Web: Esser is up for mtvU's "Freshmen" video of the week

"Headlock", the more-than-interesting schoolyard dance video from Esser's debut, Breakface, is up for the collective voting for the "best of the week" video contest from the college-based mtvU's show "The Freshmen". Today happens to be the last day to vote for the young lad, but we have a feeling it's going to be alright. He did, after all, get a bump from Madonna. To cast your vote for Esser, head on over to the web site for mtvU's "The Freshmen". Esser plays the Loop Festival in Brighton, UK on Sunday.

(mp3)    Esser - We Can Work It Out (Sinden remix)

Godspeed!

Web: Tinchy Stryder, Frankmusik to collaborate and record track on Twitter

(photo by Alex Lake)

Tomorrow, July 1,at the clock strike of 2pm join Island Records recording artists (and friends) Tinchy Stryder and Frankmusik each on their own Twitter pages (@Frankmusik, @Tinchy Stryder) for the exclusive track recording session, all being done for Mixmag. They'll be recording it all at Frankmusik’s home studio in Thornton Heath, UK and there's no official word on whether the track will get a proper release/Internet leak. Both Stryder and Frankmusik have releases coming out this August, with the sophomore effort from Tinchy Stryder, Catch 22, out on August 17 and the heavily-awaited debut from Frankmusik, Complete Me, out two weeks earlier.

(mp3)    Frankmusik - Confusion Girl (Dolby Anol remix)

Godspeed!

Web: Lissy Trullie talks to ABC News' "Amplified"

ABC newscaster Dan Harris, a self-described (on his Web site, at least) "indie rock fan" got to hang with the (his words) "hipper than thou" downtown kids in Lissy Trullie and talk shop with the enigmatic, deep-voiced ingenue for his "Amplified" video webcast. Harris talked to Trullie about separating persona from person, what her given names are and the fandom of Courtney Love, among other things. Check it out right here. Trullie's EP, Self-Taught Learner, is out now.

(mp3)    Lissy Trullie - She Said

Godspeed!

Video: NPR explores the history of the boombox

From LL Cool J to Fab Five Freddy to a photographer who owns a retardedly awesome 41 ghetto blasters, we don't actually have any idea how we missed this story, from NPR's video vault, when it came out three weeks ago. But not a bother, because we've watched the ten-minute piece and we absolutely feel compelled to share it with you all. It brings you up-to-speed on the history of portable music, and for those of you NOT born before the age of CD-Rs and iPods, get educated.

(mp3)    Kylie Minogue - Boombox (LA Riots remix)

Godspeed!

Web: Team Robespierre needs your help to get on MTV's rotation

Every week, the mtvU show "The Freshmen" highlights five acts they think are at the breaking point.  They announce the five acts and then fans can vote online for their faves.  The winner each week has their video get into rotation on the channel and (who knows?) maybe even the big brother nets as well.  And even though Brooklyn's Team Robespierre's track "88th Precinct" and its video have been out for what seems like forever, we love the synth-heavy party tracks that Ty and the boys make, so they get our vote, no contest.  Here are this week's nominees:

Nippsey Hustle - "Hussle in the House"
Loney Dear - "Airport Surroundings"
Corneille - "Back to Life"
Team Robospierre - "88th Precinct"
J*Davey - "Slooow"

Vote Here: http://freshmen.mtvu.com/

(mp3)    Team Robespierre - This Feels Perfect

Godspeed!

Web: Kid Cola does mixtape for Trouble Stereo

Twenty-year old knob-and-party tweaker Kid Cola just completed a 12-track mixtape for this new UK-based (Cola's home country too) website called Trouble Stereo, whose aim it is to combine all sorts of talent from a huge amount of genres and release playlist after playlist for their reader's appetites.  The mix includes some stellar remixes, some of which you may have not heard yet, so dig in.  The whole mixtape can be downloaded for free here.

