Fabric Live: Diplo

I stumbled upon Diplo's Fabric live set at a friend's house the other night and as I've been informed this set put Diplo on the map way back when. If you don't know already, Fabric is a club in London famous for its legendary shows and limited releases of the sets played there. These are some track's from Diplo's Fabric Live 24 set, enjoy.


Diplo - Cybotron - Clear (zshare)


Diplo - Outkast - B.O.B. (zshare)


Diplo - Debbie Deb - When I Hear Music (zshare)

Cut Copy & Mobius Band @ Cabaret Just for Laughs May 10th, 08

With or without Black Kids, I knew that Cut Copy and Mobius Band would be a great show. What I wasn't counting on was Mobius Band being as good as they were. They're live show was unlike anything I've ever seen before; it struck me as definitively original and inventive. Watch out for these kids in the future, they are very worth seeing live. Cut Copy was great too, but my expectations were already high so I wasn't surprised or disappointed. I took some pictures, check them out.

Local man becomes overwhelmingly Gonzpired

I was lucky enough to sit down for an interview with the man himself, Jason Beck aka Chilly Gonzales aka The one eye'd Jew. The interview was for a feature which will appear in the July/August issue of Snap! Magazine. Right from the soundcheck, to the interview, to the show itself, i knew was in for something else. The show was a seamless blend of power pop grandeur, classical solo's, comedy and rap. That's right i said seamless. The above video is one of his piano solo's in a video i took while i was there, sorry its so far away, i couldn't figure out the zoom on the camera until a few minutes later.

Cut Copy Brings Ghost Colors to Montreal

Let's take a moment and be glad that a dingo in fact did not eat any members of Cut Copy, when they were babies. Seinfeld references aside, these synth rockers from down under have been around for quite some time, and the new album In Ghost Colours proves why. Each track has its own distinct but familiar feel and their upcoming show this Saturday with Mobius Band is obviously worth checking out. Much controversy over Jacksonville's Black Kids dropping out of the bill, which was disappointing but I got over it...you should too.


Cut Copy - Lights and Music (mp3)




Cut Copy - Hearts on Fire (mp3)

Gonzpiration hits the City

You may remember my two cents on Gonzales back in march. Now for substantially more than two cents, (around 20$) you can see the man himself at Le National on Thursday.



The self proclaimed "President of the Berlin Underground" will be playing in support of his new album, entitled Soft Power. You've heard the Boys Noize remix, you've heard the Daft Punk cover, now hear some of my favorite tracks from the album.


Gonzales - Let's Ride (mp3)




Gonzales - Slow Down (mp3)

Bon Iver makes quirk cool again

Remember when being weird was cool? Remember what the stranger and more off key vocals could get, the better? remember Alice in Chains? Well i do. I also remember when that trend was taken too far and it wasn't even about the music anymore. Keeping in theme with my last post about Fuck Buttons. Bon Iver has convinced me that quirky is cool once again.

Bon Iver - Skinny love (mp3)




Bon Iver - The Wolves [Part i and ii] (mp3)



Bon Iver - Creature Fear (mp3)

Fuck Buttons

The Buttons

At some point in everyone's life, however temporarily, you just can't listen to anymore fucking dance music. This occurred collectively after the mid to late 90's rush of dance hits whose demise was signaled by the wide acceptance of films like "A night at the Roxbury" as a mainstream hit.

There was just so many times the public could hear "What is love?" before all the "Baby don't hurt me"'s in the world couldn't stifle the average citizen's urge to indeed hurt him, and in away that incapacitates his ability to make infectious bad dance music.

We may just be approaching such a collective awakening ourselves, and the UK's Fuck Buttons may just be on to something.

Here they are at SXSW performing Sweet Love For Planet Earth.



Officially recorded as an "experimental noise" group, Fuck Buttons are gaining perhaps surprising popularity internationally and are touring in support of their album Street Horrrsing. I can't help but wonder what Fuck Buttons show is like, given most of the music has a slow, listen at home alone kind of feel. Give it a listen. Broaden those fucking horizon's.


