White Denim

Your Twenties

What happens when the guitarist from Metronomy goes off and does a side project? This amazing slice of catchy guitar pop. That's what. My personal current favourite endorphin inducer. You can buy this on 7" at Pure Groove if you wanna wanna. or buy it for me for christmas!

Your Twenties - Caught Wheel

Your Twenties Myspace

A thing for METRONOMY

when karaoke goes wrong. brilliant.

My Bloody Muxtape

I've been lazy and haven't been on here for while. However it's certainly not reflective of not finding any great new music.

You might have heard of www.muxtape.com. Basically the 2008 version of the mixtape.

I've put together a batch of mostly new but some old favourite tracks that you can find here: www.nudedeejays.muxtape.com

It starts of a bit soft with tracks by Shocking Pinks, Lykke Li, Band of Horses & Mobius Band.

Then takes a turn and heads off in a disco direction in the form by Hercules & Love Affair, Studio & !!!.

It's not a reflection of a real Nude DJ set. More whats-on-my-headphones-at-the-moment .

Hope you like it.

AND WE PROMISE TO DO A PROPER MIXTAPE SOON!

M83 - Album Out Now

Beautiful, washed out video for "Graveyard Girl" off M83's new album, Saturdays = Youth.

THE PRESETS

It's been a while since I've said this without imitating a fluro teeny-bopper, but - The Presets are awesome... This attitude was greatly helped by the set I saw them play at V Festival in Sydney last weekend (I've put a photo I took from the fest above). It has fully renewed my respect for the Sydney-based twosome. Their set started off with their usual songs off BEAMS which everyone has heard the Presets play numerous times over the past couple of years... But then they started to delve into some of their new songs, and it could have been the drugs and alcohol, but I really, really enjoyed it.

After this experience, I am really looking forward to getting their new album APOCALYPSO which is due for release on April 12th (you can pre-order a copy here). The first single off the album "My People" was quite similar to some of their earlier banging songs, but others e.g. "This Boy's In Love", "Yippiyo Ay" and "If I Know You" are totally different. These songs have the feel of 80s and 90s new wave dance acts like Depeche Mode, New Order, Underworld and The Crystal Method, and this I believe is such a better way to show their musical talent.

It's sometimes easy to forget when brilliant musicians are actually brilliant when their fan-base is predominantly undesirable. It's a lot easier to take the easy road and just dismiss them as another one of "those" acts. But everyone forgets that The Presets are so talented and pretty much created a genre in indie-dance in Australia and in turn The World, and deserve to cash in on their popularity... But enough of that, the new stuff that is coming from the creative brains of Kim Moyes and Julian Hamilton is making blood travel to my crotch and I can't wait to listen to the whole album when it comes out next week.. It's posted on their myspace now for those who can't wait. Below I have posted "If I Know You" and an awesome remix of "This Boy's In Love" - enjoy

The Presets - If I Know You (YSI)

The Presets - This Boy's In Love (Lifelike remix) (YSI)


join the N.U.D.E. revolution

Hercules and Love Affair

Hercules and Love Affair; newly poised DFA darlings and trad disco aficionados have released their debut LP across the land.

Their albm, self titled and draped in grand stylings, brings original disco sounds back to a scene full of neu electronic imitations. With one foot firmly in in the disco camp, and the other in 90's house, this album is brimming with diamond studded bass grooves and features Antony of Antony & The Johnsons on several cuts including leading single, "Blind". We've been playing this out since picking it up some time ago.

Apparently the name is a reference that even the most tough, seemingly unbreakable creatures are as susceptible to broken hearts as any.

Hercules and Love Affair - Blind
Hercules and Love Affair - Raise Me Up

Hercules & Love Affair Myspace

Home Video

Most definitely one of my standout albums for 2006 was Home Video's, No Certain Night or Morning. It was a shudderingly and intensely good debut offering from the NY duo. Dark soundscapes and brilliantly textured songs of haunted, dark places filled my earphones.

I was even lucky to catch a live performance of them at the Basement sometime in early 2007.

Commonly compared to Thom Yorke & Radiohead, Home Video have a similar vocal style and a shared propensity to create stunning, intense and sometimes macabre but strangely uplifting music.

