Throw Parties Not Knives

The Weeknd remix Florence + The Machine

2011-09-28T08:10:00.005+01:00

The BBC's Zane Lowe just gave a first airing of a remix of Florence + The Machine's new single Shake It Out by Toronto R'n'B producer The Weeknd. The original's wide-eyed optimism is replaced with a certain anxiety and the remixer's charateristic murky, nocturnal quality, which fans of the Weeknd's album House of Balloons will recognise immediately. Check out the radio rip below.

Florence & The Machine - Shake It Out Remix (Feat. The Weeknd) by Music Is

Frontier Ruckus

2011-08-11T23:08:00.002+01:00

Though I have been leaning towards more agrarian music of late, there is still something very special about Detroit based Frontier Ruckus, who display remnants of Cake with a hip hillbilly twist. The combination of the lyrical meandering of Milia's verse, Jones' banjo plucking and the unorthodox saw playing of Zachary Nichols will appeal to the faintest of music lovers. Both their debut and sophomore albums are out now and demand a listen.

Frontier Ruckus' Official Site. Facebook. Twitter.

J Dilla :: 'Last Donut Of The Night' video

2011-06-29T08:08:00.004+01:00

Beautifully filmed and utterly strange video for the late J Dilla's classic track from the essential Donuts instrumental hip-hop album. Here, a love of donuts brings about some pretty odd behaviour in two Finnish policemen. The video is part of Stones Throw Records' video contest which is receiving submissions from amateur filmmakers for any song in the labels back catalogue.

M83 album teaser

2011-06-29T07:30:00.003+01:00

It's been a full 3 years since M83 dropped their excellent Saturdays=Youth album. Their follow-up record is due in October and here we have a brief snippet of one track with some suitably lush visuals. It's as grand and orchestral as you would hope and expect from Anthony Gonzalez and co.

The Rapture :: 'How Deep Is Your Love?'

2011-06-22T09:38:00.004+01:00

After a few low-key years The Rapture return with this pumped up and hypnotic piano-driven piece of disco. They're back on DFA Records and have a new album, In the Grace of Your Love, dropping later in the year which, on this evidence, should be well worth the wait.

The Rapture - "How Deep Is Your Love" by Marco Collins

Young Montana? :: Limerence LP

2011-05-22T09:05:00.006+01:00

It may be the most superfluous question mark since Jonatton Yeah? graced our screens but UK producer Young Montana? is making some damn good beats at the moment. His debut album Limerence is out now and is getting a lot of attention from the likes of BBC's Mary-Anne Hobbs. Like Manchester beat-maker Star Slinger, though less prolific (who could keep up with him?!), Young Montana? dips into in the same post-J Dilla pallette of sounds but with a restless tendency to chop and twist them for his own amusement. Head on over to his Soundcloud page for some of his remix work.

Young Montana: Sacre Cool by ALPHA PUP

Young Montana? - 'Limerence' Album Sampler <<< OUT NOW by Young Montana?

Broken Social Scene cover Modest Mouse

2011-05-22T08:05:00.005+01:00

I saw Broken Social Scene playing a cover of Modest Mouse classic World At Large on stage a few weeks back and then this interesting video surfaced of a live studio recording of the song for charity video series The Voice Project. BSS give the song some breathing space, faithfully letting the quality of the original song shine through while still putting their own stamp on it with the saxophone and simple percussion.

Broken Social Scene » Modest Mouse from The Voice Project on Vimeo.

The Weeknd make it ok to like R'n'B!

2011-04-23T07:58:00.003+01:00

Toronto group The Weeknd have generated a lot of hype with their free mixtape 'House of Balloons' which charts the tricky waters between Burial's nocturnal atmospheres and a sinister kind of R. Kelly sleaze but the results are compelling.

The inventive source material is what initially makes this album stand out from the crowd, as is the case with the Siouxsie and the Banshees-sampling title track below.

Download the album 'House of Balloons' here.

The Weeknd - House Of Balloons/Glass Table Girls by snipelondon

The Weeknd - The Morning by The_Weeknd

Booker T Jones :: 'Representing Memphis'

2011-04-23T07:27:00.003+01:00

60s soul veteran Booker T. Jones is enjoying something of a second career at the moment. His new album, 'The Road from Memphis' comes out next month and features guest appearances by with The Roots, Lou Reed, and most interestingly, a duet between soul singer Sharon Jones and Matt Berninger of The National. The two very different voices compliment each other in a surprisingly effortless way and Booker T's classic organ sound fills in the gaps nicely.

Booker T. Jones - Representing Memphis (feat. Matt Berninger and Sharon Jones) by antirecords

and Digitalism are back...

2011-04-21T09:06:00.002+01:00

2011 is already shaping up to be a comeback year; alongside Lykke Li, Justice, and PB&J, Digitalism have also announced that their sophomore long player, I Love You Dude, will be out this June. Its clear that the microKorg is still very much in use down in their WWII bunker in Hamburg, though Jens seems to have worked on his English pronunciation. Stream and download below.

2 Hearts by digitalism_official

Digitalism SoundCloud, Twitter, MySpace, Official

Tune in next week for another 2011 comeback...

RAC vs PB&J

2011-04-13T22:57:00.002+01:00

It's hard to believe its 5 years, 2 albums and 18 million views since Peter, Bjorn and John produced their mainstream masterpiece Young Folks, but the sixth installment from the Swedish trio builds on the wizardry of almost a decade's worth of work. RAC put their subtle stamp on Second Chance, the first release from Gimme Some, and boy does it deliver.

PB&J twitter, official, facebook, myspace

Download below:

and JUSTICE returns...

2011-03-21T10:37:00.005Z

Next month sees the return of Justice, after a lengthy 4 year break since the release of their † album. The first preview, Civilisation, is the soundtrack to the new Adidas Is All In campaign, the video of which is the brainchild of French director Romain Gavras, who was also behind the visual piece for Justice's Stress. If this is anything to go by, it seems like the currently unnamed follow-up will be more of the same. Here here.