Fuck Buttons - Sweet Love For Planet Earth (mp3)



Fuck Buttons - Bright Tomorrow (mp3)

Monday Re-up #6

Can you keep a secret? Yes? Good. I can't. But somebody kept Le Matos a secret from me until recently. They're a group of three guys, who might even be cousins, and are based in Montreal. I'm guessing they're new because I've never fucking heard of them, never seen them on bill for a show, on a poster or a blog. They have a facebook artist page though so i KNOW its legit. They do a tight Omnikrom remix of Prend une photo avec moi and even have some pretty fly instrumentals. Now before i run out of late 90's french prince of bel air inspired adjectives like tight and fly, let met just stop and let the music speak for itself.




Le Matos - Like Perfume on a Pig (mp3)



Omnikrom - Prend une photo avec moi [Le Matos remix] (mp3)

Plimsouls promise salvation, or just great instrumentals

If the salvation of our collective souls was based on the relative availability of catchy and inventive instrumental electronic music, then Plimsouls would be responsible for a lot of soul saving.

These British House Djs sealed the deal for me by remixing fellow Brit Get Cape Wear Cape Fly and well at that. Remixing an acoustic artist well is no small feat and save Van She Technologic's epic Feist Remix of 1 2 3 4, most DJs tend to stay away from that territory. Check it out.


Plimsouls - Contact (mp3)



Plimsouls - Plimsouls Theme (mp3)



Get Cape Wear Cape Fly - Find the Time [Plimsouls Remix] (mp3)

Crystal Castles @ Studio Just for Laughs this Thursday

The first time I saw Toronto's Crystal Castles was this New Years with Guns N Bombs at the SAT. As impaired as my judgement may have been, I recall them being great, the girl who does vocals got really into the performance and ripped off some of her clothes. Not in a attention seeking Uffie kind of way, there was no nipple in sight, the way it should be done, the Crystal Castles way.



This Thursday they hit Studio Just for Laughs with LA's Health, who in a way are responsible for the popularization of Crystal Castles, with their hit remix Crimewave. The Castles dropped some new tracks a few weeks ago, here are some originals to check out.



Crystal Castles - Magic Spells (mp3)




Crystal Castles - Courtship Date (mp3)

Monday Re-up #5 MSTRKRFT edition

MSTRKRFT and Boys Noize on Saturday night banged Metropolis for all it was worth and it showed. When I walked out of the show and headed toward St Lo a handful of riot police equipped with shields and batons were blocking the street. Apparently some kind of reggaeton show at Club Soda sold out and people got violent trying to get in. That's true dedication, I wonder if that would ever happen at an electro show.

Now these incidents are not necessarily related but anyone who attended the show will agree that both a riot shield and baton would have come in handy on the floor. Way too many people, but expected. Altogether a great show, we shot some footage there and threw it up on youtube. Enjoy.

Your Song is Good

A few years ago I walked into an HMV in Tokyo, convinced that i was going to walk out with some legitimately Japanese music. After twenty minutes of rifling through pseudo japanese western imitations, I came across a small rack of cds and vinyl in the back underneath a sign with Japanese characters that must have read something along the lines of Indie Japan. Just what I was looking for. I knew not much critical analysis was going to go into any of this since I had no idea what any of the bands were called or what genre they might be save what the album art may suggest, so I picked based on that.



What I walked out with was Your Song is Good, a Japanese ska band that didn't disappoint me in any way shape or form. Most of their tunes were instrumental with some shouting in basic english or Japanese. I've long been convinced that ska is a dead genre - and it really still is - but these guys are so unabashed about being a Japanese ska-jazz-fusion band that you can't help enjoy it.




They even did a cover of the little mermaid song that got put on Disney cover CD called Mosh Pit on Disney. Check out the video for the song Good - Bye Bye. I think the only lyrics in the whole song is the word Good-bye.



Here are some of the stand out tracks off the Album i bought, if you like it, try and catch a show or buy a disc.

Your Song is Good - "2,4,6,6,1,64" Number (m4a)




Your Song is Good - Good Lookin' (m4a)




Your Song is Good - Locomotion (m4a)

Monday Re-up #4

This week i'm going to behold upon the internet the lost art of the DJ mix set. We've got two gems of internet booty for you in Treasure Fingers mix 40 minutes in the Champagne Room and 30 minutes of the the Twelves.





Fools Gold Atlanta DJ Treasure Fingers kills this mix, its probably the first 40 minute set that I've actually listened to in entirety, so free up some hard drive space and right click this bad boy.

