I don’t pretend to consider myself a member of the legion of fiercely loyal MF Doom/Madlib/Madvillain fans, but I do appreciate hip-hop more than it may seem here on this blog. Call me a sucker for a catchy hook, but sometimes my enjoyment of a song hinges more on the intricacy or simplicity of a perfect beat and less on stunning lyricism. With the Four Tet remix of MF Doom’s “Money Folder”, I just so happen to get the best of both worlds. Expert cutting lyricism mixed with one of the most fascinating and enthralling beats ever put together by the genius that is Four Tet (aka Kieran Hebden). What makes the song so entertaining is a combination of Doom’s vintage and trademark flow and Hebden’s synthy, fast-paced rhythms. The sound-effect-littered breakdown after the first verse would seem to kill the mood of the song, when in actuality it places even more emphasis on the chills-down-the-spine-inducing return of the crashing snare drum and bass hits. In short, the “Money Folder” remix is truly unique.

MP3: MF Doom – “Money Folder (Four Tet Remix)”

Thanks to Moving in Stereo for the tip.

Love,
Zack

Who know the boys from Harlem Shakes could predict how amazing this year has been for music. Indeed, 2009 has been “a better year”, with incredible releases by Passion Pit, Phoenix, Animal Collective, Dirty Projectors, The Dodos, and the Shakes themselves. I’ve already professed my love for the boys from Brooklyn here and have Technicolor Health as one of the top 3 albums so far in 2009. Their uniquely catchy and upbeat sounds hold up against the heaviest of the blog-adored heavyweights. Check out the video (and song) for their newest single “Strictly Game” (my favorite song on the album), which captures the boys in “still photographs”. Before you think the video is just one of those strange picture collage/compilation videos weirdos on YouTube post to make up for a lack of a real video, take a closer look, and enjoy.

MP3: Harlem Shakes – “Strictly Game”

Leave it little adorable Londoner Florence Welch to remind me that the best five months of my life are over. Every once in a while, I catch a snapshot of Florence (Italy, that is) in a magazine or website article and reminisce about the eye-opening experiences I had. Welch, a.k.a. Florence & the Machine, recently covered Beirut’s “Postcards from Italy”, which was a mainstay on every playlist I made in Europe. The cover sees Florence in a quieter mood, a far cry from her usually quirky and manic stylings (see: Regina Spektor on synths).

“Postcards from Italy” may go down as one of the most nostalgia-inducing songs of all time; not just because of my special connection to it, but because of the mood of the track as a whole. Zach Condon is a genius songwriter and Florence most definitely does him justice. Also check Beirut performing the song live on the Black Sessions below.

MP3: Florence & the Machine – “Postcards from Italy (Beirut Cover)”
MP3: Beirut – “Postcards from Italy (Black Sessions)”

For those of you looking for more from the little lady, head on over to Neon Gold and check out a remix of her song “Rabbit Heart”, which I definitely recommend.

Love,
Zack

A couple of weeks ago, Zack and I were fortunate enough to attend the Red Stripe/FADER-sponsored “It Was Written” party, a night dedicated to celebrating Jamaican music, at DC’s G Fine Art.  Far from being any sort of authority on reggae, let alone anything Jamaican, I went in simply looking to have a good time (read: free Red Stripe) and perhaps learn something new about reggae that went beyond Bob Marley.  Suffice it to say, this blogger’s expectations were pretty off when it came to what actually went down.  The night centered around a performance by Terry Lynn with backing by Radioclit’s Johan Hugo.  What Zack and I saw was anything but a typical reggae performance.  Instead, we witnessed an interesting amalgam of reggae, dance, and electro, a polyamorous marriage I now gladly know can flourish.  Did I expect to dance?  No.  But it happened, and that’s always a good thing.

One other thing I loved was Miss Lynn’s stage presence.  Her commandeering of the mic was reminiscent of M.I.A.’s performance at the Virgin Festival two years ago.  She was powerful, animated, and I wanted to marry her by the end of the set.  The fact that Terry was able to accomplish this in a small art gallery was impressive and worth commending.

It seems that Terry will be in Europe for the remainder of July, so all of our transatlantic readers should take note of when and where she’s playing.  As for the rest of you, check out her music.  Even if you’re not familiar with this kind of thing, it’s definitely worth giving a listen.  Follow the link below to download a copy of the EP FADER and Red Stripe released for the event.

DOWNLOAD: It Was Written EP

Unfortunately, Zack and I weren’t able to snag any good pictures.  The guys over at Brightest Young Things, however, were.  For some snapshots of the night, go here.

Love,
Adrian

It seems Passion Pit is everywhere you look nowadays. With the surprising success of their debut Manners, the Boston-based quintet (which I had the pleasure of seeing a few weeks back) have taken the music industry by storm with their unique blend of synth-pop stylings and piercing falsettos, courtesy of Michael Angelakos. Manners has been my most listened-to album of 2009 (eat your heart out Dark Was the Night and Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix), and each song on the debut LP gets better and better upon every listen.

It seems everyone and their mother has remixed “Sleepyhead”, “The Reeling”, and “Little Secrets” recently, hoping to cash in on the group’s sudden popularity. Lately, however, the group has been doing some ear-catching remixes of their own, with great success. My personal favorite thus far is their flawless synth-driven remodeling of Ra Ra Riot’s “Ghost Under Rocks”, which you can check out below. Also, grab their latest, a remix of Yeah Yeah Yeahs “Heads Will Roll”. Long live Passion Pit.

MP3: Ra Ra Riot – “Ghost Under Rocks (Passion Pit Remix)”
MP3: Yeah Yeah Yeahs – “Heads Will Roll (Passion Pit Remix)”

Love,
Zack

Ahhhh, it shouldn’t be this long between posts. I have no excuse, but I guess something is better than nothing. Well, since it’s been awhile, I guess I have a lot to ‘splain.