Justice facebook and myspace

Lykke Li Returns

2011-03-07T11:33:00.004Z

Lykke's follow-up to 2008's lauded Youth Novels was released just a couple of weeks ago and looks likely to outdo her first effort. With Bjorn Yttling (of Peter, Bjorn & John fame) and hit maker Rick Nowels on the production team, the overall result is a more radio friendly output but still retains Li's candid and gentle nature throughout. The rehash of second-single I Follow Rivers by low-profile remixer The Magician has been trending quite well of late and layers a 90's piano break over Li's catchy chorus. She returns to Ireland on Saturday 16th April to play Tripod, Dublin and will undoubtedly sell out so book your tickets early.

Offical site, myspace, twitter.

Download removed.

New Star Slinger video

2011-02-24T08:21:00.004Z

Following up on Brian's last post, here is the new, suitably radiant video for Star Slinger's Mornin'.

Star Slinger

2011-02-14T22:54:00.003Z

It's been a while since I've found it difficult to select an artists model track, but I can't seem to settle on an individual Star Slinger cut as all of his releases in his relatively short career are absolutely stunning. Starting out in just April 2010, Star Slinger's work was first pointed out to me by Jezza with his sterling rework of The Go Team's Apollo Throwdown, which opened up a small universe of twitching samples and hopping beats. As is á la mode with emerging acts, all his music is currently free to download, with the option to donate available on iTunes and on his own website. Collect them all - this guy is certainly one to watch for the future.

Download: Star Slinger - Volume 1 (album)

Download: Star Slinger - May I Walk With You

PS Star Slinger just announced on his Twitter that he will be playing Bernard Shaw, Dublin on April 29th.

Bag Raiders

2011-01-26T22:29:00.004Z

A post on this extremely talented duo from down under is long overdue. Chris and Jack have been producing glitzy star-pop under the pseudonym Bag Raiders since 2007. Shooting Stars (above) has been their biggest crowd pleaser to date, racking up over 1.3 million plays on YouTube, with both Way Back Home and Turbo Love also gaining considerable listener counts. Their self-titled debut was released in Australia in October last year, and Sunlight is the second single to emerge from the album, and it doesn't disappoint. Check it out below

Download: Bag Raiders - Sunlight

MySpace, Official, Facebook, Twitter.

Passion Pit remix Cold War Kids

2011-01-24T11:44:00.003Z

Passion Pit take time out from working on their second studio album (rumoured to be released sometime in spring) to remix Cold War Kids' title track Mine Is Yours. The rework yields a synthetically styled dreamscape, with echoed vocals, pitch bent keys and a kick-snare beat lifted straight from Depeche Mode's 1988 stadium tour.

Listen and download yourself a copy below:

Duck Sauce remix Chromeo

2011-01-10T19:16:00.002Z

TPNK favourites cross paths again with Duck Sauce's interpretation of Hot Mess taken from Chromeo's most recent long player Business Casual. The track features Elly Jackson of La Roux fame, with the remix revolving around her vocal hook. A nice fist pumper to start the New Year. Download it for free below.

Chromeo ft. Elly Jackson - Hot Mess (Duck Sauce Remix)

Cut Copy Update

2010-11-24T09:51:00.002Z

Following on from Jamies last Cut Copy post, another sneak preview of the new album Zonoscope has made its way across the web over the last couple of days. It's an improvement on the last teaser, so fingers crossed they can at least match the quality of In Ghost Colours. Take a listen to Take Me Over below...

Cut Copy - "Take Me Over" (Radio Edit) Premiere by modularpeople

IS Tropical

2010-10-27T10:01:00.003+01:00

A nifty little number from UK trio IS Tropical. They seem to be doing a few laps of the concert circuit of late, but primarily playing second fiddle to the headlining act - both NYPC and LCD Soundsystem providing the platform. I would warm to them a little more if they would just lose the leather jackets and bandanas and any of the other nu-rave accesories which they have packed en route to South Pacific.

Stream and download for free (via arrow pointing down)

Myspace here, official here.

Best Coast videos

2010-10-20T23:53:00.006+01:00

Anyone not familiar with Bethany Cosentino's lo-fi, hazy, adolescent pop owes it to themselves to check out Best Coast's debut album Crazy For You which will surely find itself in many end of year top album lists. These videos for 'Boyfriend' and the bonus track 'When I'm With You' are a damn good starting point if you are yet to fall under her spell.

The Roots & John Legend :: 'Hard Times'

2010-10-01T19:41:00.004+01:00

The Roots have teamed up with John Legend to release 'Wake Up', an album of soulful covers from the 60s and 70s, including one of my all time favourite funk-soul tracks, 'Hard Times' by Baby Huey. The Roots are one of the tightest bands around and here they manage to rework the track with even more tension and urgency than the original.

John Legend and the Roots - Hard Times (feat. Black Thought) by throw parties not knives

Introducing... Little Loud

2010-10-01T14:18:00.005+01:00

One of my favourite new artists of 2010 has been the Brighton-based Little Loud, who has produced a string of consistently great remixes for high profile acts like Yeasayer, HEALTH and Goldfrapp this year. 'Chill-wave' is a term that has been thrown around a lot recently but is an apt description for his bright, cosmic sound and warm, delicate synths. The Goldfrapp remix is particularly beautiful and can be downloaded via the 'down arrow' on the right hand side.

goldfrapp - believer (little loud remix) by little loud

health - nice girls (little loud mix) by little loud

memory tapes - bicycle (little loud remix) by little loud

yeasayer - madder red (little loud remix) by little loud

Duck Sauce :: 'Barbra Streisand'

2010-09-29T12:38:00.010+01:00

It's been a year since Brian first posted about Duck Sauce (Armand van Helden and A-Trak) and now they're back. They're new single is inexplicably called 'Barbara Streisand' and is a throw back to the late 90's club house bangers that made Van Helden famous. The video is by Justice and Kanye colaborator So-Me and features a huge roll call of famous faces (Kanye, Pharrell, Santigold, Chromeo...) amid some raucous New York party footage.

Glasser :: 'Home'

2010-09-26T02:31:00.006+01:00

Glasser is the alias of LA-based Cameron Mesirow and her laptop copy of GarageBand. Her debut album Ring is out tomorrow and is generating lots of attention for its' rich, multi-textural sound and the dramatic atmospheres she creates. At times stark and gothic, tribal and elemental, comparisons to School of Seven Bells, Telepathe and Homogenic-era Bjork are deserved if insufficient.
'Home' is a useful introduction to her sound, progressing from a tumbling child-like rhythm in the beginning to a glorious wave of synths, strings and aching vocals.