They have risen in 2008 to release a new single called "I Can Make you Feel It" which follows in similar directions and is equally compelling, dark and impressive.

Home Video - I Can Make You Feel It

Home Video Myspace

Magistrates

Magistrates, out of Essex UK, are another new band currently making me giddy.

Fusing their indie guitar stylings with falsetto vocals a la Prince or.......Justin Timberlake, Magistrates would have the girls swooning with their smooth-and-we-know-it groove and undoubtedly sexy sound that is made for the "mind, feet and hips."

With maybe just a hint of Klaxons, particularly during parts of their song The Inbetweens, they are another UK indie band on the rise and playing support to touring heavyweights despite them having no record or EP to show.....yet.

Highly recommending this lot.

Magistrates - Inbetweens

The Virgins

Not to be confused with the band of the same name from Sweden, The Virgins combine Strokes-esque indie cool with a funk groove and recently made a splash at Austin's SXSW music festival as well as finding their way in to the pages (and hearts) of a number of media outlets including hype bible NME.

I'm digging the catchy guitar pop and hipster swagger of songs like "Rich Girls", and "Love is Colder than Death" off their debut self titled which you can buy here.

The Virgins - Love is Colder than Death

THE TWELVES

Well, it certainly has been a busy couple of months, and because of this it seems as though i haven't made a post in fucking ages. So why not get back into the swing of things with a celebration of my favourite disco-electro producers at the moment; The Twelves.

Brazilians João Miguel and Luciano Oliveira make up the duo, who were relatively unknown until the middle of last year, when they completed a remix for Londoner M.I.A. This put them on the map, and since then they have been making a name for themselves in the electro scene all over the world, completing remixes for various big name artists such as Yelle, Thieves Like Us, Black Kids and even Kylie Minogue. Their biggest success was a remix which was included on New Young Pony Club's single "Get Lucky" and was very well received with rave reviews all over the net.

I have included two of their remixes below which I believe are great examples of The Twelves sound. You can tell they take influence from successful French electro artists such as Justice and Daft Punk but have a distinct disco feel to their songs which seems to be getting more and more popular with labels such as DFA pushing the genre. They also have a live aspect to their act, where they use laptops, synths and samplers to create their own remixes on the fly, so I have also included a video of them doing their NYPC remix plus a Radiohead remix live.

Most of The Twelves tracks are available for free download from their Myspace, and the NYPC remix is available for purchase here.

Erlend Oye - Sudden Rush (The Twelves Remix) (YSI)

Asobi Seksu - Thursday (The Twelves Remix) (YSI)

Black Kids

New video for Black Kids track "I'm not going to Teach Your Boyfriend How to Dance with You". This featured on their free downloadable EP Wizard of Ahhhs and is the first single off their July 7 released album.

Happy Easter! Hope the Easter Bunny is good to you...

Pnau vs Breakbot

Photo: Ryan McGinley

This little ditty has been released to the internerd ahead of a tour that both acts will be appearing at on April 11 in Sydney at the Enmore Theatre.

Tour dates as follows:

Apr 3 2008 9:00P	The Great Northern	Byron Bay, New South Wales
Apr 4 2008 8:00P	The Met	Brisbane, Queensland
Apr 5 2008 8:00P	Coolongatta Hotel	Gold Coast, Queensland
Apr 9 2008 8:00P	Recactory Hall, University of Canberra	Canberra, Australian Capital Territory
Apr 10 2008 8:00P	Wollongong University Bar	Wollongong, New South Wales
Apr 11 2008 8:00P	Enmore Theatre	Sydney, New South Wales
Apr 12 2008 8:00P	Panthers Newcastle	Newcastle, New South Wales

Pnau, known widely as one of Australia's most prolific dance producers will be showcasing their latest self titled album release in live format, backed by one of our favouritest-ever French electro producers in Breakbot, who we blogged here.

The result? A signature cut up electro groover over a cute little kiddie choir chorus that is pure joy packaged in an mp3.

Pnau - Baby (Breakbot Remix)

Pnau Myspace
Breakbot Myspace

The Ting Tings

Out of Salford, UK come The Ting Tings. And pure, blissful, fun-soaked, dancey pop they do produce.

