Check ‘Em Out: Lux

“…filled with synthy goodness, fuzzy guitars, and purty purty duets, making them a band worthy of your attention” – Three Imaginary Girls

“It’s My Bloody Valentine assaulting The Raveonettes with an antique synthesizer.” – The Devil Has The Best Tuna

The Seattle-based duo Lux has sewn a unique sleeve to wear its influences on. Inspired by some of  the most essential artists of the era of indie and underground music (Pavement, The Velvet Underground, Sonic Youth, The Magnetic Fields, The Jesus & Mary Chain, New Order, Blondie), this boy-girl duo offers its own take on these sounds with the debut album We Are Not The Same, set for release on April 3rd, 2012.

Lux was formed in early 2010 when David Chandler, a Seattle transplant from Los Angeles began looking for a girl to form a band with. At the same time, Leah Rosen, a Seattle native with a decade of songwriting experience was looking to team up with a male musician. With some luck (and Craigslist), the pair found each other.

The duo set up shop in Rosen’s basement and set about writing, playing and recording the first Lux songs with Rosen and Chandler trading off on vocals, guitars, synths and drum programming.  The tunes immediately found their way onto the internet in the form of the digital EP, Disorders, released just a scant five months later in July of 2010.

Lux is still contemplating how it will play live (they never have!) as both Rosen and Chandler are self-confessed control freaks susceptible to the unpredictable nature of the stage. “Really, we just haven’t got around to it yet,” says Chandler. “We were actually offered a tour of Europe, but decided to focus on recording the album instead.”

It’s a good thing that they did as our ears are better for it. Check out the single, “The Window” from their debut album, We Are Not The Same, due for release on April 3rd.

Listen/download: Lux – “The Window”

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New Video: Justice – “On’ N’ On”

This is my favorite song from Justice’s lastest album, Audio, Video, Disco. Well, this one and “New Lands.” Justice is coming out with an EP, On’ N’ On, on Monday, January 30th, featuring remixes by Rick Rubin, Tiga, Brodinski, Erol Alkan, and Video Village. It’s available for pre-order on iTunes now by clicking here.

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Free Download: Ducky – “Like Rain”

The other day I posted a brand new song and free download from new artist Ducky. Now here’s the video for you to check out, directed by Waverly Mandel.

AND here’s another song for ya, too!

Listen/download: Ducky – “Like Rain”

 

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New Music: Miike Snow – “Paddling Out”

Click image to go check out "Paddling Out" at Spin.com

Miike Snow is excited to announce the first string of tour dates throughout the US and Canada in support of their sophomore release, Happy To You.  The 11- date run, which includes performances at SXSW, Ultra Music Festival and Coachella, will offer Miike Snow fans the first glimpse of the dynamic new live stage show that has made Miike Snow infamous.  Miike Snow’s Andrew Wyatt, Christian Karlsson and Pontus Winnberg relay their anthemic and haunting hybrid of pop, dance and electronic music into a transcendental live experience that drives audiences into dance-fueled overdrive. The upcoming tour will highlight the group’s evolving sound while delivering the same energy that fans repeatedly expect to experience from a Miike Snow show.

Happy To You will be available in stores and digitally on March 27th via Downtown Records / Universal Republic.

TOUR DATES:
Tue. 03-03-12          SXSW                                      Austin, TX
Fri. 03-23-12            Ultra Music Festival            Miami, FL
Tue. 04-10-12           Paramount Theatre             Seattle, WA
Wed. 04-11-12          Roseland Theater                 Portland, OR
Thu. 04-12-12          Fox Theater                            Oakland, CA
Sat. 04-14-12            Coachella                                Indio, CA
Sat. 04-21-12            Coachella                                Indio, CA
Tue. 04-24-12          Terminal 5                              New York, NY
Fri. 04-27-12            Electric Factory                     Philadelphia, PA
Sun. 04-29-12          House Of Blues                     Boston, MA
Tue. 05-01-12           Sound Academy                    Toronto, ON
Wed. 05-02-12         Metropolis Theatre              Montreal, QC

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Free Download: Eat More Cake – “Age of Sin”

Click the cake to go listen and download "Age of Sin"

I am IN LOVE with this track from Eat More Cake’s Climb The Ladder, Live The Dream

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Preview: Moguai – “Mpire”

Producer virtuoso and tech-specialist Moguai is without question on the form of his career. Out now, on Mau5trap Records, comes the very first installment from his flawless forthcoming long player; the effortlessly stunning powerhouse single – Mpire!
Available for purchase here

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New Music: AVAN LAVA

The new AVAN LAVA EP Flex Fantasy shows the band in a more high-energy and dance light in contrast to the shoe-gaze chillwave style of their 2010 debut EP Vapors. The self-released six-song EP, mastered by Tom Coyne at Sterling, with the first single “It’s Never Over” and highlights “Slow Motion”and “Feels Good” will be available on February 21st. After a sold out Mercury Lounge show, AVAN LAVA added more shows quickly, with 2/11 at Glasslands Gallery in Brooklyn and 2/25 at Mercury Lounge to preview their EP and before traveling down to Austin for their first ever SXSW Festival in March. Their show has been described as “a trippy MTV Europe Music Awards performance” with energetic sing-along pop tracks and slow R&B-Prince swooners, all while the band’s moves are choreographed by TC and Vanessa Walters (Fischerspooner).