Download: Glasser - 'Home' (via Pitchfork.com)

Buy the album Ring here.

Aeroplane remix their remix

2010-09-21T02:14:00.003+01:00

Aeroplane have had a succession of impressive tracks and remixes over the past year, none more so than this perfect intersection of disco, house and pop. Having already remixed Friendly Fires' Paris a few months back they were clearly impressed by the beautiful vocals on Australian group Flight Facilities' superb single 'Crave You' and saw an opportunity and the two fit together perfectly.

Stream and download the track below by clicking the little downward arrow on the right-hand side.

I Crave Paris by Aeroplane (Official)

Gold Panda - Lucky Shiner. Stream entire album!

2010-09-21T00:45:00.007+01:00

Lucky Shiner is the debut album from London electronic producer Gold Panda and is streaming in it's entirety online. It's a really thrilling piece of work that's part minimal techno, part chill-wave electropop. Imagine the hypnotic loops of The Field meeting the hazy warmth of an Air France record. Lovely.

New Jamiroquai Material

2010-09-16T13:07:00.004+01:00

I'm sure if you were to dust off both Jamie and my now defunct CD collections you would find a wealth of Jamiroquai releases. I've always been a fan of their early work, but Synkronized really was the turning point for me. They had done their bit by then and I wasn't really that bothered with A Funk Odyssey and Dynamite, apart from the singles that were presented to me in the charts.

So there's been a five year break, and they've decided to back to their early style; how many times have I heard this from bands who are really just looking for old fans to take note so they can have one last shot in the limelight? Umpteen - and they usually disappoint.

However, I've given their first single, White Knuckle Ride, a good listen, and they have actually gone back to that classic Jamiroquai sound, with a pinch of Fred Falke/Chromeo synth styling. The new album, Rock Dust Light Star, is out November 1. Lets hope it's more of the same.

Site here, myspace here, pre-order here.

Download removed

Ra Ra Riot and a Re Re Remix

2010-09-06T09:33:00.009+01:00

Ra Ra Riot released their second long player last week entitled 'The Orchard'. Not bad for a second attempt, and worth a listen if you are into the whole Vampire Weekend or Arcade Fire sound. The first single from the album, 'Boy', will leave you hungry for more, but nothing else satisfies. If you like what you hear below, best to check out their debut album, 'The Rhumb Line', for a more consistent produce.

Download:

Ra Ra Riot = Boy (RAC Remix)

Myspace here, official site here, buy album here

I Like Country.

2010-08-23T15:50:00.009+01:00

Caitlin Rose stood at the alter last night in Kilkenny and converted me; I love country. Like Homer discovering Lurleen, I was completely mesmerized by this wee Tennessee marvel. Her voice, personality, strumming and lyrics captivated me throughout her 70 minute set and has started me on a path into the unknown abyss of country music. Her album received album of the week in The Sunday Times a fortnight ago, coupled with a very very rare and much coveted, but thoroughly deserved, 5 stars - I've had it on repeat since 10am this morning. Buy it and you too will see the light - unfortunately 'Will You Bunk With Me' didn't make the cut!

Buy her album here, myspace here, and official site here

Catch her in the next two days in Ireland:

Crawdaddy, Dublin - Tonight (23rd Aug)

Cypress Avenue, Cork - Tomorrow (24th Aug)

Gamble & Burke

2010-08-06T19:42:00.013+01:00

A modern day Hall & Oates meets an unpolished Chromeo meets a synthesized WHAM! If that ticks all the right boxes for you, then get a load of this pool-side beauty. The song is best consumed along with the video which is priceless; rinky-dink models, champagne poppin' and cheesy moves from Daniel Burke and Kaz Gamble. I just hope there is more to come.

Myspace here, official site here, facebook here

Download:

Gamble & Burke - Let's Go Together

Four Tet remix and remixed

2010-07-26T01:44:00.010+01:00

Four Tet returns the favour after John Hopkins' subtle and delicate remix of the wonderful Angel Echoes. Kieran Hebden turns Hopkins' Vessel into a shimmering and hypnotic swirl of bleeps and tones not unlike his remix of Matthew Dear's Deserter from a few years ago.

Jon Hopkins - Vessel (Four Tet remix) by Four Tet

Angel Echoes (Jon Hopkins remix) by Four Tet

Broken Social Scene - Meet Me In The Basement

2010-07-19T20:37:00.000+01:00

An anonymous Broken Social Scene fan recently sent this video to the band which he/she made for their song Meet Me In The Basement. In a recent interview with Pitchfork.com, BSS front man Keven Drew offered this assessment on the state of society in 2010 - "It's getting worse. Every day. It's actually coming to a head and it's going to be very, very, very, very, very bad. Thus the need for all the distractions".

The fan in question seems to agree and the video is a frantic mashup of footage from riots at this year's G20 in Toronto with the 'distractions' of pop culture that Drew alludes to.

Even if you don't buy into all that, it's still a pretty awesome video.

Brand new Cut Copy material. Free download!

2010-07-19T17:38:00.007+01:00

Just a quick addition to Brian's Cut Copy post below. Here's the first song from their as-yet-untitled third album. The track's called 'Where I'm Going'. Like it, learn it and sing it tomorrow night.

Get it here for free.

Cut Copy LIVE!

2010-07-19T09:30:00.002+01:00

For those about Dublin tomorrow night (Tues 20th July), grab yourself a ticket to Cut Copy in Tripod. These guys are by far one of the most talented bands of the last decade and will be showcasing songs from their unreleased, third studio album. Below you can download 'Out There On The Ice', which a personal favourite from 2008's In Ghost Colours and 'Sands Of Time', which wasn't finished in time to make that album - hopefully it's a sneak preview of more to come. See you there!

Download:

Cut Copy - Out There On The Ice

Cut Copy - Sands Of Time

New album from The Roots

2010-07-06T03:06:00.006+01:00

The Roots are a band I have taken for granted in the past, happy to cherry pick a few obvious tracks from their hefty back catalogue but their new album 'How I Got Over' is probably the first that I have really listened to in its entirety. Thankfully they're on top form here and give a masterclass in funk, soul and hip-hop with real depth.

