Esta semana tenemos un round up cargadito de noticias. U2, Spoon, y más novedades de Glastonbury.

U2 y Muse en Glastonbury

La banda que una vez supo ser la más grande del mundo (ahora están un poco achanchados, podría decirse) trae novedades. No de un nuevo disco (aunque no me extrañaría que esté en trámite, esa información ya no la puedo dar) sino de una participación en el festival de música más grande (a su medida) de toda Europa.

Vamos a los bifes: U2 va a ser el plato fuerte de Glastonbury en 2010. Esto es noticia no sólo porque se trata de U2, una de las bandas más grandes del ¿universo?, sino que también será la primera vez que la banda de Bono y The Edge toquen en el festival.

Además de U2, otra banda que se rumorea que estará headlining el show es Muse. Si bien no hay nada confirmado, existen una serie de indicios que llevan a pensar que el grupo estaría presente.

En primer lugar, Muse no tiene fechas agendadas para la época del festival. Además, el bajista de la banda, Chris, afirmó que en el próximo no sólo harían recitales propios sino también participarían de festivales. Y por último, el presentador televisivo Jonathan Ross (que tuvo como invitados al trío en su programa) twitteó anoche que Matt Bellamy le había comentado que “probablemente” se estarían presentando en Glastonbury.

Nombres con los que compartirán el escenario: los geniales Pavement, Vampire Weekend (que para ese momento ya tendrán nuevo disco) y Robert Plant.

Heligoland, en febrero

Segunda novedad de la semana: está listo el nuevo álbum de Massive Attack y ya podemos escuchar algunos de los temas. Los muchachos de Bristol tienen nuevo disco, titulado Heligoland, que sale el año que viene, el nueve de febrero para ser más exactos. Será el quinto álbum de estudio que saquen en su carrera y la continuación de 100th window de 2003 (se tomaron unas largas vacaciones).

El trip hop sombrío del dúo conformado por Daddy G y Mushroom también cuenta con participaciones de amigos de la talla de Damon Albarn (quien podría dejarse de joder un ratito y sacar algo interesante con Blur; digo, no, ya que se juntaron y todo).

El primer tema del disco, que ya había sido lanzado con el EP Splitting the atom, cuenta con la participación de Tunde Adebimpe (TV on the radio) y lo pueden escuchar como un tester de lo que se viene.

Nuevo disco de Arcade Fire el año que viene!

Lo confirmó su discográfica, Mercury Records. La banda canadiense ya está en el estudio (en la ciudad de Nueva York) grabando el sucesor de Neon Bible.

Por el momento, escuchemos Wake Up, de su disco Funeral.

Merry Christmas, WTF

Debo admitir que las canciones navideñas no son mis favoritas pero hay excepciones: River, hecha por Travis, y el disco que sacó este año el amigo Bob Dylan, entre otros; y ahora se agrega a la colección The Blizzard, versionada por los escoceses de Camera Obscura. En esta oportunidad, la triste voz de Tracyann Campbell y las suaves melodías de sus compañeros de banda se meten con este tema de Jim Reeves del año 1964. Sale este 7 de diciembre en versión single acompañado de otro gran tema de su último disco, Swans. Pero, para los impacientes o para los que no tengan ganas de comprarlo (no recomendamos la descarga ilegal… as if!):

Otras novedades musicales

The Ting Tings, que la pegaron bien pegada el año pasado con su primer disco We Started Nothing, ya están trabajando en su segundo disco, y con un invitado especial. El rapero Jay-Z, que además de sacar su propia música, tiene una discográfica (Roc Nation) y produce a otros artistas a través de la misma.

The Daily Star informa que el dúo británico ya firmó contrato con Roc Nation y, aparentemente, el jefe está muy interesado en el desarrollo de la banda. No sabemos si su colaboración va a ser por vías de la producción (más probable) o a través de un tema (esperemos que NO), pero definitivamente va a ser bueno para la exposición de la banda, y para demostrar al mundo que son más que un éxito pasajero. Veremos.

Para aquellos que adoren el electropop obsceno, hay un nuevo álbum de La Roux en camino, pero viene lento. La pelirroja andrógina y el productor invisible se pondrán a trabajar durante estas navidades en los temas que compondrán su próximo disco, el sucesor al homónimo La Roux de este año. Las novedades: la idea es incluir instrumentos más tradicionales, pero sin perder la vibra electropop ochentosa que los caracteriza. Elly Jackson, cantante y compositora de la banda, hizo las aclaraciones correspondientes. “A menos que nos arreglemos para escribir un disco completo en dos semanas, no creo que haya un segundo disco en un tiempo”. A esperar se ha dicho.

