Rod Modell’s intoxicating fusion of natural and electronic sounds can be traced back to one moment at a coffeehouse in Detroit more than a decade ago. “I don’t really know what the hell happened that night,” says the dub-techno maven of the gig (performed as Waveform Transmission). What he does remember is this: It was around 10:30 p.m. inside the century-old Victorian that at the time housed Zoot’s Coffeehouse.
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Rod Modell: 4 A.M. Techno
Posted: August 29th, 2008, 1:00am MDT by XLR8R Magazine
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More Artists Confirmed for CMJ
Posted: August 28th, 2008, 11:59am MDT by XLR8R Magazine
Time for another round of panels and performances. CMJ 2008, set to take place October 21 - 25, already announced an initial lineup earlier this month. Now, the festival has unveiled another round of artists to join the likes of AIDS Wolf, Crystal Castles, Gang Gang Dance, and others. Black Moth Super Rainbow boss Tobacco, Talkdemonic, Late of the Pier, Fight Bite, Friendly Fires, and dozes of others listed below are slated to perform during the five-day festival.
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The Streets Ready New Album
Posted: August 28th, 2008, 11:42am MDT by XLR8R Magazine
Mike Skinner's back, and it looks like he got all contemplative for his latest album, Everything is Borrowed, under his guise The Streets. According to a recent press release, "Skinner is contemplating the impermenant nature of life this time around. [He has] made a record to console the lonely and bring a smile to the saddest visage."
So no rapping about drinking too much brandy and bitching about camera phones?
In any case, pick up the new album on October 7 via Vice.
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Rafter Hosts Video Contest
Posted: August 28th, 2008, 11:26am MDT by XLR8R Magazine
So many ways to promote a new release these days, and since everyone on the face of the Earth owns a copy of Final Cut, why not hold a video contest right before your new EP drops?
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Tilly and the Wall Ready Tour
Posted: August 28th, 2008, 9:00am MDT by XLR8R Magazine
With their latest album getting lots of love from the music world (despite it's not having an actual title and simply being referred to as "O"), Omaha's Tilly and the Wall will take their fun-loving tunes on the road for several dates with Brazilian dance-punkers CSS.
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Dusk+Blackdown: Deep Thinkers
Posted: August 28th, 2008, 1:00am MDT by XLR8R Magazine
With Margins Music, Dan “Dusk” Frampton and Martin “Blackdown” Clark join a long lineage of artists who’ve let the world know how London gets down. From London Posse’s “London Posse” to Tek 9’s “A London Sumting” to neighborhood-celebrating dubstep and grime cuts (Burial’s “South London Boroughs, Wiley’s “Bow E3”), the British urban underground has a tradition of proudly and defiantly associating its music with the place it was made.
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Daedelus to Tour
Posted: August 27th, 2008, 2:13pm MDT by XLR8R Magazine
Since it would appear to be the official Daedelus week here on XLR8R.com, we're just going to go ahead and keep posting information on the L.A.-based producer, innovator, and lover of all things Victorian. Next up, he'll get out of that rocking chair, pack up the gear, and head out on a tour of North America that kicks off at the beginning of September.
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Pon Di Wire: Eek-A-Mouse, Mavado
Posted: August 27th, 2008, 1:39pm MDT by XLR8R Magazine
Pon Di Wire would like to extend condolences to reggae DJ Spragga Benz, whose 17-year old son, Carlton “Carlie” Grant, Jr., was fatally shot by police. Sources say that Spragga’s son was with a friend when Kingston police stopped the pair. One of the men pulled out a gun and fired at police, who returned fire. Grant was taken to the Kingston Public Hospital where he was pronounced dead. Benz was out of the country at the time.
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Asthmatic Kitty Drops Free Albums
Posted: August 27th, 2008, 12:08pm MDT by XLR8R Magazine
Asthmatic Kitty just announced the release of two albums that are absolutely free, available as full downloads or for streaming via the label's site.
The first comes from ghetto folkster Grampall Jookabox, whose Rill Bruh EP contains several remixes and outtakes from the sessions that led up to the release of his upcoming Ropechain album.
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Labels We Love 2008: Runners Up
Posted: August 27th, 2008, 1:00am MDT by XLR8R Magazine
If you’re reading XLR8R you probably already own ’nuff albums on XL or Domino, Def Jux and Lex artists have repeatedly rocked your headphones, and you know what’s coming out on Minus or Stones Throw before we do. So this year–our seventh time loving on labels–we focus on labels we’ve (mostly) never quizzed before. For the final installment of this series, we look at ten labels we'll be keeping an ear on in the year to come. Vivian Host and Ken Taylor
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Justice Wants Your Photos for New Album
Posted: August 26th, 2008, 12:32pm MDT by XLR8R Magazine
Justice has just announced details of its next release, A Cross the Universe, and the boys are getting the fans involved for this one. The duo put out a call via MySpace, asking people to submit photos of them, the best of which will be included in the booklet set to be packaged with the new album. Those in possession of awesome photos should send material to justicematerial@edbangerrecords.com.