Notable contributions come from Joanna Newsom and John Legend but the real highpoint is the title track. The Roots know their way around a catchy hook or two by now and the organ and drum arrangement give it the uplifting feel of an old Curtis Mayfield song.

Buy the album here

Download: The Roots - How I Got Over (feat. Dice Raw)

Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros

2010-07-01T17:22:00.004+01:00

I heard my Dad playing this nice little number the other day. It's one of those songs that you just warm to immediately and has a real summer festival sound to it. As for the band, I don't know too much about Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros other that there's ten of them. Get ready to whistle along...

Myspace here, buy here

Download:

Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros - Home

Broken Social Scene live on Fallon

2010-06-17T03:15:00.002+01:00

Broken Social Scene on Jimmy Fallon's TV show on tuesday night. It's insane how many great bands they get on that show. BSS play 'Texico Bitches' and a bit of 'Meet Me in the Basement' off the fantastic new album Forgiveness Rock Record.

Primary 1 feat Nina Persson

2010-06-08T16:34:00.004+01:00

A beautiful pop duet between London boy Primary 1 and Nina Persson of Cardigans fame. It's really quite lovely!

Download: Primary 1 - The Blues feat Nina Persson

Jay-Z mashup part 2

2010-06-08T09:54:00.007+01:00

Picking up where Brian left off a few weeks ago here's another fine Jay-Z mashup, this time with the hotly-tipped Javelin. The mashup comes courtesy of Dave Wrangler and its a pretty inspired combination of Jay-Z's Roc Boys and Javelin's Intervales Theme. Fans of this tune should head straight for Javelin's album No Mas which is full of funky jams like this.

Download: Jay-Z vs Javelin - Roc Boys (Dave Wrangler mashup)

The photo features Bill Gates and Jay-Z in an equally odd mashup. What the hell could they be talking about?

Example

2010-06-02T13:55:00.004+01:00

Elliot Gleave (E.G. = for example = Example) has been causing a bit of a stir so far this year with Won't Go Quietly and Watch The Sun Come Up both breaking into the top 20 for a few weeks or so. A new album is on the way later this month, but prior to its release, another single is out next week. Dreamy synths, catchy hooks alongside Examples light-hearted and likeable personality makes me wonder will he be filling Dizzee and Calvins shoes this summer?

Example - Kickstart

Relaxez-vous

2010-05-19T14:01:00.007+01:00

Most of our posts are usually pretty full-on so here are a trio of some of the more laidback numbers I've been listening to of late...

This very short song is from New Yorkers The Duke and The King. I was lucky enough to catch them twice in my hometown a few weeks ago as they arrived for the Kilkenny Rhythm and Roots festival. I don't know too much about Americana, but I know I like these guys. If you're looking for something different that bridges the gaps between Dylan, Fleetwood Mac and Sly and The Family Stone, then try catch them on tour.

The Duke and The King - I've Been Bad

Next up is from one of my all-time favourite duos - Bent. They are possibly the finest chill-out producers going, and in my mind, are only really rivalled by Air. Unfortunately, they've only ever had an underground following, with no real mainstream success apart from soundtracking ads for drinks companies. Sample some of their unique and quirky music videos here and buy the 'Best Of'...

Bent - Always

And one more for the mini-playlist... Boardwalk Theme by Desolation Wilderness. A bit of an unknown band here, and this type of surfer-psychedelic rock might not be everyones cup of green tea, but picture yourself soaking up the sun on the US west coast, brewsky in one hand, beautiful babe in another and sand crackled speakers pumping out this reverb-heavy melody...

Desolation Wilderness - Boardwalk Theme

Jay-Z meets Phoenix

2010-05-12T20:56:00.005+01:00

Following the underground and mainstream successes of Danger Mouses Grey Album and Linkin Parks Collision Course, there has seemed to be a neverending stream of mash-ups using acapellas from Jay-Z's Black Album over the past few years. I usually try to steer clear of most of them, but this one put together by Dutchman Don Diablo is a real gem.

Download:

Don Diable vs Phoenix vs Jay-Z - 99 Fences

Aloe aloe aloe

2010-04-27T21:01:00.003+01:00

Just a quickie post again. This little ditty is from Californian Aloe Blacc, and slightly reminiscent of Gill Scott Heron. It has gained quite a lot of airplay in the US due to the fact it's the theme song to HBO's How To Make It In America, however it's not actually released until June. Thought it was an apt choice considering I've three days left in work.

Myspace here, official site here, pre-order here

Download: Aloe Blacc - I Need A Dollar

Hot Chip cover Shakira

2010-04-17T12:43:00.007+01:00

This cover is from last weeks BBC Radio 1 live lounge sessions. There are subtle differences between this and the original and it's not so much that Hot Chip make it their own, but it sounds like it could actually be one of their own. On another note, this photo of them from the recording looks pretty awkward.

Download:

Hot Chip - She Wolf

The Return of NYPC

2010-03-26T15:37:00.007Z

It's been a long 3 years since the release of Fantastic Playroom, but thankfully New Young Pony Club decided to get back in the studio and record a new album. The Optimist was released on the 8th of this month, and though it may not be as consistent as their debut, it still warrants a listen, especially if you're a fan of the quartet.

I went to see them play in Newcastle last night, and though I probably say this about every band, but this bunch of guys and gals put on an immense display. They are playing the following dates in Ireland:

Cork - Cyprus Avenue - May 28th
Dublin - Button Factory - May 29th
Belfast - Stiff Kitten - May 31st

Please go see them, you won't regret it.

Myspace here, Official site here, Buy The Optimist here

The following is my fave from the new album:

New Young Pony Club - We Want To

Delphic

2010-03-23T19:46:00.005Z

A bit late off the mark, but I've been listening to Delphic's debut long player over the last couple of weeks and am beginning to understand why it has been tipped to make many critics 'Albums of 2010' list. From start the end, this 10 track wonder reeks of electronica not far off Leftfield, with catchy choruses and riffs not far off Klaxons (except these Mancunians are actually talented). Catch them while on tour and at many a summer festival this year.