Traveling with Zack for 3 weeks around Europe and saying good-bye to London was both fun and painful; while excited to be back in the States, I would miss Europe, the accents, pints, and the proper pronunciation of the word “twat” (it should rhyme with cat). However, since the beginning of June I’ve been living in New York City, following up one massive city with another in the hopes of distracting myself. I do have some music, though, that I need to share from my time in London that will always remind me of it.

The Castle Is Gone was a musical gift from my friend Sam, and even though it’s only a 4 song EP by California-based relative unknowns Chief, it’s been on heavy rotation for me. Using overlapping electric and acoustic guitars, and full harmony in their vocals, Chief does a great job making seemingly simple songs full of sound. The thing I love most about “Far Away” and “Nice People” is the lyrics, which manage to capture confusing and conflicting emotions in a vague, yet direct way.

MP3: Chief – “Far Away”
MP3: Chief – “Nice People”

The other song that I have to share is a French song. I don’t know who wrote it, I don’t know when it was recorded, and I don’t know all the lyrics. I have some idea of what it’s called and that’s “Tout les Garcons et les Filles,” or all the boys and girls. I would love it if someone could translate this and send it to me. That way I don’t have to pretend I know the lyrics by uttering random french sounding syllables. (Zack’s Note: Au Bon Pain Au Bon Pain).

MP3: French Person? – French Song?

J’taime,
Ryan

It’s high time I discuss one of my favorite new bands, Discovery, on these here pages. I have been blasting their debut, LP, over every speaker I can find and have been forcing everyone and their mother to give it a listen (the homeless guy on 18th and M LOVED IT). The reactions to the group, which consists of Vampire Weekend’s Rostam Batmanglij and Ra Ra Riot’s Wes Miles, have been varied, from “this is unique and awesome” to “this is auto-tune pop garbage”. While I fall in the first category, I can’t say I blame casual listeners for dismissing Discovery as some masturbatory side project that is both unoriginal and unlistenable. However, upon deeper listening, everyone I know has grown to love the unique crashing synths, filtered vocals, and oddly fascinating r&b melodies. The music is an embrace and also
a commentary on the pop music of the past decade, of booming
808 bass and jittery sixteenth note high-hats.

Highlights include VW’s Ezra Koenig’s cameo on “Carby” and an homage to MJ on “I Want You Back in Discovery.” Check out my favorite track, “So Insane”, which relies heavily on tempo changes, powerful bass, and

MP3: Discovery – “So Insane”

Love,
Zack

My boys have released yet another track off of their upcoming record, Mandala.  To echo what I said in my earlier post, “Bring Our Children Home or Everything Is Nothing” carries a The Sound of Animals Fighting vibe.  I’m guessing that without having Steve Borth (sax) and Chris Sheets (trombone) around for the recording process, the Rx Bandits have been able to take a more rock approach to their music, focusing more on the potential of traditional instruments and scrapping the horn-driven, ska-tinged sound of previous efforts.  I’m liking “Bring Our Children Home…” a lot more than “Hope Is a Butterfly…,” and I’m absolutely sure Mandala will be nothing short of amazing.  For now, I’ll stop with the speculation and save my thoughts for when the album actually comes out.  But let’s be serious, who in the world could ever write something negative about these guys?

MP3: Rx Bandits – “Bring Our Children Home or Everything Is Nothing” [via ReverbNation]

Also, the band posted “Hope Is a Butterfly…” onto their MySpace, so those of you who were too lazy to sign up for their mailing list can now stream it effortlessly.

Love,
Adrian

Guest blogger and former college roommate Josh Walker attended the Matt & Kim, Diplo, and Major Lazer show at Rock’n'Roll Hotel last Saturday. He was kind enough to give us some insight into what exactly went down:

Diplo and Major Lazer put on an epic set at the Rock and Roll Hotel in D.C. on Saturday. 500 or so party goers cramed into the intimate venue to hear all three artists spin sets well into the night. While I regrettably missed the Matt & Kim set, I arrived just in time to see Diplo and Major Lazer take the stage together. The two spun mind-numbing and irresistably danceable beats while scantily-clad dancers put on a show fit for a strip club. The night redefined what constitutes a true dance party. Well done Bacardi for putting this show together.

MP3: Dead Prez – “Hip Hop (Diplo Remix)”

MP3: Major Lazer – “Hold the Line (ft. Mr. Lexx & Santigold)”

Check out some more pictures after the jump.

UPDATE: Song removed at artist’s request. Listen to a preview here.

In my tours through Ireland and London, I came to realize how much Europeans (and my friends Katie and Emma) are enamored with Kings of Leon. After hearing “Sex on Fire” bumped in literally every venue from Irish Pubs to H&Ms, I figured I’d dig deeper. It’s no surprise to anyone that Only by the Night became such a massive hit, and rightfully so, but I didn’t realize just how universal the sound was. I tried to test my theory that everyone loves Kings of Leon by putting on “Use Somebody” during one of my DJ sets in Florence last semester. Within a matter of seconds, everyone was intrigued, and, if not dancing, at least listening intently. Now, if only I had a copy of the DJ Slink remix of “Use Somebody” at the time. Yeah, maybe it’s less universal, but damn is it ever danceable. Drawing from the best parts of the original (the catchy as hell “oooooohhhhwhoaaohhh” and “someone like meeee”), DJ Slink adds a whole new element to an ATG favorite. Bump this at your next party, and watch as frat kids, southern gentlemen, indie kids, and the like find a way to bond over some of the best music in the past few years, courtesy of Kings of Leon.

MP3: Kings of Leon – “Use Somebody (DJ Slink Remix)”

You know that I could use somebody,
Zack