Dirty CA$H
29 September 2006
Back in June I dropped some love for the Pink Skull duo from Philadelphia when their Blast Yr Akk EP was released. To be honest, I wasn't expecting great things, but then this remix of Spank Rock's "Bump" featuring Amanda Blank from the YoYoYoYoYo record magically fell from the sky and onto my harddrive. This is highly reminiscent of Simian Mobile Disco's "Hustler", so if you found yourself going bonkers for that tune, then this is right up your alley. They have some really top-notch original material and remixes (hopefully) scheduled for release sometime in the near future.
New Yorkers have two chances to check them out:
- October, 5 2006 with Jacques Renault at my favorite old FIXED venue, the Tribeca Grand Hotel
- October, 6 2006 with Ratatat at Guggenheim Museum, part of the Art After Dark: First Fridays event series
Again, if you're in the area, Fuck Hugo (Club Rio / 103 / CA$HMONEYPARTY - Berlin) is doing a special set around midnight at the Annex on the Lower East Side for the Ruff Club party. Normally that place makes me quiver in hipster self-denial/disgust especially on a Friday night, but I'm willing to brave the haircuts (with my haircut), the shorts coupled with boots phenomenon (with my shorts and boots) and ironic thrift store t-shirts (with my ironic thrift store t-shirt) for a friend. Hey, at least I'm keeping it real.
DID YOU SEE THE SOULWAX TOUR IN THE US OR CANADA?
If so, Modular has a proposition for you:
Did you just see the Radio Soulwax tour in the US and Canada? Was your mind blown? Are you still recovering? If so, then send Modular your fave pics and/or video clips from the night with some brief comments. (Hopefully, with lots of exclamation points.) Modular will pick the best entry and the winner will receive a big prize pack of Modular goodies, including the Nite Versions record, limited edition vinyl from The Presets and Wolfmother, and new music from Van She, Klaxons, and whatever else they feel like sharing!
Email your entries to modularusa@modularpeople.com and put "Soulwax Contest" in the subject line.
Good luck!
Posted by M.A. @ 14:54 |
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Heavy Damage
25 September 2006
♫ Les Georges Leningrad - Eli Eli Lamma SabbacthaniElectronic music buffs might want to pass on this one unless you could use a good head scratch at the moment. These last few days I've been drowning in a sea of post-punk/experimental rock/no-wave mind-erasers. So it makes sense that when the new Les Georges Leningrad LP, Sangue Puro, found its way into my hands via a friend from Dare to Care Records, I couldn't keep it off the turntable. For one, it's a creamy, neon yellow-colored vinyl. I like pretty vinyl. And secondly, all hyperbole aside, it makes me want to weep tears of blood that morph into bat creatures and fly off into the night towards the pale moonlight. Commence head-scratching in 3, 2, 1...
This track is probably an acquired taste in comparison to the more accessible "Skulls in the Closet" (MP3), a discordant synth rocker featuring Poney P's usual vocal antics that well defined their last two LPs. Quite literally, "Eli Eli Lamma Sabbacthani" translates into "God, why have you forsaken me?" and tells the story of cannibals eating a missionary in polyphonic Latin chants over rolling drums. Perfect for a calm, Wednesday afternoon at the office, don't you think?
Posted by M.A. @ 18:10 |
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Get Wrecked
23 September 2006
Credit: NevBrown on FlickrWhat a technicolor dreamcoated week its been with Klaxons and company. Several milkshakes, sequined caps, neon sneakers, one tattoo, one birthday, skeleton gloves, DAF videos, iTunes wars, one nausea-inducing backed up hotel room toilet and two live performances later... I find peace, silence and the ability to flush an absolute godsend. That is, until my mobile goes off and my new favorite fellow intern, Alex (aka the Swedish Brigitte Bardot), rings me up and beckons me out for another consecutive night of what can only be described as WreckFest06. I would oblige but my legs are like wet noodles this evening and my eyelids feel like they weigh more than Eazy-E's uzi. For real.
