of talents from around the globe that qualifies as a form of musical Superfriends. But, don’t be fooled, most of this album, which will feature Ronson’s vocal debut, is being recorded right here in New York City. It’s been three years since he released his last album, Versions, but we would hardly call this an absence - the producer has kept busy on numerous projects, including his band, Chauffeur, with Sam Sparro, Theophilus London, and the Dap Kings.
The first single off his third album, “Bang Bang Bang” features Q-Tip and MNDR (aka Amanda Warner), and was co-written with the Kaiser Chiefs’ drummer, Nick Hodgson. It is a witty play on the French nursery rhyme “Alouette” with a touch of pop. If the single and the 80’s Sci-Fi style video is any indication of the album to come (beyond the thirty artists involved) then it is one to look forward to. Among the Business INTL, Mark Ronson has enlisted Q-Tip, D’Angelo, Boy George, Simon Le Bon, Nick Rhodes, Alex Greenwald, Nick Hodgson, Ghostface, MNDR, Dap Kings, Spank Rock, Andrew Wyatt (of Miike Snow), Rose Eleanor Dougall, Wiley and MC Pill, among others. Where he finds the time between a new Amy Winehouse album and jockey duties at East Village Radio, we have no clue. Without a doubt, a release like this qualifies as a summer jam from the Grammy-winning producer. And while this taste won’t hold us over for long, it will have to do for now. Check out two tracks from the upcoming album below and click through for the new video.
Mark Ronson & The Business INTL – “Bang Bang Bang”
After a successful debut last month, http://meanredproductions.com/#mce_temp_url# is bringing the LA-based ‘Dance Right’ party back to the Big Apple. 88 Palace, the dim sum restaurant that has seen its share of legendary MeanRed outings, will once again host the event, an appropriate setting considering the LA incarnation is held at a Mexican restaurant.
New York’s own Holy Ghost! will grace the decks with their signature breed of disco house; Classixx and Punches! will also be spinning. Jessica 6, a trio comprised of former touring members of Hercules and Love Affair, will perform live.
Enter to win a pair of tickets by filling in all fields below. The deadline is Friday, June 11 at 3 PM. A winner will be chosen at random and notified that evening. There are also a limited number of $10 advance tickets available HERE. Good Luck!
If you missed last month’s event with DJs A-Trak, Diabetic and Pubes (yeah, we know), check out a video recap after the jump.
This week, Theophilus London debuted the first official music video from his latest effort, I Want You. The seductive video for the mixtape’s title track – London’s second – was directed by longtime pal VaShtie. The grainy black and white quality of the video, shot with a handheld camera at the Chelsea Hotel, has Theophilus London written all over it (look no further than the cover art of his three mixtapes for evidence). Va$htie cites French new wave cinema as inspiration; indeed, the atypical style of “I Want You” is a departure from London’s MTV-ready music video for “Humdrum Town”. A sexy through-the-legs shot evokes memories of Anne Bancroft and Dustin Hoffman in the 1967 classic tale of seduction, The Graduate.
Watch the music video for “I Want You” after the jump, and CLICK HERE for a free download of the mixtape.
This past Friday’s installment of GBH’s Girls & Boys party at Webster Hall featured JFK of MSTRKRFT, 12th Planet and St. Mandrew, along with Girls & Boys residents Alex English and Rekles. These jockeys came well prepared, playing to a packed house and owning the tracks they spun. Having covered many shows at Webster Hall, a venue with a rich history that has catered to artists like Bjork, Mick Jagger, Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett, Ray Charles, Harry Belafonte and even Elvis Presley, I always imagine moments of fervor in accordance to our electronic preferences and performances due to periodic tastes in terms of music, and JFK of MSTRKFT captured this essence.
When I think of MSTRKFT, I think of the Ontario duo who curated a platform that blends electro house, dance pop, electro punk and even rap with hard beats. In light of the famed and historical hallmark, Jesse F. Keeler (aka JFK) delivered behind the decks, with highlights that included crowd control as he weaved in and out of mixes like a maze. On guard behind the decks, his fingers never left the knobs. As if he were curing a constant itch, he caressed the decks with the right touch, and every seamless beat and transition that followed erupted out of the speakers like an explosion with rhythm. A madman behind the table, he was the cleric in charge of an audience that wanted to move and dance, and surely, there wasn’t a still body in the crowd. He played a heavy French house set, but added infusions among the mix that included MSTRKFT’s mixes of “Heartbreaker” featuring John Legend and “Bounce” featuring N.O.R.E.. Overall, the high-energy set involved tracks that heightened the dramatic sense of the space – to the glee of the audience. The result was a well cultivated set and session that served as a contemporary representation of the historical venue, and we were glad to catch this one.
With the help of video DJ team Eclectic Method, Outside Lands has announced their 2010 line-up. The annual festival, held in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park, will feature performances by Kings of Leon, The Strokes, Al Green, Gogol Bordello, Nas & Damian Marley, Bassnectar, Chromeo, Pretty Lights, Mayer Hawthorne & The Country and more. A few changes this year: the festival has been moved to the middle of the month, and reduced to two days from the usual three. Tickets go on sale tomorrow (June 2) and are $125 while supplies last (more info HERE). Be sure to check out the video announcement after the jump…
This summer, Chromeo will embark on a 23-stop tour in support of their upcoming album, Business Casual, slated for release on August 17. Mixed by longtime Chromeo collaborator Phillipe Zdar, their third studio album will carry on their trademark funky synth-pop jams with “sentimental-yet-electronic pop music”. The album’s ten tracks include “Night by Night”, which was released through Green Label Sound last fall.
The “Business Casual Tour”, presented by Green Label Sound, will also feature New York’s own Holy Ghost!, fresh off a four-night stint at Terminal 5 with LCD Soundsystem. The tour starts on July 26 in Washington DC and will hit NYC’s Bowery Ballroom on July 29 - tickets go on sale this Wednesday, May 26. Check out Chromeo’s video for “Night by Night” after the jump, then head to the Green Label Sound website for a free download of the song, along with remixes by Skream and Siriusmo.
