Koji – Most of Everything.mp3

Andrew Koji Shiraki, a dear friend of mine and a devoted artist/humanitarian extrodinare is in the home stretch of a monumental kickstarter campaign ending 12 Feb 2010. As you already know if you have just finished watching the above video, Koji, in conjunction with being a touring artist, also dedicates an extraordinary portion of his time to humanitarian efforts. This campaign directly enables his active participation and support of such efforts. ‘Kickstarting’ his project at varying degrees will also guarantee you some sweet exclusive memorabilia and pre-release recordings. One key point to stress: if the target amount is not reached by the deadline all of the donations will be returned and the project will not be funded. Check out the project page for full description and details. Fundrasing progress widget and tour dates after the jump.
clrmk.com – myspace – twitter –

Feb 11 : Millersville, PA @ Millersville University
Feb 12 : Newark, DE @ Mill Creek Unitarian *CD RELEASE SHOW*
Feb 13 : Lemoyne, PA @ The Champ w/ Kevin Devine *BDAY & CD RELEASE SHOW*
Feb 18 : Lock Haven, PA @ Avenue 209
Feb 19 : Altoona, PA @ The Eldolyn Terrace
Feb 25 : State College, PA @ The State Theatre
Feb 26 : Lynchburg, VA @ Liberty University

We enjoyed The Sound of Arrows’ 12″ so much that we are officially beginning musicaddiction’s inaugural free give away contest celebrating our two year anniversary. Since this is such a special occasion there will be two winners and two ways to enter.

Two Prizes: One of two beautiful, white 12″ vinyls from the magical Swedish pop duo The Sound of Arrows. In The Clouds is The Sound of Arrows international debut on Neon Golden Records; featuring breathtaking artwork, this limited release (250 copies US) is mind meltingly enjoyable. Check out our previous coverage for a listen.

Two ways to enter:

1. Follow (@musicaddiction) + Tweet

RT @musicaddiction: Win The Sound of Arrows – In The Clouds 12″ Vinyl. Two winners. Follow+RT to enter. http://bit.ly/789UjZ

2. Become a fan on Facebook : facebook.music-addiction.com

Win: On 24 February 2010, two entrants will be randomly selected and each will be notified via DirectMessage on twitter or facebook. Entries are limited to daily tweets and single fandome on facebook, otherwise multiple entries are encouraged. Void where prohibited, no purchase required, odds of winning may vary, good luck to all!
thesoundofarrows.com – mypace – hypem – amazon – neon gold

Monarchy – Gold In The Fire

Monarchy – Black The Colour Of My Heart

While the information about Monarchy is scarce, their production repertoire is not deficient. All known information is on their myspace, but all you really need is to listen to know that these guys are primed for greatness. Be on the lookout for a physical release on Neon Gold in February.

myspace – hypem – neon gold

Clock Opera – White_Noise.mp3

Clock Opera’s architect Guy Connelly describes his work as ‘Chop Pop’, highlighting the deconstruction of sounds and reassembling the micro samples and electronic blips into complex soundscapes. Regardless of taxonomy, his work wholly satisfies my palatable desire for strongly orchestrated, electronic infused pop. White Noise came out today and was found at Illegal Tender (+interview). Also keep your ears open for an impending Marina and the Diamonds remix by Clock Opera that Neon Gold Records has been teasing me with for almost a week now.
myspace – hypem – puregroove –

A here is another that I couldn’t not post:
Clock Opera – Once And For All.mp3

Club 8 – Jesus, walk with me (The Sound of Arrows remix).mp3

This remix is anything but new, but I felt it was noteworthy because of its deviance from the traditional ‘remix’. Nowadays remixing has become easier and more pervasive, however, the quality has suffered in a majority of the creations. This remix is a sublime example of reworking and rebuilding a piece to not only sound different, but also to create a new experience through reinterpretation; all while avoiding remix clichés.
club8.org – myspace – ma/club8 | soa.com – myspace – ma/soa

The Killers vs La Roux – Smile Like You’re Bulletproof.mp3
(offsite re-direct courtesy of DCMA)

La Roux – Bulletproof.mp3

So I am a couple months late on catching the La Roux fever, but this recent mash-up made it worth posting. Been stuck in my head all week.
laroux.co.uk – myspace – hypem – amazon

Metric – Help I’m Alive (80Kidz Remix).mp3

Flashback to this past spring, Metric released their first LP in four years and the remixes overflowed. This new remix, released in support of the Metric’s new acoustic EP, Plug In, Plug Out available today on amazon, also holds up well against the torrent of those preceding it. Help I’m Alive is probably one of my favorite songs this year. Also check the upcoming US tour info and Plug In, Plug Out listening widget after the jump.
ilovemetric.com – myspace – hypem – amazon –

10.28.09 – Burton Cummings Theatre – Winnipeg, MB
10.29.09 – The Odeon – Saskatoon, SK
10.30.09 – Big 4 (Stampede Park) – Calgary, AB
10.31.09 – Northern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium – Edmonton, AB
11.02.09 – Kelowna Community Theatre – Kelowna, BC
11.03.09 – Orpheum Theatre – Vancouver, BC
11.16.09 – Town Ballroom – Buffalo, NY
11.17.09 – Portland City Music Hall – Portland, ME
11.18.09 – Webster – Hartford, CT
11.19.09 – Lupo’s – Providence, RI
11.20.09 – House of Blues – Boston, MA
11.21.09 – Northern Lights – Clifton Park, NY
11.23.09 – Ram’s Head Live! – Baltimore, MD
11.24.09 – Mr. Small’s – Pittsburgh, PA
11.25.09 – Electric Factory – Philadelphia, PA
11.27.09 – Neighborhood Theatre – Charlotte, NC
11.28.09 – Center Stage – Atlanta, GA
11.29.09 – Republic – New Orleans, LA
11.30.09 – Warehouse Live – Houston, TX
12.01.09 – La Zona Rosa – Austin, TX
12.02.09 – Palladium Ballroom – Dallas, TX

• Weekend Mix #3.zip

More great music this week and another solid mix. Thanks are in order to Neon Gold, iso50, Hate Something Beautiful, gorilla vs bear, and ghostly for highlighting each track (respectively) this week. Tracks and mp3’s after the jump. Enjoy and have a great weekend.

Freelance Whales – Generator ^ Second Floor.mp3

Warpaint – Krimson.mp3

Florence and the Machine – You Got The Love (The XX Rmx).mp3

Ellie Goulding – Under The Sheets.mp3

Jesus Christ (The Indie Band) – Is This Really What You Want?.mp3

Syntaks – Sudden Dream.mp3

Last week The xx released a new remix of the song You’ve Got the Love, a cover by Florence + the Machine of a popular house track by The Source featuring Candi Staton.

As if that genealogy wasn’t complicated enough, Hate Something Beautiful, the blog that showcased the track, left out some of the back story. The original track was actually a mash-up of an semi-unreleased piece sung by Candi Staton for a documentary, combined with a house track collaboration between Mark “Hot Rod” Trollan, and DJ Frankie Knuckles, made popular by the ladder.

What Paul intended to inquire was if this was the “[b]est remix of a cover of a mash-up of a collaboration and a obscure vocal track ever?” but that doesn’t exactly roll off the tongue.

I find the metamorphosis of this simple song to be astounding, and hope to preserve the entire evolution here. Previously one would need a discerning ear to weed out the popular mistitled streams available on YouTube, as well as a detectives sleuth to sort out conflicting wikipedia articles. No more. I present to you, the evolution of You Got the Love.

Candi Staton – You’ve Got The Love (Original 1986 Version).mp3

Frankie Knuckles – Your Love.mp3

The Source feat Candi Staton – You Got the Love (1989 Bootleg).mp3

The Source feat Candi Staton – You Got the Love (Now Voyager Mix).mp3

Florence and the Machine – You’ve Got the Love.mp3

Florence and the Machine – You’ve Got the Love (The xx Rmx).mp3

some sources : youtube, youtube, youtube, discog, wikipedia, wikipedia

• Weekend Mix 2.zip

It’s been a busy week, but lots of great music. Thanks go out to MFR, Boppernation, and Neon Gold Beat Company for highlighting a few of the tracks. This mix is shorter but a little more focused. Tracklist and links are after the jump. Enjoy and have a great weekend.