Boy/girl duo Jules & Katie were born out of a Salford art collective, just a year ago playing house parties and releasing super limited edition 7" singles before, as legend has it, the boss of Sony America stopped by one of said house parties, sat on the floor and.......the rest of history.

Damn fun indie music this is. I can't get enough of that little off-beat guitar riff. Ahhh.

The Ting Tings - Great DJ

The Ting Tings Myspace

MGMT

I'm having trouble keeping my eyes open due to yesterday's Laneway Festival and subsequent midnight picnic in Hyde Park so the creative juices are lacking somewhat. But, I've taken the first opportunity I've had to post up a couple of tracks from Brooklyn's MGMT (pronounced Management).

Now and again a band/artist will pop up out of nowhere and turn my attention from the swarms of others being flaunted on the radio or on blogs. This is one of these examples and their eclecticly brilliant mish mash of an album is making my brain buzz.

I'm still making my way through their debut album Oracular Spectacular so finding the right adjectives and references to explain their sound is proving difficult.

Standout track for me so for is "Electric Feel" which is textured pop with a slow disco balearic groove, pan flutes and a catchy melody. It's reminding me in ways to to recent releases by The Tough Alliance or Studio.......but skipping to the next track I'm getting strains of Arcade Fire, Of Montreal and even Connor Oburst.

There's cute acoustic tracks, buzzing synths as backing noise under an incredible array of hooky organ riffs, camp pop, weird jungle sounds, country yarns and druggy psychedelia.

Anyway, I haven't been excited as this about finding a band for a while. I'm actually gushing.

MGMT - Electric Feel
MGMT - Time to Pretend
MGMT - Kids

MGMT Myspace

Watch "Electric Feel" Video

Available to Buy Now on Itunes

More Radiohead

Another piece of sheer ingenius footage from Radiohead. This time churning out a seemingly simple but creatively and visually brilliant in-studio clip for "Jigsaw Falling Out of Place" off In Rainbows. Like Scotch Mist, their recent studio recorded netcast that we posted earlier, this is a candid, personal and exhilarating look inside their own world. It feels almost voyeuristic to see a home made clip of these world renowned artists and brings you closer than we're used to getting to pop stars. Radiohead are embracing this through the capabilities of You Tube and netcasts. More please.

The Klaxons do Rihanna while doing an umbrella.

I can't decide whether this is pure hideous, revolting, irritating pop nonsense......or a genius publicity outing. Maybe both.

Footage taken from The Brits 2008.

Either way, its.......entertaining, no?

M83 - Couleurs

M83 is Anthony Gonzalez from Antibes, France. Known for creating epic, ethereal, soaring, stunning soundscapes - M83 has played a significant role in many 3am back-to-mine sessions in our camp.

Soon to be released album Saturdays = Youth, takes a slightly different approach than previous efforts, Dead Cities, Red Seas, Lost Ghosts; Before the Dawn Heals Us and Digital Shades Volume 1.

As the title suggests, this aims to encapture teenage exuberance, late nights and care-free play so while this certainly is not lacking the beautiful, sometimes haunting layered synths he's famous for, it's accompanied with a brighter, and more upbeat approach. This album transcends the wasted, 80's weekend parties of his own formative teenage years.

M83 tours this March with Midnight Juggernauts at the Enmore in Sydney.

Here's the first glimpse, "Couleurs".

M83 - Couleurs

M83 Myspace

"Teen Angst" from Before the Dawn Heals Us

AMPLIVE REMIXES RADIOHEAD

Finally! The latest Radiohead album IN RAINBOWS has been remixed. This not too easy feat was completed by a young DJ/Producer from California who goes by the moniker Amplive and specialises in Hip Hop/ Electro/ Drum'n'Bass/ 2 Step and every other fucking dance genre you can think of. He has worked on remixes for people such as Akon, Flipsyde, The Pussy Cat Dolls and Linkin Park...


Amplive has put together a remix album of 8 of Radiohead's tracks, which is titled RAINYDAYZ REMIXES. Radiohead has allowed this to go ahead (as they were not originally involved in the project) and the album has been made available online under the proviso that it remains free. For the full album, which includes guest appearances from Chali2na of Jurassic 5 and Del the Funky Homosapien go here, otherwise I have posted my two favourite remixes off the album below.


