Covers Watch

So I haven't been around these corners much, and Adam has been ably stepping in to provide you with sweet tunes coverage these past few weeks, but I'm determined to return. There may possibly be a Johnny Whopper mixtape in the works, and you should be excited about it, but for now, I have to post this absolutely unbelievable track from Barcelona's Hermanos Calatrava. It's a cover of David Bowie's "Space Oddity," but it turns it into equal parts psych-pop freakout and globalization commentary. It's not new - it's part of Finders Keepers' Absolute Belter comp, but it's every bit as fresh-sounding today as when it was released in 1974.

MP3: Hermanos Calatrava - "Space Oddity"

WU LYF

Wu Lyf is the radical band all y'all will be dancing to at house parties by summer's end, and this is a video for their new song "Dirt."  Their upcoming LP, Go Tell Fire to the Mountain, is out June 13 all on their own thing World Unite. These Manchester kids got a whole smart style enterprise together.
4 further reading: what is the meanin of LYF; Guardian article from way back that states "'Wu Lyf are fucking brilliant;'" and sum NME coverage from early this year.  And they were also on the playlist for Episode 21!

Coma Cinema and Teams/Forty Ounce Mix

Last night Coma Cinema was like "I've decided to release the new EP a couple of days early," and I mean I know it's early but in my opinion the new EP, Abandoned Lands, is pretty solid.  The songs come off as successful experiments, smart and vibrant and wild, with lots of blown out synth tricks and fucked up wry attitude.  It's actually pretty weird but its weirdness is a testament to its accomplishment, let's say.  Here's this song where you can kind of tell what I'm saying, with like a metronome of a crystalline beat and lyrics about Satan and it seems like the kind of song you could listen to on a summer night road trippin, so right on.
"Burn a Church" - Coma Cinema


Then, too, a couple weeks ago, versatile kind of avant-electro guy Teams and those busy British entrepreneurs at Forty Ounce who yeah were in the previous post too--together they made a mixtape called the Teams Mixtape, I guess, that is in any case all I've wanted to listen to since I downloaded it.  I've been into mixes lately, and this one is one where I'm listening to it and I can't help but keep re-affirming to myself how cool I think it is.  There's some Pictureplane and Nguzunguzu and James Blake and Lil B so I mean--it's one of those that kind of makes you feel cooler just because you're listening to it and you have it and stuff.  So it's a hot commodity, right?, and it'll get you dancin.  And this summer why the fuck you wouldn't want to be dancin.
Teams Mixtape - Teams/Forty Ounce
And if you haven't already, don't forget to pick up the Teams LP Dxys Xff, available at Bandcamp and AMDiscs.  That album is heavy, but bright you know?  Here, check it out:
"Whxt Txrns U Xn?" - Teams

Clams Casino and a coupla compilations

Clams Casino is this 23-year-old dude from New Jersey named Mike who makes rap beats, but is also signed to the same savvy Tri Angle Records that puts out Ooooo and Holy Other.  He is probably therefore the second or third coolest dude in New Jersey.  Clams Casino is putting out an EP, Rainforest, on Tri Angle on June 27th, but a couple songs have already been released.  With "Gorilla" you kind of get a sense of sizzurped confidence layered with like seasonal depression-type not-giving-a-fuck.  But it's actually more interesting than just that. 
"Gorilla" - Clams Casino
And read the Pitchfork interview with this guy, too.


Also there's this really nice and touching and heartfelt and everything else mix that Yojimbo Billions made with Lyfstyl for his wife, with all these love songs done up poignant and paced by his talented pals--Galapagos, Short Circles, and Corduroi, among many others.  It's all original and flowy and all the time you can think of how it's like a gift of love--I think it was a fifth wedding anniversary present, I learned from this superb Fader review--which kind of gives you a lightness that comes from appreciating the successes of love and creativity and stuff.
So check it out it's called "Mad Love in Crazy Times."


And lastly Get Off the Coast and 40 Ounce Clothing collaborated on a mix to commemorate people being able to buy these rad t-shirts and be Jheri's gang/ identify themselves as somebody you want to get to know probably.  I hope these t-shirts result in the formation of a thug-ass gang or crew or collective, maybe called Jheri's kids.  
The mix is called 40oz Taco and has a pretty much perfect blend of fun, bass/base, prurient R&B, and Mariah Carey, and a bunch of new shit that rules.  


I hope everyone is having a good summer so far.

Ice Cream (is gonna save the day)

So we've all been absent for a while, from the blog as well as the radio show. Part of this is definitely due to us being busy (and occasionally lazy, in my case). Still, even if you're busy, you should check out this video for "Ice Cream" by Battles, which is a really great song in its own right. The video, though, is definitely something special. And if you think, "Hey, Gavin, that video, with its quick shots of simple, occasionally sexually charged images reminds me of that other awesome video for "Bombay" by El Guincho," then you won't be surprised to hear that they were directed by the same design collective.

Back from retirement

A lot happened while we were away.  Goblin leaked.  Thom Yorke and Flying Lotus played a surprise show in Los Angeles.
Here's some other stuff that I wanted to note; some of it is from before we retired:
The Purity Ring 7", "Ungirthed," is pretty dope.  It came out like three weeks ago on Transparent and is an exotic and careful and well-executed pair of upbeat tunes.  Check half of it out below:
"Lofticries" -  Purity Ring


Washed Out released a single from their upcoming album--Within and Without, out on Sub Pop in July--and it doesn't disappoint.  Rather, it's that chill dancey bump that we've come to know and love.  I kind of feel like I've got a soft spot for this dude, and even though the genre that Washed Out helped create has sort of collected some dust or w/e I mean let's think of it as a new imprint of an old favorite.
"Eyes Be Closed" - Washed Out


And speaking of chill old favorites, the always-busy Chaz Bundick of Toro y Moi made a mix in bed for Modular's Modcast series called "Made in Bed."  It's a pleasantly varied collection of sounds, from heady blunted dub to like trumpet-heavy swinging stuff to understated spacey lo-fi then to 60s-esque psychedelic guitar solos and there's also some Italian music and some Julian Lynch in there, why not.  It's always interesting and it's always inviting you to take it easy and take a listen.  So take a listen. 
"Made in Bed" - Toro y Moi  


Lastly, there's this other mix that totally fucking rules by L.A. DJ duo Nguzunguzu.  I'm listening to it and more or less every couple of minutes I'm overcome with this like Goddamn-dude appreciation.  But yeah it's not just appreciation; I'm impressed at the completeness and innovativeness, the sample use--rap and r&b from the 00s that we all thought was 'hot' when we saw the videos on MTV Jams kind of stuff--and then the way it flows and everything.  I'm like really feeling it impressed.  It's groovy, in a swagged out L.A. after hours kind of way, where you kind of get a sense of your own breathing and stuff while you're driving back from the show like to wherever you're gonna get a late night snack, or something.  It's called "The Perfect Lullaby," and if it's a lullaby then it's like yeah you're going to sleep but you had a good night, you know?
"The Perfect Lullaby" - Nguzunguzu


In the future, look out for philosophical reflection posts packed with all the invaluable wisdom we learned from our time as retired people.