I am now an Internet Warrior

My name is Noel.  I’m in a band called Hooray For Earth.  I’ve been invited to occasionally contribute to forthebeat, so I’m going to.

This is about the Danish group Oh No Ono.  Most people that know me have heard me rave about them.  The short version of my story is that their second LP Eggs was released in Denmark (they are Danish) in April 2009, and I luckily stumbled upon their gripping, colorfully grey video for the first single “Swim” (thx Johnny Woods) just a few days after the album release.  I was unaware of Oh No Ono before then, but they became one of my all-time favorite bands within a couple hours of discovery.  The songwriting and production are vast and constantly on a journey.  It’s just magic!

This past Fall, they signed to Brooklyn-based Friendly Fire and made their first trip to the states for a few shows in January (one at Mercury Lounge w/ Bear In Heaven, wonderful night).  We immediately became friends and can say only amazing things about them.  Eggs has since been released in the U.S., they returned for SXSW and some more NYC shenanigans, and so on and so forth.  A few weeks ago they released the Internet Warrior EP, which includes Eggs track “Internet Warrior” and a slew of remixes by the likes of Caribou, Zambri, Phenomenal Handclap Band, The Depreciation Guild and more.  Unfortunately it’s not currently available (yet?) in the U.S., but you can grab a few of the tracks if you take 2 seconds to search the internets — but first, below is the “Eleanor Speaks” remix by Zambri.  It’s a sprawling edit-frenzy of vocals and identifiable/unidentifiable noises layered on top of re-arranged instrumental bits with washy reverb and driving-but-not-in-a-hurry beats.

Oh No Ono – Eleanor Speaks (Zambri Remix)

Find all sorts of Ono info and music at ohnoono.com and check out the video for “Swim”:

New Artist: Long Walks On The Beach

Fritz Kramer has been recording music for some time now and it shows in his current solo project, Long Walks On The Beach. His music has been deemed “bedroom-pop,” because he records everything on his laptop in the bedroom, closet or shower. It’s pretty obvious on first listen that LWOTB is meant for something bigger than a bedroom.

He’s put on a couple of shows in DC, where he currently lives. And with more exposure outside of DC, LWOTB is destined for bigger stages. I hope Fritz is ready for the demand, because it’s coming.  As he says on his Facebook page (friend him, he’s a cool dude): 2009 = huge but 2010 = huger.

Long Walks On The Beach – I Didn’t Want to Make Out

New Album Review: Coma Cinema

Coma Cinema is one of my favorite artist discoveries of 2010, actually, Coma Cinema is one of my favorite artist discoveries ever. Mat Cothran’s musical magical talent is amazing. I love his songs, all of them, yes all of them. I could listen over and over for hours, and I do. His first album Baby Prayers was beautiful, if you haven’t already, listen to the entire thing and download for free, and start here with Flower Pills. Immediately after falling in love with it, we were fortunate enough to have Coma Cinema come up from South Carolina to play their first NYC show at our spring showcase (with Hooray for Earth & Sunglasses).

Coma Cinema will release their second album, Stoned Alone, on June 1st  (album artwork pictured above). You can catch some of the tracks on their MySpace page now and I’ve listed some below. I can’t pick a favorite track or even a few favorite tracks, I pretty much love them all. The album collectively feels like a dream-like state of clouds floating past your cheeks, tiny hairs stand up with excitement, on the edge of looking out into darkness that responds with lightness floating in a dream the bubble that bursts and fast forwards and then rewinds until you’re standing still but upside down. Yea, that about sums it up.

Highlights of the shimmering excellence:

Blissed – beautiful dreamy float into space close your eyes/open your eyes/close them again delicious nightmare you dont want to wake from and seems to go on and on forever but when you wake you realize it was just under a minute or in this case under two, clocking in at 1:56

Stoned Alone – listen for yourself but a perfect ending to every beginning

Black Birthday Cake – reminds me why i love to cry when i find things emotionally beautiful you know like a waterfall or hot sun on your naked skin before you dive into cold water that kind of stuff that shakes you unequivocally

Her Vore - female vocals on this track along with Mat’s is a perfect pair. This one makes me feel like I’m starring out into a darkened abyss with nothing but everything left unseen all at once.