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The Handmade's Tale
Posted: August 26th, 2008, 1:00am MDT by XLR8R Magazine
The scene at the Renegade Craft Fair in San Francisco belies its confrontational name: Combing through the isles at the Fort Mason pavilion, you see mostly females in their 20s and 30s hocking knitted, sewn, and kiln-fired wares of all types. Upon closer inspection, there is something slightly different about the items on offer, something much subtler than the “renegade” tag suggests. “It seems to be all about context,” says If’N Books’ Deb Dormandy, in a clip from the upcoming documentary Handmade Nation.
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Daedelus: Fine and Dandy
Posted: August 25th, 2008, 8:00pm MDT by XLR8R Magazine
As a child, Alfred Weisberg-Roberts was a loner. Young Alfred was not tromping about shirtless on a skateboard with the Z-Boys in his hometown of Santa Monica, California; he was inside reading, learning how to play classical instruments, and traveling through fictional worlds of his own creation. He had an interest in mythology, and particularly enjoyed the story of Daedalus, a skilled craftsman and ingenious inventor.
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Athens, GA: Freak Beat
Posted: August 25th, 2008, 11:38am MDT by XLR8R Magazine
No strangers to 8mm film cams, the Athens scene of the ’70s and ’80s was a well-documented one. Check out clips from the scene-defining documentary Athens, GA-Inside/Out and some rare live performances of “Rock Lobster” and “Devil in My Car” from The B-52’s. Photo courtesy of Michael Lachowski.
Read the full feature on Athens' psychedelic dance-rock underground in Issue 120 of XLR8R.
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An Interview with Aaron Rose
Posted: August 25th, 2008, 10:30am MDT by XLR8R Magazine
XLR8R chats with Beautiful Losers curator Aaron Rose.
What's your other big project right now besides just getting Beautiful Losers the movie out?
Aaron Rose: Well I co-edit a magazine with Ed Templeton and Brandon Fowler called A&P Quarterly. It’s a free quarterly art magazine and I'm on deadline today for that and I'm totally not done with all my stuff.
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Inbox: Steve Bug
Posted: August 25th, 2008, 8:16am MDT by XLR8R Magazine
Sure, we're always curious to know about an artist's upcoming release, most recent tour, or arsenal of analog gear, but XLR8R's also got a curiosity for quirk. Thus, each week, we email a different artist to find out what makes them tick, in the studio and in life. This week: Fear of spiders and regrets over Facebook applications. That would be Poker Flat boss Steve Bug.
What are you listening to right now?
The birds in the trees in front of my apartment.What's the weirdest story you ever heard about yourself?
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East Village Radio Festival... with Food
Posted: August 22nd, 2008, 2:29pm MDT by XLR8R Magazine
Buzz is in heavy circulation over the East Village Radio music festival, and the lineup looks promising, to say the least. The event will take place from 1 - 9 p.m. on Saturday, September 6, and features a lineup that includes Flying Lotus, Boris, Vivian Girls, the inimitable Devin the Dude, as well as two stages and KRS-One playing host to the festivities.
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Blank Blue Preps EP, FlyLo Remix
Posted: August 22nd, 2008, 1:31pm MDT by XLR8R Magazine
What's better than Elvin Estella (a.k.a. Nobody) and Niki Randa readying another Blank Blue release? Try a Blank Blue EP complete with a couple remixes courtesy of Flying Lotus.
Dive, set for release September 23, will feature future-folk remixes of the track "Sonic What?!," off this year's Western Water Music Vo. II full-length, followed by a couple cuts in which Flying Lotus adds his trademark sound of wobbly loops and static noise to the dreamy originals.
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Minus Crew Readies Tour Dates
Posted: August 22nd, 2008, 12:19pm MDT by XLR8R Magazine
The Minus crew is heading Stateside! Berlin-based DJ, producer, and innovator Richie Hawtin, along with his roster, will spend August and September in the Western Hemisphere, darting around North and South America. Expect sets from the likes of Magda, Troy Pierce, Konrad Black, and Marc Houle. No word yet as to whether or not the magic cube will be in attendance, but here's hoping.
08/27 Portland, OR: Holocene w/ Richie Hawtin
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Singles Update
Posted: August 22nd, 2008, 11:52am MDT by XLR8R Magazine
XLR8R rounds up 10 new things DJs should cram in their hard drives.
Abstract Beats, Broken, Dowtempo:
o1o
“The Undatow 2”
DeepblakThis upstart Oakland, CA-based crew is going to heat up Fall 2008 with this smoking four-track EP. Picture future-funk and dreamy beats that lie between Flying Lotus and Boards of Canada territory. Evocative and supremely bumpin’.
