Tech: Columbia comp sci professor invents nightlife GPS

Jebara’s creation, Citysense, uses advanced machine learning techniques to number crunch vast amounts of data emanating from thousands of cell-phones, GPS-equipped cabs and other data devices to paint live pictures of where people are gathering.  Fed to websites such as Google or Yelp, the data reveals what’s happening at any location. Translation: if you have a Blackberry, you have instant 411 on where the cool folks are. Or, are not. (An iPhone version is coming). The technology can also show if your favorite commute route is backed up and possibly offer alternative ones. Other applications abound.

Right now, the application is only tracking for San Francisco, but we think it's only a matter of time before more douche-y kids with BlackBerry's are finding out all of the top spots, thereby ruining it forever.  And for everyone.  This is like when Pat Boone did "Tutti Frutti" or b-boys became instructors for out-of-touch white folks (see above).  All your bass are belong to douche?

(mp3)    Maritime - Aren't We All Found Out

Godspeed!

Web: Rhapsody opens store; gives away a hundred thousand albums

The first 100,000 people to sign up for an account will receive a free digital album of their choice.

Beginning today, consumers can purchase MP3 music that is free of the digital rights management (DRM) software that restricts how and where people can play their music. Any song or album purchased from the Rhapsody MP3 Store can be played on any music device, even an Apple iPod.

(mp3)    Foreign Islands - Free Fire Zone

Godspeed!

mp-FREE: Neon Coyote do "Wamp Wamp"

In all seriousness, these kids should really not be taken lightly.  Neon Coyote has been consistently fucking our brains for the whole year now we've been aware of their existence and we see absolutely no end in sight.  They've already mashed Kelis, Big Tymers, M.I.A, Jay-Z and Kid Sister.  Bonkers is right.  We already know what you're thinking.  Here the boys take Virginia's finest, Clipse, to the 7-minute mark with beats and bops that make this hip hop milemarker into a steady-going, almost downtempo masterpiece.

(mp3)    Clipse - Wamp Wamp (Neon Coyote remix)

Godspeed!

Video: Amy Winehouse - "Free Nelson Mandela" (Specials cover)

Performing at Mr. Mandela's 90th birthday party this weekend, Ms. Winehouse (maybe with emphysema, maybe without?) shimmied her shit around the stage with just about every other person involved in the 46664 concert, including Leona Lewis, Queen, Annie Lennox and Sugababes.

(mp3)    The Specials - Free Nelson Mandela

Godspeed!

Photos: Danger played Bodega in Bushwick last night

Also, we saw Ladytron and Datarock at Terminal 5 last night.  Have we mentioned before how much Datarock moves on stage and the kids from Ladytron do not?  Shit-tons of posturing and pointing from the electro kids in Ladytron, but not a lot of showmanship.  Light show was fucking crucial though.  But seriously, if you're going to play nineteen songs and a little more than an hour-and-a-half, move around, yes?

Click on Danger above to see the full gallery of wonderfulness that went down in the heart of the J train accessed Bodega, this new DIY venue which we think is going to be beyond epic.

(mp3)    Danger - 07h46

Godspeed!

News: Tom Waits gets key to the city of El Paso

Chalk this one up for sure to the "didn't see this coming at all" file.  While Waits was in the city for a stop on the "Glitter and Doom" tour (aka the best press conference ever), an officer from El Paso appeared on stage with the key, leaving Waits with this to say, " “I paid all those tickets...she was dead when I got there.”  Oh Tom, you're such a kidder.

(mp3)    Tom Waits - The Piano Has Been Drinking

Godspeed!