The Midway show on Tuesday night, despite the heavily distorted sound and low drums in the monitor, was some wicked, wicked fun. Apparently, the consensus amongst the blogerati was that it ran too late which could be explained by the late soundcheck and the mega RSVP list. Long lines meant some difficulty getting downstairs. Still, if you managed to get in and decided to stick around, wasn't the siren to die for? And those harmonies? Simon's jacket, even? What about getting a chance to see the mysterious and softspoken 4th Klaxon? Well we really enjoyed the evening and I'd certainly love to get my greedy hands on a copy of the tracks they performed that weren't on the EP. Ace tunes that I can't get out of my head.
Ah, I spoke too soon. Hianta over at Fluo Kids has the (leaked?) digital download for instant gratification purposes:
I admit I was disappointed with the reviews the following morning, some so daft that they anticipate a swift Test Icicles-esque demise to their career. Sometimes I feel like music bloggers have become just as contemptible as those serious, sourpuss print critics.
Lots of Modular NY/UK family bonding Thursday at the Soulwax show where Alex and I worked the guest/will call list. I was a first-timer so it took some getting used to uttering those 5 infamous words, "You're not on the list". It went well though and despite not being able to see Soulwax's set, we could still hear it and did our best at chair dancing behind the window. Backstage shenanigans followed shortly thereafter. Mission to photograph Michael Stipe who was sitting a few feet away: accomplished. JDH and Dave P. were dropping some serious jams all night. Can you dance to my bleep? Again, slightly bummed I spent most of the night sitting down but there was decent company all around. And who could resist taunting Milo of Merok Records with stories of beautiful European ladies? Far too easy and amusing to make everyone blush when the alcohol is flowing like tap water.
By the way, you can grab a hard copy of Klaxons' Atlantis to Interzone remixes on vinyl from Merok. Includes contributions from Metronomy, that Third Eye Mafia remix that drives everyone wild, Tapedeck, Crystal Castles, etc. Support Milo's awesome sweater fund.
Posted by M.A. @ 20:14 |
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Pop, Lock &Drop It
16 September 2006
It's good to be home and... online? Not so much, considering my Dell laptop is on the verge of spontaneous combustion. I've officially caved and am venturing to the Apple Store tomorrow to pick up a MacBook. Now for some blurbisms!
Thanks to Nick and Sean of Cobra Kai for making last night's Dirty Down party at Lit some hot and heavy, wall banging, ceiling punching fun. Sad to say I showed up two hours late and missed Krames' set, but I'm sure it was just as good, if not better than this:
Sujinho coaxed us all onto the body-hugging mess of a dancefloor where we hit people in the face, pogoed to and fro, and myself, molested a balding man dancing in front of me. Then, perhaps as karmic retribution, I was grinded by some European Romeo wearing gold chains and a pinstriped vest. We were sweating harder than Gary Glitter on holiday in Cambodia. In other words, pretty good night. If parties in Richmond are crazier than this, I'm stowing away on the next train out of this city and heading due south.
While I'm in a sharing mood, here's a little something for Thomas from Belgium who was kind enough to send me an extremely flattering email that included a special request for a Soul Grabber track, one that appears on the As Heard on Radio Soulwax Pt. 2 compilation that I love.
In the words of Dave from Slap You in Public, "Next week the Modular and FIXED crews drop the hate on your asses"! Klaxons will be making their US debut at Club Midway and Soulwax will be performing their Nite Versions live, Thursday night at Studio B.
Posted by M.A. @ 18:23 |
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Myths and Legends
15 September 2006
♫ D.I.M. - Sysiphos*A great man once said:
"If you don't love this record it's obvious you don't love FREEDOM. FREEDOM to get down"!Scratch that. It was only Tiga talking about the latest acid-laced electro 12" release on his Turbo Recordings label by D.I.M., the faceless wonder(s) from Hamburg, Germany (said to be one half of Puzique and the other Boys Noize aka Kid Alex). Do yourself a favor and find a proper copy of this record if only for the track on the flipside. There's little to no press on this now save for the praise it's received from Sexor himself, Ewan Pearson and Erol Alkan but it's bound to pick up soon enough and after that you'll be staring blankly at the text Out of Stock. So dip into those piggy banks, kids, and prep those setlists. Then keep your eyes peeled at the end of October when Turbo is scheduled to drop the Erole Attak EP from, you guessed it, Boys Noize.