Spoon, banda de indie de Texas, ya anunció la fecha de salida de su próximo disco. Transference, así se llama, estará disponible a partir del 19 de enero. Written in reverse será el primer single del disco, y sale este martes.

Eso es todo por este round up!

Un pò a sopresa (e un pò no) spunta fuori dal blog dei Massive la copertina e la tracklist del nuovo album dal titolo “Heligoland”, il quale sarà “partorito” il prossimo 8 Febbraio. Gli ospiti dell’album sono molti e tra i già sentiti Horace Andy, Martina Topley Bird e Guy Garvey, ci saranno anche Demon Albarn e Hope Sandoval. Si mormora che dopo l’uscita dell’album, ci sarà un nuovo ep. Ma per ora la band non si sbilancia, anzi gioca a rilasciare mezzi comunicati e “dico,non dico”. L’aspettativa è alta, ed il recente ep “Splitting the Atom” ci ha regalato uno stato di grazia della band degno delle ultime produzioni.

Questa la track list:

Pray for Rain

Babel

Splitting the Atom

Girl I love you

Psyche

Flat of the blade

Paradise Circus

Rush Minute

Saturday Come slow

Atlas air

This has been so long overdue it’s not even funny. This mixtape was probably made a few months ago with a few tweaks here and there…and I wanted to make more changes as every week brings new music and would work so well in this mixtape but alas, no more procrastination! <Clear the Runway> is pretty awesome. Not gonna lie. It has a some songs from my previous mixtape but no worries, it remains Awesome. Perfect for the weekend. Body movin’ body movin’ we be gettin’ down and you know we’re crush groovin’.

Download: Mixtape – Clear the Runway

Track list:

01 Curren$y & Wiz Khalifa – Car Service

02 Drake – Best I Ever Had

Y’all know my obsession for Drake. Seriously if his mixtapes So Far Gone and Property of October didn’t already leave you completely satisfied, as well as the “Forever” track featuring Eminem, Lil’ Wayne, and Kanye, well, you need to get your priorities straight! This boy is seriously blowing up! Not even an album and already he’s got a Grammy nomination. Watch out for some crazy Drake mania in the two zero one oh. This is his best song.  Hands down.

03 Spank Rock – Loose

Off the Bangers and Cash EP. So dirty it’s right. COP IT NOW!

04 Trouble Andrew ft. Diplo – Run, Hide

Not the biggest fan of Trouble Andrews, but this song is pretty sick.

05 Modeselektor ft. TTC – 2000007

Aaaaah my favorite German electronic artists. WHy oh WHYYY aren’t they more well known. It makes me angry. Yet at the same time I’m happy that I have them all to myself…well and a few others. They’ve already released two albums, Happy Birthday and Hello Mom which are ridiculously amazing and seriously unrecognized. They are amazing live. I can’t wait to hear a new album, which is hopefully in the works?

06 Moderat – A New Error

Modeselektor + Apparat. In case you didn’t know. Two huge German powerhouse electronic artists come together and made easily one of the best albums this year, self-titled Moderat. Electronic music, though rising, is continually under-represented! Errrrrbody is all up Indie’s ass with the St. Vincent, Dirty Projectors, and Animal Collective. Sure these albums are great (they really are). But electronic music in the decades and end of year lists are seriously on the back burner. Shit. Moderat is easily in the tops in the decade and end of year for me.

07 Paskal – Sweet Settings (Original Mix)

08 Siriusmo – Nights Off

Download: Mixtape – Clear the Runway

09 TMDP – Running

10 Steve Angello and Eric Prydz – Woz Not Woz (Norman Doray & Arno Cost Remix)

11 DatA – One in a  Million

12 Ducksauce – aNYway

13 Basement Jaxx ft. Lightspeed Champion – My Turn

14 Miami Horror – Make You Mine (Fred Falke Remix)

15 Rustie – Zig-Zag

Electronic artist from G…lasgow! This is off the Body Language Vol. 8 compilation. Short and sweet.

16 Vitalic – Second Lives

17 Trickform – Grain Plek

18 Misteur Valaire – Astronef (SP4 Lovers)

19 Cougarettes – Ego Head

20 Massive Attack – Unfinished Sympathy

No words can describe how STOKED I am for the upcoming Massive Attack’s Heligoland to be released next year. Splitting the Atom EP was released late this year. It is a short taste of what’s to come and I think it’s pretty sweet. I must admit it’s defs not along the lines of Blue Lines or Mezzanine but it’s freakin’ MASSIVE ATTACK! It will be awesome regardless. This is one of my favorite songs of MA. Enjoy!