Radiohead - Weird Fishes (Amplive remix) (YSI)


Radiohead - Faust Arp (Amplive remix) (YSI)


Ever drunk Baileys from a shoe

THE JEZABELS

Possibly one of the most exciting as-yet-unsigned bands circulating in Sydney at the moment are The Jezabels, fresh out of Newtown.

Appearing on the scene in the last few months, and gigging intensively since the dawn of '08, I've seen them play 3 times in almost as many weeks. And have been enthralled for every second.

They reveal song writing abilities not dissimilar to Missy Higgins in her early days, and possess a sense of being raw and relevant and real. The Jezabels are catchy and engaging indie pop complete with epic and rhythmic songs that are both joyess and dark. You believe what they're saying and want to move with them too.

With songs about disco biscuits & devils, they have a depth and intensity that you need to see live and are bound to see on record shelves soon.

The Jezabels- Noah's Ark (YSI)
The Jezabels - Be a Star (YSI)

The Jezabels Myspace

HERE WE CHIPS

Well, I was able to get my hands on a copy of the new Hot Chip album "Made in the Dark" a few days ago, and going into my first listen with high hopes they didn't let me down. Since then, I've been able to listen to it all the way through a few times, each time at different periods of the day and in different moods, and on each occasion different songs stood out to me.

It's that kind of album. Much like their album "The Warning", and most of their back catalogue of tunes and remixes, Made in the Dark is brilliantly diverse. There are fun happy dance tracks, melancholy ballads, straight up rock tunes, and even a few which just change completely mid way through almost as if it's two or three different songs mashed together. That's what I love about Hot Chip, they're are so unpredictable, but they carry a sound which is so distinguishable at the same time.

Below I've posted my fave tracks off the album, but these will probably change the more I listen.

Hot Chip - One Pure Thought (YSI)

Hot Chip - Ready for the Floor (YSI)

I was able to catch these guys at Splendour in the Grass last year and they were fucking amazing live. I will certainly be attending their shows next time they grace our shores which, fingers crossed, isn't far away... Meanwhile, do yourself a favour, the new album is available to buy at Amazon.



Ever drunk Baileys out of a shoe

FAKER REMIXED

When you think of Faker tracks, the phrase "awesome-dance-floor-filler-club-tune" doesn't immediately spring to mind, and I'm sure the boys from the Sydney indie four-piece aren't exactly worried about their songs not getting thrashed in nightclubs. But with the recent success of their single "This Heart Attack" in Triple J's Hottest 100 (coming in at no. 5), I thought I would post some of the splendid remixes which have been done by some of the local talent over the last couple of months; it's always good to see the aussie bands supporting their fellow countrymen.

The first is from Sydney electro band Grafton Primary, who have a tonne of potential in the studio, and after hearing this remix (which is quite possibly their best work as far as I'm concerned) I'm really looking forward to hearing what they can churn out with their own projects. This track has an awesomely cheesy-synth sound to it which will make your pants move, (it almost reminds me of the original Axel F Beverly Hills Cop track) and has a killer breakdown about a minute in which is a real treat to drop mid set.

Faker - This Heart Attack (Grafton Primary Remix) (YSI)

The next is by Melbourne DJ/Producer Miami Horror. This has a little bit more depth to it than most of his other remixes. Lots of high-freq synths and guitar samples, and sounds like smiles and sunshine; it will make for a happy dance floor... and again, awesome breakdown using the vocals track from the chorus of the original.

Faker - This Heart attack (Miami Horror Remix) (YSI)

Both tunes, along with the original and another remix by Nick Littlemore (Pnau) side project Teenager are available to buy through iTunes.



Ever drunk Baileys out of a shoe

Breakbot

Photo: Hellin Kay

OK, I confess. I Heart Breakbot.

Another Parisian electro superstar-in-the-making, Breakbot makes tunes that glimmer and shine and turn dancefloors into worlds where white rabbits dance next to you and walls become clouds and floors become sand and it's one big party for ever and ever and ever. or something.

"Happy Rabbit" available on Moshi Moshi is fun-filled electro-pop backed by a bass groove from Studio 54 and synths that are so smooth and polished.