Various
Modern Clubber EP
Vinyl Vibes -
Boulder Goes Techno
Posted: August 22nd, 2008, 1:00am MDT by XLR8R Magazine
Buddhist universities, clean tap water from nearby glaciers, people riding their bikes to work, smiling folks walking the streets, happy dogs flanked by their proud owners, fresh air filling your lungs, and the sound of techno pumping hard at a downtown park. When locals say, “Boulder is 25 square miles surrounded by reality,” they’ve pretty much nailed it.
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Peggy Noland: Fashion Fabulousness
Posted: August 22nd, 2008, 1:00am MDT by XLR8R Magazine
Sour candy, cotton balls, and Castlebajac inspire Kansas City’s Peggy Noland. To read about a day in the life of this fashion doyenne, download a PDF of XLR8R 120.
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Kid Static: Easing Into Adulthood
Posted: August 21st, 2008, 1:00am MDT by XLR8R Magazine
Of the many ways Moses “Kid Static” Harris Jr. has been described, “energetic” is arguably the most fitting. The 25-year-old Chicago MC/producer isn’t exactly bouncing off the walls, but he can’t hide his youthful passion for everything he tries his hand at–which includes making music, stunt work for films like I Am Legend, and practicing the acrobatic French art known as parkour, which requires him to literally bounce off the walls of various urban structures.
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J*Davey Talks L.A. Style
Posted: August 21st, 2008, 1:00am MDT by XLR8R Magazine
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Stars Like Fleas to Tour
Posted: August 20th, 2008, 1:39pm MDT by XLR8R Magazine
Stars Like Fleas have been on our radar a few years now, but when the Brooklyn-based band dropped its folk-meets-jazz-meets-rock album, The Ken Burns Effect this past June, the music world sat up and took note of the band's ambitious musical arrangements that seem both soothing and disorienting. It's a combination that seems apt for live performances, and we'll see for sure when the band hits the road this fall. Check this track for a hint at what's to come.
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Bradford Cox "Ending All Bad Vibes"
Posted: August 20th, 2008, 12:03pm MDT by XLR8R Magazine
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Supermayer to Close Decibel Festival
Posted: August 20th, 2008, 11:36am MDT by XLR8R Magazine
Those attending Seattle's fifth Decibel Festival can add Kompakt Records' stars Michael Mayer and Superpitcher to the already extensive lineup.
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Pon Di Wire: Queen Ifrica, Ninja Man
Posted: August 20th, 2008, 10:54am MDT by XLR8R Magazine
This week’s Pon Di Wire is “live”-icated to the great trumpeter, Johnny “Dizzy” Moore, who passed away Saturday, August 16 at age 70. In 1963, Moore joined Tommy McCook, Roland Alphonso, and Lloyd Knibb in The Skatalites, Jamaica’s most noted jazz orchestra.
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Labels We Love 2008: Part 5
Posted: August 20th, 2008, 1:00am MDT by XLR8R Magazine
If you’re reading XLR8R you probably already own ’nuff albums on XL or Domino, Def Jux and Lex artists have repeatedly rocked your headphones, and you know what’s coming out on Minus or Stones Throw before we do. So this year–our seventh time loving on labels–we focus on labels we’ve (mostly) never quizzed before. For the next six weeks, we'll catch up with brash new dancefloor igniters Fool’s Gold and Dress 2 Sweat, techno champions Mobilee and Traum, and the dubstep damage squad: Hyperdub, Tectonic, Hot Flush.
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Outtakes: Daedelus Part I
Posted: August 20th, 2008, 1:00am MDT by XLR8R Magazine
XLR8R's Ali Gitlow chats with L.A.'s master of all things avant-hop, Daedelus, and the man otherwise known as Alfred Darlington had so much to say about recording his new album, Love to Make Music to, and his hometown that we had to split this one into two parts. Stay tune for Part 2, coming next week.
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Top 10: Takka Takka, XL, Anthony Rother
Posted: August 19th, 2008, 11:05am MDT by XLR8R Magazine
Takka Takka
Migration
Ernest Jenning
Release Date: Out NowA comprehensive sampler of many different styles of music (everything from psychedelia to future-folk), Migration finds this Brooklyn-based band turning the indie-pop sound on its head, experimenting with rhythms, tempos, and the like, proving there's more than one way to strum a guitar.
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Get Physical Hosts Remix Contest
Posted: August 19th, 2008, 10:00am MDT by XLR8R Magazine
Patrice Bäumel's referred to his techy dance music as "mutant pop" in the past, which fans of the Amsterdam-based DJ and producer can interpret as they see fit with Get Physical's new remix contest.
