smørrebrod

New single by lo-fi British band Years & Years Shine out on July 5th.

Download here if you can't wait for it to appear on Spotify and want to listen to it on the plane, for whomever's flying somewhere (me!).

raving the cave

Crystal Fighters // LA calling

don't tell me it went wrong

James Blake // Life round here

out of it

Nuages // Dreams

running from the sun

 

Photek // Aviator

close 2 u

Disclosure // Latch (Jamie Jones remix)

ready to run

Para One // When the night (Discodeine remix)

commencement

  

  

As the new school year begins I thought it would be a good start to reconcile the blogging.

David Byrne & St. Vincent // Ice age

smokey eyes

It once again shows how The 2 Bears are more DJ's than a music band, because when it comes to returning the service of remixing (like with L.A. band Kisses), The 2 Bears are far better in it. Furthermore, it's like Saint Etienne had a foreseeing vision of Robin Gibb and Donna Summer's death.

Saint Etienne // Tonight (The 2 Bears remix)

Saint Etienne // Last days of disco (Beat Connection remix)

p.s. what's up with the word 'tonight' occuring so much in song titles?

future development

With 'Stronger' from Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs' debut album 'Trouble' it seems that Orlando Higginbottom has developed a strong base for a longlasting future in the music industry. Although some of the songs already feel familiar, there's enough new material on the album to enjoy and create a new experience for the TEED fan.

Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs // Stronger

red sea

Beach House // Troublemaker

self-assurance

This guy definitely wins at making the most beautiful track in 2 minutes and 12 seconds. He's merely 17 or so, but looks very self-assured. Only comforting fact in that matter for us is that he has had a name change.

King Krule // Baby blue

scisme

As if Hot Chip and LCD Soundsystem haven't dominated the world enough, some of its members wanna be absolutely sure that people have music to groove to. So many formations, so many names, but just one sound? There are lots of traces to be found that reminisce of that one band or that one song, but when all sounds are shuffled there is a new track to be heard. Does it get boring? Not yet.

New Build // Schism of the mind

pacific

This is not an image of the band Big Sir, but the coastal region the Big Sur in California. A landscape with breathtaking views during the entire year especially when fog is around. When in Los Angeles be sure to drive up north and see for yourself. This ought to be a nice place to stay. And while you're driving you can listen to the Big Sir.

Big Sir // Right action

And if you want to hear a track inspired by a drive down the Pacific Highway listen to this one.

Beach Boys // Big Sur

peak

Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs // Tapes & money

ice cream you scream

This is by far the best track on Battles' latest release 'Dross Glop 2'.

Battles // Ice cream (Gang Gang Dance remix)

work for the future

I would like to start the year with a post on The 2 Bears, a duo consisting of Joe Goddard and Raf Rundell. Of course Joe Goddard doesn't need any promotion after working on much his much loved solo album, playing fabulous sets and albums with his buddies from Hot Chip. So let's do a little promotion for Raf Rundell by writing this post.

After the hilarious video for 'Bear hug' and the awesome remix to Metronomy's 'The bay' we all knew that this wasn't just another side project (think of Booji Boy High) and that The 2 Bears are here to stay. Their single 'Work' is out now and proclaims we need to work to achieve something. A good motto for the new year, I'd say.

The 2 Bears // Work (Franky Rizardo remix)

champagne darling

Most loved tracks of 2011 ranked by duration:

