LA producer/DJ duo Classixx are excited to announce the release of their anticipated debut album, Hanging Gardens on May 14th via Innovative Leisure. Since their breakout 2009 single “I’ll Get You” the pair have remixed the likes of Mayer Hawthorne, Major Lazer, Phoenix, YACHT and Passion Pit among others.
Over the course of the last two years, childhood friends Michael David and Tyler Blake have spent countless hours in the studio with a variety of instruments crafting the 12 pop-infused dance tunes, that would become Hanging Gardens. It features collaborations with Active Child, Sarah Chernoff of Superhumanoids, Nancy Whang of LCD Soundsystem (who provides vocals on pop gem “All You’re Waiting For”), and, of course, Lady Gaga songwriter Jeppe on “I’ll Get You”. This debut packs airy tracks with touches of the Pacific coast that are destined to become summer anthems.
“…full-blooded heat, evoking what would happen if Sade met a caffeinated Air, a sublime voice floating easily on a ballast of clever instrumental touches.” – PITCHFORK
“gentle strings and dancing harp lines,…so uncomplicatedly sweet” – THE FADER
” direct, striking love songs that sound like classics the instant you hear them.” – DUMMY
Los Angeles-based Rhye, made their mark on the radar last year with their debut ‘Open’ EP and critically lauded single, “The Fall”, called “one of the most beautiful heartbreak songs” of 2012 by the Fader and receiving Pitchfork’s Best New Musicaccolade. In anticipation of the release of their debut album, Woman coming March 5th on Innovative Leisure / Loma Vista / Republic, Rhye are excited to announce their first US tour dates, cover art and track listing for Woman, along with a new video for their song “Open”.
In working withDanish director Daniel Kragh-Jacobsen on the nostalgia-inducing video for “The Fall”, Rhye decided to revisit the themes and questions proposed with the same director in a new video for their chill-inducing song “Open”. With Kragh-Jacobsen at the helm to create an extension, or rather second chapter of the narrative in context of the album, Manuel Alberto Claro (Melancholia), was recruited as DP, giving the video the same colors, landscape and stylistic look of “The Fall”. Rhye set out avoid the cookie cutter artist-as-narrator music video and again create a short film to which “Open” could serve as the soundtrack. This time around, we see a young woman teetering between her carefree youth and the challenges of adult life and love. As the bike from “The Fall” became symbolic for the lead character’s inner-quest for happiness, here a reoccurring kite leads the main character to a surprise appearance from some familiar faces.
Rhye Tour Dates
4/01/13 Mon LOS ANGELES, CA Masonic Lodge at Hollywood Forever Cemetary
4/03/13 Wed SAN FRANCISCO, CA Bimbo’s 365 Club
4/11/13 Thu CHICAGO, IL Schubas
4/13/13 Sat TORONTO, ON Great Hall
4/14/13 Sun MONTREAL, QC Cabaret du Mile End
4/16/13 Tue BOSTON, MA Sinclair
4/17/13 Wed NEW YORK, NY Le Poisson Rouge
4/18/13 Thu WASHINGTON, DC Sixth & I Historic Synagogue (downstairs)
4/20/13 Sat PHILADELPHIA, PA World Cafe Live Upstairs
Chicago DJ duo, The Hood Internet, featuring STV SLV and ABX, are releasing their debut album of original material, FEAT with Decon on September 18, 2012. The Hood Internet are infamous for their mixtapes featuring blends of a wide array of artists including the late Whitney Houston, Justice, Fleetwood Mac, Jay-Z and more. Their foray into production work has found them collaborating on new songs with hyped rappers and artists from across the nation that range from Chicago artist Show You Suck to Black Moth Super Rainbow’s Tobacco. This release marks The Hood Internet’s first completely original, sample-free album with vocal and instrumental collaborations highlighting different artists including erudite rapping by Psalm One on ‘More Fun’, synth-pop trio Class Actress alongside Canadian rapper Cadence Weapon on the chimerical ‘Critical Captions’ and the infectious track ‘Won’t Fuck Us Over’ featuring the raw energy of Chicago group BBU.