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Muxtape Temporarily Shut Down
Posted: August 19th, 2008, 9:22am MDT by XLR8R Magazine
"Muxtape will be unavailable for a brief period while we sort out a problem with the RIAA," is what the virtual mixtape's site currently states. No information as to what exactly the issues are is known, though anyone familiar with the site, which hosts more free music than a large record shop, could take a guess. Muxtape's blog has also posted a note that says, "No artists or labels have complained. The site is not closed indefinitely. Stay tuned."
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Brian Roettinger: Hand Held Heart
Posted: August 19th, 2008, 1:00am MDT by XLR8R Magazine
Though it sounds sweet and innocent, the name Hand Held Heart is a literal interpretation of a gruesome H.R. Giger painting used as brutal album art by grindcore legends Carcass. It’s an apt name choice for L.A.-based designer Brian Roettinger, whose work can be heartfelt, hardcore, and everything in between.
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Dub Colossus Releases Album, EP
Posted: August 18th, 2008, 2:59pm MDT by XLR8R Magazine
The connection between Ethiopia and Jamaica dates back to the 1930s, when Jamaican Leonard Howell founded the Rastafarian movement. Inspired by Marcus Garvey’s teachings, Howell propagated that Ethiopian Emperor Haile Selassie I was the black Messiah. Selassie visited Jamaica in 1966 and the Ethiopian Amharic language has been taught on the island for decades.
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Inbox: Tobacco
Posted: August 18th, 2008, 2:41pm MDT by XLR8R Magazine
Sure, we're always curious to know about an artist's upcoming release, most recent tour, or arsenal of analog gear, but XLR8R's also got a curiosity for quirk. Thus, each week, we sit down with a different artist and find out what makes them tick, in the studio and in life. First up: He's got a thing for Wisconsin and miniature golf and gets the grade school teachers hot and bothered. We shot Black Moth Super Rainbow's head honcho, Tobacco, an email to get the inside scoop.
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Madlib Readies Beat Generation Comp
Posted: August 18th, 2008, 1:03pm MDT by XLR8R Magazine
The ever-prolific beatsmith Madlib will join the ranks of Pete Rock, Jazzy Jeff, and the late J Dilla on September 30, when he drops the latest Beat Generation compilation. WLIB AM: King of the Wigflip also marks the final installment of BBE's acclaimed series. Hip-hop and R&B rule here, with plenty of samples, vocal snippets, and beats from the likes of Guilty Simpson, Prince Po, Georgia Anne Muldrow, and, of course The Beat Konducta himself.
King of Wigflip
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M83, Vladislav Delay Play DEAF Festival
Posted: August 18th, 2008, 10:00am MDT by XLR8R Magazine
Not to be confused with Detroit's DEMF festival, over and done with for the year, DEAF electronic music festival is revving up for its seventh year running. The Dublin, Ireland-based party, whose 2008 edition takes place October 22 - 27, is an event independently run by Irish lable D1, and features music, art, and film into one place for five days.
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Q & A: Tobacco
Posted: August 18th, 2008, 1:00am MDT by XLR8R Magazine
Sure, we're always curious to know about an artist's upcoming release, most recent tour, or arsenal of analog gear, but XLR8R's also got a curiosity for quirk. Thus, each week, we sit down with a different artist and find out what makes them tick, in the studio and in life. First up: He's got a thing for Wisconsin and miniature golf and gets the grade-school teachers hot and bothered. It's Black Moth Super Rainbow's head honcho, Tobacco.
What are you listening to right now?
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Atmosphere Adds Tour Dates
Posted: August 15th, 2008, 3:29pm MDT by XLR8R Magazine
Slug, Ant, and their live band are in high demand, it seems. Atmosphere's Paint the Nation tour was already extensive when we announced it earlier this month, but the group has tacked on several more U.S. dates that will keep them traveling through the month of November, before heading to Australia for a few post-Christmas shows. Check the full set of dates here:
08/09 Reykjavik, Iceland: Tunglid
08/12 Berlin, Germany: Cassiopeia
08/13 Cologne, Germany: Stadtgarten -
Adventure to Go on Tour Adventure
Posted: August 15th, 2008, 12:10pm MDT by XLR8R Magazine
Benny Boeldt, the 24-year old 8-bit wonder-kid otherwise known as Adventure, will head out of his hometown Baltimore for his first-ever set of tour dates, bringing his warped videogame music to dancefloors around North America this fall. Dates are with EAR PWR and Future Islands, as well as a few with Dan Deacon's Round Robin extravaganza.
08/16 New York, NY: DCTV
08/27 Richmond, VA: Rumors*
08/28 Washington, DC: The Velvet Lounge* -
Steve Bug, Kate Simko Get Degenerate
Posted: August 15th, 2008, 10:59am MDT by XLR8R Magazine
Troublemakers and fans of techno will have the chance to celebrate Labor Day weekend with the inaugural installment of Made's Sunday School for Degenerates party.
