It's not often that a videogame will introduce you to great new music, but BioWare's meticulous sci-fi RPG Mass Effect has done just that.
The game's end credits are soundtracked by a very fitting, very unheard of Canadian band called Faunts and their excellent track M4 (Part II). Using ambient synth work and stacatto guitar it manages to evoke 80's music without sounding forcefully hip or rehashed.
And so, every year, I'm reminded that Big Day Out really isn't all that big.
Update: official poster released on Pitchfork. It's easier to read than a paragraph of text.
Stuart Price, Jonny Blake, Adam Blake and Beatrice Hatherley form Zoot Woman, a UK band who play the sort of dance/electronic music that is easy to listen to and sometimes seems made for advertising. They've made the track "We Won't Break" from their forthcoming album available at RCRDLBL, and the video is up on Youtube. If you're already familiar with the band then you'll know what to expect.
After hearing it, I'm looking forward to the new album; their 2003 self-titled album was on constant rotation for me when it was released. Oh, and if you think the name Stuart Price sounds familiar, he also goes by the monikers of Jacques Lu Cont, Les Rythmes Digitales, and Thin White Duke. Don't hold his Starsailor remix against him.
MP3: Zoot Woman - "We Won't Break" (via RCRDLBL)
So the story goes that Justice were all set to release Fabriclive 37, the next in the hugely popular mix series, but the powers that be at Fabric just didn't like what the French duo came up with. "Too eclectic", they said. We thought it would be lost forever, but good news: Justice decided to give it away as a Christmas mix. You can grab it courtesy of Asian Dan.
The "eclectic" tracklist is:
01 Sparks - Tryouts For The Human Race - Virgin
02 Rondo Veneziano - La Serenissima - Universal
03 Goblin - Tenebrae - Cinevox
04 Daft Punk - Ouverture - Virgin
05 Surkin - Next Of Kin - Institubes
06 SymbolOne - Love Juice - SymbolOne
07 Korgis - Everybodys Gotta Learn Sometimes - Angel Air
08 Midnight Juggernauts - Ending Of An Era - Mindight Juggernauts
09 The Paradise Ft Romauld - In Love With You - Vulture
10 Justice - TTHHEE PPAARRTTYY (Acapella) - Ed Banger
11 Chic - Everybody Dance - Atlantic
12 Frankie Valli - Who Loves You - Warners
13 Das Pop - Underground - Das Pop
14 Julien Clerc - Quand Je Joue - EMI
15 Daniel Balavoine - Vivre Ou Survivre - Barclay
16 Richard Sanderson - Reality - Barclay
17 Zoot Woman - Grey Day - Wall Of Sound
18 Fucking Champs - Thor Is Like Immortal - Drag City
19 The Rave - Mother - The Rave
20 Fancy - You Never Know - Fancy
21 Frank Stallone - Far From Over - Universal
22 Sheila - Misery - Warners
23 Todd Rundgren - International Feel - Warners
MP3: Justice Xmas Mix
This one's been around a little while, but if you haven't heard already, head to Okkervil River's website and grab their mix-tape of covers and b-sides, 'Golden Opportunities'. If anything, it'll help you ride out the time until we start getting some new albums rollin' out for '08.
Okkervil River - Golden Opportunities Mixtape
Here is the webcast the band made to wish everyone a happy 2008. Enjoy!
I think everyone got tired of Moby the moment his entire album was used to sell us stuff, so I wouldn't have thought that the guy-who-kind-of-looks-like-michael-stipe would have been able to do much more to rekindle interest in his work, but apparently the sampler that has been released on Moby's site has been raising a few eyebrows.
Check it out for yourself.
Edit: I just listened to it - *yawn
Jona Bechtolt, aka YACHT, and one half of the Blow has made instrumental versions of I Believe In You, Your Magic Is Real, and Paper Television available for download.
Get them at his site.
Now, get working on those mash-ups! ("Pile of Gold" would work nicely with The Knack's "My Sharona"...)
Here's a great video clip (not sure whether it's official?) for the Thom Yorke-sampling 'Us Placers'.
Canon Blue (aka Daniel James), is an artist on the label Rumraket, which is also where you can find arists such as Grizzly Bear, Slaraffenland and Amiina - the label itself is run by Efterklang.
I hadn't heard any of his music until I got word that his new "Halcyon" EP was available for a free download, so I pressed play without any preconceptions - I can't express how great it is to discover an artist this way, without any pressure or hype from industry-bodies.
Basically, James writes acoustic/folk music, but covers the lo-fi nature of it all with an electronic veneer. And that's all I'm going to say - I want you to judge for yourself. Consider it an early Christmas present.
Canon Blue - Halcyon EP