Air – Heaven’s Light.mp3

Erik Hassle – Hurtful (Penguin Prison Rmx).mp3

Pop Levi – Dita Dimon (Cory Enemy Rmx).mp3

Tiesto (with Tegan and Sarah) – I Feel It in My Bones.mp3

The Twelves – The Twelfth Hour.mp3

Here is another great mix, this time from Brazilian remixing duo The Twelves. The mix aired this past Sunday night on BBC Radio 1 . The Twelves are slated to release an EP of original content this coming January, so get excited for that. Also, check after the jump for a listening widget of the broadcast.
myspace – hypem – more –

• Weekend Mix #1.zip

This is the first installment of a new entity here on musicaddiciton. I hope you like it. The mix is attached in zip form and individual files are linked after the jump. Have a great weekend.
01 Mile – Crysteena.mp3

02 Deastro – Frozen Sound #7.wav

03 Pretty Lights – Sunday School.mp3

04 Siriusmo – High Together.mp3

05 The Sound Of Arrows – Into The Clouds.mp3

06 Thom Yorke – The Hollow Earth.mp3

07 The xx – Vcr.mp3

08 AA Bondy – A Slow Parade.mp3

09 Sufjan Stevens – Movement I In The Countenance Of Kings.mp3

Ceci G – Help Myself.mp3

Ceci G – Weather Tether.mp3

Another great new artist to share. Ceci G creates refreshingly sublime electro-pop with just the right combo of fun hooks and intriguing lyrics. To put it simply: it just makes your ears melt. Her first EP, The Sleep EP, is available from itunes and amazon as of Sept 12. Looking forward to great things from her in the future. PMA and music+love get props for the original digs.
iamcecig – myspace – facebook – itunes – amazon

Pretty Lights – Sunday School.mp3

I have just been introduced to Pretty Lights and am currently enjoying their entire discography which is available for download at their site. Sunday School is the recently released promotional track off of their next album, Passing By Behind Behind Your Eyes, which will available (also for free) on October 6th. Be sure to check the tour dates after the jump for a show near you (45 cities).
prettylightsmusic.com – myspace – facebook – twitter –
08.09.09 – The National – Richmond, VA **SOLD OUT**
09.02.09 – Lyric Theatre – Oxford, MS **SOLD OUT**
09.03.09 – The Sky Bar – Auburn, AL **SOLD OUT**
09.04.09 – Athens Arena – Bogart, GA **SOLD OUT**
09.05.09 – Belly Up – Aspen, CO **SOLD OUT**
09.12.09 – Trinumeral Festival – Horseshoe, NC
09.18.09 – Symbiosis Gathering – Groveland, CA
09.21.09 – Bama Theatre – Tuscaloosa, AL
09.23.09 – Rhythm & Brews – Chattanooga, TN
09.24.09 – Amos’ Southland – Charlotte, NC
09.26.09 – Diesel – Wilmington, NC
10.01.09 – Fox Theatre Boulder – Boulder, CO
10.02.09 – Aggie Theatre – Ft. Collins, CO
10.03.09 – Ogden Theatre – Denver, CO
10.12.09 – Belly Up Tavern – Solana Beach, CA
10.14.09 – Key Club – West Hollywood, CA
10.15.09 – The Independent – San Francisco, CA
10.16.09 – Nocturnum – Eureka, CA
10.17.09 – Nectar Lounge – Seattle, WA
10.18.09 – Crystal Ballroom – Portland, OR
10.21.09 – The Varsity Theater – Minneapolis, MN
10.22.09 – Miramar Theatre – Milwaukee, WI
10.23.09 – Park West – Chicago, IL
10.24.09 – Majestic Theatre – Madison, WI
10.25.09 – Bluebird Nightclub – Bloomington, IN
10.27.09 – Headliners Music Hall – Louisville, KY
10.28.09 – Exit/In – Nashville, TN
10.29.09 – The Valarium – Knoxvile, TN
10.30.09 – The Orange Peel – Asheville, NC
10.31.09 – Ann Street Shed – Charleston, SC
11.03.09 – Crowbar – Tampa, FL
11.04.09 – Vagabond – Miami, FL
11.05.09 – Engine Room – Tallahassee, FL
11.07.09 – House of Blues – New Orleans, LA
11.10.09 – Granada Theater – Dallas, TX
11.11.09 – La Zona Rosa – Austin, TX
11.12.09 – George’s Majestic Lounge – Fayetteville, AR
11.13.09 – Newby’s – Memphis, TN
11.14.09 – The Masquerade – Atlanta, GA
11.17.09 – Cat’s Cradle – Carrboro, NC
11.18.09 – 9:30 Club – Washington D.C.
11.19.09 – Fillmore NY @ Irving Plaza – New York, NY
11.20.09 – The Note – West Chester, PA
11.21.09 – Paradise Rock Club – Boston, MA
01.03.09 – Jam Cruise 8 – Fort Lauderdale, FL

Islands – Heartbeat.mp3

Islands‘ third full length album, Vapours, is due out one week from today and an album preview is available (via widget after the jump). I am still digesting this latest installment of the post-Unicorns eccentric indie-pop troup (including the re-absorbed Jamie Thompson) but so far I am liking what I hear. So far they have earned some bonus points for using vocoder/autotune in the Heartbeat track (acoustic version video here).
islandsareforever.com – myspace – hypem – amazon – itunes –
This is kinda hacked into here so if it stops working let me know…

Sound of Arrows – In the Clouds.mp3

Sound of Arrows – M.A.G.I.C..mp3

Some super catchy and full-sounding synth pop from Sweden. The Sound of Arrows released their first 12″ vinyl In the Clouds on Neon Gold last Tuesday. These tracks are a great anthem for the last sunny/warm days of summer.
thesoundofarrows.com – mypace – hypem – amazon – neon gold

The XX – Crystalised.mp3

The XX – Shelter.mp3

Finally! I awake from my hibernation. My lurking. I thought it would never end. Nothing would stir my apathetic summer lull. Everything was meh. I was losing faith. That all changed today. Today I heard The XX.

This first album from The XX, a quartet of nineteen year olds from southwest London, is the best album I have heard this summer by far. With minimalism, not for minimalism’s sake; rather the precise exercise of simplicity and restraint hyper-intensifies the articulately hand-crafted electro/pop hooks. At the same time, droning, noodling, complementing guitars drive throughout; the kind you may remember from Interpol, but without the lo-fi annoyances. Every note, lyric, and bass blip filling the soundscape is crisp and hauntingly sublime.

As new tools have ushered in a swath of opportunities for copypasta artists, it is surprisingly refreshing to finally hear something this original and creative. John Doran writes for TheQuietus.com “[The XX] have achieved that most noble of things for a band. They sound like themselves and prove that even though all the sounds have been synthesized and manufactured, creatively the game is still wide open for the taking.” (great article btw). If you listen to one new album this summer make it The XX’s psudo-self-titled album XX.
thexx.info – myspace – hypem – amazon – itunes – rough trade

Cherry Tree Parade – Perfectly Polyphonic

Cherry Tree Parade – Pity Party for Penny.mp3

With strong indie-pop hooks, fluidly deep transitions, and duct tape strength stick-in-your-head lyrics Cherry Tree Parade has begun an undoubtably auspicious venture. The acclaim is flowing full force from their newly acquired home town of Kansas City were they have been heralded as the ‘new local band to see‘. With lyrics like Perfectly Polyphonic’s opening, “And I’m a quintessential man by design, perfectly apathetic” I was intrigued; when the dance-infused riffs ensued, I was hooked. Cherry Tree Parade’s self released, self titled EP is streamable on their myspace page and will be available for online purchase soon. For a more about the guys in the band and the ideas behind the EP check this interview.
myspace – twitter – hypem – elbo.ws

Carina Round – Backseat

Carina Round – Backseat (Flash In The Pan Remix).mp3

Carina Round’s self-released EP Things You Should Know is due out May 12th (digital download for $5). I am a little partial to the original version of the first video/single Backseat, it builds well and has a great finish. Check out the video after the jump.
carinaround.com – myspace – hypem – amazon

Is it just me or does the first half of the song sound like its about dollhouse? The lyric ‘imprint’ made me think of it. Just a completely random thought.