"Summer Party" seems slightly more abrasive at first but never ventures in to soulless banger territory and has a similar groove with perfectly programmed synths and scattered percussion.

He is Parisian Thibaut Berland. He studied Graphic Design before moving to Film and has won awards for short films as well as having worked on the artwork for the Justice album.

So, basically you want to be him.

Breakbot - Happy Rabbit
Breakbot - Summer Party

Breakbot Myspace

BUY BUY BUY

Justice Mix

This has been blogged a zillion times already but here it is anyway.

It's the mixes the Fabric rejects that makes Fabric the best?

The story goes like this: Fabric approaches Justice. Justice makes mix. Fabric rejects mix. Mix gets blogged. A zillion times.

Basically, Justice didn't want to produce the "same old" mix (full of the tracks you've heard everywhere else). So, as a result you get 70's disco tracks mashed with novelty french bands mashed with sing alongs then a light spattering of Midnight Juggernauts, Daft Punk & Surkin.

Justice Xmas Mix

2007 WAS A REAL TREAT

So I thought it would be an especially nice gesture to the year just passed, which has given me so many splendid memories, to announce a few of my favourites.

MY TOP TEN ALBUMS OF 2007

1. Radiohead - In Rainbows

2. Editors - An End Has a Start
3. Justice - Cross
4. Arcade Fire - Neon Bible
5. Midnight Juggernauts - Dystopia
6. Bloc Party - Weekend In The City
7. Kings of Leon - Because of the Times
8. Interpol - Our Love to Admire
9. Feist - The Reminder
10. Spoon - Ga Ga Ga Ga


MY TOP TEN TUNES OF 2007

1. Sparkadia - Morning Light (EP version) (YSI)

2. Kings of Leon - On Call (YSI)
3. Digitalism - Pogo (YSI)
4. Cut Copy - Hearts on Fire
5. Editors - The Racing Rats
6. Radiohead - 15 Step
7. Feist - 1234
8. Timbaland - Miscommunication (Bloody Beetroots Remix)
9. Modest Mouse - Dashboard
10. Editors - Escape the Nest


MY TOP TEN FLOOR FILLERS OF 2007 (these aren't necessarily from 2007, but they caused sometime radical shape throwing on the D-Floor during the year)

1. Justice - B.E.A.T. (YSI)

2. Prodigy - Smack My Bitch Up (YSI)
3. Cut Copy - Hearts on Fire (YSI)
4. Daft Punk - Technologic (Digitalsim Remix)
5. Rage Against the Machine - Killing in the Name (Mr Oizo Remix)
6. Chemical Brothers - Hey Boy Hey Girl
7. Daft Punk - Around the World
8. Midnight Juggernauts - Shadows
9. Bag Raiders - Fun Punch
10. Phoenix - Consolation Prizes

All these tunes and albums are available to buy on iTunes and Amazon


Ever drunk Baileys out of a shoe

PLASTIC OPERATOR

Yaaaay, I'm back from holidays! And my first post of 2008 is of Plastic Operator. No, this is not a made-up moniker of words which are currently "in" and "hip" (re: ghost, wolf, bang etc.). It is the name of amazing electro pop duo Mathieu Gendreau and Pieter Van Dessel.

It was a pairing of fate, when Mathieu from Montreal met Pieter from Antwerp while studying Audio Production in London. The two found they both had a love for electro pop music, and respective heads were put together to come up with a sound to celebrate this genre. In 2004 they released a 3 track EP and from there Plastic Operator's name spread to the far corners of the globe, receiving airplay in California, New Zealand and even Tijuana.

They aren't short on production experience, doing past work for huge acts such as Goldfrapp and New Order, and this definitely shows through with their own music. The slow and soothing pace of the melodic bass and synths, mixed with Pieter's melancholy vocals gives me a calming feeling similar to artists such as Postal Service, Whitest Boy Alive and Royksopp.

Last year they released their debut album DIFFERENT PLACES on Mathieu's own label Fine Day Records, which is available to buy here or on iTunes and Amazon... I can't believe I've only just discovered it, cos I think it would be a contender in my top 10 of 2007 (which is coming soon)... I've posted a couple of the best tracks below.

