New Artist: Blackbird Blackbird

SIGGHH.  I love this band…For their first full length album, Blackbird Blackbird jump in with a BANG, then cartwheel, do some jumping jacks and float on up to the sky (yea, just like the photo). Their beats remind me of MillionYoung /dreamy synth Beach House-like vocals/Air France beach goodness.

It all started with the Happy High EP released this past April, followed closely by Let’s Move Together EP in May and Summer Heart in June, available for digital download currently on their bandcamp site. AND, just announced today– the Summer Heart 12″ vinyl is coming out on Arcade Sound Ltd on September 28- so look out for that.

Blackbird Blackbird is also playing a show tonight in LA with fellow Arcade Sound artists Teen Daze and Gobble Gobble and some other fun sounding bands.

Check out an original and a cover below…just when I thought I didn’t need to hear Modest Mouse’s most acclaimed track Float On again, (since it has been repeated countless times because it does kick some major ass), Blackbird Blackbird recreates the song into a synth dance blast that maintains its initial appeal but extends it to further awesomeness.

Check it out:

Blackbird Blackbird Cover — Modest Mouse Float On

Blackbird Blackbird — Letting Go

Buy the album or individual tracks here

New Artist: Teen Daze

Dance duo, Teen Daze from Vancouver are about to break-the-f-out, while they’ve gotten some solid attention it’s only a matter of time before that accelerates as they gear up for their new EP release “Four More Years.” The EP will be released on Arcade Sound, the label/management company, based out of Knoxville, TN, known to specialize in digital/limited edition vinyl and cassette releases (awesome). Some of Arcade Sound’s artists are forthebeat favorites including Boston based Magic Man and South Carolina’s Coma Cinema, who both played our summer and spring show, respectively.

Arcade Sound is a true pioneer in the chillwave force, and Teen Daze is no exception to their exemplary roster, however not as chillwave as fellow AS artist MillionYoung, but definitely on the same track, with an underlying dance tone. While there are some solid originals from the duo, the clear standout for me are their remixes. They’ve remixed a ton of tracks to near dance perfection including Local Natives, Japandroids, Yeasayer, and one of the latest ftb discoveries: Gobble Gobble and their standout single “Lawn Knives.” Some CA performances coming up, lucky west coasters.

PB&J remixes for lunch? yes please:

Local Natives – Wide Eyes (Teen Daze Remix)

Japandroids – Wet Hair (Teen Daze Remix)

You can now buy the album: support the artist and buy Four More Years.

New Artist: Star Slinger

I like songs that sound like your CD is skipping or there’s something fucked up with your ipod.  Star Slinger’s remixes and originals are certainly not all like that but as soon as I heard his stuff I got really really wide-eyed jump-up-and-down excited.

Star Slinger is instrumental hip hop goodness, Manchester based Producer named Darren and  samples everything from child-fronted reggae to 80’s rock. His debut 11 track album is out now for free at www.starslinger.net. Best free thing I have gotten in awhileeee.

I usually recommend a few tracks to listen to if you’re first discovering an artist but not with this one, no, no go crazy. Really, go bananas. I love all of them. Here’s one of his remixes called Dutchie Courage:

Star Slinger – Dutchie Courage

Here’s the first track off of that album, called Mornin:

Star Slinger – Mornin’

And here’s Extra Time:

Star Slinger – Extra Time

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: PUNCHES

Punchessssssssssssssssssssss – I just love this name for a DJ group. Punches is Brooklyn based Alan Astor, Dj Never Forget, The Kid Robb and Terry Diabolik.

Their debut gig was this past Saturday at Public Assembly with Moullinex, Xinobi, Justin Faust and others.  Not too bad for a debut gig…

Their remix of Au Revoir Simone’s Only You is so danceably, catchy awesome, you wont want to stop movin and groovin. Listen to it here:

Au Revoir Simone – Only You (Punches Remix)

Want a Punches t-shirt just because they are kind of awesome in an 80’s pac man dance neon tight-pants kind of  way? KC has one and you can too.

gorillaz make you feel good again

Fridayyyy.  And this song is going to get you fully prepped for the weekend.

Like ‘em or love ‘em, the world’s most successful virtual band Gorillaz are back with their third studio album Plastic Beach, out starting March 3 in Japan and finally March 10 in the U.S.  Already, remixes of the new tracks are popping up all over, but Alex Metric’s remix of “Stylo” turns the song upside down, inside out, and gets it dance floor ready.

The initial build up signifies something big is coming.  And just before the main vocals start, when the giant beats are juxtaposed with those rich, unhurried and familiar Gorillaz vocals, I want to jump out of my seat.

Gorillaz – Stylo (Alex Metric Remix)