Polychromatic! – Good Enough.mp3

Polychromatic! – Diamonds Are For Never And For Always.mp3

I Guess I’m Floating gets the first discovery / contact on this one. I shared it and eventually went on a quest to find the other tracks noted in the comments. Low and behold Last.fm was the hookup with 3 full downloads. The info is scarce on Polychromatic! but the positive acclaim is well deserved. Who could disagree, easily accessible electronic trip-pop is always welcome here. Polychromatic’s first full length project Dreams has an anticipated 2009 release.
myspace – hypem – last.fm

Metric – Help I’m Alive (The Twelves Remix).mp3

I always enjoy The Twelves’s remixes and I’ve been excited for Metric’s Fantasies (out today). It was a pleasant suprise to see this in my inbox.
Update : New Help I’m Alive video after the jump or here.
ilovemetric.com – metric myspace – the twelves myspace – hypem – amazon

Deastro – Parallelogram.mp3

Deastro – The Shaded Forests.mp3

Deastro – Michale, The Lone Archer of the North Shore.mp3

Daestro’s unique synth-soaked electronic pop caught me off guard when I first listened to “Parallelogram” and subsequently tore through all other available tracks on hypem. I had heard “Light Powered” back when Ghostly Swim came out last year and I was reasonably impressed, but this new material blew me away. Crank the volume and blow your mind. Moondagger is Daestro’s second full length and first full-band debut due out June 23rd.
ghostly.com/daestro – myspace – hypem – amazon

Heidi Happy – Home.mp3

Hailing from Switzerland, Heidi Happy’s simple melodies are heartfelt and elegant. Throughout the album, vocal harmonies and sweeping strings mesh in a melting timbre of bliss. Her sophomore album Flowers, Birds and Home is definitely worth a listen.
heidihappy.ch – myspace – hypem – amazon

Alexi Murdoch – All My Days.mp3

The Blow – True Affection.mp3

Amanda Palmer – Ampersand.mp3

Three pseudo-random songs for you to enjoy as spring begins.
aleximurdoch.com – myspace.com/theblowus – amandapalmer.net

Metric – Gimme Sympathy.mp3

Lots of links in this post, but its all compensatory. I actually want to post “Gimme Sympathy”. But I haven’t applied my reverse engineering skills to the below widget. Sorry Top Spin, it was too easy…

Metric’s forthcoming full length Fantasies is set to be released April 14th. Tracks released so far (promo and pre-order) include Help I’m Alive and Gimme Sympathy. Judging by these two and their corresponding acoustic versions, the album looks like it will be extraordinary. I haven’t been this excited about such a straight forward, driving song like Gimmie Sympathy for a while. Check after the jump for videos and the widget.
ilovemetric.com – myspace – hypem – amazon – itunes

Gimme Sympathy Video @ Coachella

(sorry I can figure out where the mp3 is in the widget, but I can’t figure out how to turn of auto-play)

01. Azeda Booth – Fiji Inn Hearts.mp3

02. Azeda Booth – Neonate.mp3

03. Azeda Booth – Samoan Girls.mp3

04. Azeda Booth – Squall.mp3

08. Azeda Booth – Big Fists (secret mommy mix).mp3

Download for free : Tubtrek EP : Official post
Azeda Booth released four new songs and four new remixes today as a free EP to download and share. Tubtrek’s new tracks are a fresh continuation of the distinct niche they have carved out for themselves. Both “Samoan Girls” and “Squall” are exquisite examples of pure ambient pop bliss. Also “Well (refilled and set in sand)” is an awesome remix. My night has officially been booked solid. Enjoy! I know I will.
azedabooth.com – myspace – hypem – amazon – itunes

235 songs and counting… What songs would you add? Post them in the forum or in the comments here and I will relay them. Make sure to pull up the sheet and Ctl+F to see if your song has already snatched.

elbo.ws thread – google spreadsheet

Lady Sovereign – So Human.mp3

Out today, “So Human” is the latest single from Lady Sovereign’s forthcoming album, Jigsaw, due April 7th. Gotta love the refreshed Cure melody. Queue the remixes…
ladysovereign.com – myspace – hypem – amazon – itunes

Andrew Bird – Anonanimal.mp3

Andrew Bird and Loney Dear performing live at the 9:30 club TONIGHT!
Webcast by NPR begins 8 p.m. eastern time, see you in the chat room!
Update: The show was amazing, check the same link to listen to the broadcast. Set list after the jump.
Loney, Dear Photos – Andrew Bird Photos

Approximate Set List:
Instrumental from Soldier On EP
Water Jet Clichè
Masterswarm
Oh No
Effegy
Natural Disaster
Tenuousness
Nomenclature
Not A Robot
The Confession
Plasticities
Anonanimal
Fitz and the Dizzy Spells
Imitosis
Souverian
Mr. Stringz
Fake Palindromes
Encore One : Why?
Encore Two : Tables and Chairs

Anni Rossi – Ecology.mp3

Anni Rossi – Machine.mp3

Anni Rossi – Creep.mp3

Anni Rossi is a classically trained violist who plays her viola like it actually has four strings. Her songs are filled with chords and arpeggios that bring a full sound to her unique vocals. Its sad to lump artists together but Anni Rossli fits right in with Final Fantasy and Joanna Newsom. I would have to say that we have a serious niche genre starting and I am liking it. Read more about Rockwell, Rossi’s first full length release due out March 9th, here.
Also, two videos after the jump.
4ad.com/anni-rossi – myspace – hypem – amazon – itunes

anni rossi – wheelpusher (live)

anni rossi – creep (live)

*amazon referral links don’t pass validation because of ‘&’ symbols.

Birdlips – Some Kind of Death.mp3

Birdlips – Blades of Grass.mp3

Another LP that has been getting a bunch of spins, Birdlips’ Cardboard Wings is a strong collection of unique acoustic-folk out of Virgina. Some Kind Of Death reminds me of high school for some reason.
birdlipsmusic.com – myspace – hypem – amazon – itunes

Meaghan Smith – If You Asked Me.mp3

Meaghan Smith – 5 More Minutes.mp3

Meaghan Smith – Such Great Heights.mp3

The Cricket Quartet is Meaghan Smith’s first big label release as an EP / DVD double disc. Each track is mirrored by a music video showcasing Meaghan singing amongst cute animated characters and mops that come to life. Its not all fun and games though, the songs are catchy and sentimental, making me only want more. I really enjoyed the tracks and look forward to hearing more from her in the future. Also, while I was researching I came across an exceptional cover of Death Cab for Cutie’s Such Great Heights. I am working on getting a better version (higher bitrate and some more info about the recording) as I type. The video I found it on is after the jump.
meaghansmith.com – myspace – hypem – amazon – itunes

Azeda Booth – Ran.mp3

Azeda Booth – Lobseter Quadrille.mp3

Azeda Booth – Big Fists.mp3

Descriptions of Azeda Booth’s In Flesh Tones name drops like a laundry list of awesome, but most accurate is its correlation to an albums worth of Broken Social Scenes’ “Anthems for a Seventeen Year Old Girl”. Considering that Anthems was my absolute favorite BSS song, I was intrigued instantly. This past week I dove head first into In Flesh Tones, listening to it over and over. Its tracks are simple, complex, sweet, and raw simultaneously. My only disappointment is that it took me this long to hear about them. Enjoy these three tracks that I found especially extraordinary.
azedabooth.com – myspace – hypem – amazon – itunes

Mirah – Gone Are The Days.mp3

Mirah – Recommendation.mp3

After four years off the radar Mirah is set to release her fourth full length. I cannot express how excited I am to get this album. It is hard to believe that it has been four years since I discovered Mirah and bought Advisory Committee and C’mon Miricle. I am going back and listening to them many times over in preparation. I scraped this mp3 off stereogum and will be watching Mirah’s hypem page vigilantly for anything new. Look for a full review in early March. Read more about the (A)Spera at K records.
Also, Mirah is playing in Denver: Mar 23, 2009 – Hi-Dive – w/ Tender Forever
krecs.com/mirah – myspace – hypem – amazon – itunes

Daft Punk – Digital Love.mp3

Kids In Technicolour – Coldplay vs MGMT vs Daft Punk – Knights.mp3

Super addicted to this song. I, shamefully, was not a Daft Punk fan previously. But I have seen the light. I was turned on to this track particularly by the Kids in Technicolor track which is worth a listen. Also, does anyone know who Knights is/are? I spent a few hours trying to track them down but found nothing.
daftpunk.com – myspace – hypem – amazon – itunes