*Removed by request.
Posted by M.A. @ 00:36 |
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Get Cerebral
14 September 2006
♫ Audion - The PongLook away from the cover art! Look away! I know it's blinding, really. Audion, alias for Detroit-based Matthew Dear, performed last winter alongside Ryan Elliott at Guggenheim's First Friday, a special music series brought to you by the folks over at Flavorpill. Yep, good old New York City... where getting drunk at a cash bar inside a world-reknowned museum while pounding the floor beneath you is not only acceptable, it's encouraged! I missed it, I wept imaginary tears as a consequence.
Christ that artwork is killing my eyes.
Audion's Suckfish LP met rave reviews when it was released in 2004 and continues to ricochet in my skull like a bullet to the brain. I've been chomping at the bit in an effort to grab new titles, so if you're more inclined towards relatively new releases, then his 2006 FabricLive 27 mix is the way to go. In the meantime, throw this tune on (which was also released as a 12" single on Ghostly International) and prepare to be uncomfortably shaken by the unapologetic-to-the-ears, rise and fall sound of "The Pong".
Posted by M.A. @ 22:58 |
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System Breakdown
09 September 2006
♫ KIM - Wet 'n WildAs an addendum to yesterday's post, I have a track from KIM aka Kim Moyes of The Presets sans Julian and all of your preconceived notions of what this must sound like. KIM's System Breakdown 12" is the first release from Cutters Records, a UK imprint run by Presets labelmates on Modular, Cut Copy. But unlike the material he churns out as a programmer/drummer for The Presets, the songs Kim produces here are sinfully lubricious electro-house cuts that could easily find a home in a set next to Electrified-era tracks by Smash TV or Laid Back's "White Horse". The essence is strictly dancefloor and a decadent one at that.
If you've done a little digging around for it in the online shops, you'll find it unavailable on both Phonica, Juno and selling for the equivalent of $30+ on Discogs. After yesterday's vinyl shopping spree where I bagged stuff from Kitsune, BPitch, Ed Banger and Speaker Junk Recordings, that's not an option. However, I made a sheepish plea to the bossman and got myself a copy.
Speaking of Ed Banger, a little heads up for New Yorkers:
- Label head Busy P (Pedro Winter) will be DJing a special set at Movida's Robot Rock party tonight at midnight as well as tomorrow night (after-after hours) at APT, most likely following the invite-only Colette Dance Class event. Busy P indeed. You'd be well advised to check out the video on the Colette site for footage of a previous dance class in Tokyo where guests were taught the choreography to Daft Punk's "Around the World" video!
Posted by M.A. @ 15:58 |
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Galapagos Recap
08 September 2006
Video credit: Daniel
I Go Hard, I Go Home is an understatement. It's taken about 48 hours to shake the head cloudiness that's been plaguing me since Wednesday morning. To whoever I spoke to or saw at the Happy Endings afterparty, I was running on auto-pilot due to a serious brain power outage.
I admit to being none too impressed with the openers for The Presets show on Tuesday night. I rarely write about something I don't particularly like because I'm apprehensive about offending artists who are doing what they love -- making music -- something I can't claim to be doing myself (unless Sunday morning hairbrush karaoke counts). Maybe given some time I could get into Brooklyn's own Holy Hail but I have absolutely no idea what was going on with Goat Explosion, also New York locals, except to say that the spazztastic lead singer reminded me of that infamous "Soy Bomb" character that bumrushed Bob Dylan's performance at the Oscars many years ago.
