In a week where all attention remains fixated on Austin, the only thing trending harder on the radar was that Kony meme. So if you are looking for hype beyond the day parties, label/media showcases, barbecues and Lone Stars, read further for music that does not require RSVPs, laminates, or +1s – in no particular order.
Georgia Anne Muldrow remixed SomeOthaShip Connect label mate Riff Raff McGriff's “Tell Em” before she took off for SxSW. Riff provides a litany of international discontinuities surrounding the global economic pratfalls. “The world is going broke is what they schooling me but I've been fuckin' broke my whole life, it's nothing new to me,” he says, while Muldrow kicks up the beat tempo and lends her vocals to help punctuate McGriff's flow of woe. Look for Georgia later this month on the East Coast and her Madlib produced full-length Seeds March 27 on SomeOthaShip Connect.
Received an enthusiastic email from The Death Set the other day proclaiming that their wild Guillaume Panariello-directed video for “They Come to Get Us” is their finest to date. To enhance the track's quixotic panic is a dazzling array of cartoons, video game characters and movie creations invading the Set's urban world. The Death Set have an upcoming gig April 12 -NY, NYC @ Santos Party House 'Punk Rock vs (loves) Moohbahton'with The Death Set, DJ's Cousin Culo, Dj Reck and Phi Unit of the Moombahton Maxxin Crew along with Rocky Business. Further gossip indicates that front dude Johnny Siera will be opening a bar called the Flat March 23 in Brooklyn in a partnership through Max Brennan and Kristin Vincent of Lit and Home Sweet Home fame.
Edmonton, Alabama's 6 piece Shout Out Out Out Out have been busying themselves recording their upcoming album Spanish Moss And Total Loss, expected June 19 from Normals Welcome Records. The sextet is committed to making music they would want to hear DJ'd in the club while channeling personal catharsis via a vocoder. Nik Kozub explains: “As on our previous two albums, I sing through an old analog vocoder, and lyrically I try to tackle my own demons, dreaming of a life where I can just stay on vacation forever, not having to deal with being broke all the time or be reminded of personal failures. Yeah, I know, poor me… but really, writing dance music is actually a pretty therapeutic way to diffuse my problems. To our ears, this album breathes nicely, is more melodic and varied than our previous efforts, and marks a step forward in our ability as songwriters as well as our comfort level as producers of electronic music.” Until June, get a listen to “Never the Same Way Twice” from the new album here.
Frank Ocean revealed his contribution to the much hyped Odd Future Vol. 2 mixtape that presents the crooner/hip-hop producer in his finest form and style. We always knew Ocean had the ability to challenge his inner Stevie circa Songs in the Key of Life balance through a masterful understanding of those timeless understated production qualities that made Shuggie Otis a star. OF Tape Vol. 2 is due March 20.
For fans of Chris Thorne's Tan Dollar and Dreamless comes an EP release from his other project Horse Head called Jewelry available now on AMDISCS. This sees Thorne tapping into that same BEST BEHAVIOR that Dinowalrus has been experimenting with for the SoCal skate punk set to trip out to in between kick flips and grindage on the civic steps. Visit Horse Head's Bandcamp here and listen to Jewelry now.
The latest residency in Room 205 is Cold Showers performing “So I Can Grow.” Jonathan Weinberg, Jessie Clavin, Brian Davila and Renee Adams keep the affair aloof like the road side guitars with smoke scans of brooding vocals.
4th Pyramid released the video for “Can't Stop,” directed by Johnny Ngheim to help Pyramid celebrate his big album release at home in Toronto. Give it up to our friends up north and get a listen to Pyramid Scheme is out now on Silk Ivory/Universal.
Jason Pierce gave us a glance of Spiritualized's upcoming with a live performance at Maida Vale Studios of “Little Girl” on Lauren Laverne’s 10th anniversary show on BBC 6 Music. Great to hear Jason Spaceman in good form as we look forward to hearing Spiritualized's Sweet Heart, Sweet Light, April 17 on Fat Possum.
In our perusing of sounds we discovered this downtempo remix by Gacha of Keep Shelly in Athens' “A Tear in My I.” We know little about Gacha but appreciate her take on KSiA.
Sun Glitters turned us on to Jewellers' “Sing Trees” giving us something new to dance to. The track provides a slice of jagged beats cut up around a female vocal sample chopped to the tune of the electro delays. Keep an eye out for details on Jewellers new album coming soon.
Meet San Francisco's Blasted Canyons. Put together Heather Fedewa of Wax Idols, Castle Face's Matt Jones and Adam Finken and canyon blasts happen. Hot off their EP 2nd Place is the energy of “Holy Geometry” blowing the vacuum tubes out for the following sewer pipe echoplex jammer “Liquid Fiend.” Look for Blasted Canyons EP 2nd Place available April 20 on Castle Face Records.
New Nas track called “The Don” has already captured the world's attention for a good reason. Proclamations from New York's finest with production help from Salaam Remi, Da Internz and the late Heavy D. Listen for Nas's upcoming Life is Good coming soon.
Chromatics unveiled their fifth single from the forthcoming Kill for Love with “Back from the Grave” directed by the great Alberto Rossini. Get ready for more kaleidescope visions of instruments, grainy 16mm looking film and beauty galore.
The 35 member underground LA collective called Quakers just dropped “Smoke” featuring Jonwayne with production courtesy of Fuzzface (aka Geoff Barrow of Portishead), Australian producer Katalyst and 7-Stu-7 otherwise known as Stuart Matthews. Dig the funky bass line while “bustin’ rhythms that’ll make you rupture your pancreas.” Stay tuned because the Quakers are planning to release their next track March 27 via Stones Throw.
