Photos: Sleigh Bells rip it up at Le Poisson Rouge on November 19

Possibly the biggest story in New York right now is the unsigned and brash duo of Derek Miller and Alexis Krauss, commonly known around these parts and the Internet as Sleigh Bells, an act that dials in a frequency of punishing drums (via a programmed iPod) and pitch-shifting, jagged guitars and Alexis's sometimes cooing, sometimes brutally shouting vocals. The band, who still haven't breached more than 30 shows since their birth, have already caught the attention of the indie elites, from a backing from Sasha Frere-Jones to high marks all over the blogosphere and live rock music community. It's there, in their performances that the pair really win you over, with boundless energy and a straight-forward, barely-thirty-minutes-long set. It's get in, rage the fuck out of the show and get out. The formula, by all accounts, seems to be working. They're unbridled and reckless, but the music seems pre-meditated, even in its chaos. The duo played a show this past Thursday night with Popo and Zuzuka Poderosa to a packed house at Le Poisson Rouge.

(mp3)    Popo - Kill Tonight

(mp3)    Sleigh Bells - A/B Machines

Godspeed!

Download: Lily Allen - "Everyone's At It (Grant Peters remix)"

An interesting choice of song to make super ready for the clubs of the world, this edit of the confrontational track "Everyone's At It" from Lily Allen's latest record It's Not Me, It's You, which takes to task the world of over-prescribing of pharmaceutical drugs (not to mention the illicit world of the, er, non-prescribed) and the unending habits that this situation creates, the world that's become of it all and how to go about stopping it--but this unknown cat called Grant Peters doesn't by account seem the least bit concerned about the decision. And it's well fit for the treatment at least, which Peters filters through a sieve of fat big room beats and cut-up vocal samples. It's bouncy and not the slightest bit stark and while we'd rather he'd have opted for a much more cut-down vocal inclusion so it'd be a complete destruction of the track's original motif, we don't think the edit is as much a misstep as that may imply. It's enjoyable by far, which to be honest should be the point of making any of these tunes in a different way.

(mp3)    Lily Allen - Everyone's At It (Grant Peters remix)

Godspeed!

Photos: Crystal Fighters played their first NYC show

Psychotic, freaky and fun, the Spaniards in electro rock outfit Crystal Fighters played the basement of Santos Party House this past Thursday night for a frenzied crowd of kids losing their collective shit to the band's anthemic tracks (see: "Xtatic Truth", "I Love London") and terror-filled live sets for the first of a new monthly party that Jen from MeanRed and Ruthie from Famous Friends are coordinating together called "Crush". The gig, paired with DJ sets from Chaz & Jason from Palms Out Sounds and Elroy from the France collective Bisou GTI, was fun, sweaty and kind of a mess all around, but in the best way possible. We shot a handful of frames and then ducked out three-quarters of the way through the Crystal Fighters' set to head over to Le Poisson Rouge (more on that a little later).

(mp3)    Two Door Cinema Club - I Can Talk (Crystal Fighters remix)

Godspeed!

Download: Kleerup feat. Lykke Li - "Until We Bleed (Adieus remix)"

Adieus, a newish and young bedroom producer, has just sent over a steady and subtle 4/4 edit of the Kleerup track "Until We Bleed" which features the lofty and airy vocals from supreme electro pop leading lady Lykke Li and he's created a progressive mixture of vocal samples and bassline that could well have fit alongside the production resume of a Kim Moyes (The Presets) or a like talent. It's an interesting POV for the song which in origin was a building love song from the Swedish producer/artist Andreas Kleerup that bounced as much as it mellowed yet the Adieus version opts mostly for the mellow.

(mp3)    Kleerup feat. Lykke Li - Until We Bleed (Adieus remix)

Godspeed!

Live: Burns playing with Deadmau5 this week in New York City

(photo by Megan Sharp)

Burns, the electro technician we've been on the case of for a while now, is coming to New York City this coming week on the heels of his opening slot for house front-runner Deadmau5 when both appear this Wednesday at Terminal 5. On the eve of Thanksgiving, the sold out show will more than likely be a huge highlight for the UK-based newcomer after dropping his series of stellar EPs over the last near-year. We'll be there and you should totally try and fight your way in as well.

(mp3)    Burns - Teknique

(mp3)    Jack Splash - I Could Have Loved You (Burns remix)

Godspeed!

World Premiere: Lauren Flax feat. Sia - "You've Changed (Drlkt Freddie remix)"

Last year, "You've Changed", the bouncy house pop tune penned by Lauren Flax featuring the vocals of her friend Sia, was one of the brightest spots on the sun when it came to undeniably fun and near-perfect tracks for any mood, especially those filled with smiles. It was also one of the most remixed tracks of 2008, with the aftermath of the release seeing edits from so many rad faces (cf. Junior Sanchez, Flufftronix, Blogula, Dances With White Girls, Michael Meds, Kate Simko).