21 Craig Armstrong ft. Elzabeth Fraser – This Love

Download: Mixtape – Clear the Runway

Kevin Martin has been making music for nearly two decades now. Whatever hes done, be it industrial metal as in God, weird experimental rock as in Ice, or in the outer limits of hiphop as Techno Animal and The Curse Of the Golden Vampire, the dark influence of Dub and the attempt to reach it’s deepest most alien extreme has always been evident. A lurking monster in the background calling out dark basslines or swirling ambient shrieks. Which is why it was no surprise, but more of a beautiful logical conclusion to see his Bug project joins the ranks of what is called dubstep and receive the respect and love of a new generation of musicians and listeners. The music had gone full circle.

But where most of the younger musicians had been bred on grime, dancehall, techno, Kevin Martins where not. It’s not dance music that runs through Kevin Martins veins, but experimentalism, dark ambient and free jazz. As The Bug, Kevin Martins dubstep were dirtier, muddier than his contemporaries. And on “London Zoo” was also the first collaboration (under the “Bug” alias)  with spoken word poet Roger Robinson, which would result in King Midas Sound. On paper the collaboration is most logical, a free form poet and native from Trinidad and Tobago fits well with both Martins background and current orientation. The conclusion however is not.

Roger Robinson is no Saul Williams. His poetry is not ranting and sonorous. Rather it is quiet and soft, cottony singing, not unlike some of the more pretentious neo-soul singers. Nor is his poetry what you would excpect from a spoken word performer, complex, outspoken, political. The lyrics are in fact usually somewhat harmless, with a somewhat dreamlike quality, difficult to interpret and decipher, when not concerning more mundane subjects, lost love, being good to mother nature. The combination gives a somewhat eerie result.  The music is sparse, ghostly, tribal yet urban. Futuristic not in the sense of shining towers of glass and metal but in the mad max sense of the future, ritualistic drumming under a collapsed highway round campfires built of the promise of what could have been while buildings crumble in slow motion and slowly crashing ships collides with shorelines.

Surprisingly though the combination is rarely what you would call Dubstep. It may have a few things in common with the current scene. But it has far more in common with the 90’s triphop scene. The music echoes Massive Attack, a dirtier version of Blue Lines, even more it echoes some of Trickys earlier works. And with a few sucessfull exceptions, such as the Meat Beat Manifesto flavoured “One Thing”, the music suffers from the same problems that plagued the trip hop movement. The music is a bit too cool, too much of a sound coulisse. It is more likely to be played in the background of a hip advertising agency or in a bar were you order up a couple of martinis to start the night before you go on to the real dubstep raves. When it should be played from a small radio in the back of a shop were rastas play dominos and drink rum from the bottle.

Don’t let the album art fool you; I assure you this song is in no way associated with Crazy Frog, Gummibär, or any other European dancecore song that risks becoming a ring-tone fad in this country much to the pain and suffering of the public at large. I’m under the impression that Canadian DJ Deadmau5 (Joel Anderson) is known for his stadium-dance fare, but this is definitely something much more entrancing; somewhat akin in flavor to the Atlas Sound song I posted a few months back, albeit with a more pronounced beat. The result is something that Massive Attack would compose after making passionate, passionate love.

-jakeyp

Filmed at the Metro in Sydney earlier this year, oh ye!

.. That’s the question I’m posing to my faithful readers today on this glorious American holiday. What is it that you are thankful for? Hit up the comment section with your answers.

I’m also hooking up some of my favorite song about giving thanks. These are hand-picked from my personal collection, I hope y’all like ‘em.

Have a safe and blessed Thanksgiving all, Enjoy!

Download: Bob Marley – Thank You Lord (Vocal Version)

Dido – Thank You

DOOM – Thank Yah

Massive Attack – Be Thankful For What You’ve Got

Maze & Franky Beverly – I Wanna Thank You

Stevie Wonder – Thank You Love

Yeah I know. I suck. I get the internet back and you’re still not getting your Discotrash fill. I suck. I am right there with you on this. I am aware.

Since I have nothing to say yet again today, but we’re looking down the barrel of a long weekend, I am now going to share with you some of my favorite songs that I find just down right sexy. You and your playmates can thank  me later.