The album is being released on cassette tape (awesome) and digitally June 1 via Arcade Sounds Ltd, same label as Magic Man, who will be playing forthebeat’s next show on June 11th at Pianos.

You should listen to these LOUD.

Coma Cinema – Her Vore

Coma Cinema – Black Birthday Cake

Coma Cinema – Stoned Alone

Pantha du Prince in NYC in June

I was over at a friend’s the other day listening to some vinyl and enjoying some almost summer beers when he threw on Pantha du Prince’s new record Black Noise.  I was immediately hooked – and intrigued.

Their MySpace page says they are from Antarctica, but guess what?  That’s a silly, silly joke.  Pantha du Prince is, in fact, from Germany.  And it’s actually a one man show.  Given name: Hendrick Weber.  Alter egos: Pantha du Prince, Panthel and Glühen 4.  He is an electronic music producer and DJ, who started out in 2002 and was recently added to the Rough Trade roster, through which he put out Black Noise in February.

This is the third studio album under the Pantha du Prince name (there are a few other singles and an album from Glühen 4), and features collaborations with members of Animal Collective and LCD Soundsystem; and he’s remixed Cold Cave and been remixed by Four Tet — so many forthebeat faves.

Pantha du Prince will be in NYC on June 17^th at Santos Party House (only three U.S. dates to speak of but lots of European dates – check here for a full list of tour dates.)

Pantha du Prince – Lay in a Shimmer

Local Natives in Minneapolis

Yes, everyone is in love with Local Natives.

SL was ahead of the curve when she included them on her Le Miel du Mois: Avril Mixtape, but my own love has grown slow and steady, with 100+ repeated listens of their debut album during this long, rainy spring.

Like most other girls in my demographic (single, over 25, maybe gained a little weight recently) their formula (man harmonies + several dudes on drums + facial hair + probable BO) is comforting and attractive.

Lucky for me, their tour brought them right into my backyard, for a sweaty show at Minneapolis’ 400 bar.  With temperatures in the 80s and a broken air conditioner, the only thing hotter than this show was all the sweaty cool kids standing in rapt attention as the band dutifully and passionately ripped through each track off Gorilla Manor.

Local Natives – Who Knows Who Cares

New Artist: Grum

Grum is Graeme Sheapherd, a 24-year-old Scotsman ready to melt your night away with his debut electro scene album Heartbeats. It’s a game changer in a crowded genre.

The album is cohesive, but you can tell each track has it’s own influences from Fleetwood Mac to Daft Punk. “Turn It Up’” reminds me of the Patrice Rushen’s “Forget Me Nots” song during the trampoline loft scene in Big (I can’t think of a better end to a date, honestly), while “Cybernetic” might be from some epic 80′s movie fight scene.

Before the album release this week, Grum has remixed Friendly Fires and Passion Pit and has DJ’d around the world. So fortheloveofheartbeats, check Grum out.

Grum – Can’t Shake This Feeling

Also, how about the video for “Can’t Shake This Feeling”:

“Blogwave Summer” Mixtape

This is the coolest shit!

For their one year anniversary, dailybeatz asked a bunch of their favorite blogs (including forthebeat!) to each submit a track that reminds them of summer, creating the ultimate “Blogwave Summer” Mixtape.

dailybeatz says, “It was an interesting project because everyone has a different definition of the perfect summer tune, but there’s a great mix of upbeat and chill that all flows together in the end.”

Head HERE to download the zip file and/or the single mp3 file.  And here is the track listing, highlighting each of the awesome blogs that participated!