The two-day event will take place August 31 and September 1, with some of techno's notables, like Kate Simko, Dominik Eulberg, and Steve Bug, hosting the musical side of things. The main event will be preceded by a boat party and followed by an all-day open air party at the Gowanus Canal in Brooklyn.
A pass to all three events is $105. Pick it up, along with other details, here.
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Tetine: Tropical Punk Funk
Posted: August 15th, 2008, 1:00am MDT by XLR8R Magazine
About 25 years ago, Arnold Schwarzenegger told Playboy Channel viewers that the “ass” is the best thing about Brazilian women and their nation’s culture. Such stereotypes of Brazil are exactly what São Paulo-bred “tropical mutant punk funk” group Tetine explores, critiques, exploits, and ironically salutes.
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Illa J Album Gets Title, Tracklisting
Posted: August 14th, 2008, 4:27pm MDT by XLR8R Magazine
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Fujiya & Miyagi Announce Tour Dates
Posted: August 14th, 2008, 12:15pm MDT by XLR8R Magazine
They've been hailed as the band to revive Kraut-rock, and now that they have a fourth addition to the crew, in the form of drummer Lee Adams, the boys in Fujiya & Miyagi will head Stateside for a few tour dates. The shows are in support of the band's forthcoming third full-length, Lightbulb, which will drop September 16.
Dates
10/22 New York, NY: Mercury Lounge
10/23 New York, NY: Webster Hall
10/24 Boston, MA: Paradise
10/25 Chicago, IL: Bottom Lounge
10/27 Seattle, WA: Chop Suey
10/28 San Francisco, CA: The Independent -
CMJ Initial Lineup Announced
Posted: August 14th, 2008, 11:11am MDT by XLR8R Magazine
Time for bands and artists to descend on New York for the annual CMJ Music Marathon. This year's five-day event will take place October 21 - 25, with performances and panels galore scheduled to take place during that time.
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Minitek Festival Hits NYC in Sept
Posted: August 14th, 2008, 9:00am MDT by XLR8R Magazine
Although New York City is no stranger to music festivals, from live events in Central Park to the annual CMJ Music Marathon, few recent events have put dance music and technology in the spotlight. A new one called Minitek looks to change that and bring top techno performers, digital art installations, and green business practices together. Minitek–co-titled The New York Electronic Music and Innovation Festival–takes place September 12-14, with day events in venues to be announced and night events at Penn Plaza Pavilion on Seventh Avenue
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Videogames: No Consoles for Old Men
Posted: August 14th, 2008, 1:00am MDT by XLR8R Magazine
A one-console solution? A no-console solution? The future of game delivery remains untold.
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Triclops! Unleashes Live Shows
Posted: August 13th, 2008, 4:12pm MDT by XLR8R Magazine
If you don't know Bay Area-based outfit Triclops! yet, get thee to one of the band's upcoming shows. An extensive tour kicks off today in support of the group's debut album, Out of Africa, and these psych-noise makers are said to put on quite the live show, full of thrashing guitars, nervous drums, and lots of aggressive energy.
Dates
08/13 Portland, OR: Kenton Club
08/14 Tacoma, WA: Hell's Kitchen
08/15 Spokane, WA: The Blvd
08/16 Missoula, MT: The Palace
08/18 The Aquarium Fargo: Dempsey's Upstairs -
Top 10: Flying Lotus, Jay Reatard, Vast Aire
Posted: August 13th, 2008, 3:54pm MDT by XLR8R Magazine
Sami Koivikko
Sapphire
Spectral Sound
Release Date; Out NowThree tracks of house and techno that find this Finnish producer combining the energy of big-room dance music with intricate and emotionally wrought musical arrangements.
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Milosh Readies Third Full-Length
Posted: August 13th, 2008, 12:30pm MDT by XLR8R Magazine
With two solid full-lengths under his belt, Milosh is gearing up to release a third. iii is set for release September 23 via his longtime home at Plug Research and through !K7 in Europe.
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Nightmare Before Christmas Gets Indie
Posted: August 13th, 2008, 11:40am MDT by XLR8R Magazine
Just in time for the start of Holiday Season madness (which seems to get earlier and earlier every year) is the fifteenth anniversary of Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas, for which, it's being reported, Walt Disney Records gathered a collection of recordings inspired by the movie. The resulting compilation, titled Nightmare Revisited, will be released September 30 and features a pretty diverse lineup of artists.
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Pon Di Wire: Beenie Sizzle, Ce'Cile
Posted: August 13th, 2008, 9:00am MDT by XLR8R Magazine
Moses Davis’ star-studded Beenie Sizzle concert, held at Jamalca Sports Complex in Clarendon, was reportedly a major success, although the namesake headliner only performed for a little over 14 minutes before the police shut the concert down, just after 6 a.m.