The last time I saw The Presets perform in NYC, it was at Cake Shop back in March (see post). I had about an inch of viewing space, most of which was aimed at the top of Julian's head. I couldn't pick out the band in a line-up if I tried. This time they just looked like glowing, neon phantoms leading a packed crowd on some acid-crazed dance trip. Or at least, after one too many birthday drinks and a pair of dried out contact lenses, that's what it looked like. I couldn't tell you who was responsible for the floor shaking, but all the kids were reaching for the ceiling and going bonkers towards the end. Some more info from excitable Presets fan, Daniel, who also attended:
"One song was mixed with a Daft Punk track (Rollin' & Scratchin') and I liked it (should really be released as a track). It was a delight to hear a new take to one of their songs with the addition of a DAFT PUNK track mixed in with a favorite.Also, check out photos from The Presets performance at the Virgin Megastore in Union Square that took place earlier in the day at Nevoreiel's Flickr page.
The finale was dedicated to Steve Irwin (really shows how much of a national figure Steve Irwin was to Australia). It was a great show, and The Presets used a damn Speak N Spell machine voice card/audio!"
Posted by M.A. @ 15:20 |
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Let Them Eat Cake
05 September 2006
I woke up late this morning and got a package in the mail from Munich that, while declared as CDs, smelled suspiciously of sweet chocolate. When I opened it, I realized it was a box from the Hotel Sacher in Vienna and inside, one of their famous sachertortes! Great way to start off your birthday -- apricot jam and Viennese chocolate. Thanks to Armin from Venzero for the wonderful gift. I doubt it'll last the week. Everyone wants a piece!
I'll be celebrating my 23rd birthday later tonight at Galapagos Art Space in Williamsburg with The Presets, so if you're in the area, you should come by. You're all invited. Yes, even you. Bring the ones you love!
Now, because I'm in a surprisingly fantastic mood, a little gift for you all in the form of a random assortment of tunes, new and old:
♫ John Dahlbäck - Flatfoot Can't Dance
♫ Coldcut ft. Roots Manuva - True Skool (Switch Mix)
♫ Daisy Daisy - Michelle Plays Ping Pong (Vicarious Bliss Match Point Remix)
Posted by M.A. @ 12:38 |
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Orchestra of Bubbles
03 September 2006
Photo credit: Treether on Flickr
My friend Tyler and I enjoyed a dinner at Uva on Thursday night, then raided his closet for his evening outfit that could only be described as most Berlin-esque what with a neon yellow t-shirt with some sort of assymetrical hem, black military pants with a green stripe down the lengths, pointed toe sneaker boots, hooded sweatshirt and tote. I always have fun with this type of comical, human paper doll theater since my routine is fairly simple: dirty vs. clean. Plus, there's the added benefit of getting to watch a male specimen undress sans the sexual tension!
We popped into his art studio for a bit which happened to be on the same block as one of the many MTV VMA afterparties taking place that night, so we were immediately approached by security and had to request permission to access the entrance of the building. Slightly absurd to assume we were party crashers amongst all the hooker heels and bling, but I guess anything's possible on an awards night. Inside, we lost track of time to spraypaint fumes, coffee and futon chatter before making it to Hiro across the street a little before 1AM. The line was tolerable, a few drunk and obnoxious people who I could only assume were VMA afterparty rejects and us attempting to purge our tickets at $15 a piece once I figured out how to get in for free. Just drop the name of any Cheeky Bastard party host!
We made it in right on time, just as Ellen Allien and Apparat went on, but I was too distracted by how massive the crowd was. My initial naive reaction, "I can't believe how many fans they have here"! But as we made our way through to secure ourselves a spot not too far from the stage, I realized most of the people behind us weren't dancing, nor were they really paying attention to what was going on. A few head bobs and raised glasses here and there, no doubt, but the response felt more Pavlovian, a learned behavior to move to the ooonst-ooonst beat.
I'm not one for handpicked crowds but it just seemed like the wrong venue, the wrong night, the wrong timing (I couldn't help but wonder what was going on at the Ed Banger showcase downtown). We danced anyway, sometimes with eyes closed and oblivious to those around, and didn't stop moving until the set ended somewhat prematurely, a good 40 minutes later perhaps. There were some prize moments nonetheless, mainly when Ellen grabbed the mic for "Magma" and "Way Out". Still, there was just something missing. This electronically charged atmosphere I was anticipating turned out to be smokey, dank and languid at best.
Posted by M.A. @ 01:14 |
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