Tag Archives: SXSW

March 15, 2012 · 11:27 am

Video: Escort – “Why Oh Why” and SXSW Schedule

Escort has been setting dance floors ablaze with their disco-infused beats, irresistibly catchy hooks and seductive live show since releasing a series of 12” singles in 2006. Those who have not had a chance to experience the band’s energized live show will have several chances to catch the band at SXSW including the outdoor stage at SPIN Magazine’s show @ Stubbs. The band will also play a special Last.FM “Live In NYC show on March 23.

For an early taste of the 17-piece disco party powerhouse, check out the brand new “Why Oh Why” video, created by Marisol Baltierra.

Escort Tour Dates

  • 3/16: SXSW @ Stubbs, (SPIN Party), 1:30pm
  • 3/16: SXSW @ Empire Automotive (Keep A Breast Foundation, Official Showcase), 1am
  • 3/17: SXSW @ Malverde (Bond Showcase), 7:30-8:15pm DJ SET
  • 3/23: Brooklyn, NY @ Brooklyn Bowl w/ DFA DJs, Last.FM “Live In NYC”

Escort’s highly anticipated self-titled debut record has received acclaim from New York Times, The New Yorker, Pitchfork, WNYC Soundcheck, The Village Voice, RCRD LBL and more. The seventeen-member “disco orchestra”, founded by producers Eugene Cho and Dan Balis, and fronted by lead singer Adeline Michèle, features an incredible cast of musicians who have played with everyone from indie-rock titans Arcade Fire to avant-classical luminaries Alarm Will Sound. Steeped in the venerable tradition of club-land’s holy trinity, New York, Chicago, and Detroit, Escort’s self-titled new album pays homage to mutant-pop luminaries such as Kid Creole and the Coconuts & Ian Dury.While embracing the legacy of these forward-thinking but classic acts, Escort has managed to create something strikingly new.

Featuring the theatrical masterpiece “Caméleon Chameleon,” the piercing horns and silky smooth vocals of “A Bright New Life” and “Makeover” which effortlessly explores the lost possibilities of another era the album also includes versions of their 12” DJ releases remixed, re-mastered, rearranged, and re-recorded specially for the LP, completing the album as a sonic experience from beginning to end. Escort’s long-awaited debut LP was released January 31st on vinyl and CD as well as iTunes and all digital retailers through Escort Records.

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March 7, 2012 · 4:46 pm

Newest Love: Zulu Winter – “We Should Be Swimming”

“…music that shimmers like a sky full of fireworks” – NME “

catchy and anthemic indie-dance” – The Guardian

“UK reverby rockers” – BrooklynVegan

Perseverance and dedication are two things that the members of Zulu Winter are very familiar with. The four guys from Oxfordshire, England came together in their teens over a shared love of music and have been collaborating ever since. Now, twelve years after their first practice as a band, Zulu Winter is gearing up to release Language, a debut album that has the immediate appeal of pop while at the same time packed with emotional insight. Inspired by everything from 19th century literature to obscure ‘60s electronica, Language will be released in North America on June 19th via Arts & Crafts.

Language is a collection of multi-dimensional songs that bleed with sentiment and syncopated dance beats. The album opens with “Key To My Heart,” a sincere message of love that showcases the depth and richness of the band’s sound with layers of swirling instrumentation. The upbeat “Silver Tongue” is driven by an energetic bass line that leads to a danceable chorus. “Bitter Moon” is an emotionally charged track hinged on a powerful chorus, inviting listeners to experience a vulnerable side of the band. “We Should Be Swimming” is a melancholic pop-song running over a compelling rhythm. Zulu Winter released a chilling video for the track, and today they have released the song as a free MP3 download.

Download: Zulu Winter – “We Should Be Swimming”

Having played sold-out shows across Europe alongside acts like Friendly Fires and The Horrors, Zulu Winter is ready to bring its energetic live show to the US. The band will be hitting the road for a string of US dates this month, including multiple performances at SXSW. Be sure to catch Zulu Winter live in your city!

  • 3/14: SXSW @ The Mohawk (Eat Your Own Ears & Laneway), 3:30pm
  • 3/15: SXSW @ Cedar Street Courtyard (Filter Magazine party), 1pm
  • 3/15: SXSW @ Latitude 30 (Clash Music UK party), 3pm
  • 3/15: SXSW @ Tiniest Bar (Double Denim & LuvLuvLuv present), 5:15pm
  • 3/16: SXSW @ Antones (Billions Official Showcase), 9:40pm
  • 3/20: Chicago, IL @ Schubas
  • 3/26: Boston, MA @ Brighton Music Hall (w/ Chairlift)
  • 3/28: New York , NY@ Mercury Lounge (w/ Polica)
  • 3/29: Brooklyn, NY @ Glasslands (w/ Willis Earl Beal)
  • 3/30: Pawtucket, Rhode Island @ The Met Cafe (w/ Polica)
  • 3/31: Northampton, MA @ Iron Horse (w/ Polica)
  • 4/01: Brooklyn, NY @ Brooklyn Bowl (w/ Polica)

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March 7, 2012 · 12:09 pm

New Music: Blaqstarr – “Roses”

Multi-talented producer, DJ and artist Blaqstarr is gearing up to release his long awaited full length album entitled, Here We Are this summer on N.E.E.T/Interscope.  Blaqstarr will be previewing some of his new material next week down at SXSW.  Listen to the first track, “Roses” now.

