Trophy Wife

Trophy Wife is an up and coming Oxford group whose sound is most aptly described by the band's Myspace: "Ambitionless office disco/commuter pop." A new fixture on London label Moshi Moshi alongside the likes of Hot Chip and Lykke Li, Trophy Wife sounds somewhat like a mellower Two Door Cinema Club or a more intricate Whitest Boy Alive. TW relies on dry guitars, punchy upbeat drums, and what sounds like a string quartet to round out their sound. It's poppy but also contemplative, upbeat but sometimes lofi, altogether definitely worth a listen.

Their single is titled Microlite and it's fantastic. You can download it here but you should go buy the 7" for the full experience.

Trophy Wife - Microlite by SarahAnorak

On the band's Myspace you will find an acoustic version of the single and a fantastic Joanna Newsom cover. Also they recently released a music video:

Ratatat - Neckbrace

Because kaleidoscope visuals with birds are cool.

"A musical weed brownie to the ears."

At least that's what Shae of N.E.R.D said about the recent mix released by the latest addition to their Star Trak Label, Mansions on the Moon. And I couldn't agree more. With players like Benzi and Diplo presenting the mix, it's almost a guaranteed good time. The mix, dubbed Paradise Falls, features the likes of Deadmau5, Washed Out, and Xaphoon Jones. It displays just how far their musical abilities can reach by mixing indie pop, trip-hop, and electro while you heedlessly float on cloud nine for 32 minutes.

If you haven't checked these dudes out before, the group has been around for about a year now and word on the street is they're going to be big. Currently, they're in Los Angeles working on a debut album with tour dates being announced sometime in early 2011. Keep an eye out for these guys and download the mix below or hit up their myspace and get on it.

Mansions On The Moon- Paradise Falls (Presented by Diplo & Dj Benzi) by michaelwashington

Benzi and Diplo Present...

Mansions on the Moon: Paradise Falls Mixtape Download

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And if you wanna see what else Diplo's been up to...

Leonardus + Le Babar EP

Leonardus and Le Babar have combined their disco house super duper powers to create a VERY Funky Music EP released on 17:44 Records. The beats are hot and the disco loops are fresh . It's definitely one of the best EP's I've heard in recent memory. These three dancefloor jams will have you groovin' so hard at your party that you won't even have time for a Four Loko break. It's a hard for me to choose a fave but probably the title track does it for me. You decide. Turn your speakers up and dance to That Funky Music.

Leonardus & Le Babar - In My Mind

Leonardus & Le Babar - That Funky Music

Leonardus & Le Babar - What It Takes

Duncan Alexander Matthew Johnathon-Mars Lincoln MacLennan

DCUP (aka that^ epic name) is undoubtedly my favorite Aussie producer at the moment. I have to admit I wasn't as intrigued by the Euro chart topper "We No Speak Americano" as most, but it did prompt me to look into his solo work and boy am I glad that I did. DCUP knows how to get people dancing, with bouncy basses and attack leads so characteristic of 1980s Brooklyn funk as well as modern Australian dance tunes, it's hard not to move to these songs.


Self explanatory- An Aussie expansion on an Aussie hit:
Miami Horror - Holidays (DCUP Remix)

Dance floor knocker:
DCUP - Style (Hibeams Remix)

Personal favorite (I'm a sucker for the no longer existent Damn Arms):
Damn Arms - Destination Pt. I (DCUP Remix)

And of course some Go Go Bizkitt! because his remixes are so good and SO FREE
Yolanda Be Cool & DCUP!-We no speak Americano-Go Go Bizkitt Remix by Go Go Bizkitt!

Butterfly Bones are good.

Alright this post is gonna be real straightforward.

This is a band from SF. The singer is reminiscent (to me) of Mobius Band, the music is poppy/fun/electronic and has been compared to Passion Pit or old MGMT.

But they are their own band and have their own sound, and I hold a firm belief that you will enjoy it. It is head-noddable.

They play some neat tunes. Here are some.

Butterfly Bones - Xoxo
Butterfly Bones - R U My Mother
Butterfly Bones - Magic Magic

Here is their myspace, which has other gems such as Archipelago and Crystal Caves (which I highly recommend).

So give 'em a whirl, enjoy their sound, and let's hope they come up to Portland so we can jam out to 'em real hard.

And if you're in the San area (Diego, Luis Obispo, Cruz) go see them with Kisses (listen to their song Kisses. By Kisses).

Or if you're in San Fran see them with DELOREAN(!)

Enjoy.

Kings Don't Die

What a cool guy.

A smattering of Michael Jackson news for you this afternoon:

Presale for Cirque Du Soleil's new "Immortal" Michael Jackson tribute show has begun. The awesomeness they did with the Beatles' LOVE show will almost certainly be rivaled.

A new album of Michael Jackson songs, entitled Michael, will be released on December 14th. Are we graverobbing at this point? Would Michael Jackson's ALIVE movie have been a success at all if he was still alive? Here's the cover:

 

This Renaissance-style retrospective album cover is kind of wacky. But then again its Jacko. Hee-hee!

And last but not least, DJ Mars One has made a bangin' Michael Jackson (is that redundant?) mix called Who's Bad. I believe it to be chronologically correct, and its got all your favorites. I got it from the LifeIsAParty mailing list, and after you join up Grab it here!

So, Volcano Citizens, I propose a question to you: Does our culture excuse 'genius'? Michael Jackson may or may not have invited children to his home for merry-go-rounds, treeclimbing and fellatio. I personally doubt it because children are easily malleable and false memories can be incepted, but certainly the accusations plagued him for the rest of his days. Yet, people still bought his albums and went to see him live. I say the same of Roman Polanski, who was charged with the rape of a 13 year old girl but still enjoys the celebrity of such landmark award-winning films of Chinatown and The Pianist. And brilliant orator Glenn Beck raped and murdered a girl in 1990, but his talk show is first in the nation! Do we just glass over the horrible aspects of our most cherished minds? Or is it something that comes with or perhaps from the genius? Did Einstein eat his neighbors' cats? Did Leonardo masturbate to the Teletubbies, or would he if he were alive today? We live in a strange world, everybody. At least we have the beautiful music of Michael Jackson to keep us company.