Buy their album here, myspace here, official site here

Delphic - Halcyon

Delphic - Remain

Casiokids

2010-03-01T14:19:00.005Z

This Norwegian outfit have been knocking about for the last year or so and are on the books at London based Moshi Moshi records (which boasts an impressive roster of Florence + The Machine, Hot Chip, Bloc Party and Friendly Fires). They're currently touring with Hot Chip so if you have tickets for any of their dates, make sure you get there early to catch the warm-up act. Their live show is extremely infectious, with each member rotating and doing the rounds on each others instruments. Expect twinkles, synth progressions and lots and lots of cowbells.

Below is by far my favourite, and like some of their other non-instrumental tracks, it's sung in Norwegian. Fantastiske ting!

Casiokids - Verdens Storste Land

Check out their myspace here, their official blog here and buy their music here

Introducing... Javelin

2010-02-23T00:45:00.007Z

If you've been enjoying the feel-good, lo-fi sounds of Neon Indian or Memory Tapes or even The Avalanches (any sign of a comeback, lads?) then you'll surely dig this. Javelin tick all the right boxes for success in 2010. Obsessive record diggers? Tick. Signed to a cool label? Tick. Collage-style artwork? Tick. From Brooklyn? Tick. They're currently supporting Yeasayer on their UK tour and finally get round to dropping their debut album No Mas on the 20th of April.
Opening track 'Vibrationz' is 2 minutes of wobbly electro-funk that gives a small hint of Javelin's eclectic sound.

Download: Javelin - Vibrationz

Missing Mylo

2010-02-21T16:32:00.007Z

It's hard to believe that it's now nearly 6 years since Mylo released one of the albums of the decade. Last January, he sent the following track into Radio 1 as a taster of what was to come. Over a year has drifted by and it still sounds amazing but no sign of any official releases.
After popping up for a few DJ dates here and there over the last while and compiling the cover CD for this month’s edition of Mixmag, maybe this year will mark the return of Myles MacInnes.

Check out this tumble dryer of chopped pianos, hi-hats and gulping bassline which irons out into an absolute stomper. Unfortunately Annie Macs voiceover slightly ruins the ending so hopefully it will feature in its entirety on the album, whenever, if ever, it gets released.

Download below.

Mylo - I'm Back

View his myspace here and buy his music here.

Miike Snow & Ali Love

2010-02-11T00:15:00.001Z

I went to see the awesome Miike Snow last Friday night in Newcastle. If you are a fan of their album in any shape or form, definitely try catch them while they are on tour at the moment. Below is a short video from Fridays show (apologies for the poor sound quality)...

Supporting Miike Snow was Ali Love. This is another act who had fallen off the radar since his first release back in 2006. I checked out some of his new material before hitting the concert, but there was a lot to be desired. It's mediocre, whiney electro-pop that really only has something to offer when played live. So if I were you, don't bother checking out his new stuff unless you are planning on catching him live.

So why mention him? Well, before being dropped by Columbia Records and resorting to these self-pity ditties, Ali produced some very slick pop tunes that would have given Calvin Harris a run for his money. Unfortunately they didn't perform too well on the charts, which resulted in him losing his record deal and subsequently, his way.

However don't let the bland aftertaste of his latter work stop you from appreciating some his more sumptuous produce from two years back.

Download below:

Ali Love - Secret Sunday Lover

Ali Love - Late Night Session (The Phones Filter Fromage Edit)

Two Door Cinema Club

2010-02-07T15:41:00.006Z

Every now and again, an Irish act emerges outside of the boring and generic singer/songwriter scene that Irish music has been synonymous with over the past decade. Unfortunately, a lot of them fail to live up to the hype and fade into oblivion (Humanzi, Director and Star Little Thing to name a few).
Two Door Cinema Club are a bunch of Bangor boys hoping to break the mould in 2010. From what I’ve heard, their sound is a cross between Foals and early Bloc Party, combined with the amicable and candid nature of Vampire Weekend.
The French have certainly taken a shine to them; they are currently signed to Kitsune, Philippe Zdar of Cassius is part of their album's production team and they have already remixed Phoenix’s ‘Lasoo’ and are due to support them on some of their European dates.

Checkout their myspace here

Downloads removed.

Phoenix live on the streets of Paris!

2009-12-22T01:30:00.003Z

Here are some videos of Phoenix playing some rather charming, impromptu gigs on the streets of Paris in places like Trocadero Square, the top deck of a tourist bus and under a bridge. They show the strength of the songs on their recent Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix album by how great they sound in such a stripped-down form. These guerilla performances are wonderfully shot by Vincent Moon as part of his fantastic Take-Away Shows series which also includes Sigur Ros, Fleet Foxes, Bon Iver, Lykke Li, Animal Collective and Arcade Fire etc.

"1901"

Phoenix - 1901 - A Take Away Show from La Blogotheque on Vimeo.

"Listzomania" / "One Time Too Many"

Phoenix - Lizstomania / One time too many - A Take Away Show from La Blogotheque on Vimeo.

"Long Distance Call"

Phoenix - Long distance call - A Take Away Show from La Blogotheque on Vimeo.

Irish Hearts, English Blood

2009-11-22T18:53:00.008Z

I've been meaning to pick the right moment to write about this song, and seen as Orbital have just finished up two dates in Dublin, and David Gray is due to play this December, now is as good a time as any.

Gray has enjoyed unrivalled success in Ireland, with White Ladder remaining the biggest-selling album on the isle. Orbital have been gigging over here for nearly two decades; Electric Picnic was one of their first stops on their comeback tour. Unfortunately I've never had the honour of witnessing the Hartnoll brothers perform live (my parents wouldn't let me go see them in The Point back when I was 15) but considering they crept in at 49 in the Top 50 Bands to See Before You Die list (Q Magazine, 2002), I would recommend anyone to go catch them before they split up again.

Gray collaborated with the Sevenoak's duo for 2001's 'The Altogether'. Illuminate is mellower than their usual acidic sound, but still reams of their trademark twinkles and signature basslines, with Gray's voice adding a radio-friendly dimension to it. Cool, but not too chilled.

Orbital ft David Gray - Illuminate [Click Link to Download]

Ellie Goulding

2009-11-10T22:35:00.007Z

Anyone who caught Ellie's performance on Jools Holland a couple of weeks ago will have undoubtly posed the question 'Who's this one?'. Her slightly awkward and unorthodox stance on stage pounding a drum reminded me of when Jamie first showed me Little Boots singing and simultaneously playing the Yamaha Tenori-On, stylophone and piano on Later...

