shutting it down.

Hey dudes,

This blarg is officially on hiatus. I haven't had the same enthusiasm -- or inspiration -- for writing this of late, so I'm going to focus my energies into my writing blog (and perhaps a new web mag?) instead. If something so awesome or mid-blowing comes my way that you must know about it, believe me, you will, but any future posts will be sporadic at best.

Thanks for reading, y'all.

ems

leaving LA soon...

...And not really going to miss it.

I'm way excited to get back to the East Coast. I'm so sick of LA's superficialness, obsession with staying "cool", and the fucking endless freeways. I miss Boston and New York's ability to be refined but not pretentious, fashionable but not showy. I miss public transportation, brick and cobblestone, mist and rivers. I miss dry humor, brutal honesty, and people who are unconcerned with being "nice". (Seriously... I miss NOT being the bitchiest person in the room!) I miss my family and my friends, though really, they all fall under "family" (duh).

But more than anything...

I miss the feeling of being home. And I can't wait to get that back in two weeks.

SO sappy.
.
.
.

No seriously, though, fuck LA! I'M COMIN HOOOOOOME

---

Addendum: Oh, LA. For all your faults, I have to say we had our moments. I admit I'll miss you a little bit. Maybe even come back and visit some time. And who knows? Maybe one day when you have an effective Metro system and a (sort of) real downtown, you'll finally be the working, coherent city you long to become. Until then...

Your pal,

Emily

coke addict's* lullaby?

There's something weirdly comforting about a solid banger.

Steed Lord // Royal Ruffian (LAZRtag rmx) [right-click...via Missingtoof]

*NOT me. Just to clarify.

clash of the dance floor titans

One of my absolute favorite purveyors of infectious girl pop, Little Boots, has been remixed by one of my absolute favorite producers of infectious disco-house, Fool's Gold's Treasure Fingers. The result is just bangin' enough without losing its sugary-pop sweetness. Check it:

Little Boots // Earthquake (Treasure Fingers Epicwave Remix) Link removed by request.

Related: This looks way better than the original.

new anco out... err, LEAKED today

I dig. Go figure.

To be honest, I wasn't a huge fan of the live "What Would I Want Sky", but the final product is polished and pleasant. The rest of EP is equally enjoyable, and brings together old and new AnCo sounds into a release that's both earthy and experimental. My only complaints are minor: "Graze" does get a bit kitschy with the pan-flute, and "On a Highway" sounds suspiciously similar to older AnCo songs. (Can anyone pinpoint the hook I'm thinking of?) Regardless, it's another stellar release from Animal Collective, and in a pretty dismal year for music releases, it's nice to have an old favorite deliver quality noise to my ears.

Animal Collective // What Would I Want Sky (album version)

A little late on this one, but...

I like the new Atlas Sound.

Atlas Sound // Quick Canal [via the OCMD]

sorta-new stuff from eric copeland

I just got around to listening to the new solo album from Eric Copeland of Black Dice, Alien in a Garbage Can, and I will say, in a year of fairly unimpressive music releases I'm enjoying it quite a bit. The album combines Black Dice's classic use of samples and noisy hooks with a raw, "found-sound" sort of vibe that's at times reminiscent of early hip-hop, 80's synth-pop, and un poco de Mexicana. Extra props to Copeland for referencing both reptilian humanoids and vampires in the track-listing. Here's a taste:

Eric Copeland // Corn on the Cob
Eric Copeland // Everybody's Libido

End note: So speaking of the lack of good music out there... anybody have any recommendations of late? Lemme know!

music video LOL

Can't embed this for some reason (dumb move on their PR agent's part), but this music video is pretty clever:

VIDEO: Lenny Kravitz // Let Love Rule (Justice Remix)

I lol'd.

OK WTF

Pitchfork now has a segment on ABC WORLD NEWS???????

SRSLY WHAT IS THIS

music to study to...

...or to embark on a drug-fueled night of mayhem through seedy São Paulo night clubs to.