Since the inaugural release of their first, critically acclaimed mixtape in 2007, their rise to glory has steadily landed them performances at festivals like Lollapalooza, Bonnaroo, SXSW, CMJ, Pitchfork’s #Offline, Mad Decent Block Party, and The Roots Picnic. When they aren’t busy playing huge festivals or touring the country, they’re releasing upwards of 500 mixes on their website, leading to millions of free downloads since their start in 2007. The Hood Internet will be going on a west coast run with Psalm One and Tanya Morgan in July and August. A national tour will take place in September and October, coinciding with the album’s release.
FEAT TRACK LISTING:
Critical Captions (ft Class Actress, Cadence Weapon)
One For The Record Books (ft AC Newman, Sims)
More Fun (ft Psalm One, TOBAXXO)
Nothing Should Be A Surprise (ft Isaiah Toothtaker, Show You Suck)
Exonerated (ft Zambri, Hooray For Earth, Junior Pande)
Won’t Fuck Us Over (ft BBU, Annie Hart)
Do You Give Up Now? (ft Donwill, My Gold Mask, Junior Pande)
Our Finest China (ft The Rosebuds, Astronautalis)
Uzi Water Gun (ft Millionyoung, Kenan Bell, The Chain Gang Of 1974)
These Things Are Nice (ft Kid Static, Slow Witch, Kleenex Girl Wonder)
It has been 30 years since Men Without Hats asked the world to dance (if they want to), and this year the Montreal New Wave group will ask the question again with the release of their highly anticipated new album Love In The Age of War (out June 5th on iTunes and everywhere June 12th on Cobraside Records).
Produced by Dave “Rave” Ogilvie (Skinny Puppy, Marilyn Manson), Love In The Age of War features charismatic front man Ivan Dorschuk (voice & electronics), his brother Colin Doroschuk (vocals), as well as Lou Dawson (vocals & live keyboards), and James Love (guitars).
Love In The Age of War will mark their first album release in albums 10 years, featuring 10 original songs written by Ivan Doroschuk. In 2011, Men Without Hats soared back into the scene with their breakout performance at SXSW, followed by an extensive, well-received North American tour.
Since forming in the late 70’s, the band released six studio albums – having songs featured on hit TV series such as Glee, The Simpsons, Futurama and Family Guy. Their 1980’s hit “The Safety Dance” reached Top 10 in the US, the UK and 25 other countries around the world. In 1983, they picked up a Grammy nomination for Best group. Sure, you can still dance if you want to and Love In The Age of War will give you 10 more reasons why.
New York City’s rock band The Digwill release their new album Midnight Flowers on May 29th via Buffalo Jump Records. In celebration, they’re hosting three record release shows in DC, NYC, and Chicago. In July they will move to Los Angeles by popular demand and return for a residency at Silverlake Lounge after playing their successful shows with Ben Kwellerlast month. The band is proud to lend their single to Turn the Tide: Songs for “Last Call at the Oasis” a companion chartity album to the new film Last Call at the Oasis in support of the global water crisis alongside 20 unreleased exclusive tracks from artists including Dave Matthews & Tim Reynolds, Alabama Shakes, My Morning Jacket and more.
The Dig’s sound has been developing ever since the band’s two singers Emile Mosseri and David Baldwin started making music together when they were eleven years old. After meeting California native Erick Eiser, the three songwriters have been writing tunes and playing in different bands since they were 16 years old. Anchored by sharp guitars, a woozy synth backdrop and airtight vocal harmonies, the new album Midnight Flowers is produced by Bryce Goggin (Pavement, The Apples In Stereo, Swans, Antony & The Johnsons) and it recalls styles ranging from T. Rex to Brian Eno to The Everly Brothers. Leading up to the release of Midnight Flowers, The Dig have pressed a limited number of cassette tapes containing the album’s first two singles, “Red Rose In The Cold Winter Ground” and “I Already Forgot Everything You Said.”