Coincidently, Ellie has spent the last month touring with Little Boots around the UK. She's currently working on her debut album with Mark Ronson, with this taster officially released this month. One to watch? Let's hope it's not as hurried as 'Hands'.

Ellie Goulding - Under The Sheets [Follow link to download]*

* Some people are having a little trouble downloading MP3s, but if you click on the link above and wait for about 10 seconds or so, the download should appear. Ignore any pop-ups also!

New Alan Braxe Remix

2009-11-03T20:36:00.005Z

Another remix post, this time Beyoncé gets the Alan Braxe treatment, who seems to have got his mojo back with his take on Broken-Hearted Girl. Forget what you know of the original, and if you haven't heard it, don't bother. Chopped up vocals, silky smooth synths and a pinch of bass slappin'. Back to what he does best. Back to Braxe.

Beyonce - Broken-Hearted Girl (Alan Braxe Remix) [Follow link to download]

Heads Will Roll Remix

2009-11-01T12:20:00.009Z

A-Trak (see Duck Sauce post) continues to make his mark in the dance music world with this stomping cut up of Yeah Yeah Yeahs 'Heads Will Roll'. It seems that this is most people's favourite track off It's Blitz, and now Alain Macklovitch's take on it has really made it one for the dancefloor. One of my favourite remixes of the year. On another note, the guillotine was only abolished in France in 1981, and the last head rolled in 1971. Those crazy French.

Where are they now? #1

2009-10-25T12:21:00.004Z

When I was a young lad, my musical knowledge, like most people, stretched as far as what I heard on the radio, on the telly and from my older brother. Now and again you hear a song that whisks you back to the days when Friday night/Saturday morning television was king and included your weekly chart run down. One song that I vividly remember making its way up the chart back in the day is a track called 'Ain't No Love' by Sub Sub.

Sub Sub were essentially one hit wonders. 'Ain't No Love' reached No. 3 in the UK Charts back in 1993. An album soon followed, with another song from it called 'Past' featuring on numerous chill-out compilations. The Manchunian trio began working on a second album, but in 1996 their recording studio was destroyed by fire (two band members were twin brothers and the studio ironically went up in smoke on their birthday).

So that was the last I heard of them. I just presumed that such a set-back would have crushed any musicians dream. However on further investigation, I found that this wasn't the case. The group stayed together and in 1998 they decided to take a slightly different musical direction and formed...wait for it...DOVES! Compare and contrast below:

Sub Sub ft Melanie Williams - Ain't No Love (Ain't No Use) [Follow link to download]

Doves - Black and White Town [Follow link to download]

Chromeo - Night By Night (Skream remix)

2009-10-14T18:01:00.007+01:00

Chromeo have always moonwalked along the fine line that exists between irony and guilty pleasure, armed with a suitcase full of cheesy hooks that in any other hands would be the preserve of porno movie soundtracks. That bag of tricks is in full effect here with Giorgio Moroder synths, liberal use of the vocoder and a carefully placed guitar solo or two. Dubstep poster boy Skream turns the sleaze up to 11 by slowing it all down and adding a throbbing, rolling bassline. You may need a shower after this one!

Download: Chromeo - Night By Night (Skream remix)

Different Strokes...

2009-10-13T18:04:00.004+01:00

The Strokes frontman Julian Casablancas releases his solo album Phrazes for the Young on the 2nd of November, filling the lull before a rumoured 4th Strokes album next year. The first track from the album will be 11th Dimension and shows a marked departure with Casablancas striking out and embracing bold, high-gloss electro. Casablancas' pop sensibilities are in full effect here, with hints of Phoenix's 1901 amid a flurry or gleaming 80s synth action.

Download: Julian Casablancas - 11th Dimension

Something for the Weekend

2009-10-02T21:06:00.008+01:00

Just had a few minutes in the airport to write a quick post...

Most people should be familiar with his name by now, but Deadmau5 has been creating a bit of a stir in the dance music world over the last year or so. He's already had one very solid minimal electronic album, but I can only really recommend it to those who are into their instrumental dance music - if you like Booka Shade, you'll love it.

This song was officially released last week, but has had a lot of airplay on Radio 1 in the UK since Pete Tong showcased it first back in July. The track is called 'Ghosts 'n' Stuff' and features Pendulum frontman Rob Swire on vocals. You can really hear massive improvements in Deadmau5's production skills on this track, which no doubt means there is much more work to come from him. I wasn't aware that Mr. Swire was such an accomplished singer - do I detect the use of auto-tune? T-Pain and Cher would be proud...

Check out Deadmau5's slick website here. Buy his music here.

Deadmau5 ft Rob Swire - Ghosts 'n' Stuff [Click on link and follow download insturctions]

Tegan and Sara

2009-09-28T20:05:00.006+01:00

I was quite slow off the mark with this duo, but after five studio albums over a 10 year period, I finally found out about them through my housemate (Double-O S) just a couple of months ago.

Tegan and Sara are two lesbian twin sisters (seeing other people of course) hailing from Alberta, Canada. As I mentioned above, they've already released five albums and thankfully I was pointed towards the better releases from their back catalogue, which I have in turn supplied for you all to download.

'Walking With a Ghost' and 'Back In Your Head' are top notch, but after listening to them, I wouldn't recommend running out and buying all their albums at once - this is as good as it gets.

I have also uploaded alternative mixes of the songs which add a bit more energy to their laidback sound. Tiesto has also remixed ‘Back In Your Head’, but I’m sure I don’t need to tell you to stay well away from that version...

Check out their myspace here and buy their music here

Tegan and Sara – ‘Walking With a Ghost’ [Right-Click and Save Target As]

Tegan and Sara – ‘Back In Your Head’ [Right-Click and Save Target As]

Tegan and Sara Vs Mylo – ‘Walking With a Ghost in Paris’ [Right-Click and Save Target As]

Tegan and Sara – ‘Back In Your Head’ (Tyler Fedchuk’s 1/2ALIVE Disco Remix) [Right-Click and Save Target As]

Duck Sauce

2009-09-22T13:10:00.017+01:00

As the last of the Ibiza clubbers arrive home, they usually bring with them an underground tune that has been the soundtrack to their summer and is ready to brighten up our nightclubs during the winter months. Looking back over the past ten years or so, there have been some classics, and some ones you’d wish they had left behind. Below is a look at some of the heavyhitters that have emerged from the island over the past few years.