Muse – Undisclosed Desires

I’ve talked about this song on this blog before but my goodness. It’s just so slinky, bassy, nasty that I am not surprised it’s being released as a single. This is the song you want coming on in a dark bar when you’re chasing women in black lipstick. Trust me.

Freezepop – Swimming Pool

I first heard this song while watching “The L Word” so maybe all the cute lesbian chicks kissing has something to do with what I love about this song, but its an innocent kind of sexy. I dare you to listen to it and not want to kiss someone right away. Maybe even outside. In a rainstorm. While all the cute lesbians from the L-Word watch.

here, I pick this one.

Massive Attack – Teardrop

Massive Attack wrote this song so you would take your pants off. That’s it. There’s no other explanation for it.

Lady Gaga – Monster

It’s more the words of this than the actual music, but Lady Gaga is the fucking bomb. I just needed to point out how much I am loving the shit out of “The Fame Monster” And I don’t care if you think the Gaga isn’t the shit, because you’re wrong. She’s great.

Anyway.. enjoy those… I have a road trip to attend to

Dopo la recente pubblicazione dell’EP Splitting The Atom, i Massive Attack sono pronti a tornare sulle scene con un ellepì di inediti nuovo di zecca che segue la colonna sonora di Danny The Dog e il pregevole 100th Window. Il nuovo album si intitolerà Heligoland – qui accanto ne potete ammirare la copertina – e sarà nei negozi il prossimo 8 febbraio.

Alla realizzazione dell’album hanno partecipato vari artisti tra cui Damon Albarn dei Gorillaz e dei Blur, Guy Garvey degli Elbow, Martina Topley-Bird e Hope Sandoval. Ecco la tracklist:

01 Pray For Rain
02 Babel
03 Splitting The Atom
04 Girl I Love You
05 Psyche
06 Flat Of The Blade
07 Paradise Circus
08 Rush Minute
09 Saturday Come Slow
10 Atlas Air

And a body without a heart, I’m missing every part….

This song is beyond the typical song. It is the lost love song. The heartbreak song. Any person with a soul and and heart can relate to this song. It’s simple drum track, the compassionate string section, the melancholy piano solo, the subtle recording scratching of “Heeeeeey Hey Hey Heeeeeeeeey” to the most touching of all, the beautiful voice professing the soul… “Like a Soul without a Mind, And a Body without a Heart, I’m Missing Every Part”. This is perfection in sonic form. Then comes the video. As defined and as simple as the description above, the video completes the circle. Elegance in its highest stage. Watch for yourself. Take it all in without reservation or judgment and tell me you can’t relate. Again I dare you…

Massive Attack – Unfinished Sympathy – Blue Lines (1991)

The loneliness that resides in the heart holds only a temporary space that soon gets replaced by memories and hope for the better that is deserved…

After long last, it is official. There is a new record from the trip-hop giants known as Massive Attack. Ladies and gents, welcome to Heligoland! Not too long ago, I waxed poetic about the first single from the record called Splitting The Atom. It caused quite a stir throughout the blogosphere as one would expect when talking about such an influential act such as the Attack. It’s awesome to finally have something to look forward to in the new year. The record is out in the UK 8 February and hopefully we won’t have to wait too long for news on the US release. It’s about time…

The tracklisting shall be as follows…

Pray For Rain
Babel
Splitting The Atom
Girl I Love You
Psyche
Flat Of The Blade
Paradise Circus
Rush Minute
Saturday Come Slow
Atlas Air

Massive Attack To End Long Stretch of Being Known As That House Theme Song Band, Releasing New Album.

Tracks featuring Mike Patton, Beth Orton, and Elizabeth Fraser, formally of Cocteau Twins, were recorded but will not be included on the album.
How dare they chuck Beth!! Maybe they have lost some of their class over the years……..something in the vaults though.

Comme toujours, l’actualité musicale est en effervescence et bon nombre d’annonces fleurissent dans tous les sens alors que les sorties pleuvent en cette fin d’année… Qu’est ce qu’il faut savoir, retenir, écouter, attendre patiemment ces jours ci? Réponse ici!

Alors qu’Oceanlook vous en parlait récemment avec une très bonne revue de concert, on a des nouvelles de Massive Attack et de son prochain album. Alors que le groupe éditait il y a peu son EP Splitting the Atom (dont la pochette est au dessus), nous avons enfin quelques précisions sur le prochain album prévu pour le 8 février prochain. Alors que le nom Weather Underground circulait déjà depuis un moment, ce dernier s’appellera finalement Heligoland. La tracklist a elle aussi été communiquée et c’est avec surprise que certains titres présentés récemment en live n’y figurent pas, comme le pourtant énorme Marakesh.