Listen: Blaqstarr – “Roses”

  • March 10   Fast Company Magazine – SXSW Interactive – private event – 10:45 PM
  • March 11   Yahoo “Electric City” Afterparty – SXSW Interactive – private event – 9:00 PM
  • March 12   White Rabbit               San Antonio, TX
  • March 13   Venue: Ten Eleven     San Antonio, TX
  • March 14   606 Club – 1:15 AM
  • March 16   Hard Rock Hotel Presents: The Sound of Your Stay @ Cedar Door – 3:00 PM

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March 6, 2012 · 5:42 pm

Brand New: Dragonette – “The Right Woman”

Click to go listen to "The Right Woman"

Dragonette have spent the last two years working on special and successful collaborations. “Fire In Your New Shoes, ” their pairing with Kaskade, was a huge club hit worldwide, and one of the 4 songs they did with French DJ Martin Solveig, “Hello,” was a pop hit across the globe, going Top 10 in over 30 countries, achieving platinum status in the USA, getting synched 150 times in the process, and leading to Mr. Solveig producing Madonna. Now the band turn their attention to their own material again.

Preparing to release two brand new tunes this March, today sees the unveiling of Dragonette’s “The Right Woman” which appears on Proud to be Woman Vol. 3, a compilation put together by Diane von Furstenberg in celebration of International Women’s Day.  The compilation will be released both digitally and as a limited edition Play button. All proceeds from the compilation benefit Vital Voices, an organization dedicated to empowering women worldwide. The track is a collaboration with producer Felix Blowxsom, who has worked with Sia and Empire of the Sun, and produces, remixes, and DJs under the Plastic Plates moniker. Check out some of his tracks here.

The band is also readying the video for the first proper new single “Let It Go” to be unleashed at the end of the month.

Listen to “The Right Woman” streaming HERE and you can purchase it HERE.

In conjunction with these releases, and in the lead-up to the release of Dragonette’s 3rd album (which is almost done!), Dan, Tina, and Joel are hitting the road to play a combination of new tracks and old favorites, stopping at SXSW and Coachella along the way. They will also pop in to the Juno Awards, where they’ll perform “Hello” and see if their nomination turns into their first win!

Dragonette Tour Dates

  • Fri Mar 16 – Austin, TX – SXSW – Windish Agency Showcase @ Mohawk (Outside)
  • Fri Mar 16 – Austin, TX – SXSW – Warp Magazine Showcase @ Friends
  • Sat Mar 17 – More BBQ
  • 3/21: Kingston, ON @ The Ale House – BUY TICKETS
  • 3/23: Toronto, ON @ Canadian Music Awards – BUY TICKETS
  • 3/23: Toronto, ON @ The Hoxton – BUY TICKETS
  • 3/24: Waterloo, ON @ The Starlight – BUY TICKETS
  • 3/28: Halifax, NS @ Pacifico – BUY TICKETS
  • 3/30: St. Johns, NL @ Club One – Tickets Available at the Door
  • 4/1: Ottawa, ON – Juno Awards @ Scotiabank Place – BUY TICKETS
  • 4/6: Miami, FL @ The Mansion – BUY TICKETS
  • 4/7: New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom – SOLD OUT
  • 4/14: Indio, CA – Coachella Music Festival @ Empire Polo Club – SOLD OUT
  • 4/19: Whistler, BC – World Ski & Snowboard Festival @ Skier’s Plaza – FREE SHOW
  • 4/21: Indio, CA – Coachella Music Festival @ Empire Polo Club – SOLD OUT

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March 6, 2012 · 1:59 pm

MP3: Free Energy – “Electric Fever”

In celebration of their upcoming SXSW dates, Free Energy is thrilled to share a brand new jam from their new record, Love Sign.

Download: Free Energy – Electric Fever

Free Energy SXSW Performances

  • 3/14: Popantipop/Sea Shepherd Conservation Society Party @ The Brew Exchange (formerly Annie’s West), 3:30PM
  • 3/14: Blow Up Presented by Caoker and The Seaport Music Festival Showcase @ Blue Theatre, 5:20PM
  • 3/14: Consequence of Sound Showcase @ Emo’s Jr, 1:00AM
  • 3/15: The Get Down Day Party @ Kenny Dorham’s Backyard Park
  • 3/15: Vagabond Collective Showcase @ Gypsy Lounge,  4:45PM
  • 3/16: My Old Kentucky Blog Showcase @ Peckerhead’s, 4:30PM
  • 3/16: The Windish Agency Showcase @ ND at 501 Studios, 9:00PM

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March 5, 2012 · 10:59 am

Video: Gigamesh – “When You’re Dancing” (feat. Induce)

Here’s the first video EVER from Gigamesh! YAY!