DAILYBEATZ “BLOGWAVE SUMMER” MIXTAPE

1. Sia – Buttons (CSS Remix) [Sheena Beaston]
2. Badly Drawn Boy – My Friend Cubilas [Tympanogram]
3. Database vs. French Horn Rebellion – Beach and Friends (Hey Champ Remix) [Music is My Sunshine]
4. Javelin – Vibrationz [Creamteam]
5. Len – Steal My Sunshine [Tsururadio]
6. Friendly Fires – Jump in the Pool (Thin White Duke Remix) [Tastes Like Caramel]
7. Telepopmusik – Breathe [Wild Tonic]
8. Galaxie 500 – Strange [We All Want Someone to Shout For]
9. Delphic – Doubt (Build Remix) [dailybeatz]
10. Free Energy – Bang Pop [Pretty Much Amazing]
11. Delorean – Stay Close [Nashville Nights]
12. Tunng – Hustle [The Music Ninja]
13. Fergus & Geronimo – Turning Blue [the needle drop]
14. The Teenagers – Love No (Delorean Remix) [dailybeatz]
15. The Pass – Crosswalk Stereo [We Listen for You]
16. Bag Raiders – Shooting Stars [umstrum]
17. Two Door Cinema Club – Something Good Can Work (The Twelves Remix) [Strangers in Stereo]
18. Foster the People – Pumped Up Kicks [Pigeons and Planes]
19. Manu Chao – Bongo Bongo/Je Ne T’Aime Plus [Indie Shuffle]
20. Rapdragons – She Got Me (Moss of Aura Remix) [Pasta Primavera]
21. Pictureplane – Cyclical Cyclical (Atlantis) [forthebeat]

New Artist: Jai Paul

Jai Paul is a solo artist from Northwest London. Pretty new on the scene, and already being compared to M.I.A and Hudson Mohawk, at age 21. Jai Paul’s sound draws you in with curiosity and instantly satisfies.

There is talk of an EP release, but with no official date yet. There are, however, a bunch of demos on his MySpace page, with “BTSTU” as the leading buzz track. There is no tour information or seemingly finalized tracks, with even “BTSTU” dubbed as a “demo,” but this is no demo in the true sense of the word. This song is a stand-out, knock-out, black-out and I love it. You will too:

Jai Paul – BTSTU

(The) Tony Castles

Who doesn’t like pirates?  No one.  In fact, everyone loves pirates, which is why you’re going to love the song “Pirates” by (The) Tony Castles.

This Brooklyn-based threesome is made up of Paul Sicilian, Willie Miesmer and Gabriel Wurzel.  So, as far as I can tell, there is no one in this band named Tony Castles.  Sadly, I guess this guy isn’t in the mix.

Anyway, there are no EPs or full-lengths to speak of – yet.  (Their debut five-song EP “No Service” will be out soon).  So right now we’re enjoying a bunch of rough demos.  “Pirates” is a six-minute song, and you’ll enjoy every second of this ethereal, rock/pop/and sometimes synth-y tune featuring some very high-pitched vocals.

If you want to check them out, (The) Tony Castles play Mercury Lounge tomorrow night with forthebeat fave Keepaway and buzz band Dom, for the Keepaway EP release party.

The Tony Castles – Pirates

New forthebeat favorite: Quadron

*New Writer Alert: Meet C. Love…and here he goes for entry 1:

Has the complete onslaught of new music got you down this spring? Are you like me and can’t find the time to listen to all? Well, as busy as you might be, that’s no excuse to ignore great music. I recently heard a danish duo that caught me off guard. Coco & Robin are Quadron. Give them a chance. They are worth your time.
Quadron’s self-titled debut album had its stateside release in late March, but I don’t think they got the blog attention they deserve. Thankfully, I did hear them and they have been a bright spot amongst the pile of new music I’ve been churning through these past few weeks. From their Myspace page: Quadron’s stated goal with the debut is to give the soul scene a vitamin boost and provide an alternative to the american R’n'B that is dominating the charts. They call their music electronic soul…Sounds fun, right? RIGHT.

Video for Slippin here:

QUADRON “Slippin” (Unofficial) video .

Quadron– Slippin

Quadron– Pressure