Track of the Day: 'Finding Reasons' by New Build

Finding Reasons by newbuild

Hot off the internet comes this new offering, which apparently features Al & Felix from Hot Chip, and also maybe someone from LCD Soundsystem (although that could be Al) and possibly PlanningToRock (information is a bit sketchy, as you can tell).

Anyway, it's pretty good, there's some great guitar towards the end, and it's free, so grab it by the link above.

Friday Top Ten - 16/9/11

DJ Cull's Friday Top Ten - 16/9/2011 by Dj Cull on Mixcloud

Here's this week's Friday Rundown (as I'll probably start calling it) - 15 new tracks to titillate your ears. Press play above to listen, full details of the tracks are below, including links for 9 free downloads:

1. Option Command - Break Even Free download
2. Plaid - Eye Robot (from the new album 'Scintilli')
3. ††† (Crosses) - † Free download
4. Thai Matic - Apollo Free download
5. Radiohead - Good Evening Mrs Magpie (Modeselektor RMX) (from the latest batch of TKOL RMXs)
6. Max Cooper - Qualia (from the 'Empirisch' EP)
7. Lanterns on the Lake - Lungs Quicken  (from the new album 'Gracious Tide, Take Me Home')
8. Deru - Outliers-Iceland (Video Edit) Free download
9. Junip - Without You (Portugal. The Man Remix) Free download
10. Clock Opera - Lesson No 7 (Tom Vek's Tripping Mix) Free download
11. Little Dragon - Seconds (Syd The Kyd Remix) Free Download
12. Slow Club - Never Look Back
13. Big Deal - Chair
14. Fool's Gold - Street Clothes (James Pants Remix) Free download
15. Midnight Magic - What The Eyes Can't See Free download

Track of the Day: 'Helix' by Justice

Fresh out from Justice, a track from their forthcoming album 'Audio, Video, Disco'. Although still easily recognisable as being by the French duo, this has a bit more funk, a bit more sould, and a bit more of a smile on its face than their previous stuff.

Bodes well for the new album!

A couple of videos from SXSW 2011

It's a bit late I know, and the quality isn't brilliant, but here's a couple of clips that I filmed at SXSW this year in Austin Texas.

The first is of Gold Panda, recorded at Emos during his headline set on the opening night of the festival - note the trademark head-nodding!



The second was one of my highlights of the whole week. Gayngs took over the whole of the Mohawk venue for their 'Gayngs Affilyated' show, culminating in about 15 of them taking to the stage. Har Mar Superstar's performance of the George Michael song 'One More Try' was the stuff legends are made off!

Recommended music: 'Scintilli' by Plaid

The first full length album from Plaid since 2003's 'Spokes' is now available on download, and will be released on physical formats on 26th September on Warp. First off, a word about the packaging. The cd is initially available in a 'Muda na Mono' puzzle pack (pictured above) and apparently 'reflects a desire to give the CD an ornamental function beyond its one use as a storage device for music'. The name comes from a Japanese phrase for 'pointless object', and while ultimately this may be a triumph of design over usefulness it's nice to see something a bit different being done to attract buyers to physical formats.

On to the music then, and 8 years is a long time between records in any genre, but particularly in the electronic field, where the equipment itself is constantly evolving as well as the musical styles. Fortunately this record manages to retain the Plaid sound while also keeping up with the times, creating something that sounds current but will also give you hints of nostalgia as you listen to it.

There's quite an array of styles on display here, from the gentle opening of 'Missing' to the dark throb of 'Eye Robot' that follows it, through the glitchy sounds of 'Thank' to the soothing tones of 'Craft Nine'.  Also, I defy you not to think of the Doctor Who theme tune when 'Unbank' starts (and most of the way through it, to be honest) - play it next to Erasure's new cover of the Tomorrow's World theme tune and you'll have a ready-made retro party. Proving themselves well able to keep up with the new breed, Plaid have constructed a thoroughly satisfying set of electronica to fuel your head and your feet.

You can get a download of the album's lead track 'Missing' by signing up to the link below.

Recommended music: Radiohead remixes by Modeselektor and Objekt

Batch number six of the Radiohead TKOL remixes is released on Monday on 12" and download. To be honest, I think one or two of the last few have been a bit average, but both of these are really good. The Modeselektor remix is a good reminder of the fact that their 'Monkeytown' album is released on September 26th, which features Thom Yorke on 2 tracks, and if they sound anything like this mix then they'll be well worth hearing.

Track of the Day: 'Apollo' by Thai Matic

POW! Straight outta North West London, this track from Thai Matic explodes into your ears and proves in four minutes that UK hip-hop has got at least as much swag as its American peers. Having already put out two mixtapes this year, the track is the first from his new album 'Fin' and best of all, you can get it for free by clicking on the link above

'I still take the piss and I won't stop till I'm filthy fucking rich' - on this evidence that won't be very far away.