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Labels We Love 2008: Part 4
Posted: August 13th, 2008, 1:00am MDT by XLR8R Magazine
If you’re reading XLR8R you probably already own ’nuff albums on XL or Domino, Def Jux and Lex artists have repeatedly rocked your headphones, and you know what’s coming out on Minus or Stones Throw before we do. So this year–our seventh time loving on labels–we focus on labels we’ve (mostly) never quizzed before. For the next six weeks, we'll catch up with brash new dancefloor igniters Fool’s Gold and Dress 2 Sweat, techno champions Mobilee and Traum, and the dubstep damage squad: Hyperdub, Tectonic, Hot Flush.
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Dungen Announces Fall Tour
Posted: August 12th, 2008, 3:30pm MDT by XLR8R Magazine
With a new drummer in tow, Swedish four-piece Dungen will head Stateside, for its first tour across the pond in three years. Johan Holmegard joins guitarist Reine Fiske, bassist Mattias Gustavsson, and Gustav Ejstes, and these guys' psych-jazz tunes are well worth catching in the live setting. The band will showcase material from its most recent release, 4, due out this fall.
Dates
10/24 Brooklyn, NY: Music Hall of Williamsburg
10/27 Hoboken, NJ: Maxwell's
10/28 Philadelphia, PA: Johnny Brenda's
10/30 Boston, MA: Great Scott -
The Bug Brings Zoo to North American
Posted: August 12th, 2008, 2:06pm MDT by XLR8R Magazine
Kevin Martin (a.k.a. The Bug) released London Zoo last week, and he has a few North American dates planned to showcase the new material. For those already eager for more, check out a completely unreleased track called "Flying" over at RCRD LBL.
09/19 Nelson, BC: TBA
09/20 Vancouver, BC: Open Studios
09/21 Edmonton, AB: The Pawn Shop
09/26 Los Angeles, CA: TBA
09/27 San Francisco, CA: Club Six -
High Places Announce Tour Dates
Posted: August 12th, 2008, 1:07pm MDT by XLR8R Magazine
We recently profiled Brooklyn-based duo High Places, who claimed to be three times as loud as the bands they open for. With their self-titled debut album about to drop, Rob Barber and Mary Pearson prepare to splinter eardrums across North America this fall, with shows that include a performance with Dan Deacon and several with noise-rockers Ponytail. Meanwhile, Barber and Pearson’s album drops September 23 via Thrill Jockey.
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Get Physical Preps Full Body Workout 4
Posted: August 12th, 2008, 11:39am MDT by XLR8R Magazine
Tech house's finest DJs and producers gathered together to contribute to Full Body Workout Vol. 4, the latest offering from Berlin's Get Physical imprint and the first installment of this series we've seen in nearly two years.
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Exclusive Reggae Sumfest Recap
Posted: August 12th, 2008, 10:00am MDT by XLR8R Magazine
By all accounts, this year’s Reggae Sumfest concert, held July 13-19 in Montego Bay and one of the island’s largest multi-artist events, was a major success. Although rumor had it that international guests like T-Pain and Lil’ Wayne did not fare so well with the notoriously fickle Jamaican audience, local veterans and new talent all shone at the well-produced three-day event.
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Steinski: Barely Legal
Posted: August 12th, 2008, 1:00am MDT by XLR8R Magazine
In 1983, at the urging of a colleague, Steve “Steinski” Stein and his friend, Douglas “Double Dee” DiFranco, entered a Tommy Boy-sponsored contest to remix G.L.O.B.E. and Whiz Kid’s “Play that Beat Mr. DJ.”
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Sebastien Grainger Readies Full-Length
Posted: August 11th, 2008, 5:52pm MDT by XLR8R Magazine
He's widely known as one-half of the now-defunct duo Death From Above 1979, but since the band split back in 2006, Sebastien Grainger has been following a different trajectory, one that's led him towards a solo promising career.
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Dan Deacon Readies Round Robin Tour
Posted: August 11th, 2008, 1:08pm MDT by XLR8R Magazine
Baltimore's going on tour–round robin style. Dan Deacon has gathered artists from Floristree, Wham City, Tarantula Hill, The Bank, Comfort Dome, and other crews in the Baltimore music scene for the Baltimore Round Robin Tour, which kicks off in October.
The multi-city event will feature nightly shows in which bands sit in a circle on the periphery of the performance space and play back-to-back songs around the room, no breaks in between. The audience, meanwhile, will view the show from the center of the room.
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Speedy J Launches Label and Sound Library
Posted: August 11th, 2008, 11:21am MDT by XLR8R Magazine
Dutch electronic producer Jochem Paap has made a career of reinvention. Recording as Speedy J since 1990, the Rotterdam-born musician has had several pioneering moments, including his break-through 1992 single, “Pull Over,” on Richie Hawtin’s Plus 8 label, and headlining the 2008 DEMF Festival in Detroit. Paap’s albums, G Spot (1993), Ginger (1995), Public Energy No.