Your call.

Gui Boratto // Atomic Soda

because the world can't end soon enough

Just keeping with my "post-apocalyptic awesomeness" theme. You know.

soundtrack to the apocalypse

So when the world ends:

1) I want to dress like that
2) I want to dance like that
3) I WANT TO BE THAT BADASS

Like, forrill can it be 2012 already?

get weird turn pro DELETED?

I just tried to visit Get Weird Turn Pro, one of my favorite music blogs, only to find THIS message:

"The authors have deleted this blog. The content is no longer available."

NOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sooo sad. I wonder if the got busted for hosted mp3s? Well, here's hoping they get back up & running soon, but in the meantime...

R.I.P. GET WEIRD :((

my blog is getting really one-dimensional, DEAL WITH IT

Fuck Buttons // Rough Steez

Seriously, download this album.

cassie x CFCF

Cassie // Official Girl (CFCF Remix)

Pretty sure CFCF should just be required to remix every song ever released. He'd be pretty busy, but we'd all be a lot happier.

Sidenote: Check out his new HEALTH remix too. Sounds like Toto!!

more fuck buttons, more AWESOME

Manic Street Preachers // Virginia State Epileptic Colony (Fuck Buttons Remix)

new wave from canada via time travel

Those outfits should really be enough to assure you that this track is GREAT.

Tapps // My Forbidden Lover

joakim & robots & nostalgic futurism

Because he space synths/robot vocal combo will never get old! Right?

Joakim // Love & Romance & A Special Person

jamie jones & egyptian lover cruise around LA, get sushi

Featuring a cameo by Zip Fusion, whuddup.

the xx remixed by them jeans

K so I'll admit, I've definitly seen Them Jeans around LA and never been that impressed, but his remix of this XX track is a grand improvement on the original. Check it:

The XX // Shelter (Them Jeans Drum Edit) [via Hot Biscuits]

NEW fuck buttons YEEEEEAAAAAH

New album "Tarot Sport" will be out in October. And it will be LOUD.

Fuck Buttons // "Surf Solar" [follow link]

summatime RECAP

I haven't updated this blog in an unforgivable amount of time. Apologies. Though I feel way lame posting things way after the fact, bear with me as I give you a brief summer recap.

• Summer started with an inordinate amount of Indian Jewelry
• Then I saw "Slumdog Millionaire" (late, I KNOW) and secretly listened to "Jai Ho" on repeat for a while
• Developed a strange affection for T.I. while in Uganda, don't ask
• Subsequently started really digging the XX leaked singles, favorite of which didn't make it onto their album, DISAPPOINTING
• Listened to a lot of Yura Yura Teikoku at my internship. Japanese psych rock is bomb like Hiroshima
• Fell in love with sabar in Senegal. I will attempt an African music post at some time
  
• New Pictureplane album is out, check it out cos it's freaking awesome. Sounds like what we'll be listening to in 2012 when we've escaped into underground colonies to hide from the Reptilians
  
• New Rainbow Arabia record is out too, it's ok but not as crazy as the last one. I do like "Kabukimono" quite a lot, it's just quite a far throw from the earlier stuff

But most importantly, THERE IS A NEW SALLY SHAPIRO ALBUM OUT THAT YOU NEED TO BUY/DOWNLOAD/GIVE UP YOUR FIRSTBORN FOR. So get on that.

This post was weak, but hey. I was in freaking Africa all summer. Somewhat forgivable, I hope.

EXPERIMENT:

Will illegally posting an .mp3 file of a currently online-streaming-only release beckon the Web Sheriff to my blog/get my blog on Hype Machine?

WE SHALL SEE!!!

Grizzly Bear // Two Weeks (Fred Falke Extended Remix) [YSI]

ellie goulding is british and probably likes things like sea mammals and vintage rainbow brites

Loooove dreamy pop music.

