redefine music & art news

The new Dillinger Escape Plan album comes out in a couple of months. Are you as excited as I am?

Sia - “Breathe Me” Video
Old song, new video. Either way, pretty interesting Polaroid action!!!

The Russian Futurists - “Incandescent Hearts”
Ontario, Canada
File Size:6.73mb , Length:3:59
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The Russian Futurists is basically just boy genius Adam Hart, a Brian Wilson disciple from East Ontario. Listening to his 2005 record ‘Our Thickness’ got me thinking, what defines an artist as criminally underrated? If you’re making ‘indie’ music, doesn’t that kind of imply being underrated to begin with? Regardless I can’t help but calling The Russian Futurists’ lack of total world domination a total injustice, indie or not indie. Okay maybe I’m getting carried away, but the lushness Hart is able to accomplish with his compositions out of the most bare bones bedroom recording setup should send a chill down anyone’s spine who thinks they can simply buy a cheap 4-track and be the next Lou Barlow. ‘Incandescent Hearts’ is probably my favorite song off his last record. It should make any pop fanatic swoon.

Artist Website: The Russian Futurists
Label Website: Upper Class

Akron/Family - I’ve Got Some Friends
New York, New York
File Size: 5.8 mb, Length: 3:10
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I think when you are in a band, certain things can be a sign that you are going in the appropriate direction. For Akron/Family, backing Michael Gira’s band Angel of Light on your first tour can be that sign. Despite sharing the record label of Devandra Banhart, the group supposedly universally known for launching the “freak-folk” genre, Akron/Family has formed its own loyal cult following. Akron/Family has toured relentlessly the past couple of years, and in that process, released two albums. The newest “Love Is Simple” might be the most consistent to date. It still doesn’t make a whole lot of sense, but it is some of the happiest music around. Check it, small tour as well, do yourself a favor…

09/25 - Vinyl Guelph, Ontario
09/26 - Ottawa, Ontario
09/27 - Burlington, Vermont
09/28 - Boston, Massachusetts
09/30 - New York, New York
10/10 - Palo Alto, California
10/11 - San Francisco, California
10/12 - Los angeles, California
10/13 - Big Sur, California
10/18 - Vancouver, British Columbia
10/19 - Seattle, Washington
10/20 - Portland, Oregon

Pantha Du Prince - “Florac”
Germany
File Size:10.02mb, Length:6:04
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I’ve been positively obsessed with this song over the last week. For those people who have a problem with more straight-ahead minimal techno and desire a little more accessibility this may be the cure for what ails you. Like The Field and other more multivalent producers, Pantha Du Prince mixes a little bit of a shoegazey, melodic sensibility to his music that makes it, for me at least, a little more digestible than the more esoteric European techno of late. It should still satisfy the more hardcore minimal techno-heads however given the rhythmic complexity he’s able to maintain. Definitely worth checking out.

Artist Website: Pantha Du Prince

Label Website: Dial Records

Panda Bear - “Bros(Live in Lisbon)”

Lisbon, Portugal
File Size:10.82, Length:11:23
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If you think that Person Pitch is probably the best record of the year, then I’d say it’s pretty damn essential to hear this live version of ‘Bros’ in Lisbon. It just might be even more mind-blowing than the recorded version. Things to look for are the incredible techno/tribal drum passage that comes out of nowhere in the first half of the song. After listening to this I finally see what everyone meant by its sound being steeped in minimal techno. Even if you’re not into Panda Bear or Animal Collective, just give it a shot. Maybe it’ll change your mind. If you already are, you know what to do…

Artist Website: Panda Bear
Label Website: Paw Tracks

A Wilhelm Scream
New Bedford, Massachusetts
File Size: 3.86 mb, Length: 2:40
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There will always be the eternal debate about the status of punk rock, whether or not it is dead and what not. Purists will say that punk hardly lasted more than a few years while a large majority of today’s youth would beg to differ. Each side has its point, but when bands like A Wilhelm Scream come along, it shows why punk rock will always be a relevant aspect of music. With so many punk bands taking to the sponsors for their tours, it is nice to get a fresh of breath air, albeit one that is very fast, with dueling guitars, and most importantly, a breath of air that doesn’t give much of a shit about anyone else. That is A Wilhelm Scream. The new album “Career Suicide” hits the streets on October 9th.