West Indian Girl – All My Friends (Jason Bentley Remix).mp3

West Indian Girl – Back To You (Republic Tigers’ Kenn Jankowski Remix).mp3

West Indian Girl – To Die In LA (Nynex I Will Never Be the Same Mix).mp3

I wrote about West Indian Girl back when their sophomore album 4th & Wall came out. Since then the band has been working hard gathering remixes from personal friends (some names you may recognized and others that we will see more of soon). The album is entitled 4th On The Floor Remixes Vol.2 and is enjoyable throughout. I have included three of my favorite from the album, including the All My Friends remix that was posted before. I spent a good deal of time with this album, mostly listening to it while I work. Overall the remixes provided a new energy to the relaxing and intricate tracks.
westindiangirl.com – myspace – hypem – amazon – itunes

The Antlers – Two.mp3

The Antlers – Bear.mp3

The Antlers new LP, Hospice is slated for a March 3rd release date. I enjoyed these tracks and hope to get my hands on the album. Bear was especially intreaguing to me, delicately balancing balladic verses and a driving chorus. Look for a review late February or early March.
antlersmusic.com – myspace – hypem – amazon – itunes

Lucky Soul – Lips Are Unhappy.mp3

A good friend of mine showed me this song on YouTube and I was instantly addicted. Catchy hooks, sentimental lyrics, and the glistening vocals solidify a pop song that doesn’t loose its kick. Lucky Soul is UK based and is currently in the studio recording for an ‘09 release.
Shake, Shake, Shimmy, Shimmy!
luckysoul.co.uk – myspace – hypem – amazon – itunes

Jóhann Jóhannsson – Fordlandia.mp3

Jóhann Jóhannsson has been my one of my favorite modern composers for a long time now. Fordlandia is his latest release which came out earlier this month. The title track amazingly relaxing, perfect to close out the week.
johannjohannsson.com – myspace – hypem – amazon

Matt Duke – Spilt Milk.mp3

Matt Duke – Sex and Reruns.mp3

Kingdom Underground is a mellow and emotionally charged LP created by the Philadelphia area native Matt Duke. I particularly enjoyed Spilt Milk, which to me, demonstrates that you can still create a meaningful track while avoiding overproduction pitfalls.
mattdukemusic.net – myspace – hypem – amazon

Honeybee – Obsess.mp3

Honeybee – Kitten.mp3

Honeybee – KILLYRDARLINGS.mp3

Honeybee began as a solo project by Melissa Geary, and has recently evolved to encompass some of her close friends. The band is in the process of creating a full length album, but in the mean time we have Quilt to enjoy. Although only a compilations of demos, this EP caught my attention as something epically different. Listening through the rough tracks I was taken by their concrete simplicity. If I had to describe this collection in four words they would be: simple, elegant, creative, and inspirational. KILLYRDARLINGS’s exceptionally eccentric dance-able beat caught me by surprise and is definitely my favorite track. I look forward to hearing more from Honeybee in the future.
slumberpartyrecords.com/honeybee/ – myspace – hypem

School of Seven Bells – My Cabal (Robin Guthrie Mix).mp3

I have been extremely excited about School of Seven Bells and wish they were touring near me. At any rate here is a new remix for all the fans. Get up for the upcoming tour with M83 if you are lucky enough to live near one of the select cities (details after the jump).
schoolofsevenbells.com – myspace – hypem – amazon – itunes

SCHOOL OF SEVEN BELLS TOUR DATES W/ M83
Nov 16 – Pearl Street – Northampton, MA
Nov 18 – Middle East Downstairs – Boston, MA
Nov 19 – Studio Juste Pour Rire – Montreal, QUE
Nov 20 – Opera House – Toronto, ONT
Nov 21 – Bottom Lounge – Chicago, IL
Nov 22 – Triple Rock Social Club – Minneapolis, MN
Nov 25 – Neumos – Seattle, WA
Nov 26 – Richard’s on Richards – Vancouver, BC
Nov 27 – Doug Fir Lounge – Portland, OR
Nov 28 – The Fillmore – San Francisco, CA
Nov 29 – Henry Fonda Theater – Los Angeles, CA

Lydia – This Is Twice Now.mp3

Illuminate, Lydia’s sophomore LP was picked up and re-published by Universal/Low Altitude Records last month and is available on Amazon MP3
for $1.99 through Thursday, November 13th. Get it while its hot!
lydiamusic.com – myspace – amazon – itunes

Emilie Simon – Desert.mp3

Emilie Simon – Space Oddity (David Bowie Cover).mp3

A spectacular Pandora find, Emilie Simon is a prominent electronica / trip-hop artist in France. After listening to a few of her songs I also found the recently popular Space Oddity cover which is amazing.
emiliesimon.artistes.universalmusic.fr – myspace – hypem – amazon – itunes

She & Him – Sentimental Heart.mp3

I have been a fan of this M. Ward project since the duo’s Volume One LP came out back in March. I also knew that the other half of the duo, Zooey Deschanel, was an actress and I recognized her voice, but it took until today for me to realize where I knew if from. ELF! The band page has good description of how the duo came into existance.
sheandhim.com – myspace – hypem – amazon – itunes

Kanye West & Radiohead – Reckoner Lockdown (DJ Earworm Remix).mp3

Kanye West – Love Lockdown : amazon itunes

I was pleasantly surprised when I started listening to Love Lockdown remixes and came across this mashup. DJ Earworm subtly intertwines Radiohead’s guitar noodeling and Kanye’s auto-tuned voice. Thom makes a subtle cameo three quarters of the way through after the driving beat of Reckoner builds the climax. Great stuff. Love Lockdown is the first single off of Kanye’s anticipated 808s & Heartbreak which will be released in late November.
djearworm.com – kanyeuniversecity.com – hypem – amazon – itunes

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School of Seven Bells – Face to Face on High Places.mp3
School of Seven Bells – For Kalaja Mari.mp3
Removed per request of copyright holder

School of Seven Bells – Half Asleep (streaming only)

School of Seven Bells – Chain.mp3

School of Seven Bells – Connjur.mp3

I first heard School of Seven Bells (SVIIB for short) back when Ghostly Swim came out. I was immediately impressed with the band make-up, featuring Benjamin Curtis of the Secret Machines and the Deheza twins of On! Air! Library!. Chain was the track that came with Ghostly Swim, a 7″/Digital single was released in the UK featuring tracks Caldo and Half Asleep, and Connjur is the most prominently promoted track from the forthcoming full length Alpinisms. All of the previous songs can be purchased / downloaded from the links below. I got my hands on an advanced release of Alpinisms and it is superb! I included two tracks that I think exemplify how well the band can operate comfortably in the electronic/beats as well as the dream-pop/shoegaze realms (removed per request). The full lengh is due out October 28th and is available on itunes now. Get this album!
schoolofsevenbells.com – myspace – hypem – amazon – itunes

Peter Broderick – Games Again.mp3

A little slowcore to fill a cold autumn room. Peter Broderick’s Home is out as of September 23rd, definitely worth picking up.
hushrecords.com/broderick – myspace – hypem – amazon – itunes

Glasvegas – Geraldine.mp3

Glasvegas are the latest big thing across the pond. These guys pull of a sweet mix of Interpol and Band of Horses with some seriously solid hooks. The self titled digital release drops October 7th.
glasvegas.net – myspace – hypem – amazon – itunes

I wrote this yesterday…

Absurdity and Paradox Define Regularity

Sixth grade is an awkward time in adolescence.  Old enough for public education to teach you sex. ed. but too young to be comfortable with it.  I was 11 years old, the age when you know the Easter Bunny, Tooth Fairy, and Santa Clause aren’t real but you still look forward to being rewarded for believing in them.  I grew up in a lower-middle class, 1950’s built, all-brick (not just the front) home in Central Pennsylvania suburbia.  When I wasn’t learning how to tactically take over the world through Real Time Strategy video games, I methodologically explored and reinvented the street block sized “quarantine” my parent had created for me.  “Guns,” Capture the Flag, or Hide-and-Go-Seek-Tag, were the  usual pastimes, but on this particular day, when there were just enough fallen leaves to hinder a skateboard’s free roll on the newly paved streets, the game was “keep me out of the tree-fort.”  The tree-fort was more of a miniature house than the traditional wood plank nailed a fork of tree limbs. The two neighborhood friends who you know always got their way when the wined enough to their self –centered parents, had maliciously boarded up the 3’ square windows with the waterlogged chairs that furnished the interior.  I climbed from tree to tree searching for an entrance and resolved to try kick in the obstructions of the nearest window.  I swung my body toward the chairs and landed a firm kick.  Realizing then that the swinging thrust I had generated now pulled my hands from the sacred branches that connected me to the tree.   I remembered what my dad had often said “Always keep one hand on the tree.”  It all happened so quickly. And now, here I am, suspended above a world and a future that would soon take me.