“Even though it takes us about 15 minutes to make each individual cassette, which is done using an old boom box in the back of our van between shows, we like the idea of having the songs that we recorded using analog tape machines available on cassette. For any of our fans that have moved on from 1995, each cassette comes with a digital download.”
Following their acclaimed 2010 debut, Electric Toys, The Dig amassed a passionate national following with magnetic live performances touring with the likes of Portugal. The Man, The Antlers, and The Walkmen. The band began writing new songs on the road and back home in New York between tours. The new songs reflect a rich sense of lyricism in “Red Rose in the Cold Winter Ground” and “Glass Horse” while thrumming with a charged pop sensibility in “All Tied Up” and “Break the Silence.” When we were writing “I Already Forgot Everything You Said,” guitarist and vocalist David Baldwin recalls, “We had just gotten off the road with The Antlers and we were listening to a lot of Bob Dylan’s Time Out of Mind. I think those influences found their way into that song particularly. But really the songs on this album are personal.”
Have you ever looked through those funhouse mirrors that show copies of your reflection continuing infinitely? Imagine seeing that, but in a strobe-lit room with mirrors all around you. Then imagine you’re tripping on LSD.” – Consequence of Sound
“Stepdad’s debut EP is an excellent one and enough to hype their upcoming full-length Wildlife Pop. If you love electro-pop music, you will want to add this band to your rotation.” – Earbuddy.net
“About the only way I can think of to describe them is that it’s like laying in the warm sunshine on a lazy summer afternoon. You just have to relax and smile.” – Revival Magazine
“If Passion Pit and The Postal Service got drunk one night and had a kid out of wedlock, the result would be Stepdad.” – Blogcritics
Stepdad have unleashed unto the world a brand new track from their upcoming debut LP Wildlife Pop, due out June 12th on Black Bell Records.
The Grand Rapids foursome are also excited to announce that they will be joining the Warped Tour this summer. The tour includes over 40 dates and the likes of Rise Against, Taking Back Sunday and many more. Get more info here.
Stepdad was forged in an unrelenting bath of summer heat on Chicago’s south side in 2009 by songwriters/producers/college dropouts/solid bros Ryan McCarthy and ultramark on the foundation of their joint worship of Roland Orzabal and Brian Wilson. After a few quick months, the still nameless duo was sitting on a small mountain of songs. The name Stepdad was arrived upon by a random phrase generator and adopted without regard for the impending banality of rehashing that story during interviews.
Swiftly deciding that a low cost of living heavily outweighed the benefits of Chicago, Stepdad relocated to Grand Rapids (because it’s not Detroit) in their home state of Michigan and self-released their debut EP Ordinaire. Alex Fives and Jeremy Malvin were then added to the lineup on bass and drums respectively. This incarnation carried them through tours with Fitz and the Tantrums, Passion Pit, and Rubblebucket.
The success of infectious and heavily layered pop behemoths like “My Leather, My Fur, My Nails” and “Jungles” helped Stepdad gain the attention of producer Chris Zane (Passion Pit, Asobi Seksu, The Walkmen, Les Savy Fav) and in the summer of 2011, Stepdad readily shacked up with friends and bedbugs in New York City to record their debut LP Wildlife Pop, out June 12th on Black Bell Records.
Wildlife Pop presents a creative leap forward for Stepdad, expanding their already massive pop sound. “Will I Ever Dance Again” and “Must Land Running” successfully transplant their aptitude for unforgettable choruses into a larger sound bed while the galactic rainforest sensations of “Treasure Hugs”, “Exploring”, and “Starfriends on Earth” create the cathartic urge to sprint barefoot through a gauntlet of scorpions on a municipal trail paved with searing drywall screws (fortunately for listeners everywhere, this compelling inclination would be devilishly hard to act upon).
Not many producers get handpicked by deadmau5 to conjure a full length artist album for his prestigious mau5trap imprint; so for German specialist Moguai to get the nod twice in as many years is one hefty testament to the sheer quality, imagination and originality of his musical output.