Treasure Fingers - 40 minutes in the Champagne Room (mp3)







Brazilian duo The Twelves are enjoying the fame of the internets over their highly bloggable Black Kid's remix I'm not gonna teach your boyfriend how to dance with you. Their set proves they aren't just a one trick pony and are definitely worth checking out if they stop by your hometown.


The Twelves - 30 Mins of the Twelves (mp3)

March Fucking Madness

www.nhrb.co.uk


This upcoming week is going to leave you, me, her, him and them, universally all fucked up. In a good way. That is, in the span of seven days your feet, eyes and ears will be taken advantage of by five huge dance behemoths. The assault will be opened by parisian electro juggernauts Justice on Sunday at Cepsum, followed by a Justice afterparty at Coda Club with Busy P and So-Me - the Ed Banger visual artist - which looks like it might bring about a line to get in to rival the Steve Aoki / Uffie blowout of early 08' fame. So get there early or you might cry frozen hipster tears.




After Justice bangs you harder, better, faster and stronger than your boyfriend or girlfriend ever could, you get monday to wednesday to recover, but only to prepare you for Chromeo at Le National on Thursday, Digitalism at Club Soda on monday, and MSTRKRFT and Boys Noize at Metropolis on Saturday. What the fuck. Shit will get real serious.




So drink your vitamin water, take extra naps, aggregate prescription drugs and stock up on bulk units of alcohol, because along with St Pattys day, sobriety will become a rarity among Montreal banger kids.

Justice - DVNO [Surkin Remix] (mp3)



Chromeo - Tenderoni [MSTRKRFT Remix] (mp3)



Digitalism - Pogo [Shinichi Osawa Remix] (mp3)



Boys Noize - & down [Siriusmo vs Boys Noize Remix] (mp3)

Twelves remix Black Kids and LA Riots are ready for the floor

Brazil is more than just an Arcade Fire song. It's also home to CSS of ipod fame and the reason for today's post, The Twelves. A few weeks ago we posted some tracks by Jacksonville's Black Kids and just recently The Twelves have dropped a remix of the hit song from the Black Kid's EP Wizard of Ahhhs I'm not gonna teach your boyfriend how to dance with you. check it.



Black Kids - I'm Not Gonna Teach Your Boyfriend How To Dance With You [The Twelves Remix] (mp3)



In addition LA Riots and Villians have teamed up to produce a Ready for the Floor remix actually worth blogging about. This Hot Chip track has already been remixed to death but trust me when i say this one is worth checking out.

Hot Chip - Ready for the Floor [LA Riots & Villains remix] (mp3)

Monday Re-up #3

REMIX ALBUMS REMIX ALBUMS REMIX ALBUMS. yes i'm talking Boys Noize, I'm talking Oi Oi Oi remixed which is dropping march 25 and will without a doubt be as hot as the album itself. The last remix vinyl i bought was Bloc Party's Silent Alarm remixed and since then the practice has become pretty popular. Reason to be even more anticipatory of the album is that on the album will be a remix of Oh! by Montreal's A-Trak. And if that's still not enough, we have that very remix here for you to enjoy at your leisure.

Boys Noize - Oh! [A-trak remix] (mp3)




Dj Topcat - Time to listen [Talib Kweli vs MGMT] (mp3)



Fiest - Well it's Time [Feat. Kanye West] (mp3)

Omnikrom this Saturday

Not much can be said about Montreal’s very own Omnikrom that wouldn’t be better articulated by the first few lines of their hit song “Danse la poutine”. Any electro group with the intrepidity to make a song purely about cooking poutine and pull it off deserves every shred of Montreal street cred coming their way. Omnikrom has built an entire career on mixing dance beats with their own unique brand of unabashed French Canadian rap lyrics and are showing no signs of letting up.

Settled on Montreal record label Saboteur along with their partners in dance floor crime Numero, Omnikrom consists of MC’s Jeanbart & Linso Gabbo and DJ Figure8. There is definite sense that they have carved themselves out a distinct community; through their shows which they tend to share mostly French DJs, through Off the Hook who sells Omnikrom T shirts and tickets for their shows and through a healthy overseas relationship with Djs from France.