And we’ve got some tour dates, too:

3/8  Kitsuné Club Night @ Santos Party House, NYC
3/9  SOM, San Francisco
3/17   Kitsuné Club Night @ Chalk, Miami
3/22  Fred Falk, Cassian, Gigamesh, etc @ Gavanna, Miami
SXSW
3/10  C3 House, Austin, TX
3/12  Pre-Fader Fort party, venue TBA, Austin, TX
3/14  Burning Ear Party @ Firehouse Hostel & Bar, Austin, TX
3/16   Kitsuné Club Night @ Malverde, Austin, TX

And because I LOVE RAC, check out their remix of “When You’re Dancing”:

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February 29, 2012 · 1:07 pm

The Rocketboys – “Bloodless”

In anticipation of their upcoming performances at SXSW, Austin based indie rock trio The Rocketboys have debuted a brand new song, “Bloodless,” from their long-awaited new full-length album, Build Anyway, which is scheduled for release on June 5.

Recorded in their home studio and mixed by CK Eiriksson (U2, Live, Phish), Build Anyway chronicles the emotions that surface through the brokenness in abandonment to the search for peace and closure, both personally and musically.  Frontman Brandon Kinder conveys the feelings dreamily as he paints a haunting, yet heartfelt picture with his rich crooning vocals on the album’s debut track, “Bloodless,” giving fans a preview of what’s to come on Build Anyway.

On their previous recordings, 20,000 Ghosts and Wellwisher, The Rocketboys perfectly married themes of unity and brotherhood with rich, soaring rock, lifting the band to national critical acclaim.  The band supported its releases with lengthy tours and multiple festival appearances but inevitably the rigors of the road took their toll, eventually rupturing the band’s momentum in the winter of 2010-11. Three members of the sextet of college friends from Abilene, Texas left to focus on other endeavors, and the split nearly ended the band.

The resulting hiatus did have its upside, allowing Kinder a window both to release a solo EP (under the name “The Wealthy West”) and to pen the theme song for The Discovery Channel’s new hit show “Bering Sea Gold.”  However, in the end, the three remaining members (Kinder, keyboardist Justin Wiseman, and bassist Josh Campbell) agreed they weren’t at peace letting The Rocketboys cease to exist.

The initial hurdles of rebuilding, though difficult and disheartening, began to give way to new-found inspiration. Though the song-writing process drastically changed as a result of the reduced lineup, with less cooks in the kitchen, a broader, dynamic range of ideas and visions fermented and flourished.  The end result and forthcoming album is Build Anyway.

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February 28, 2012 · 3:37 pm

New Album: Plants and Animals – The End of That

Plants and Animals’ new album, The End of That, is out today, February 28, via Secret City Records, and to celebrate, the band is releasing a brand new video for the first single, “Lightshow,” which premiered at Paste today. The End of That is also streaming in its entirety all week long at Spinner.

The “Lightshow” video is a collaboration between producer Doug Karr and director Mitchell Hart who work on visual media together in New York. Hart explains the video as a commentary on contemporary media consumption: “There’s so much information coming at us at any given moment … as a result we’re moving further away from appreciating the specifics of any given piece of media.” Hart used the actual multi-track recordings to generate large data sets based on the audio files. Each track was analyzed through a series of code snippets and plug-ins to get what you see on screen. “A true combination of data visualization and cinematic production make this video unique.”

“Songs such as the slower-tempo, contemplative “Before” and the slightly 1970s-rock ‘n roll “The End of That,” really do give the impression that the band has closed a door on past experiences and is starting afresh. The End of That is an older and wiser album.” – Interview

“Even at their most ornate, Plants and Animals have always been a power trio at core. They play with such vigor that they might as well be fronting an unheard orchestra.” – FILTER

“Vibrant, constantly rewarding…” – SPIN.com

Plants and Animals have also added performances to their SXSW schedule and more North American tour dates through May.

Listen: Plants and Animals – “Song For Love”

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February 14, 2012 · 4:12 pm

Teaser: Telephoned – “Ring Ring”

If you consider “pop” a dirty word, Telephoned are the filthiest act you’ll hear all year. Somehow, frontwoman Maggie Horn and producer / DJ Sammy Bananas still manage to turn even the guiltiest of radio pleasures into indie-approved party jams we can all be proud of. Ring Ring is their first EP of originals on Fool’s Gold, harnessing the good-time energy of the group’s cover-heavy mixtapes and live sets to fuel three brand new songs that gleefully hopscotch from new-wave inspired r&b (“Last Time”) to shuffling funky house (“The Vow”) and the title track’s roller rink disco vibes. There is a smoke machine. Get involved…
Telephoned will be celebrating the release tonight with a live performance at Hotel Chantelle in NYC, showing off the moves they honed opening Chromeo’s sold-out Business Casual tour, and the infectious stage presence Pitchfork called “the most fun thing we saw at SXSW.” Win Win (Vice) and Skinny Friedman will also be DJing the party.

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January 19, 2012 · 7:18 pm

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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