From the Field Notes of Green Taylor Simms: Beginning with Santa Claus as a cognitive exercise a child is encouraged to share the same idea of reality as his peers.  Even if that reality is patently invented and ludicrous, belief is encouraged with gifts that support and promote the common cultural lies.  The greatest consensus in modern society is our traffic system.  The way a flood of strangers can interact, sharing a path, almost all of them traveling without incident.  It only takes one dissenting driver to create anarchy…  The activity casually referred to as Party Crashing rejects the idea that driving time is something to be suffered in order to achieve a more useful and fulfilling activity (Rant 130-2).

Party Crashing is the ‘real life’ version of Hide-and-Go-Seek-Tag which creates a Most Dangerous Game where drivers and their lookouts are the hunters and hunted.  Cars chasing cars, hiding and attacking, crashing into one another, searching for a shared experience and ultimately a one way ticket to the past.   The realization of the ladder goal is by no means well documented or even known by many of the participants. 

From the Field Notes of Green Taylor Simms:  Let me, somehow, compress this.  The human brain operates at four basic levels of brain frequency.  Normally, awake and aroused, you operate in the “beta” level of the brain waves… At a resting state, your mind slips into “alpha” brain-wave level… As you daydream and feel drowsy, your mind slows to “theta” level, and as you pass into deep dreamless sleep, your brainwaves slow to a “delta” level.  Of special interest is the theta level of brain activity.  It’s at this frequency that mystics report that visions and inspiration are most likely to occur.  In those relaxed moments, while bathing, driving or falling asleep, you typically retrieve deep distant memories.  You make connections and achieve revelations  (Rant 308).

Party Crashing strives to simultaneously induce these theta level brainwaves as well as, at the moment of impact, cause “time to explode.”  We all have, at some point in our lives, experienced this explosion of time; what automotive crash-test engineer’s call “the pulse.” Whether in a car accident, falling from heights, or a sports injury, time seems to stand still.  More importantly these events bring new purpose to life, as one Party Crasher relates, “Here’s time squeezed down until it explodes into a slow-motion moment that will last for years. Your car you saved to buy, it’s punched down, smaller, but your life’s pumped back up.  Bigger.  Back to life-size or beyond” (Rant 130).  Party Crashing’s final destination may be the realization that time is like a tree we all climb; and like a cat, we think that the only way is up.  While in actuality, all you have to do is let go of limbs we so tightly grasp.

That autumn day when I fell twenty three feet to a cold and hard earth, I was suspended in freefall for what felt like hours.  After awhile the “Oh shit I’m falling!” sensation became boring.  I started contemplating things no sixth grader ever should: Who am I?  Why am I here?  How do I fit into the big picture?  CRASH.  I’m laying on the ground.  Something has happened.  Something bad.  But that thought cannot break through to the forefront of my consciousness.  For some reason I am completely content and satisfied, smiling.  There is no way to prove it but I know what that feeling was.  I, for some lost and forgotten instant, knew the answers.

Annuals – Confessor.mp3

Confessor is the first single off of Annuals‘ upcoming sophomore album Such Fun. The track is all that you might expect from previous Annuals experiences: layered orchestration supporting catchy indie-pop hooks and vocal harmonies. One thing that did catch me by surprise was the elegant bridge transition starting at 1:40. Jacquire King’s influence as producer has really stepped up Annuals’ game, musically. Confessor is available for purchase from Amazon on August 19th and Such Fun will debut on October 7th.
annualsmusic.com – myspace – hypem – amazon – itunes – more

Lewis & Clarke – Before It Breaks You.mp3

Creating a perfect blend of folk and atmospheric sound Lewis & Clarke utilize nylon-string guitar, harp, keyboard, horns, strings, and drums to create a relaxing foundation for Lou Rogai’s crafted lyrics. Blast of Holy Birth has been out since May of 2007 (where have I been?), so we might hear new things from these guys soon. Listen to the whole album at 160k after the jump.
lewisandclarkemusic.com – myspace – hypem – amazon – itunes

West Indian Girl – To Die In LA.mp3

West Indian Girl – All My Friends(Jason Bentley Remix).mp3

Some dream-pop to wrap up your weekend. Yeah, I don’t want to go back to work either. 4th & Wall is West Indian Girl’s sophomore album (Oct 2007).
westindiangirl.com – myspace – hypem – amazon

Women – Black Rice.mp3

A little lo-fi to kick start the weekend. Women just signed with JagJaguwar Records and will be releasing their self-titled full length worldwide in October.
jagjaguwar.com/women – myspace – hypem

Getting a early jump on the lime light, Laura Marling is an overnight success clocking in at only 18 years of age. Alas, I Cannot Swim is a simple album that keeps the core singer/songwriter in focus while subtle piano, glockenspiel, violins, and steel guitars make everything shine. Ghosts and Failure have received the most attention on the album however my personal favorite is Night Terror with its procedural building to an apocalyptic violin conclusion. Despite it not being my favorite, I felt that The Captain And Hourglass was the best embodiment of Marling’s style. The elegant vocal harmonies built upon simple guitar strumming is framed perfectly with single piano notes, waving steel guitar, and driving shakers. If folk music is aching for a re-embodiment, the call is answered by Laura Marling.
lauramarling.com – myspace – hypem – amazon

Ratatat – Mirando.mp3

Ratatat’s LP3 came out on July 8th and I have been meaning to write about it since. I am never disappointed by Ratatat and their innovative tracks. Favorites on the album are Shiller, Mirando, Shemip and Dura. I would highly recommend any of Ratatats discs so long as you aren’t a lyricist.
ratatatmusic.com – myspace – hypem

I seem to be slowly enjoying my way through post-rock bands. I have been taking them each slowly and giving them a respectable amount of time to savor before trying out a new band. My latest head first dive has been into Caspian. Hailing from Boston, Massachusetts Caspian creates soundscapes that impress immediately. Moksha in particular builds smoothly throughout keeping you guessing where you are going to end up. This song will be playing in my head all week.
caspianmusic.net – myspace – hypem

So I have been away for awhile and am finally catching up on things. Most noticeably I have moved musicaddiction to a new hosted domain! Woo! music-addiction.com will be our new home and I am sure you are going to enjoy many of the improvements that will come out of this. Most notably is being able to play songs in the page. Woo! *Throws off the tyranny of DivShare and OrbitFiles* You were good to me old friends, but you had your own baggage that weighed us down. Look for great improvements and new things to come. First task is moving all the files from older posts over here so that they can be played in the browser, wish me luck!

Also, check out the FIVE posts today… did I mention there is a lot of catching up to do around here? There are some great albums out this summer so don’t miss out, read below and look for more to come. Thanks again for visiting… I hope you like the new digs.

Cory Chisel and the Wondering Sons‘ EP Cabin Ghosts is now available via digital download (Amazon and iTunes). I have had this disc on repeat almost all day. It is simply wonderful. Vocals are sensitive and powerful and the supporting instruments wrap around your ears with ease and grace. The band’s website is also elegant and a testament to what band webpages should look like, I would recommend checking it out.
corychisel.com – myspace – hypem

Joseph Arthur has recently finished putting out his fourth EP which precludes his full length release Temporary People due out September 30. I like the Boston Globe’s discription: “charming folk-rock to lo-fi bedroom pop to spacey orchestral maneuvers in the dark – often within the span of a single EP.” Pretty Good Company off of Vagabond Skies is a great example of this.
josepharthur.com – myspace – hypem

Sunfold – Sara The American Winter.mp3

More from the great Annuals reincarnate band Sunfold… With guitarist Kenny Florence taking the frontman position, Sunfold is set to release their full length Toy Tugboat this week (July 22nd). Judging by the released single Sara The American Winter we are in for a treat. Sunfold and Annuals previously on musicaddiction: Wet Zoo and a few songs
sunfold – myspace – hypem

Kaskade creates four to the floor beats with ethereal and atmospheric vocals and orchestration. I especially enjoyed the intro to I Remember. Strobelight Seduction is Kaskade’s fifth studio album full of groovin’ tracks like this.
kaskademusic.com – myspace – hypem

I wrote about This Town Needs Guns back when the shared a split with Cats and Cats and Cats (read here) and they are back. Set for a October release Animals is TTNG’s first US released full length. Baboon is the first track released from the album. The track contains much guitar noodling which always puts me in a great mood. Also enjoy the larger than usual photo (this one was too good to crop).
thistownneedsguns.com – myspace – hypem