Ellie Goulding // Starry Eyed [via Discodust. More tracks over thurr.]

das racist almosts makes me wish i ate fast food so i had more justification for blasting this song everywhere i go

I'm at the Pizza Hut. (WHA?)
I'm at the Taco Bell. (WHA?)
I'm at the COMBINATION Pizza Hut and Taco Bell!

This song... is... BRILLIANT.

Das Racist - "Combination Pizza Hut & Taco Bell (Wallpaper Remix)" [via the Bomarr Blog]

rapidfire posting. phil collins still rules.

And props to the Hood Internet for reminding me so.

The Hood Internet // In the Air Ce Soir (Phil Collins vs. Yelle) [via the Hood Internet]

everything annie touches turns to gold

New Annie. Incredible, per usual, though Designer Drugs kicks it up a notch.

Annie // Anthonio (Designer Drugs Remix) [follow link to Rapidshare]

FOUND IT... aka quest for perfect la roux remix, PART II

Totally danceable + BONUS laser sound effects?

WIN!

La Roux // In for the Kill (Last Japan Skream Re-Edit) [via Tashed]

Check out Last Japan's MySpace here.

[EDIT]: Okay fine, on second listen the vocals sound a little wonky. A little messing with iTunes equalizer does the trick, but I kind of wish I had more sophisticated software to deal with it. They just need a little more lightness/echo...ness to match up with the super spacey sound effects. K done complaining back 2 work

interpol whatever happened to you guys

Just a reminder that this album is STILL AWESOME.

That's all.

physical attraction

I downloaded this mixtape by Little Boots forever ago, and hadn't listened to it since. Until tonight that is, and now I cannot stop listening to this ridiculous Madonna cover from Purple Crush. Thanks LB!

Purple Crush // Physical Attraction (Madonna Cover) [Mediafire]

neon indian

I'm so down with all the mysterious music releases lately. Neon Indian is the latest. All they've said is that they're a girl from Brooklyn and a guy from Austin who collaborate Postal Service style (wow, I'm dating myself...) but Robot Dance Music claims they've both had commercial success in the past. Any guesses? Gang Gang & Fur in their top 8 is interesting...

I love this game.

Check it:

Neon Indian // 6669 (I don't know if you know) [via zShare via RDM]

Neon Indian // Should have taken acid with you [via zShare via RDM]

Neon Indian // Seriously it's over- [via zShare via RDM]

& hit up their MySpace for a few other cool tracks I couldn't find for download anywhere.

WEIRD TAPES

I don't believe this has come up on this blog yet, but just in case you haven't heard:

Weird Tapes is the best thing ever.

That said, you should probably head over to their blog and download the two free EPs they have up, and the sick remix they did for Lost Valentinos, and the NEW sick remix they did for Datarock. Then while you're at it check out Memory Cassette, 'cos they are friends or collaborators or something I don't know it's all very mysterious.

So yes, go check that out. I promise it lives up to its name in both weirdness and tapey-ness, both of which are always a good thing.

la roux remix... x7

I'm pretty opinionated when it comes to remixes, so it's very rare that I find myself listening to different versions of the same song on repeat, trying to decide which is best. La Roux's "In For the Kill" has been remixed so many times in the past month, it's pretty obvious that plenty of other people (namely, DJs) are as infatuated with this track as I am. But which remix is the best??!

Seriously. This is difficult. The original is fun and poppy, but not quite dance floor-ready. The Max Heyes remix adds some much needed texture to the track, but doesn't go as far as some of the others in playing up the darkness of the lyrics/theme of the song. Skream's Let's Get Ravey remix has a SICK intro, but fails to drop the heavy bass when you think it's going to, until the last 50 seconds, which actually finally incorporate a little true "ravey"-ness into the track. It ends up being a really long, mellowed out track that honestly doesn't really go anywhere. Foamo's Skream Remix Bootleg has more texture than the other two, but it's almost TOO epic sounding. Definitely more suitable for a some sort of post-apocalyptic action film than a dance party. Heartbreak's remix is, eh. I guess it's meant to be italo-disco or whatever but t ends up just soundng way too '80s for my taste. L-Vis 1990 Hyper Bass Remix is just that. Hyper. Kind of gives me a headache. Normally I love The Twelves, but I don't know. Their remix is a little too peppy for this song. Also, the noises in the background sound like orca whales.