01 Wolf Gang // Breaks in Paris
02 James Blake // A case of you
03 Summer Camp // Last American virgin
04 Julien Doré // Kiss me forever
05 Chilly Gonzales // Knight moves (DJ Koze remix)
06 Amy Winehouse featuring Tony Bennett // Body and soul
07 Charlotte Gainsbourg // Got to let go
08 Little Dragon // Please turn
09 St. Vincent // Cruel
10 Renaissance Man // Trance central
11 Beth Ditto // I wrote the book
12 Tame Impala // Why won't you make up your mind (Erol Alkan Rework Edit)
13 Planningtorock // Living it out
14 New Look // Nap on the bow
15 Twin Sister // Bad street
16 Lulu Gainsbourg // Black trombone
17 Kitty, Daisy & Lewis // Messing with my life
18 Laura Marling // Sophia
19 Feist // Cicadas and gulls
20 John Talabot featuring Glasser // Families
21 Nite Jewel // It goes through your head (Dam-Funk Clubdub)
22 Aérea Negrot // Deutsche Werden
23 PNAU // Solid ground (Cassian remix)
24 Adele // Rolling in the deep (Jamie xx remix/Prince Club House Edit)
25 Stopmakingme // Smint
26 The Rapture // It takes time to be a man
27 Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs // Trouble (Jamie Jones remix)
28 Cut Copy // Blink and you'll miss a revolution (Toro y Moi remix)
29 Metronomy // The bay (2 Bears remix)
30 Azari & III // Change of heart
31 Tom Middleton // Sea of glass (John Digweed & Nick Muir remix)
32 Hercules & Love Affair // My house (Tensnake remix)

unidentified

Feist // How come you never go there (Beck remix)

iloveiloveilove

The extraordinary talented French singer Émilie Simon is best known for her soundtrack to the 'La Marche de L'Empereur' and the track 'Never fall in love' in which she signs boys never receive a nice bouquet of flowers, since they aren't girls. Her latest album 'Franky Night' is a diverse mix of easy-listening, up-beat and orchestral songs in both English and French. Jetaimejetaimejetaime automatically attracted my attention by its unusual name and happens to be the most beautiful track on the album to my opinion.

Émilie Simon // Jetaimejetaimejetaime

musique du japon

Since I'm about to embark in an upcoming trip to Tokyo, I thought I'd be interesting to look into some Japanese record labels. It's no secret, artists are bound they be signed by a label from their home country but there are still some internationally successful musicians who work with such a label. Japanese singer Yuki Suzuki, signed by Jansen Jardin, collaborated with Max Essa (very active in Japan) on multiple recordings amongst which 'Need your love'.

Yuki Suzuki // Need your love (Lee Douglas remix)

bourgmania

Apparently it doesn't rain too much in Paris and Los Angeles, if we believe Charlotte. There's a Charlotte Gainsbourg-hysteria about to take place as a new double LP with B-sides and live recordings is coming out somewhere around the beginning of the new year. I am particularly excited about 'Out of touch', a song (co)written by Connan Mockasin. You can hear it on the AirFrance facebook page, where a couple of tracks are being premiered. For now enjoy Charlotte's collab with alternative favorite Beck.

Charlotte Gainsbourg // Paradisco

sweet memory

Valley // Mobile love

java

Lulu Gainsbourg // Couleur café ft. Ayo, Matthieu Chedid & Sly Johnson

fogster

Kate Wax // Green machine

the earth is on fire

While Kirsten Dunst doesn't feature in the highly pornographic video to Heatsick's 'Ice cream on concrete', this photograph is equally valuable.

Heatsick // Ice cream on concrete
video

the first one

Summer Camp // Last American virgin

Bag Raiders // Not over (Eli Escobar remix)

Jacques Greene // (Baby I don't know) What you want

microwave

Aérea Negrot // It's lover, love (Dub)

Aérea Negrot // Listen to the people

my head's on fire

Planningtorock // Living it out (Cosmodelica remix)

miserere

Twin Sister // Bad street

ange le terrible

Charlotte Gainsbourg // Terrible angels

merveilleux

Lo-Fi-Fnk // Nu generation

die blechtrommel

Movie to watch: Die Blechtrommel

Azari & III // Undecided

mashed potatoes

Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs // Trouble (Jamie Jones remix)

if i know you

Julien Doré // Homosexuel

Jamie XX // Far nearer

simple as simplicity

Just because it's so damn good:

Chilly Gonzales // Knight moves (Chilly Gonzales Solo Piano)

bye ldn

Mozez // I just can't

bear handed

Just got this remix in the mail of a Agnes Ober song called "Riverside", I never heard of her which is a quite surprising fact because her music is really beautiful. It sounds like the soundtrack of a wonderful drama with subtle joys. The photo is of a girl who took a long bath, but I imagined that your hands must look somewhat like this after playing too much piano. It joys me to see an artist not only playing instruments and singing along but also daring to take it apart.