Plastic Operator - Folder (YSI)

Plastic Operator - Home 0207 (YSI)



Ever drunk Baileys out of a shoe

Cut Copy - So Cosmic Mix & Mercy Arms Remix

If you're anything like us then you're counting down the days until Cut Copy release their new album In Ghost Colours in April next year. Produced with DFA wunderkind Tim Goldworthy it promises to be another Midas type release for the boys from Melbourne with premature singles "Hearts on Fire" & "So Haunted" being nothing short of brilliant. Both tracks borrowing influences from years past but never straying from being anything but now. Hearts on Fire for the Hottest 100, anyone?

In the meantime, CC have put out a mix called So Cosmic that features several cuts off the forthcoming album (Look out for "Lights & Music" in the middle of the mix) as well as new and past tracks that encapsulate sounds that are inspiring the band and have influenced In Ghost Colours. The addition of folk based Panda Bear amongst the Georgio Moroder styled disco and new-wave Aussie electro might surprise some, but it's an indication of a greater diversity set to feature on the follow up to 2004's Bright Like Neon Love. This is not an outright party mix but an eclectic and textured collection that will have your head buzzing, and fingers reaching to the keyboard to discover some new sounds.

Cut Copy - So Cosmic Mix

Plus, they've just released a remix of Mercy Arms track "Kept Low" that features their signature sophisticated party groove. Out on Levity Records.

Mercy Arms - Kept Low (Cut Copy Remix)

I think I'm going to cryogenically freeze myself until April because I can't stand the wait.

Cut Copy Myspace
Mercy Arms Myspace

BUY BUY BUY


P.S We're playing World Bar 10-12 TONIGHT. See you there. Got a few new tracks to play out.

Radiohead on Film

For the turn of the new year, Radiohead, fresh from releasing In Rainbows in tangible form, released a 52 minute vodcast of live studio recordings, arthouse film interludes and them playing in a field at dusk. Utterly compelling for its entirety, and captivating to watch the masters at full concentration in their Oxford studio, this is what must-see-TV really is. Not CSI Miami.

It was screened on Al Gore owned online channel, Current.TV. Enjoy.

Friendly Fires - "Paris" Video Clip

I think this is the third mention of Friendly Fires I've made here. I love them, what can I say.

Here's a clip for their new single "Paris", directed by Price James.

Black Kids

I first heard about Black Kids some months ago on the Vice website. At that point they hadn't played a show outside of their hometown of Jacksonville, Florida and all I knew about them was their was some considerable industry interest, they carried references to The Cure and Arcade Fire and despite the name, they're not a proudly announcing racially exclusive indie band.

Now, some months on, and with plenty of blog posts and magazine write ups, Black Kids have played shows around the US and made a fleeting trip to the UK to play 5 shows in a week to satisfy the buzz-hungry indie-loving UK fans and media. When I was in London at the beginning of December, my trip just happened to coincide with theirs and I got myself along to the intimate Nambucca pub in Holloway to sea an early evening set of about 10 songs all glowing in beautifully crafted indie-pop. Yes, there is some Cure references and the epic, rich sounds are at times reminiscent of the Arcade Fire. But, away from references, the four songs on their independently, online-only released EP, The Wizards of Ahhhs have a certain feel-good quality that makes you want to jump on your bed and sing along. Enchanting, fun, epic, poppy - this is one my favourite recent releases.

Here's my fave track of the EP, but click your way to www.blackkidsmusic.com and pick up their full EP for FREE download. Now, turn up the volume but just make sure your bed springs are well oiled.

Black Kids - I'm Not Going to Teach Your Boyfriend How to Dance with You

Black Kids Myspace

BigFace release "I Wanna be a Style Crusader"

Glaswegians BigFace who we posted here some time back have released their first single, "I Wanna be a Style Crusader" on Kitsune records.

In similar fashion to their demo-ed tracks this one starts off with a funked bassline and is all calm and glitchy before unleashing a storm of synths and reverb.



Nicely put together clip. Possibly strains of Michel Gondry when the tracks drops with the heavily cut and spliced graphics a la White Stripes' "Hardest Button to Button" clip.

BigFace Myspace
Buy from Kitsune