Tracklist : Pray For Rain
Babel
Splitting The Atom
Girl I Love You
Psyche
Flat Of The Blade
Paradise Circus
Rush Minute
Saturday Come Slow
Atlas Air

Quand les fans ont lu la nouvelle, ils ont eu du mal à y croire. Et pourtant, si. L’un des plus grands, si ce n’est LE festival de musique le plus colossal du monde, j’ai nommé Glastonbury, a réussi à convaincre U2 de venir jouer sous la mythique Pyramid Stage pour sa 40ème édition. Le groupe n’avait pas joué dans un festival de ce genre depuis 25 ans et on peut à coup sûr s’assurer qu’ils ne feront pas les choses à moitié. Et quand on connaît le festival, on sait que le reste de la line up risque d’être tout aussi monstrueux!

C’est un petit groupe qui démarre, ils sont français, ils s’appellent Brighton. Ils font de la Noisy Pop, de la Pop shooté aux amphétamines, aux guitares saturés, aux ambiances crades et assez étonnamment aux notes propres. Drôle de mélange allez vous me dire. Oui, sauf que les petits offrent leur premier album gratuitement. Alors on fonce cliquer sur la pochette et on les supporte, non mais !

Xidius

Massive Attack have officially announced the release date for their forthcoming album entitled Heligoland which will be on February 8th 2010. 

According to the Massive Attack site, the album features the vocal talents of Horace, Martina Topley Bird, Damon Albarn of Blur,  Tunde Adebimpe of TV on the Radio, Guy Garvey of Elbow, Hope Sandoval, Robert and Grant.

Tracklisting for Heligoland:

01. Pray For Rain – Vocals by Tunde Adebimpe
02. Babel – Vocals By Martina Topley Bird
03. Splitting The Atom – Vocals by Robert Del Naja, Grant Marshall and Horace Andy
04. Girl I Love You – Vocals by Horace Andy (formerly known as ‘16 Seeter’)
05. Psyche – Vocals by Martina Topley Bird
06. Flat Of The Blade – Vocals by Guy Garvey (formerly known as ‘Bullet Proof Love’)
07. Paradise Circus – Vocals by Hope Sandoval
08. Rush Minute – Vocals by Robert Del Naja
09. Saturday Come Slow – Vocals by Damon Albarn
10. Atlas Air – Vocals by Robert Del Naja (formerly known as ‘Marakesh’)

It was widely rumoured that Beth Orton had recorded a track and would be included on the album. I did read somewhere that a recording did take place but the track was shelved how true this is we will have to wait and see. Her managemnet would not confirm or deny, just a ‘Don’t believe all you read’!

So we will have to wait and see – unless anyone out there has anyone more information?

Southbank Centre Artist in Residence and beatboxing boundary-pusher, Shlomo, will deliver the first performance of his new BOXED project with the Vocal Orchestra January 7-8 and we’ve got an exclusive pair of backstage passes. The lucky winners will get a sneaky look at what goes on behind the scenes and of course some money-can’t-buy shmoozing opportunities.

BOXED features the voice boxes of a 10-strong cast performing jaw-dropping vocal routines and tunes spanning the musical spectrum from hip hop to jazz to drum n bass and opera – it’s not to be missed!

“This show will be like beatboxing’s answer to Stomp, Blue Man Group and Into the Hoods.” says Shlomo. “I can’t tell you how excited I am about it!!”

All ticket holders for the Friday 8th January performance will be automatically entered into a prize draw to win the backstage passes for the Purcell Room performance on 8th January 2010.

Find out more about the event and book tickets

Listen to Shlomo tracks

More about Southbank Centre artists in Residence

Watch video of Shlomo and the Vocal Orchestra perform Massive Attack’s classic “Teardrop”.

“Heligoland” will be Massive Attack’s first new album since 100th Window in 2003.

The release date is February 8 2010.

Tracklisting:

01. Pray For Rain
02. Babel
03. Splitting The Atom
04. Girl I Love You
05. Psyche
06. Flat Of The Blade
07. Paradise Circus
08. Rush Minute
09. Saturday Come Slow
10. Atlas Air

Featured vocalists are Horace, Martina Topley Bird, Damon Albarn, Guy Garvey, Hope Sandoval, Robert and Grant.

I’m looking forward to February 2010 – new album and a gig at Hammersmith Apollo.