Following the success of “Humdrum Town”, Theophilus London and Green Label Sound have teamed up once again to release “Flying Overseas”, the first official single from the I Want You mixtape. The song (my personal favorite from the mixtape) has been revamped to add Solange Knowles on the hook, as well as a brand-new bridge section, sung by London. “Flying Overseas” also features Dev Hynes.
Listen and download below…
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.
This week, Theophilus London has been shooting the music video for “Humdrum Town”, his first single on Green Label Sound, released last month. The video won’t be out for a couple of weeks, but in the meantime, you can watch a live performance of the track from the Hype Machine/Babelgum CMJ Showcase this past October:
Theophilus London – “Humdrum Town”
Click here for a free download of “Humdrum Town” from Green Label Sound, and check out his CMJ performance of “Ultraviolet” after the jump.
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.
Creating our CMJ schedule has been no easy task. With over 1000 artists performing in NYC over the next four days, the official schedule of events is enough to make your head spin. Throw in the daily seminars and you’ve got your work cut out for you. Our top picks? The xx is performing at Mercury Lounge on Wednesday and is giving a free show at The Apple Store on Thursday. The Green Owl CMJ Showcase at Le Poisson Rouge on Wednesday also promises to be a great event, with performances by Theophilus London and The Very Best, among others. On Thursday, legendary DJs and hip-hop acts will unite at B.B. King’s to pay tribute to the late Grandmaster Roc Raida, with performances by X-Ecutioners, The Beat Junkies, DJ Craze, A-Trak, Z-Trip, and more. You can view all of the official events and create your own CMJ schedule by clicking here.
And it doesn’t stop there. In addition to the thousands of official events, we have our eyes on several unofficial events that are happening this week. Fool’s Gold Records will celebrate its two-year anniversary with events at 88 Palace on Wednesday and N8 on Thursday. Friday will keep us busy with three great events, all in Brooklyn. The Green Label Sound Bowl Party at the Brooklyn Bowl features live performances by Chromeo, Theophilus London, Amazing Baby and Solid Gold, with a DJ set by Holy Ghost. PopGun Booking is hosting their event at Glasslands, featuring a live performance by Francis and the Lights. The Trouble & Bass Crew rounds out the trifecta with an event at Cameo.
So there you have it. Are you ready for the week ahead? Check out some of the fliers for the unofficial events after the jump, and be sure to check in daily for our coverage of the CMJ Music Marathon.