Their February 23 show with Teki Latex at Le National sold out so quickly that they have scheduled a follow up show this Friday March 8th with Cuizinier and DJ Orgasmic of France. Tickets are 15$ and can be bought at Off the Hook (Saint Catherine & Peel) or admission.

Following their second Montreal date, Omnikrom continues to show a commitment to their home province hitting smaller towns in Quebec where I imagine touring electro acts are normally few and far between. They’re even playing a high school in L’Assomption at the end of May. I think I went to high school in the wrong province. Whether you’re anglo, franco or any other phone, I recommend you give Omnikrom and their European counterparts the chance to, regardless of your stance on bill 101, have you dance all night long to fried food recipes.

Gonzales and Boys Noise, "Working Together"

The only thing cooler than a french canadian concert pianist, is one who covers Daft Punk, gets remixed by Boys Noize and collaborates with Teki Latex. Self described bohemian oppertunist Gonzales is one such concert pianist, who amuses me with his oddball photo's as much as he impresses me with his collaborative creativity.

In an interview with Palms Out, Gonzales dropped this little gem,

"Canada has no culture beyond bearded indie-rock so I left."

I can't help but know what Gonzales means by this, but still I won't defend it in the interest of avoiding a tiresome and mostly pointless debate. Did I mention he remixed some Feist tracks awhile back? No? He did. He's been all over the place lately drumming up some attention for his upcoming album Soft Power and will be touring extensively in support of it. If you'd like to prove to Gonzales himself that here is room in Canadian culture beyond bearded indie-rock, show up to his May 8th show at Le National and tell him yourself.


Gonzales - Too Long [Daft Punk Cover] (mp3)



Gonzales - Working Together [Boys Noize Remix] (mp3)



Gonzales - Slow Down Remix Ft. Teki Latex (mp3)

Monday Re-up #2

As hectic as this week was, as we know all to well, remixes seldom - if never - sleep. This week i discovered a parisian electro group who remixed an upbeat disco song featuring the chorus chants of small children.  

Allow me to duck any cries of disbelief you may currently be thinking of uttering / have uttered and tell you I'm not talking about Justice or D.A.N.C.E. (hard to believe?)

But i lead you to believe that i was.

See how i did that?

Yea.

You might respond with: So what? tell us who the fuck you are talking about already.

I'm talking about Breakbot.

asshole.

More specifically, I was talking about Breakbot's remix of PNAU's track Baby.  It's fucking easy listening, anybody can do it, teaming with naivety and i love it. check it out:

PNAU - Baby [Breakbot Remix] (mp3)



Next and in keeping with the more laid back mood, i've got a track from the now ubiquitous Hot Chip.



This track shows that these brits aren't always quite "ready for the floor" and sometimes -like all of us - they just like to bitch about things and be nostalgic.

I can't help but wonder if the lyrics are about some kind of family gathering gone wrong with lines like,

"All the people that i love are here
All the people i love are drunk"


Hot Chip - Crap Kraft Dinner (mp3)




So you might by now be thinking, these pansy ass Heart Attack bitches have gone soft, i want a song i can down a 40 and cause mischief too, none of this babysittin-cooning bullshit.




Hold the shiticane, Treasure Fingers (incidentaly playing our launch party april 10th) has come to your rescue with this epic banger.
This Atlantanite, upon the condition that "you aint got no money", would like to urge you to "take your broke ass home". Frivolity can only result from this Fergie fingering track.

Fergie - Glamorous [Treasure Fingers remix] (mp3)

We Take Names

We were all figuratively on crack this week, setting up a regime of Facebook friend adding and group creating that could make Raoul Castro blush.  First and foremost we are finishing details on throwing a blog launch party to commemorate our entrance into - ideally - public life.  More details, posters and a facebook event will soon follow, but for now here is what you have to look forward to:

Thursday April 10th

Treasure Fingers (Atlanta Fool's Gold)

Kill the Noise (NYC)

+ local guests TBA

@ Coda Club

Yours truly will be there, undoubtedly hella crunk, but not so hella crunk that you should fear approaching either one of us and saying hello.  So feel free.

Make us happy campers right now by doing the following;

Join the facebook group:

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=10973796843

Add us as a friend:

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1137237430

Stay tuned.