Sia, seeing as how she liked "You've Changed" so much from the heart, decided to re-record the tune for her upcoming album We Are Born, sending it out for free all over the Internet just 48 hours ago. Sia's version is a much more Nile Rodgers funk approach to the song, with expanding guitar solos and reverbed feelings throughout and Sia's vocals really up front here, because, well, it's a Sia track now and not just a "featuring Sia" cut. And naturally, now that it's been two days since the new version's release, we've got our hands on one more edit of the original to fall in love with, from locals Drlkt Freddie, who take the pop anthem out of the poppy fields and into the rubber forests, with an extended six-plus-minute runtime and a bath of revered electro notions and stuttered metronomic beats. The edit will see official light when Flax puts out the third (!) release of the single.

(mp3)    Lauren Flax feat. Sia - You've Changed (Drlkt Freddie remix)

Godspeed!

Video: Erik Hassle - "Someday (The Strokes cover)"

Erik Hassle, the well-coiffed young lad you've heard us rave about in the past, continues his onslaught of terrificness with this, an acoustic cover of the Is This It track "Someday" by The Strokes. Not much else to be said for this, because it's a pretty great clip of just Erik and another guitarist hanging out and playing the tune. His voice is well fit for the song's structure, and doing away with Julian Casablancas's vocoder-like non-emoting makes us really rethink the early catalog of the group and what it would've been like to have Julian actually "singing" the tunes. Never mind that, though, we'd actually rather listen to Hassle's voice.

(mp3)    Erik Hassle - Hurtful (Zombie Disco Squad remix)

Godspeed!

CONTESTS: Create a promo video for the 2009 Blip Festival and get a free 3-day pass

The 2009 Blip Festival, the raddest gathering of 8bit and chiptune musicians, designers and enthusiasts, takes place next month, December 17-19. Today, the organizers of the festival have gone forward with a pretty excellent idea for a contest and prize-pack, what they're calling the "Blip Your Own Adventure" video competition. Filmmakers, videographers, animators, pretty much anyone interested in entering can do so by creating their own 60-second spot.

One select winner will have their video screened at the 2009 Blip Festival, with runners-up linked on the official Blip Festival website. The grand prize winner will also receive the following exciting prizes:

01 A Blip Festival 3-Day Pass
02 1 copy of Plogue Bidule, modular audio software
03 1 copy of Plogue Chipsounds, vintage 8bit-era sound chips emulator

Post your videos to the official Blip Festival Vimeo channel: http://www.vimeo.com/groups/26883, share on Facebook, or use Twitter with the hashtag #blip09 or just include @blipfestival in your tweet.

The rules:

01 Title must begin with “The Blip Festival 2009”
02 1 minute or less
03 No offensive material (use your best judgment, obviously)
04 Must contain dates of the festival and the following keywords: The Bell House, 8bitpeoples, The Tank and blipfestival.org
05 Viral spoofs highly encouraged

Enter now, and enter often. Contest ends December 11.

(mp3)    Twilight Electric - Chewing Gum

Godspeed!

News: The Young Punx bring out teaser tunes from Mashpop & Punkstep

With a new digital EP, the split "Simple Pleasures/Like Dat" release, the gents in The Young Punx have showcased their continued evolution in purpose and sound, developing a much more prevalent punk/thrash element to their usual menacing dance formula. "Simple Pleasures" is straight up tape hiss punk, with female vocals, a dubby breakdown and elements of style completely unrelated to the club world and rather points its compass towards dive bar aesthetics and back alley goings-on. "Like Dat" is downtempo at its best, a seething drum stomp with speak-rap vocals (courtesy of Count Bass D) and as a B-side to "Pleasures", it acts as an opposite pole to the A-side's straight-thrash mentality. The crew's second LP, Mashpop & Punkstep, will see release in the near future.

(mp3)    The Young Punx - Simple Pleasures

(mp3)    The Young Punx feat. Count Bass D - Like Dat

Godspeed!

Emerging: Ellie Goulding

(photo by Camilla Treharne)

The Internet's been pretty on fire lately with coverage of this UK-based electro pop talent Ellie Goulding, and we'll go ahead and pour a little more kerosene on the blaze with our praise, albeit with some points of warning. Based on her second single, "Under The Sheets" b/w "Fighter Plane", and its handful of remixes from Neon Gold Records, a lot of hyperbole has been thrown Goulding's way, like pasta to a wall, all kinds of learned and no-talent chefs alike attempting to see what sticks.

We, for one, are infatuated with her voice and the compliment paid it by the production work of Starsmith, but only time will tell if Ellie Goulding just gets filed away with other blog-hyped stories (you know who you are) or if she's got the chops and consistency to power through it all. We're not nay-saying, mind you, but we feel a little concerned for how bright the light shining on her is right now and how quickly the bulb can burn out. We're positive she'll see a bit of crossover fame from all of the heralding happening and what with songwriters and stars like Lady Gaga sitting in wait at the forefront of the pop conscience, Ellie's already one-upped that game without the need of pretense or gimmickry. It's the voice alone and the writing that rushes out of the gates, avant visual representation or no.

(mp3)    Ellie Goulding - Under The Sheets

(mp3)    Ellie Goulding - Starry Eyed

(mp3)    Ellie Goulding - Black & Gold (Sam Sparro cover)

Godspeed!