AVAN LAVA have worked as producers, composers and mixers for recorded works and live performances with bands such as Cold Cave, Fischerspooner, CSS, Frankie Rose, SSION, Lemonade, Lia Ices and the prestigious The New York Philharmonic, and have created remixes for R.E.M., Passion Pit and New Villager among others. The band began as a conversation between producers/musicians Le Chev and Ian Pai during an overnight bus ride after performing at the Sao Paulo Bienal with Fischerspooner, a band with which both still work and perform.  That night in the fall of 2008, en route to Rio de Janeiro, Le Chev and Ian shared their love of Prince, Daft Punk, electronic beats, R & B, and indie music and contemplated how those things could all be melded into one sound, one band.  A few months later, back in New York, while at a reading of “The Last Goodbye”, a musical adaptation of Romeo & Juliet set to the music of Jeff Buckley, they discovered vocalist TC.  They knew that they had found the perfect vocalist for their new band the moment he sung the first words of “Corpus Christi Carol.”

AVAN LAVA is singer TC and producers/musicians Le Chev and Ian Pai. Their live performances are with the help of musicians, vocalists and technicians Andrew Schneider (The Wooster Group), Drew Citron and Jo Lampert.

It was like if Michael Jackson, Paula Abdul, and the Spice Girls all came together and decided to have a sing/dance off.”Charged.fm

Listen/Download: AVAN LAVA – “It’s Never Over”

AVAN LAVA – Flex Fantasy EP track listing

01.  Tear it Down

02.  It’s Never Over

03.  Pure As Love

04.  Slow Motion

05.  Sisters

06.  Feels Good

Click here to listen to the Flex Fantasy EP Minimix

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Check ’em Out + Free Download: CREEP

Brooklyn producer duo CREEP will release their newest single “Animals” featuring guest vocals from Holly Miranda tomorrow, Tuesday, January 17th.  “Animals” is a ghostly blend of Holly Miranda’s ethereal vocals and CREEP’s sinister beats & string arrangements.

Download: CREEP ft. Holly Miranda – “Animals” (Modern Machines Remix)

CREEP are producers/ DJs Lauren Flax and Lauren Dillard. Lauren Flax is an internationally renowned house DJ and producer. Their ghostly debut singles “Days” ft The xx’s Romy Madley-Croft and “You” ft Nina Sky came out earlier this year. Stay tuned for upcoming new releases from CREEP including their debut full length, which will feature collaborations with Planningtorock, Andrew Wyatt & more.

“We’ll be moping to it all night.”FADER

“putting this one on repeat and indulging in the gothy splendor” – XLR8R

“ …their cadaverous beats at the helm, inspirie us mortals to dance to our deaths.” – RCRD LBL

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Diplo to Release Photographic Journey Book

128 Beats Per Minute: Diplo’s Visual Guide to Music, Culture, and Everything In Between with foreward by Alexander Wang and photos by Shane McCauley

How Diplo begins his book:

“Seven years, thirty-two countries, sixty thousand photos, and a million miles later, here is what we’ve been doing.”

From private beaches in Barcelona to a music studio in Jamaica, 128 Beats Per Minute is a photographic journey through the life of Grammy nominated and one-half of Major Lazer, DJ/producer Diplo.  The stunning photography by former assistant to Annie Leibowitz, Shane McCauley, captures the excitement and vibrant mood as they travel from country to country and party to party, complete with a foreword by the CFDA/Vogue award winning fashion designer, Alexander Wang.

Chapters are divided by country, from Israel to Trinidad, and Russia to Asia – complete with a playlist as well as Diplo’s impressions of the culture and people: “Every city has its own cultural movement, history, fashion, and art-all of which is constantly evolving into something different.”  Not only a DJ and producer, Diplo also founded the label Mad Decent, which has brought Brazilian baile funk, Angolan Kuduro, and other unknown music to clubs around the world and has been honing his literary chops while writing a column for Vanity Fair online. 128 Beats Per Minute is Diplo’s tour of the world and offers a glimpse into the people, places, and music that inspires him.

The book is set to drop in April via Universe Publishing.

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Preview: Ian Carey & Rosette ft. Timbaland & Brasco – “Amnesia”

Having teamed up with hip-hop superstar Snoop Dogg at the back end of 2011 for his latest hit single “Last Night”, multi-platinum selling artist and iconic house sensation Ian Carey is steamrollering into the New Year with yet another almighty collaboration!
Joining forces this time round with international hit maker and music legend Timbaland, Mr. Carey now prepares for the imminent release of his stunning new single “Amnesia”. When a union of this magnitude presents itself, you know there’ll be something special in store – but add to the mix a mammoth top line from sensational female vocalist Rosette, and you’ve got yourself a sure-fire crossover winner. Check out the sneak preview of the official video and stay tuned for the full version!
 And if that wasn’t enough to wet your appetite here’s an exclusive Ian Carey bootleg of Alesso, Ingrosso and Rowetta’s “Be Calling” from the vaults –

for a free download! Enjoy!

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