Aesop Rock - None Shall Pass
San Francisco, California
File Size: 5.61 mb, Length: 4:04
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I am always amazed at how large a profile Aesop Rock has been able to maintain over the years without cracking into the mainstream. Just barely, there is no denying his impact in the underground hip-hop scene as he is one of the most commonly identified rappers in the iPods of people who wouldn’t consider themselves hip-hop enthusiasts. And with good reason, catchy enough to please just about anyone, Aesop Rock’s dark style and intellectual flow make him the thinking man’s rapper. Or maybe just a rapper for those that like to think.

Aesop Rock on tour
9/22 - Providence @ Living Room
9/23 - Boston @ Middle East
9/25 - North Hampton @ Iron Horse
9/26 - Burlington @ Higher Ground
10/10 - San Francisco @ Filmore
10/12 - Los Angeles @ Henry Fonda Theatre
10/13 - Phoenix @ Clubhouse
10/14 - Albuquerque @ Sunshine Theatre
10/15 - Durango @ Abbey Theatre
10/17 - Colorado Springs @ Black Sheep
10/18 - Denver @ Cervantes
10/19 - Boulder @ Fox Theatre
10/20 - Ft. Collins @ Aggie Theatre
10/22 - Salt Lake City @ In the Venue
10/25 - Portland @ Wonder Ballroom
10/26 - Vancouver @ Commodore
10/27 - Bellingham@ Nightlight
10/28 - Seattle @ Showbox
10/30 - Eugene @ WOW Hall

Artist Website: Aesop Rock
Label Website: Definitive Jux

An amazing Mutemath performance on the Jimmy Kimmel Show last night. Certainly backwards music videos are nothing new at all, but backwards performances are pretty new. Now, I was confused at first because I thought they were MOVING backwards, but in fact, they are not. The clip is played in reverse, but the members still had to learn the roles and do the tricks accordingly. I’ve loved Mutemath since the first second I accidentally came across them at a show two years ago, and I’m thrilled that they’re finally getting the attention that they deserve. We’ll be interviewing them this Saturday with more details on the performance!

For your shits and giggles, here are some streaming Mutemath tracks, courtesy of music conglomerate Warner Brothers.

typical_128.mov
typical_128.wax

Battles-Atlas
New York, New York
File Size: 10.7 mb, Length: 7:07
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If I were bold enough to pick a favorite for album of the year, I would have to throw Battles release “Mirrored” up for serious consideration. If I were crazy enough to pick a song of the year, the single “Atlas” would have to be it. Battles is a supergroup of sorts reigning from NYC and it is absurd how catchy the mathy/warpy beats it churns out are. Not only that, rumor on the street is that live, the whole floor is dancing along. How convienent Battles is doing a small tour of the states promptly after returning from Europe…

BATTLES ON TOUR:
10/30 - Los Angeles @ The Music Box
11/01 - San Francisco @ Great American Music Hall
11/02 - Portland @ The Hawthorne Theatre
11/03 - Seattle @ Neumo’s
11/04 - Austin @ Fun Fun Fun Festival
11/07 - Minneapolis @ Fine Line Music Cafe
11/08 - Chicago @ The Metro
11/09 - Ann Arbor @ Blind Pig
11/10 - Toronto @ Lee’s Palace
11/11 - Montreal @ Le National
11/12 - Boston @ Paradise Rock Club
11/13 - New York @ Webster Hall

Artist Website: Battles
Label Website: Warp Records