Agnes Obel // Riverside (Lulu Rouge remix)

Agnes Obel // Falling catching (instrumental)

Agnes Obel // Wallflower (instrumental)

starry eyes

Jazz Liberatorz // Slow down

WebQueawry // Searching

into the nacht

Apart from being the funniest title track in this year, it's also a good song. Which is always a plus to back up the hysteria.

Gold Panda // I suppose I should say 'thank' or some shit

And this other track is from an album with probably the second most beautiful album cover. Additionally this track neither disappoints.

Craft Spells // After the moment

prawn and shrimp

Prawn cocktail is something my mother often made and was being taught to her how to make by my grandmother. I have the recipe somewhere, yet I never make it. I tend to float in a comfort zone where my mother makes it and I enjoy the comfort of eating it and not making it myself.

Om Unit // Prawn cocktail

verner panton

I just love this photo. It seems to capture a feeling that has been around since the 00's. It remembers us of a new beginning, a new way of capturing beauty. It has a modern feel, yet it remains classic. Still we can almost be sure it was captured in the last decade.

Halls is a fairly new electronic artist which I just discovered. He seems to be following the footsteps of a few others colleagues that have stepped out with their music in the last years and especially this year. I also adore his "Solace" EP cover which seems to be beautifully drawn with charcoal.

Halls // Cave days

In the Coen brothers' film "The Lady Killers" the beautiful ending song "Let your light shine" is being used as the ending song and after hearing some versions, I like this one the best.

Christy Essien-Igbokwe // Let your light shine

If someone comes across this chair in a vintage shop, a flea market, a junk yard or a Ikea (after all the design was made for this store) do not hesitate to contact me.

hard as ivory

When remixing a song it is always tricky to stay true to the true feeling of the original song. Shadow Dancer has done nothing but and starts off with a beautiful piano rhythm, which is a very familiar Chilly feeling. After that he creates this dance feel that only Shadow Dancer creates, the vocals remain and in the end he builds up the tension with more vocals and a sharp beat.

Chilly Gonzales // You can dance (Shadow Dancer remix)

pulling a Garbo

After the use of a song about Greta Garbo in Prada's A/W 2011 show it made me read about the woman and the funniest thing that struck me was in interview that she gave and it went like this:

Paul Callan: "I wonder..."
Greta Garbo: "Why wonder?!"
End of interview

Vivian Girls are probably more likely to give interviews after their latest release 'Share the joy'. It also helps that one of the band members is getting a lot of attention in her formation La Sera.

Vivian Girls // Dance (If you wanna)

miauw

Moullinex has just released this EP 'Chocolat' with four rather interesting singles on it.
Here's one of them.

Moullinex // Meow

deceptacon

The long-awaited release by pop group MEN is out now, and it succeeds to entertain. The Brooklyn-based band knows exactly what to play to create a large fanbase and take off where other indie bands have stopped to spend their earned cash. You hear this back in their music, the feeling that they have to prove themselves. It's a tad boring, but it does deliver. I just hope that on their next album they don't overdo it, because this album is hard enough already. Popular with DJ's, I bet it doesn't take long before MEN is touring down to every city and village and making sure that everybody knows the MEN sound. 'Who am I to feel so free' is their new single and the video will soon be released. 'Rip off' is more intricate however and contains inspirational lyrics.

MEN // Rip off

whistle

When everybody is still buzzing over Gil Scott-Heron's latest release with Jamie XX since thirteen years, it's a bit disappointing that most people seem to forget about all the other great releases from the Chicagoan. It reminds me a lot of Guru, who in that respect is to be named a follower. To me "The train from Washington" is his best song and all its diversity can easily make you shiver.

Gil Scott-Heron // The train from Washington

proxite

Louis La Roche is back, and back with Patrick Alavi. The two are going strong making dancy tunes with a sort of gimmicky feel which probably makes Asia the first fans in the line. Tunes like these are played in Asia all the time and they don't really care as much about lyrics as they do about the music. It has to be fun, loud and danceable. And that is what Louis and Patrick do best.

Louis La Roché // Until now ft. Patrick Alavi

Louis La Roché // On the floor