Now, and less than two years since the critically lauded release of his first ever mau5trap album We Ar Lyve back in April 2010, Moguai returns to the fray, and on the form of his life, for the agonizingly-awaited worldwide release of his latest long-player project – Mpire.
Available to buy now, the album itself is an exquisite piece of craftsmanship; artistically inventive, masterfully honed, perfectly coordinated and not an ounce short of what we’ve come to expect from this outstanding producer, working so consistently at the top of his game. With the juggernaut first single (also titled Mpire) released earlier this month hitting #1 in the overall Beatport chart within days, Moguai now looks set to further silence competitors and wow critics with this stunning new set of fresh, forward-thinking soundscapes, skilfully and thematically tied by an innovative touch that only he can attain.
Diligently incorporating elements of house, techno and electro, this work – two careful years in the making – has Moguai’s signature sound stamped all over it. Whether it’s the luxuriously complex, driving harmonies of “Dynamo” and “Heimaterde,” the progressive artistry of “Lyme” and Tommy Trash collaboration “In ‘N’ Out,” or the relentlessly pounding tech-bedlam that is “N.E.O.,” this stunning album delivers more than it’s fair share of peak-timers to satisfy the cravings of dancefloor junkies worldwide.
But it’s the spellbinding euphoria of tracks such as “Invisible”, “Styrum” and “Out of Nowhere” that elevate this album to that next level of innovative flair – one that so many artists struggle to achieve. Gentle, hypnotizing and evoking emotions of tranquillity throughout with their mesmerising synth progressions, these welcome moments of calm within an otherwise club-focused collection captivate the soul and carry the listener on a delicate journey through the ethereal. Just one listen and we begin to understand why the mau5 himself insisted so strongly upon another Moguai LP installment.
With some perfectly fitting collaborations and three exclusive offerings to round off proceedings (one each for Beatport, iTunes and Spotify) this album will no doubt become a mainstay in the collections of electronic music lovers young and old for years to come. In true testament to the infamous German composers that came before him, Moguai has created a masterpiece of a symphony that is as diverse as it is ingenious.
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
Detroit duo Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. have announced their forthcoming remix EP, My Love Is Easy: Remixes Pt. 2 (the follow up to My Love Is Easy: Remixes Pt. 1). Featuring remixes by Memory Tapes, Tiger & Woods, Pictureplane and more — My Love Is Easy: Remixes Pt. 2 includes original tracks from their acclaimed debut LP, It’s A Corporate World noted by Pitchfork as “so well-engineered and aerodynamic” and is set for a November 15 release.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. spent most of the year of the road, completing a phenomenal second headlining tour including a sold-out NYC show, a summer festival circuit through Lollapalooza, Austin City Limits and Philadelphia’s Popped! Festival, and a set of recent European performances. The band also just played a lively DJ set at this year’s CMJ Music Marathon followed by a set of performances in Montreal and Toronto with Moby in continued support of It’s A Corporate World, which made one of Filter’s “Top 20 Records of 2011 (So Far..)” and the NPR Listeners Poll as “Best Of The Year.”
Check out this video from Class Actress for “Journal of Ardency” — a single from last year on Class Actress’ EP Journal of Ardency on Terrible Records. Class Actress is Elizabeth Harper and when she set out on her glam-rock adventure, she decided to have a REAL early 80s feel to her music by using vintage drums and analog synths.
Have a listen at “Weekend” from her debut album, Rapprocher, out now through Carpark Records.
“sweetly spectral vocals over lush ’80s synths and beats.” – NYLON
“New York is no stranger to disco-influenced electro-pop, but there’s always room for another addition to the party….cool and collected vocal hooks from [Elizabeth] Harper’s sultry croon floating atop a straightforward dance beat rife with shimmering synths and bouncing basslines.” – XLR8R
Tracklist:
1. Keep You
2. Love Me Like You Used To
3. Weekend
4. Prove Me Wrong
5. Need To Know
6. Limousine
7. All The Saints
8. Bienvenue
9. Missed
10. Hangin’ On
11. Let Me In
Musically Amusing 