Dug this one up from the depths of the internets. Great cover.
I also kinda got addicted to this song and its various covers… so for your enjoyment: The Flaming Lips, Vyvienne Long, Damien Rice & Vyvienne Long, and Minipop (again).
minipopmusic.com – myspace – hypem

Sunny Day Sets Fire’s full length is finally out. Entitled Summer Palace
the disc is the perfect for a hot summer day, hopefully spent by the pool or driving somewhere. Teenagers Talking is my favorite new track on the LP (the Baron von Luxxury Remix of Brainless is still my favorite). If you are looking for more SDSF check out their videos after the jump.
sunnydaysetsfire.com – myspace – hypem

Stories Of Oceans is a bedroom startup from Vancouver, BC. With a recording style a la Postal Service (Matthew sends Jamison the beats and then Jamison records the guitar and vocals) the duo create a downtempo indie sound that would best be described as post folk. Listen to them on thesixtyone, become a fan on Facebook, but most of all look for big things from these guys.
myspace – thesixtyone – facebook

I’m in for a few days and thought it would be nice to write a post about some songs I have been enjoying. So here we go, see you all soon. (Also I am not happy about wordpress changing my theme to show tags and categories above the post, I might have to drop a few dollars and get this blog to a decent host. We will see.)

Liz Phair – Ant in Alaska.mp3

New old unreleased Liz Phair. Great track, read more at Stereogum.

Cory Chisel – Home In The Woods.mp3

Refreshingly new Americana from Cory Chisel. Who ever you want to compare him to, be it Springsteen, Beatles, or Dylan, its good stuff. My brother will really like it. Read more at postcrescent.

Bell – Echinacea.mp3

Olga Bell is frequently likened to Bjork and to combat and distinguish herself, who better to cover than Bjork! Read more at 3hive.

American Football – Never Meant.mp3

Nothing like late 90’s guitar noodling and emo lyrics to start a summer day off right.

The Notwist – Where in this World.mp3

New Notwist. Nothing exceptional and the album is only par in comparison to Neon Golden. Can’t complain about more of the same great stuff though.

King Tut – What You’re After.mp3

King Tut is crazy weaving instrumental strings melded with sporadic electronic beeps. This song melts my mind and makes me at ease at the same time. Check them out at thesixtyone and download all their stuff for free.

I am going away for awhile. I will be back soon. In the meantime here is a quick mix of Elliott Smith’s No Name tetralogy.

Islands’ new LP is scheduled for release May 20th. Drowned in Sound has a spot on review which basically says that the album kicks ass.

Arm’s Way then, is as fascinating as it is unsettling, as unexpected as it is ceaselessly rewarding. Brazen noise sits next to magnificent style while its lyrics seem tailor made for umpteen accurate (contrasting) interpretations. It is a towering, complex achievement and startling progression to boot.

islandsareforever.com – myspace – hypem

So I finally got a hold of Ghostly Swim mix and was happily surprised by a new Milosh track. Milosh creates soothing downtempo tracks that I like to compare to a small creek. Where the beats are the rocks, and the vocals the water, just deep enough to flow smoothly over the rocks without splashing. I really enjoyed his two previous albums and looking forward to his next.
plugresearch.com/milosh – myspace – hypem

I didn’t really get into Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin back when Broom came out (2005), however this time around, with the release of Pershing, I have been drawn in. The upbeat indie pop that is exemplified in Modern Mystery is satisfying and refreshing now that spring has finally touched down here in Colorado. Speaking of the great square state, the band is going to stop by Denver in May which I will most defiantly be checking out.
sslyby.com – myspace – hypem

The Weepies latest album Hideaway, hot off the iTunes press, is finally meeting my long awaiting ears. Overall, I found the album to be a satisfying continuation of the amazing songwriting and vocal harmonies that were seen in Say I Am You. My only qualm with the album is the three song lull at the 4-6 slots. The songs here were not solid or lively enough for my idea of what the ‘meat’ section of an album should contain. I felt that the album really started to take shape from track 7 on where I found many of my favorite songs of the disc. I also should note that these are only my first impressions of the overall flow of the album, and that the songs individually exceeded my expectations.
theweepies.com – myspace – hypem

I am a huge fan of the mind bending game Portal. Although the game is only about 4 hours long, I have played it for at least 20. What I really want to talk about here is the soundtrack. Consisting of only one song, Portal’s end credits (and the tin-can version that plays over the radio), Still Alive is a crash course in the distorted and demented A.I. antagonist , GlaDOS. A great lyrical analysis can be read here as well as a through analysis of GlaDOS’ real plan here. Overall the game is amazing and sparking countless fan creations of all kinds. I particularly enjoy the Victims of Science mix that includes almost all of the GlaDOS dialog from the game. If you haven’t played the game I would highly recommend it. If you have, I would go read some of game-ism’s articles.
Portal Official Page – Jonathan Coulton

I previously mentioned Annuals last November but I didn’t say much. Hopefully the music spoke for itself. At any rate, Annuals and Sunfold have a split EP Wet Zoo out today. I personally enjoyed the three track Annuals side, but in actuality Sunfold and Annuals are the same band (Pitchfork disambiguates the confusion). Overall, Just Stay In stuck out to me as noteworthy and exquisite. The noodling violin/cello orchestration is especially sublime. This fall, look for a full length from Annuals on their new label Canvasback Records. For more reading and available tunes Canvasback’s site is your fix.
annualsmusic.com - myspace – hypem

A friend of mine told me there was another cover of Joanna Newsom’s Peach, Plum, Pear floating out in the internets, so I immediately went out and found it. I am not much of a lyricist; however, this song in particular is one of my lyrical favorites (second only to The Kinife – Heartbeats). Straylight Run’s cover of P,P,P is simplistic and sheds a new light on the quirky and perfect original.
straylightrun.com – myspace – hypem

Video : Direct Note Access Demo

I just read over at Music Thing about Melodyne’s new breakthrough Direct Note Access technology . This software makes my mind hurt and I can only begin to try to fathom the potential uses and how much cookie-cutter pop culture music will abuse the flexibility and power (as they already have with pitch and rhythm correction). Either way I really want to try out the program and see if it is really capable of the powerful and unheard of concepts that it claims to do with ease.

The Weepies’ new full length album is due out April 22 (album art & tracklist). I found out about The Weepies through the online music store Aime Street back when Say I Am You came out. Ever since then I have been completely obsessed with the band. They have such a feel warm all over sound. As you can probably tell, I am extremely excited for the new album and am happy to be able to share the title track. Be on the lookout a month from now for a thorough review.
theweepies.com – myspace – hypem

Sunny Day Sets Fire’s remix EP came out 3 days ago (Feb 26). The disc is packed full of great remixes from the likes of the Slips, C.S.S., XXXChange, The Cool Kids, Baron von Luxxury and Mad Decent. Baron von Luxxury’s take on Brainless is my personal favorite, however the EP is entertaining throughout. I am full of resources for this one: For a play-by-play review check absolutepunk.net, to stream the full cd spinner.aol.com has it, and for more mp3s including the original version of Brainless iamsoundrecords.com is your supplier.
sunnydaysetsfire.com – myspace – hypem

Why? is an eccentric band from Oakland, California with a sound that has eloquently been described as “jangle-rap, indie pop ‘n’ roll” (anticon) and “psychedelic, guitar-pop, folk-hop” (tomlab). Surprisingly the band carves out this niche genre better than Beatrix Kiddo with a Hattori Hanz?. The lyrics of this album are, in my opinion, superb. Metaphors and similes run rampant amongst the dense orchestration which is sporadic and simply eloquent at the same time. Just when you think you have heard it all, silence, and then a whole new sound hits you in the face. Be forewarned, however, this album is not an easy pill to swallow. Gigwise had the best explanation I could find: “If you are hip to the jive of The Shins, Broken Social Scene or like the sound of Beastie Boys on downers or Tricky on a happy trip, then you may be pleasantly enlightened.” Alopecia will be released on March 11, 2008 on anticon records.
anticon.com – myspace – hypem

Björk has a new remix EP out soon. I have listened to these tracks and Ratatat’s is, in my opinion, far superior the messy array of Volta remixes that have precluded it. Dare I say, this remix may be more entertaining than the original. Ratatat is really making a name for themselves these days.