Conclusion -- for now I'm voting Foamo, but if someone else hijacked the Skream remix and made it a LITTLE more dance-y, I'd be down with that. Feel free to be really cool and productive like me and listen to all 7 versions of this song, and then draw your own conclusion.

puma succeeds in appealing to my demographic

This is so cool.

anticipating veckatimest

Even though I've listened to that shit quality rip like 8 times, I'm so glad Grizzly Bear decided to go ahead and put out a full-quality preview track from their upcoming album Veckatimest. The fully-mastered "Cheerleader" is absolutely beautiful, and finally displays the amount of time and perfectionism put into Grizzly's recording process.

Check it out over at The Fader.

something on my mind...

Facebook changed again, and, like the last few times, the changes weren't necessarily for the better. It always seems that as bad as I think a Facebook change is, they never fail to followup with an even uglier and more confusing interface update.

Anyway, even though the last few times I've said I was quitting Facebook "forever" to protest the changes, this time, I really do anticipate distancing myself from the it considerably. I've realized that Facebook is trying way too hard to be EVERYTHING you would need on the Internet... a blog, a Twitter page, a Delicious account, a Flickr account, an online gaming site, etc, etc.

Yet, Facebook is none of those things, and thus it inevitably fails at offering a better version of any of those services. Facebook's prime was when it was one site, with one service -- a clean, easy-to-use social networking service that let you find friends and communicate them. By adding all these other bells and whistles, suddenly we're being overwhelmed with everyone and their mom's every move on the Internet. (Quite literally. I mean, even my mom's on FB now...)

So, I'm making it a resolution to move my online presence elsewhere. I'll use this blog for longer posts, my new Tumblr page for shorter ones, and against all expectations, I'm actually going to embrace the Twitter fad and move there for micro-updates. Lucky for you all, it'll all be here on my Blogger page. Oh, and I think I'm going start a Flickr account. I've been complaining about Facebook's shit photo service for long enough, so I figure it's about time to just give up on it.

Here's to a new era of web presence.

Love, peace, and RAWRz,

emilysaurus rexxx

new outfit

Sick.

the brighton port authority ft. iggy pop (the twelves rmx)

I can't get enough of this track. Iggy Pop's vocals are so perfect. Almost lulling. Love it. Really.

The Brighton Port Authority ft. Iggy Pop // He's Frank (The Twelves Rmx) [YSI]

warms in the shadows now

I decided to change the background of my blog from white to black to hopefully save some energy.

And it gives it a little more atmosphere, no?

music go music

Music Go Music make fantastic 4am party music. They're from LA but sadly their MySpace is currently lacking show dates. In the meantime, this track is incredible:

Music Go Music // Warm in the Shadows [thanks, GvB!!!]

aer OBAMA

Yes.

BIG in '09 z0mg

SPIN magazine recently came out with an issue predicting bands that will achieve new found fame and recognition in 2009. Examples:

- Glasvegas
- Ladyhawke
- King Khan & BBQ
- Bon Iver
- Andrew Bird
- Animal Collective

Not sure if you guys have heard of any of them, they're all PRETTY obscure. Pretty sure none of them have ever played any major music festivals/sold out prominent venues or anything. Guess I'll have to MySpace them.

Here are a few of my own picks for some bands that could.../probably will go places in 2009.

1. RAINBOW ARABIA

Rainbow Arabia is a band out of the Echo Park area of LA, a neighborhood known for putting out cool, progressive music and gentrification-happy hipsters. Their sound combines electronic dance hooks with tribal percussion and Lebanese synths, earning their music the ridiculously sick genre-label of "ethnotronica". Their "the Basta" EP was one of my favourite releases last year, and I can't wait to get my hands one their LP, slated for a spring '09 release.