1998: Stardust – Music Sounds Better With You

1999: Moloko – Sing It Back

2000: Modjo – Lady (Hear Me Tonight)

2001: Roger Sanchez – Another Chance

2002: Tim Deluxe ft Sam Obernik – It Just Won’t Do

2003: Room 5 ft Oliver Cheathem – Make Luv

2004: Shapeshifters – Lola’s Theme

2005: Bob Sinclair – Love Generation

2006: Bodyrox ft Luciana – Yeah Yeah

2007: Yves LaRock - Rise Up

2008: Eric Prydze - Pjanoo

2009: ??

As you can see, since 2005 the quality of music has been pretty poor. I really struggled to find anything worthwhile mentioning from '05 to '08. There has yet to be a clear one this year either. Maybe ‘Holiday’ by Dizzee and Calvin, but that doesn’t really count considering it was a hit before the summer started, and both acts were already household names after releasing ‘Dance Wiv Me’. Maybe nothing might make it back. However, one song I’d love to hear churned out in nightclubs for the next few months is ‘aNYway’ by Duck Sauce.

Duck Sauce is made up of the unusual pairing of New York house pioneer Armand Van Helden and world champion turntablist A-Trak (who won his first title at the tender age of 15!). The 40 second intro is a little bit tedious, but please listen the whole way through – it’s got a great soulful club sound with quite a catchy little chorus. Let's hope this is the beginning of a new era similar to that of '98 to '04...

Duck Sauce - aNYway [Right Click and Save-Target-As]

(If anybody wants any of the other tracks mentioned here available to download, drop me a line and I’ll see what I can do.)

Boys in the Hood

2009-09-15T00:11:00.009+01:00

I’m not the biggest fan of mash-up artists; they sometimes try too hard to blend songs from opposite sides of the tracks just for the sake of their diverse sounds (i’m sure you’ll know what I mean if you have ever had the aural displeasure of listening to The Prodigy’s ’Smack My Bitch Up’ mixed with Enya’s ‘Orinoco Flow (Sail Away)’ – if you must, click here!). The likes of Girl Talk and 2ManyDJs do the genre great justice, but if I was to be really anal, there isn’t enough length in their individual mixes.

This brings me to Chicago based mash-up duo The Hood Internet, who’ve been knocking out mixes since 2007, and bridge that gap between quality and quantity. They’ve had five mixtapes to date, all of which can be downloaded for FREE from either their myspace or official homepage. From here, they continually upload new mixes they lay down, the best of which make it onto their mixtape volumes.

There’s a lot to dig through, and it’s not all top drawer, but there are quite a few gems in their catalogue. So to give you a feel of what they’re all about, I’ve supplied a few of my favourite mixes below. If you like what you hear, I recommend downloading ‘The Mixtape Volume 2’ first. They rocked out Lollapalooza this year, warming up the crowd before MSTRKRFT and Simian Mobile Disco took to the stage - watch out in case they ever decide to cross the Atlantic...

Dr. Dre vs Fujiya & Miyagi - The Next Collarbone [Right-click and Save Target-As]

Montell Jordan vs Arcade Fire - This Is How We Go [Right-click and Save Target-As]

Genesis vs Justice - Genesis Squared [Right-click and Save Target-As]

Whitney Hou?

2009-09-10T22:09:00.010+01:00

I never thought I would actually be forced to write a post on Whitney Houston, but the first sneak preview of her forthcoming album has warranted this. It's almost a decade since the release of her Greatest Hits and rumours of drug abuse and her constant unreliability to turn up has meant that her career has taken a serious downturn in the last 9 years.

However, after splitting from her bad boy hubby Bobby Brown and battling through the lengthy divorce proceedings and custody battles, she is about to make her comeback.

I orignally mistook the song for an old nice n' smooth Motown record, and that's pretty much what it is. Alicia Keys co-wrote the song and also supplies backing vocals. Oh yeah, and there's no key change. Brilliant.

Check out her official webpage here and buy here tunes here.

Download:
Whitney Houston – Million Dollar Bill (Ft. Alicia Keys) [Right click and Save Target As]

Miike Snow

2009-08-01T03:36:00.009+01:00

So the blog has been lying idle for longer than I dare admit but it's back! The long, wet days of this summer have given me ample time for the vast amount of new music 2009 has given us so far. One act that I've had my eye on recently is Sweden's Miike Snow. I was introduced to the gleeful, marching electro-pop of their single 'Animal' a couple of month's back. This was followed about 8 weeks ago by the release of their debut, self-titled album which is an exciting, if patchy, affair.

In a previous life Miike Snow were the production team behind Britney Spear's guilty pleasure Toxic so as you might expect the production here is flawlessly polished from start to finish. However in the leap from the shadows into the sharp focus of creating their own music an element of their pop effervescense was lost. Having said that there are still absolute triumphs in the form of Black and Blue, Silvia, Song for No One and Animal, at times reminiscent of Hot Chip or Peter Bjorn and John at their most bitter-sweet.

Speaking of which, step forward PB&J who knock it out of the park with this awesome remix of Animal. Then Spank Rock's Benny Blanco rescues Burial from mediocrity by giving it some balls with added vocals and heavyweight beats.

Download: Miike Snow - Animal (Peter Bjorn and John remix)
Stream: Miike Snow - Burial (Benny Blanco remix feat. Neon Hitch)

New Hot Chip + Album News

2008-01-04T21:25:00.000Z

I've been listening to Hot Chip's breakthrough 2005 album The Warning for the last 2 years pretty solidly and I still love every track on it as much as day one. Since then they've released their excellent DJ Kicks compilation which showcased the song My Piano and gave us a taster of what sounds they've been working on.

Well their new album, titled Made In The Dark, is ready for release on the 4th of february and features 13 tracks including My Piano, Shake A Fist and a new track i've been hearing on the radio called Ready For The Floor. It's trademark Hot Chip, with a bouncing electro beat, twinkling electronics and Alexis Taylor's unique vocals and all together they make up the best pop song I've heard in ages.

Ready For The Floor will be the first single off the new album and comes out a week before, on the 28th of january. The CD features a great Soulwax remix of Ready For The Floor plus a Diplo mix of Shake A Fist.