Post Scriptum: I was discussing why I enjoyed this version more than the original with a friend and I think it really comes down to the overall balance of the song. The general feel (mastering) of the original has her voice so prominent in the foreground that the supporting brass and electronic beats are lost in a haze of excessive vocal reverb. Ratatat simplifies everything putting her voice on a level playing field with the beat and guitar noodling.
ratatatmusic.com – myspace – hypem

Dawn Landes, who is known for her collaborative cover of PB&J’s Young Folks with the WST Bluegrass Band from Austin (the old folks), will be releasing her sophomore album and first US debut, Fireproof, on March 4th (national band day!). The first released single and first track of the album, Bodyguard, is intended to illustrate the diversity of the forthcoming album. The album has been described as “an astonishing mixture of the urban and the rural. Fireproof is like a little kitchen garden planted between high-rise buildings; in it’s own way, a remarkable act of resistance.” So far Bodyguard lives up to this description and has me excited to hear the album.
dawnlandes.com – myspace – hypem

The Epochs‘ self titled album’s physical release is today (19 Feb). Go out and get it if you haven’t gotten it on iTunes yet (5 Feb). This album is packed with entertaining electronic influenced pop songs that combine and flow in a solid, structured, album. The hardest part for me about reviewing this album is picking only one song to post. They are all great! I eventually choose Picture of the Sun because you can find Thunder & Lightning and Opposite Sides pretty much anywhere in the mp3ogosphere. Aside from availability for preview, Picture of the Sun stuck out as a winner to me for a few reasons: AIR like intro, whimsical and fanciful lyrics, and driving beat. For further listening the band has released a free EP of remixes.
theepochs.com – myspace – hypem

Thom Yorke guest DJ’ed last night with Bob Boilen on NPR’s All Songs Considered. It is a great show, and was a real treat to hear from Thom in such an open and musically appreciative forum. The two sounded like they were having a great time and the tunes were amazing as well. I am defiantly going to be picking up a few new albums now. Overall I thought that the Liar’s track stood out the most. Thom’s sing-along in the beginning was good too.
thom yorke – all songs considered – liars

Back by popular demand… here are three remixes I have been diggin’ recently. Sadly I can’t say I am the first to post these. So for further reading: Feist, Cloud Cult, and Sigur Ros. I really enjoy these and I hope you do too.

Tegan and Sarah are a Canadian twin duo that I can’t get enough of. I first heard them on a live recording of their performance at an Apple store. They were entertaining and comical which makes me want to see them live. Sadly they are not coming to CO. At any rate, The Con has been out for 6 months now and I have been meaning to write about it since then. It is a great album with harmonies that make my mind happy. For some reason their similar yet very different voices really complement each other. This is especially evident in the title track. On a completely unrelated note… It’s good to be back. I hope you missed me.
teganandsara.com – myspace – hypem

      Pandora page

      Pandora page

      Pandora page

      Kyle Andrews – Your Tester Bunny

This station is one of the first Pandora.com stations that I am actually happy with. In general I have often been unhappy with the overall selection of music for each station I create, whether it be too specific or too broad or just too weird. Not that I don’t like Pandora, but I find myself switching stations too often as well as creating way too many stations. This station, however, hits the mark on overall enjoyability with little need for ‘thumbing down’. One warning, since the station hits a small niche, if you listen to it often you might get repeat songs. This can be a good or bad thing depending on if you like the songs; just be forewarned. Other highlights include Tarkio (featuring Pre-Decemberists Colin Meloy) and Heatriser (featuring Pre-solo Elliot Smith).

M.I.A’s Paper Planes keeps me coming back for more. I have been extremely addicted to this song recently. I could tell you how many times I listened to it these past two weeks but I am actually a little embarrassed. Either way I am going to have to spend some more time with M.I.A’s 2007 release KALA which I carelessly overlooked this year. Also noteworthy, this version has Mathangi sining the entire chorus and the gunshot sound effects removed; Check hypem for the origional version and further listening (I also enjoyed Rene Goulet’s Golden Girl Conspiracy mix for a more relaxing version).
miauk.com – myspace – hypem search

Amiina is a female quartet (three violins and a cello) from Iceland. If you have heard them before it is most likely through their touring/playing with Sigur Rós. I really enjoy their work; their performance in Screaming Masterpiece really impressed me (metallophones make me happy).
amiina.com – myspace – hypem search

Big Stereo is one of the main authorities when it comes to hunting down the latest of The Twelves remixes. I really enjoy the mixes and they are really what I look forward to when reading Big Stereo.
myspace – hypem search

Anyone’s Guess recently posted about Jason Schwartzman’s new musical venture Coconut Records. I really like the sound and agree with Scott that the track is “most especially felt when those choral background vocals kick in around the minute fifty mark.”
coconut records – myspace – hypem search

Favorite song : 11th grade
The title of this song is wrong (the real title is an acronym). But the file has been wrongly named since I got it and I can’t remember the real name. Either way this band is from central, PA and I saw them live countless times. This was one of their strongest tunes.

Favorite song : driving around with band
We listened to this song over and over while driving around (to a show / from a show / to wherever). The point was we didn’t really care where we were going and we listened to this song as many times as possible; we eventually covered it pretty well (I thought).

Favorite song : skateboarding / snowboarding
The Cardigans are one of my all time favorite bands. This song in particular has been a favorite of mine to put on snowboarding mixes.

Favorite song : angsty teen
This song’s depressing realism is perfect for the angst filled teen years.

Favorite song : morning wake up
As I am sure my freshman-year roommate can attest to this, I listened to this song nearly every morning that year. The song still relaxes me beyond any other.

Favorite song : under 1.5 mins
At one minute twenty seconds length, who doesn’t enjoy this lyrical pop masterpiece. Mirah makes me smile.

Favorite song : summer
I know, I know, it is (almost) winter. This song is too good to not include it in this favorites list. I made a summer mix a few years back and it is really good and this was one of the key songs.

I hope you enjoy these. Stay safe and have a great Thanksgiving.

In preparation and anticipation for the Sigur Rós Hemia DVD release (Nov 20, US), I picked up the Icelandic pop music documentary Screaming Masterpiece. The film presents an in depth cross section of the current musical climate as well as the deep history of one of the most musically talented and original countries in the world. This is accomplished through full length song live performances from a multitude of Icelandic bands. I emphasize ‘full length song’ because it would have been much easier to only include excerpts and show more bands, however, the film impressed me with the full length songs. This is complemented by interviews with notable Icelandic music icons. Overall the film was moving and compelling as it is obvious that Icelandic bands truly ‘get it’ when it comes to music.

Music is the ultimate artform, it goes past the brain and cuts straight to the heart, you get goosebumps from listening to music, a physical response.
- Dagur Kári Pétursson (Slowbow)

I would recommend this film to anyone who is interested in Iceland or Icelandic music as well as to anyone who enjoys the music of any of the numerous bands that are included (see a few of the major ones below).
amína – apparat organ quartet – bardi jóhannsson – björk – jóhann jóhannsson mínus – mugison – múm – sigur rós – more

The Wombats‘ A Guide to Love, Loss and Desperation is out (5 Nov). I picked up the album this week and it is as exceptionally enjoyable as I hoped it would be. I would highly recommend this album to just about anyone. Hopefully this release will serve as a launching platform for the band and we will hear many more enjoyably tracks from them in the future.
thewombats.co.uk – myspace – hypem search

annualsmusic.com – myspace – hypem search

The sky was candy posted this song earlier this month and I have been listening to it a lot more than I should be. It is such a catchy electropop tune. My only complaint is the ‘loud’ middle section. I can’t decide if I like the song or not and I have listened to it so many times I can’t even remember my first impressions. The band also has a whole bunch of free mp3’s at their record label’s website.
De Agtige – myspace – hypem search

3hive recently reminded me about Bishop Allen. I have been a fan of the DIY band for some time now and their first label release The Broken String (2007) is a classy accomplishment. I completely agree with Joe: “I could listen to Click Click Click Click all day.”
bishipallen.com – myspace – hypem search

Miracle Fortress will inevitably be on numerous “Top n albums of ‘07″ lists which should start trickling in soon. The debut album Five Roses plays towards the Brian Wilson influenced trend yet pervades through the clutter and presents originality and class. The album was nominated for the Polaris Music Prize of Canada but sadly did not win.
miracle fortress – myspace – hypem search