Tracklist:

01 David Love - BBC News Theme/Kissy Sell Out - Get Busy Tropicana
02 Disco Wizards - Hey Whore!
03 Lady Sovereign - I Got You Dancing (Jack Beats remix)
04 Deadmau5 - Ghosts N' Stuff (Dirty Disco Youth remix)
05 Secret Machines - Atomic Heels (Kid Cola remix)
06 Mickey Moonlight - Interplanetary Music (Riton remix)/Le Le - Breakfast (Kill The Noise remix)
07 The Noisettes - Don't Upset The Music (Kissy Sell Out remix)
08 The Killers - Mr. Brightside (Bass Weazal vs Mikey Hook remix)
09 Ladyhawke - Back Of The Van (Kid Cola remix)
10 Sexual Hot Bitches - Face Rape (Knob Jockey remix)
11 No New York - Cocaine Bassline
12 Lily Allen - The Fear (Jakwob remix)

(mp3)    Kid Cola - Trouble Stereo Mix (teaser)

Godspeed!

Web: Buzzgrinder writer asks Katy Perry out for coffee

Well, Denny's coffee.  So, remember when Katy Perry tailored her own "rock star meal" for Denny's called the "Hot 'n' Cold"?  No?  Well, we do.  Anyways, Perry was on a media tour and met with Buzzgrinder writer Blake Garris and he really didn't want to do a full-on interview.  He just wanted a date.  She, more or less, said okay to meeting up with him on a tour stop in Myrtle Beach this coming spring, and we couldn't help but want to lend a hand to make sure this happens.  Blake, we're behind you one-hundred-and-ten percent.

So Katy Perry, the ball’s in your court.  I like Batman, Don Henley and monkeys that wear diapers. You don’t have to do that silly wait-two-days thing with me, here’s my email blake@buzzgrinder.com.  April 11, Myrtle Beach, House of Blues, cappuccinos.  I’ll bring a joke book, a box of Whitman’s Sampler chocolates and my personality which vaguely resembles George McFly.  Oh, and you think I could get on the guest list?

(mp3)    Katy Perry - Hot 'n' Cold (LMFAO remix)

Godspeed!

Help THE CULTURE OF ME win Blog Wars!!

The guys at one of our favorite daily websites ever, Pretty Much Amazing! (who, for some reason, also end their posts with a "Godspeed!" salutation), have asked that we compete in their new bracketed competition, "Blog Wars".  The competition pits two blogs to face off in an iTunes Genius playlist bout, where each is given the same, single song to build their playlist off of, letting their libraries do the talking.  We were given the track "Dr. Carter" by one of our faves from the '08, Lil' Wayne.  Readers then vote on the winner and that blog goes on to face the winners of other bouts.

Much like any other tournament (we're thinking of Daniel Laruso fighting his way past each member of Cobra Kai in the All-Valley Championships), we have to win our bracket to advance.  And we've got stiff competition from yet another great blog, Ear Farm.  And we don't need to tell you how bad we want to win not only this round but the whole damn thing, so head on over to the competition page and check out each playlist.  Hopefully, you'll like ours better and you'll vote for us.  We're not going to make you vote for us, but we think our playlist is, of course, the better one.

(mp3)    Lil' Wayne - Dr. Carter

Godspeed!

News: The Guardian (UK) counts down the year in music

Compiling a video with references to Vampire Weekend, "Put A Donk On It", the video game "Guitar Hero" and Jay-Z aka Hova performing at Glastonbury, three white Brits from the country's cultural beacon, The Guardian, talk up the year that was in 2008.  Pretty good summation, but we'd rather hear from the Aussies, as they seem to have taken over the world this year, with groups like Cut Copy and The Presets both being nearly ubiquitous.

(mp3)    Cut Copy - Hearts On Fire (Aeroplane Pop remix)

Godspeed!

Web: THE CULTURE OF ME voted into "Definitive List of Best Blogs in 2008"

According to the folks at Popsense, your best friends THE CULTURE OF ME have been put in the ranks of their definitive list for 2k8's best blogs, alongside some of our most revered mates in Stereogum, Brooklyn Vegan, Pretty Much Amazing, Chromewaves, The Music Slut, La Blogtheque and more.  The full list is here.

Of our site, the guys say, "The hippest of the hip, THE CULTURE OF ME chronicles music that should be in the know as well as the happenings of those in the know, specifically of NYC nightlife. Tunes + tales of the city = cultural coolness".  Thanks dudes!

(mp3)    Faux Fox - Personal Best (Weird Tapes version)

Godspeed!