---------------------------------------------

Pre-order the album Made In The Dark here

Download: Hot Chip - Ready For The Floor

Miami Horror

2008-01-02T01:57:00.001Z

Hola amigos. Sincere apologies for the lack of posts recently. Rest assured that normal service has resumed.

To say sorry here are some lovely pieces of Aussie electro-disco. There seems to be no end to the quality dance music coming out of Australia (especially Melbourne) these days from the likes of Cut Copy, The Presets, Midnight Juggernauts, Van She, Riot in Belgium and the excellent label Modular.

Miami Horror is Ben Plant from Melbourne who's been generating a bit of heat with some great remixes over the last year. Giving two fingers to those who say electro is played out, Miami Horror brings you an unashamed 80s synth disco attack taking in the heavily compressed French house of Alan Braxe and Cassius along the way.

A debut album, titled Bravado, is due some time soon. In the mean time get your ears 'round this lot.

Download: Codebreaker - Exiled (Miami Horror remix)

Download: Miami Horror - Don't Be On With Her

New material from Cut Copy

2007-11-28T22:52:00.000Z

Cut Copy are a band from Melbourne, Australia that i've been into for a few years. Their last album 'Bright Like Neon Love' was a mix of shimmering electro, house and indie with bitter-sweet vocals from frontman Dan Whitford that really deserved a wider audience.

They've been working with producer Tim Goldsworthy (DFA - see post below) to put the finishing touches to their second album 'In Ghost Colours' which is due out early next year. Along with the new Hot Chip album this is something i'm really looking forward to. Anyway the first single from the new record is due to be 'So Haunted' which they've been playing on tour in Australia at the moment. It's a real grower I must say and you can see Goldworthy's influence in the stomping electro riff. See what you think.

Download: Cut Copy - So Haunted

Tim Goldsworthy & Tim Sweeney (DFA Records) @ Ri-Ra

2007-11-28T22:00:00.000Z

It's Ri-Ra's 14th birthday this week and they've got Tim Goldsworthy and Tim Sweeney flying in from New York for the celebrations on friday night. Goldsworthy has popped up in lots of places over the years. He was drummer in U.N.K.L.E., co-founded the Mo' Wax label, was in LCD Soundsystem with James Murphy and now together they are DFA, a much sought-after production team and record label. He has also produced albums for The Rapture, David Holmes and Cut Copy.

Tim Sweeney did an internship with DFA (how cool is that!) and ended up doing mix tapes and dj sets for them. The Ri-Ra show is the first time Sweeney and Goldsworthy have played in Europe as a duo so it should be a pretty cool night.

11:30pm Friday. Entry €10/€12

Here's a couple of great remixes to get you in the mood.

Download: Le Tigre - Deceptacon (DFA remix)

Download: Soulwax - NY Excuse (DFA remix)

Late Of The Pier

2007-11-27T00:22:00.000Z

Late Of the Pier are a band from Nottingham that have been turning one or two heads over the last year. They've only released a handful of tracks but each one i've heard has been damn good. On the face of things the world probably doesn't need another UK indie band with a keyboard player making 'dance-rock' but Late Of The Pier have enough eclectic influences and tight production to stand well above chancers like the Klaxons or Shitdisco.

Their standout track so far is definitely 'Bathroom Gurgle', produced by the busiest man in dance music, Erol Alkan. It moves from strutting bassline like the Rapture to a sweeping breakdown followed by the frantic chorus "So put your hands on your waistline/And move your body to the bassline/And get your hands on some cheap wine/And just move it til you feel fiiiiiiine!".

Also worth checking out is their Gary Numan-esque 'Space and the Woods'.

Download: Late Of the Pier - 'Bathroom Gurgle'
Download: Late Of the Pier - 'Space and the Woods'

Girl Talk!!

2007-11-23T02:03:00.000Z

Anyone lucky enough to be at Whelan's in Dublin on the 13th of december is gonna get an ear full of the force of nature that is Gregg Gillis aka Girl Talk. Every picture i've seen makes his live shows look like the most fun place to be on planet earth. Just put 'girl talk' into google images and you'll see what i mean. Like a good house party just seconds before the police get there. Thanks to Nialler9 for the tip off as this gig had completely crept under my radar.

Anyway Girl Talk mixes old school hip hop, house, cheesy r'n'b and top 40 hits and whatever else is lying about. One of his tracks puts Notorious B.I.G. up against Elton John's Tiny Dancer so that should give you an idea!

I first heard about him through his remix of Peter, Bjorn and John's 'Lets Call It Off' where he laid on a nice bouncing beat and some gorgeous twinkly xylophone/glockenspiel(?) action with echoes of Hot Chip about it. Definitely one of my favourite tunes of the year.

Download: Peter, Bjorn and John - Let's Call It Off (Girl Talk remix)

also here's a nice mashup courtesy of Good Weather For Airstrikes which should give you a taste of his more usual stuff.

Download: Girl Talk - Digital Hustlin'

Jape Is Grape

2007-11-20T23:21:00.000Z

Some new material here from one of Ireland's finest acts. Jape has been on a steady rise since the slow-burning success of the blissful 'Floating' and it's great to see he's able to keep churning out interesting stuff. Jape has just polished off his second album and before it's ready for release he's giving us the 'Jape Is Grape' EP. It features 'Floating' and a handful of remixes (though not the excellent Prins Thomas mix) plus two new tracks so it's more of a prelude to the album than anything else.
The real highlight is 'Christopher and Anthony' an incredibly hypnotic piece of electro pop which deserves to be as big as 'Floating'.
He's playing three gigs in Dublin this weekend before he heads off around Europe. Then he returns for shows in Cork, Limerick, Galway, Derry and Belfast in December. Check out his myspace for details.

Download: Jape - Christopher and Anthony

Buy the EP from 7 Digital or iTunes

Hello.

2007-11-19T11:21:00.000Z

Greetings friend. Welcome to Throw Parties Not Knives!, a new Irish-based blog promoting the best new music, whether it be fresh, experimental or just plain lovely. I'll be updating the page every few days with reviews, mp3 samples and upcoming gigs covering electronica, indie, hip hop, pop and everything in between.
Hopefully the page will get a bit more slick as I learn more more web design as I go along.
Thanks for stopping by and keep checking back for regular updates.