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Luomo Announces New Full-Length
Posted: August 11th, 2008, 10:29am MDT by XLR8R Magazine
Sasu Ripatti's back, with a newly announced full-length from his Luomo moniker, under which he makes dreamy, dubby house music. Convival will pick up where 2006's Paper Tigers left off, with guest appearances this time around from Robert Owens, Cassy, Apparat, and Scissor Sisters' Jake Shears.
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The Juan MacLean Readies Tour Dates
Posted: August 11th, 2008, 9:56am MDT by XLR8R Magazine
The future is nearly here for The Juan MacLean, in the form of a new full-length, The Future Will Come, slated for an early '09 release, and a couple of singles to whet fans appetites in the meantime. "Happy House" was released earlier this year, and the producer, DJ, and longtime DFA family member will drop "The Simple Life" on September 15 in the U.K. and September 16 in the U.S.
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Neckface Readies Violent Exhibition
Posted: August 11th, 2008, 9:25am MDT by XLR8R Magazine
The press release for Neckface's latest exhibition came with a warning that read, "due to the shocking and violent nature of this art show, absolutely no one under 17 will be admitted." We're not sure if New Image Art Gallery or was just taking advantage of our pre-coffee haze, but Cannibal Carnival, from the sounds of it, will to contain plenty of blood regardless.
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High Places: Escaping the City
Posted: August 11th, 2008, 1:00am MDT by XLR8R Magazine
Brooklyn duo High Places came alive in the summer of 2006 when solo musicians and email friends Rob Barber and Mary Pearson decided to go on tour together. Almost immediately, the Philadelphia native and the girl from Kalamazoo, Michigan began fusing themselves into one band. “We just realized our songs fit together really well,” Barber states from a café in Fort Greene, Brooklyn.
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Deerhoof Plots Giant Tour
Posted: August 8th, 2008, 2:11pm MDT by XLR8R Magazine
Deerhoof is set to hit the road, for a tour that's rather titanic in its proportions. The trio will hit the road shortly before their latest album, Offend Maggie, drops on Kill Rock Stars October 6.
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Sub Pop and Zune Team Up
Posted: August 8th, 2008, 12:07pm MDT by XLR8R Magazine
Sub Pop is still going full force with its 20th anniversary celebrations, and for the latest nod to the last two decades, the Seattle-based label has joined forces with Zune Marketplace. Microsoft's online store has a boatload of material to hand out to fans for the occasion, including exclusive video podcasts, Guestlist picks by the Sub Pop staff, and tracks that span the label's entire catalog.
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Sebastien Grainger Signs to Saddle Creek
Posted: August 8th, 2008, 11:26am MDT by XLR8R Magazine
He hasn't had DFA 1979 to sing and scream for in a couple of years, but Sebastien Grainger has kept busy anyway–embracing his indie-folk sensibilities. The Mississauga, Canada-born musician recently announced the release of his debut solo album, which will drop via Saddle Creek on October 21. Grainger already released his American Names EP on the Omaha, NE-based imprint, and the new album, simply titled Sebastian Grainger & the Mountains will follow where that left off.
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Brian Roettinger Preps Solo Exhibition
Posted: August 8th, 2008, 10:51am MDT by XLR8R Magazine
When he's not busy chatting it up with XLR8R (see Issue 119 for a full interview), Brian Roettinger keeps busy working under his Hand Held Heart moniker, designing books and creating fonts for bands like No Age and Liars.
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America’s Train-Hopping Subculture
Posted: August 8th, 2008, 1:00am MDT by XLR8R Magazine
Two summers ago, in a 100-degree boxcar in southern Oregon, a pair of fellow train riders asked me to never write about train-hopping, ever. “We need this,” they pleaded, over a case of tepid Hamms.
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Carl Craig Gets an Orchestra
Posted: August 7th, 2008, 10:30am MDT by XLR8R Magazine
Not to be outdone by the Glitch Mob's unique live band approach to computer music, Detroit techno legend and Planet E boss Carl Craig is stepping away from the laptop and heading not to a MIDI controller, but a full orchestra setup.
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Marc Houle Releases Album in Four Parts
Posted: August 7th, 2008, 10:00am MDT by XLR8R Magazine
From carbon emissions points to that strange cube we're constantly referencing, Minus is a label that's constantly tapped into technology and not afraid to experiment. For its latest project, Richie Hawtin's imprint turns its attention towards digital downloads.
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Loading... GTA IV, Rock Band
Posted: August 7th, 2008, 8:00am MDT by XLR8R Magazine
GTA IV comes to PC
Rockstar officially announced that the latest in its epic crime-committing series, Grand Theft Auto IV, will be hitting the PC on November 18 in North America and November 21 in Europe.Little in the way of details is known about new content, however, we are aware that Rockstar North is handling the port itself and there will be expanded multi-player options. We just don’t know what they are yet. Though we expect lots more hi-def Russian accents!