2. MEMORY CASSETTE


Memory Cassette is a pseudo-mysterious singer/producer out of New Jersey (yeah, seriously) who is somehow assiciated with Weird Tapes, which is itself somehow related to Hail Social, which is actually a pretty shitty band (Weird Tapes is pretty cool, though). Memory Cassette, on the other hand, is FANTASTIC. The two free EP's released last year were full of synthy night pop and laid-back, dreamy vocals. I have a feeling she and Mr. Weird Tapes might be kind of socially awkward music nerds who makes records in their parents' basements, but hey, who knows. Maybe they'll go on tour this year and prove me wrong. Git yo'self some free Memory Cassette downloads here. [via WE'RE TAPES]

3. LITTLE BOOTS


After her single "Stuck On Repeat" became a hit among international DJ's last summer, it was pretty evident that Little Boots was going places fast. Not only does she write infectious pop music (produced by Joe Goddard of Hot Chip, no less) and DJ like a fiend, she plays the freaking Tenorion! (If you don't know what that means watch this video. Immediately.) My personal favourite music magazine, The Fader, put her on the cover of their latest print edition as an "artist to watch" in '09. They're usually right about these things. I'm hoping to catch Lil B in LA in early February. Might be my last chance to do so before she's opening for Madonna or something.

!!! ALSO !!! You should ABSOLUTELY download the Little Boots vs. Richard X remix/mash-up called "Fine Boots". POSSIBLY my favourite dance track of 2008. Clearly I'm excited because I'm using LOTS OF CAPS. Right-click and download. [via The Blue Walrus]

4. PASSION PIT


Passion Pit is from Boston. I am from Boston. Boston is great. Passion Pit is... catchy! Haha, OKAY, they're definitely pretty good, and catching on FAST, though admittedly "Sleepyhead" is the only track I've heard from them that's blown me away. They're going to blow up regardless (à la MGMT), but I'm hoping they build more on the "Sleepyhead" sound than anything else they've released. Here's hoping for a fantastic LP...

5. HARLEM


Harlem is a band that incredibly difficult to google. Seriously. Try making the mistake I did of searching for "harlem music". Not helpful. Try "harlem myspace", however, and you will be rewarded with the brilliantly stripped-down garage rock sound of one of the best rock bands I've heard in a good long while. And yes, I mean ROCK -- not "noise" or "hardcore" or "alt-rock" or "experimental". Harlem is a much-needed reminder that rock 'n roll is, in fact, not yet dead. WOO.

Happy New Music Year, beezies.

2k8....s0 long ago.

Over the holidays I had every intention of sitting down and typing up a new post about albums I had enjoyed in 2008. I... didn't do that. But since I put a reasonably amount of effort into a haphazard ranking of '08 releases (and by that I mean, "the ones I actually listened to more than once"), I figured I might as well share the list. Here we go:

EMILY'S FAVOURITE ALBUMS of 2008
(ranked "favourite" to "MOST favourite")

Santogold/Diplo, Top Ranking
Annie, Don't Stop
MGMT, Oracular Spectacular
Santogold, Santogold
Hot Chip, Made in the Dark
Kleerup, Kleerup
Kid Cudi, a KiD named CuDi
Alaska in Winter, Dance Party in the Balkans*
El Guincho, Alegranza!
Air France, No Way Down EP
Man Man, Rabbit Habits
Rainbow Arabia, The Basta EP
Fuck Buttons, Street Horrrsing
High Places, High Places
Izza Kizza, Kizzaland
Animal Collective, Water Curses EP
Memory Cassette, Rewind While Sleeping EP
Lykke Li, Youth Novels
Bon Iver, For Emma, Forever Ago*
Crystal Castles, Crystal Castles
Fleet Foxes, Fleet Foxes
Beach House, Devotion
Animal Collective, Merryweather Post Pavilion**

*these albums actually came out in 2007 but hey, who's counting?
**this album actually came out in 2009, dunno if you heard.