2 posts tagged “black kids”
“I’m Good, I’m Gone” – Lykke Li
“Courtship Dating” – Crystal Castles
“Paris is Burning” – Ladyhawke
“I Lust U” – Neon Neon (featuring Cate Le Bon)
Perhaps the most interesting collaborative project of the year comes from Super Furry Animals front man Gruff Rhys and electronic producer/musician Boom Bip. Together, these two form the dynamic duo, Neon Neon. Their debut album, Stainless Steel, released earlier in the year is a concept album, and is based on the life of John De Lorean (the engineer/playboy of the De Lorean Motor Company). In fact, the album title is a pun for the De Lorean DMC-12, which features a body made of stainless steel. The album also features guest appearances from familiar faces like Fab Moretti of The Strokes, Spank Rock, and Har Mar Superstar, as well as vintage sythesizers like the Casio SK-5, Korg MiniKorg 700, and Roland SH-101 to create the mid eighties synth-pop sound. When Welsh singer Cate Le Bon lends her sexy vocals to the track "I Lust U," one feels immediately transported back to the age of excess.
“Blind” – Hercules & Love Affair (featuring Antony Hegarty)
“Shut Up and Let Me Go” – The Ting Tings
www.myspace.com/thelongblondes
“Cassius” – Foals
“Lights & Music” - Cut Copy
“L.E.S. Artistes” – Santogold
“I Will Possess Your Heart" – Death Cab for Cutie
“If You Wanna Be A Star” – Walter Meego
“Fire” – The Whip
“Skeleton Tiger” – Tame Impala
The Scottish singer/songwriter/producer/remixer is truly a jack-of-all-trades. He scored a nominal hit last year with “Acceptable in the ‘80s,” poking fun at the fashion and pop culture of the period. The video is a parody of many early ‘80s new wave videos, which were often dreamlike and nonsensical (since video was a new medium for music at the time, it allowed for much more creative freedom). The 24-year-old is also known for his producing talents [Róisín Murphy, Kylie Minogue, Sophie Ellis-Bextor, and the highly entertaining “Michael Jackson” by The Mitchell Brothers (you should YouTube the video immediately!)]. He lends his clever remixing abilities to tracks by The Ting Tings, CSS, and Jamiroquai. Keep on the lookout for Mr. Harris this year.
The synth-pop musical duo from The Windy City met back in 1999 and shared similar musical aesthetics. The band takes its name from vocalist Justin Sconza (who is HOT as Hell, by the way), when he asked his counterpart (instrumentalist Colin Yarck) to call him “Walter,” which was short for his new alter ego, Walter Meego. The group’s musical style has been described of elements of dance, funk, and post-punk, and they’ve been compared to the likes of New Order, Daft Punk, and Radiohead. Their upcoming full-length, Voyager, showcases a wide range of ability, and features the track, “Wanna Be a Star.” Walter Meego is probably some of the most intelligent electropop goodness in the past six years. Keep them on your radar.
Perhaps my favorite new musical act of the year thus far would undoubtedly be MGMT. The artsy bohemian duo from Brooklyn has produced some of the most innovative sounds I’ve heard this decade yet. Combining elements of garage rock, glam (think Bowie-esque and T.Rex crooning vocals), and a bit of ‘80s synths, and you’ll have a magical combination of rock that transcends time. They’ve already produced a string of catchy singles from the recently released Oracular Spectacular including the mesmerizing “Time to Pretend,” the soulful “Electric Feel,” and the synth-driven “Kids.” I know it’s only April, but I’m almost ready to hand the Best Album of the Year Award to MGMT. Check them out.
Last year, Klaxons were touted as the band to watch by NME, as the cheeky Brit mag proclaimed them the purveyors of the new rave movement. This year, NME has crowned a new band as their lovelies du jour. Foals hail from Oxford, England (which is more than just a University. Oxford is a cool little city…like a miniature London, if you will. I have an undying love for it that hasn’t faded since I studied there for a term ten years ago). Foals provide a clever combination of math rock and dance-punk that creates a captivating sound. Their debut album, Anitdotes, was just released a few weeks ago in the UK, and has already shot to number three. The album’s US release is slated for today. The band caught my attention with their single, “Mathletics” a few months back, and it hasn’t left my “most played” iPod list yet!
Black Kids have enjoyed a whirlwind of success in just six short months. Back in August, they performed for Athens Popfest (Athens, GA), and the festival catapulted them to online fame, as indie music bloggers talked about them non-stop. As a result, they received coverage in The Guardian, Vice, NME, and The Village Voice. They also released an EP titled, The Wizard of Ahhhs that same month, which earned them a stellar review from Pitchfork Media (and contained an outstanding single called “Hurricane Jane”). Since then, they’ve signed a deal with Quest Management (Björk, Arcade Fire), and have received exposure in The New York Times and USA Today. Rolling Stone named them one of the ten best new bands of 2008. Their first official single since signing with Almost Gold Recording was released yesterday and is a newly recorded version of “I’m not Gonna Teach Your Boyfriend How to Dance with You.” Look for their debut full-length (TBA) to drop in July.