News: Ed Banger Records Vol. III has physical release date + CONTEST

So, the third installation from dance conquerors Ed Banger Records is totally available for download and on vinyl now, but you'll have to wait until August 5 to get your hands on a CD (if you're still into all of that stuff).  The tracklist as you know, is like this:

01 Mr Oizo - Yves
02 Busy P - To Protect And Entertain (feat. Murs)
03 Mr Flash - Over The Top
04 SebastiAn - Dog
05 Uffie - Robot Oeuf
06 Justice - Stress (Auto Remix)
07 Mr Oizo - Minuteman’s pulse
08 DJ Medhi - Pocket Piano
09 Krazy Baldhead - No Cow, No Pow
10 DSL - Find Me In The World
11 Feadz - Back It Up (feat. Spank Rock)
12 SO Me - Decalcomania

You've heard most, if not all, of them already, but whatever.  We really really like it, and in honor of it's CD release and all of that, the good folks at Downtown are going to hook us all up with metal Ed Banger police badges that say "to protect and entertain".  So here's how it's going to work.  We want you to email us with the best reason for why Uffie should never release a proper record.  We'll decide who wins and we'll let you know.

(mp3)    Feadz featuring Spank Rock - Back It Up

(mp3)    Justice - Stress (Auto remix)

Godspeed!

mp-FREE: new Autokratz - "Stay The Same"

(photo by Eunice Lieveld)

There's totally a reason for why this track, by Kitsune artist Autokratz, was recently voted to the number one spot on DJ magazine's Hype chart.  That reason, most confidently, is the song's incessant brilliance at staying on purpose.  Sometimes songs do not have to be overreaching epics.  They just have to work and you just have to dance.  The midway break is so good it made us laugh.  Try evading this track the next time you go out.  We dare you.

(mp3)    Autokratz - Stay The Same

Godspeed!

Labrador Records offers up summer mix for free

Oh those Swedes.  While we all impatiently wait for more material from The Radio Dept., Pelle Carlberg, Suburban Kids with Biblical Names, The Sound of Arrows and The Legends, they've put up one of the finest hours of music you could listen to this season (compilations at least, don't get us started).

Tracklist:

01 [Ingenting] - Här Kommer Solen
02 The Sound of Arrows - Danger!
03 Sambassadeur - Final Say
04 Suburban Kids With Biblical Names - Funeral Face
05 Pelle Carlberg - I Love You, You Imbecile
06 Club 8 - You And Me
07 Johan Hedberg - Grammisgalan
08 The Radio Dept. - Freddie and the Trojan Horse
09 Sambassadeur - Subtle Changes
10 Tribeca - Her Breast Were Still Small
11 Chasing Dorotea - Dark Angel
12 The Mary Onettes - Explosions
13 The Legends - Darling
14 Leslies - Take A Look
15 Irene - By Your Side
16 Pelle Carlberg - Go to Hell, Miss Rydell
17 Club 8 - Jesus, Walk with Me (The Sound of Arrows remix)
18 Suburban Kids With Biblical Names - Trumpets and Violins
19 Acid House Kings - Start Anew
20 Irene - Little Lovin
21 The Radio Dept. - Pet Grief
22 Club 8 - Whatever you Want
23 Acid House Kings - This Heart Is A Stone
24 Loveninjas - Little Black Friends
25 [Ingenting] - Släpp In Solen
26 Caroline Soul - Been Turning (Into Something Bad)
27 Acid House Kings - Sunday Morning
28 Johan Hedberg - Var Dig Själv
29 The Legends - Make It All Right
30 The Sound of Arrows - Danger! (Ice Cream Shout)

Download the whole bloody thing as a torrent from here.

(mp3)    Irene - By Your Side

(mp3)    Irene - Baby I Love Your Way

(mp3)    Pelle Carlberg - Riverbank

Godspeed!

mp-FREE: new Haley Bonar - "Something Great"

(photo by Hoanim Tran)

It's imperative to name your songs as a reflection of what the song is.  Minnesotan (a theme here lately) Haley Bonar knows this quite well.  This track, the newest single from Bonar's record Big Star, could possibly be our pick for best song of the year in 08 (thus far, it is).  It's an acoustic, nearly impossibly to deny pop song, filled with the kind of unbridled emotion that we'd expect to hear from an uncovered B-side from Elliott Smith, if, of course, he were a 24-year-old girl who was more hopeful and full of wonder rather than melancholy and contemplative.  We'll leave it at that and let you guys do all the caterwauling you want about how good this song really is.  We think delicous.

(mp3)    Haley Bonar - Something Great

Godspeed!