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Artist Tips: DJ Godfather
Posted: August 7th, 2008, 1:00am MDT by XLR8R Magazine
Detroit ghettotech master DJ Godfather (a.k.a. Brian Jeffries) is a DJ’s DJ, so when he made the switch to Serato Scratch LIVE, he no doubt convinced more than a few others to follow suit. Rane’s innovative hardware/software DJ package enables DJs to kiss goodbye their heavy vinyl stacks (for better or worse, we know), and jump right into the mix with a pretty simple DJ setup.
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Matthew Herbert and His Big Band Return
Posted: August 6th, 2008, 3:12pm MDT by XLR8R Magazine
Matthew Herbert–musical innovator, multi-instrumentalist, and lover of experiment (see 2004's Plat Du Jour, an album comprised entirely of sounds made from food). The British artist has been dropping tracks for over a decade now, and shows no signs of either slowing down or embracing convention.
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Beach House Readies Tour Dates, Single
Posted: August 6th, 2008, 2:28pm MDT by XLR8R Magazine
After exhausting themselves on the road earlier this year, Victoria Legrand and Alex Scally (otherwise known as gauzy guitar duo Beach House) holed up in the studio to write a new track, "Used to Be," which they'll release as a limited edition 7" on October 21. The single will also contain a four-track demo version of "Apple Orchard," a song from the duo's self-titled album from 2006. The latter is said to be one of the first tracks Legrand and Scally ever recorded, so there's a nice slice of history for you.
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Pon Di Wire: Bounty Killer, Tanya Stephens
Posted: August 6th, 2008, 1:47pm MDT by XLR8R Magazine
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DJ /Rupture Preps New Mix Compilation
Posted: August 6th, 2008, 1:34pm MDT by XLR8R Magazine
Jace Clayton's back, ready to rock the speakers with another dub-heavy mix made under his DJ /Rupture alias. Uproot, due for release October 3 on Agriculture Records, is Clayton's first compilation since returning to Brooklyn from a seven-year stint in Spain, and as usual, the album is a sampling of bass and beats goodness.
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Tricky Plans U.S. Tour Dates
Posted: August 6th, 2008, 1:18pm MDT by XLR8R Magazine
It's been five years since we've seen English trip-hopper Tricky perform on U.S. shores, and finally, the man born Adrian Thaws has announced some Stateside performances. Shows will be in support of his new album, Knowle West Boy, which is set to drop September 9 via Domino. In addition to performing tracks off the release, Thaws has also promised to pull out songs from his entire catalog, backed by a brand-new band.
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Indian Jewelry Announces Tour
Posted: August 6th, 2008, 11:26am MDT by XLR8R Magazine
The members of Indian Jewelry just announced a set of tour dates in support of their 2008 release, For Free Gold. The L.A.-based makers of moody noise rock will hit the road tonight, in Austin, TX, then travel West through various cities for the rest of the month. Catch them at one of these dates:
08/06 Austin, TX: Emo's
08/08 Tucson, AZ: Solar Culture
08/10 Los Angeles, CA: The Echo
08/15 San Luis Obispo, CA: Retrospect
08/16 San Francisco, CA: The Hemlock
08/21 Eureka, CA: The Little Red
08/22 Portland, OR: Someday Lounge -
Lucky 13: Azeem, Cadence Weapon
Posted: August 6th, 2008, 9:00am MDT by XLR8R Magazine
Each month our resident cycling fiend and S.F. DJ legend Toph One drops 13 bombs for your listening, watching, and wearing pleasure.
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Labels We Love 2008: Part 3
Posted: August 6th, 2008, 1:00am MDT by XLR8R Magazine
If you’re reading XLR8R you probably already own ’nuff albums on XL or Domino, Def Jux and Lex artists have repeatedly rocked your headphones, and you know what’s coming out on Minus or Stones Throw before we do. So this year–our seventh time loving on labels–we focus on labels we’ve (mostly) never quizzed before. For the next six weeks, we'll catch up with brash new dancefloor igniters Fool’s Gold and Dress 2 Sweat, techno champions Mobilee and Traum, and the dubstep damage squad: Hyperdub, Tectonic, Hot Flush.
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The Death Set Joins Girl Talk Tour
Posted: August 5th, 2008, 12:56pm MDT by XLR8R Magazine
The Death Set really enjoys life on the road, it seems. In 2008 alone, the band has done dates with Bonde Do Role, joined the F Yeah Tour, and played several shows with The Mae Shi this past July. Are they ready to return to their Baltimore homebase?
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Crystal Stilts Tour with Vivian Girls
Posted: August 5th, 2008, 12:05pm MDT by XLR8R Magazine
The moody psych-rockers in Crystal Stilts will join lo-fi melody makers the Vivian Girls on the road for a handful of dates that kicks off today and will keep the two New York-based bands occupied for the rest of the month.