I just found and recently have been enjoying Final Fantasy’s remix of Stars‘ Your Ex-Lover Is Dead. It is a strong remix of one of my favorite Stars tracks that emphasizes the string orchestration (what else would you expect from FF?). I particularly enjoyed Stars’ first Arts & Crafts release Set Yourself On Fire (this track is originally from this album), but to be honest, I haven’t spent enough time with their newest release, In Our Bedroom after the War, to give a review.
stars – myspace – hypem search

juliedoiron.com – myspace – hypem search

I recently dug through some of this years earlier releases. Elsiane’s May release Hybrid came up and I have been spending some time with the album. The album presents enjoyable trip hop tracks, fortified by the soothing voice of Elsieanne Caplette. The string orchestration is also strong, especially in the track Morphing. Overall the debut album is a polished accomplishment for Elsiane.
elsiane.com – myspace – hypem search

Nathan Fake creates sound-scapes that refined and thrilling. When a song can make my ears feel like they need / have been popped like the track You Are Here does around 2:42, you know that you are more than listening to music, you are experiencing it. “In Soviet Russia the music listens to you!” But really Nathan Fake is from Norfolk, UK.
nathanfake.co.uk – myspace – hypem search

Humanized’s Internet jukebox site, Songza, launched yesterday. Songza allows users to search for artists and songs and listen to full length song results. The site is well designed, however, the audio quality is poor. I would use it as a quick reference to find songs but when it comes to finding music, it is my opinion that if you work hard enough at it you can find almost any respectably popular song on the internets. And I am not including BitTorrent or other illegal music acquiring methods either. Sites like Songza are only making this easier and more aesthetically appealing (which is great!) but at a cost of audio quality (in reality you are just listening to the audio of YouTube videos). Duke Listens! puts perspective on why Songza exists saying, “Yep … it is illegal to stream music on demand, but it is perfectly OK to stream music videos. What a crazy world.” I would recommend Songza to the point-and-click instant gratification users but audiophiles beware, the sound quality might make your ears bleed.
songza.com – tech digest – mashable

I have been really sick lately. Listening to The Postal Service makes me feel a lot better. Music therapy has always been a field of medicine that fascinated me. The Postal Service is definitely my curl-up-in-a-ball-and-take-a-nap-to-get-better music.
thepostalservicemusic.net – myspace – hypem search

I started listening to Christmas music yesterday. oops. Oh well.
aimeemann.com – myspace – hypem search

I have been excited for a while now for the release of Sigur Rós‘ film Heima (North America: 20 Nov, 2007). This film documents the band’s journey “over two weeks last summer when [they] undertook a series of free, unannounced concerts in Iceland” (About Heima). I highly recommend watching the high resolution trailer. Some of the scenes are breathtaking. To accompany the film’s release, Sigur Rós also released a double EP Hvarf-Heim (5/6 Nov, 2007).
sigur-ros.co.uk – myspace – hypem search

This Town Needs Guns and Cats and Cats and Cats recently released a split EP which I had the pleasure of listening to. Drowned in Sound has a through review of the album. Both of the English bands present an American style that I did not expect. After listening to the album a few times I found my self enjoying This Town Needs Guns’ half more. Nothing against Cats, TTNG just appealed more to me. Drowned in Sound reports, “If you’re new to This Town Needs Guns, this is the best place to start – they’ve revised their sound to near-perfect levels. Hooray!” I couldn’t agree more. I found the tracks to be accessible, so long as you can tolerate emo lyrics. The pervasive guitar ‘noodling’ did it for me. And wait a second, this band is English!? You could have fooled me. Overall I would recommend This Town Needs Guns to anyone who isn’t turned off by emo lyrics.

This Town Needs Guns’ Music Page
Recording Photos (these made me nostalgic for recording)

thistownneedsguns.com – myspace – hypem search

Grizzly Bear is an indie rock band from Brooklyn, New York who are becoming more well known for their unique blend of experimental and traditional rock techniques. They have a new EP due out this Tuesday (6 Nov, 2007). It should be a nice treat to hear new music and remixes from the band. I spent today writing a Mahalo page for the band so I don’t exactly feel like talking about them anymore. There are a lot of good links on that page, so if you are interested in Grizzly Bear you should check it out. It was a neat experience to make a Mahalo page. My only hope is that the learning curve is steep, because it took me a long time to do make this one.
grizzly-bear.net – myspace – hypem search

Puddlegum pointed out that Tacks, The Boy Disaster will be releasing new material this spring. I enjoyed their first release, Oh, Beatrice, and am looking forward to their new stuff. The track, Dying to Know, from their daytrodder session, looks promising.
tacksthebodydisaster.com – myspace – hypem search

Carpark North is a Danish electropop/synth rock band that make catchy tracks that get stuck in your head. Although the chord progressions in most of their songs are predictable, they are entertaining. I first found out about the band when they released their extraordinary video, Human.
carparknorth.dk – myspace – hypem search

It has been a good first month. A few glitches, but from here it should be onward and upward. The most popular track this month was The Wombats – Let’s Dance To Joy Division. In honor of the most popular song in October, I present you with the better mixed and longer version of the song. Thank you for reading.
october ‘07 post archive

Scala & Kolacny Brothers’ interpretations of the best songs of our time are always a pleasure to listen to. The all female choir directed by the Kolacny brothers, demonstrate the anatomy of a successful musical single by striping it down to its bare essentials, building emotional covers around 40 female voices and 1 piano. Heartbeats, written and originally preformed by The Knife, is an haunting melody who’s strong emotions transpose to its countless covers. If you have never heard Scala before I would highly recommend giving them a listen. If you have enjoyed them in the past, take this as a subtle reminder to listen again.
Extra: “With Or With Out You” Video – youtube/streaming/download (26.1MB)
kolacny.com – myspace – hypem search

Hailing from New Zealand The Brunettes create enjoyable indie / twee pop. Their most recent release, Structure & Cosmetics, came out this past July. By the way, Oribitfiles is back and will have to do for now.
lil’ chief records – myspace – hypem search

MP3 : Loney, Dear – I Am John

Loney, Dear’s album Loney, Noir came out way back in Febtober, but it has remained one of my favorite this year. Sorry for the short post, its going to be a long week. Also orbitfiles is down / not awesome anymore. I think I may buy some hosting. We will see.
loneydear.com – label – myspace – hypem search

The Scanners released their critically acclaimed debut album, Violence Is Golden, way back in June of 2006. Recently, Benedikt over at The Last Pop Song reminded me of their many upcoming remix releases. Bombs Remixes ‘digital only’ EP (23 Oct 2007) / Raw Remixes Single (5 Nov 2007) / Lowlife Remixes EP (16 Nov 2007). Also, I love this pic that Spin took of The Scanners’ front woman Sarah Daly at SXSW ‘07.
scannersmusic.com – myspace – hypem search

I wanted to write about Clare & The Reason a while ago. The only reason I haven’t yet was because of the lack of a high quality photo. It is obvious that they had a full photo shoot, but try finding a high resolution version of the thumbnails you see everywhere, good luck. I found one, eventually, but it was way too much effort. At any rate, I really enjoy Clare & the Reason’s work. The first time I heard Pluto it gave me chills. The Reasons really do an amazing job of orchestrating around Clare Muldaur’s elegant vocals. I highly recommend Clare & The Reason’s debut album The Movie.
claremuldaur.com – myspace – hypem search

Sambassadeur’s new album came out on Wednesday (24 Oct 07). I really appreciate the band’s “new, more luxurious direction,” as their label, Labrador records describes it. This new sound is most evident in the single Subtle Changes. You can stream the entire album over at last.fm at 128kbps.
sambassadeur.com – myspace – hypem search

I recently stumbled upon muruch, an extensive music blog. They offer a treasure trove of artists spanning 3 years *of archives (and all the mp3 links work!). While I was poking around over there I found Kate Havnevik. At first I was impressed with her vocals and the overall sound. Then I did my research and dug up a few other tracks and was thoroughly impressed, especially with the song New Day. Although the song is more forward and experimental, it really packs a punch, sounding similar to Röyksopp at times. I hope you enjoy these as much as I did. Thanks for sharing muruch!
katehavnevik.com – myspace – hypem search

I have been waiting very (im)patiently for this movie to come out and it finally is premiering here (Colorado Springs) this Friday! I am super excited and the soundtrack looks amazing. Wes Anderson has yet to disappoint me, especially when it comes to soundtrack selection. A 13 min. prequel “Hotel Chevalier” is available for free from iTunes and includes the great Peter Sarstedt’s Where Do You Go (My Lovely).
fox searchlight pictures – trailer – hotel chevalier prequel