Odesza – Say My Name

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Hot off the release of new album In Return via Counter Records earlier this month, the Seattle-based duo Odesza — who’ve experienced a steady stream of success over the past year — have sold out more than half of their fall tour dates. Standout track off the LP “Say My Name” features the vocals of Zyra alongside their signature inventive soundscapes, and some additional chopped vocals from Madelyn Grant. Incidentally, there’s a slew of remixes of this song happening as part of the This Song Is Sick official remix contest. So if you’re dying for different variations of the tune, head over to the contest page and vote for your favorite before it ends October 17. Listen to the original below, along with some of our other faves, “Always This Late” and “Sun Models.”

Odesza is performing at DC’s U Street Music Hall TONIGHT! If you missed your chance to get tix, you can still purchase the album here.

The Crystal Method – Over It (Bixel Boys Remix)

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It’s not often that I go to post about an artist, only to discover that they are playing in my locale that very night. That is in fact, the case here with the Southern Californian duo Bixel Boys. Bringing their tropical house vibe to DC’s U Street Music Hall tonight, their latest remix of The Crystal Method’s new track “Over It” is a synthy and somehow summery twist on the the classic TCM sound. Stream the infectious retake in preparation for your Saturday night and check out their full tour dates below.

Bixel Boys Spring Tour Dates:

2.22 – D.C @ U Street Music Hall w/ Justin Jay + PillowTalk +option4
2.27 – London, ONT Canada @ London Music Hall w/ WE ARE GTA
2.28 – Toronto, Canada @ UNIUN Nightclub w/ GTA
3.1 – San Diego @ Bang Bang (BIXEL BDAY PARTY)
3.6 – San Diego @ Fluxx Nightclub w/ DJ SNAKE
3.7 – Dallas @ The Globe w/ Amtrac
3.8 – Chicago @ evilOlive w/ Autograf
3.13-15 – Austin @ SXSW
3.22 – Los Angeles @ LURE w/ Boys Noize
3.28 – Miami @ Nikki Beach Miami w/ Tommy Trash
4.4 – Denver, CO @ SnowBall Music Festival

Blood Orange – You’re Not Good Enough (Holy Ghost! Bootleg)

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Brooklyn-based duo Holy Ghost! have just released a dance-floor bootleg version of Blood Orange‘s hit single “You’re Not Good Enough,” to coincide with the announcement of their upcoming tour dates (see below).

The original track — produced by the talented songwriter Dev Hynes (known as Blood Orange) — is quintessentially 80’s in style. Dev has worked with the likes of Florence and the Machine, Solange (“Losing You”), and Sky Ferreira (“Everything is Embarrassing”), so he clearly knows how to craft a good pop song. The track, which was released on his album Cupid Deluxe last month has been compared to the pop stylings of Prince, but my mind keeps going to Sheila E. What do you guys think?

See for yourself and pick up the free Holy Ghost! bootleg below as well.

 

Upcoming Holy Ghost! Tour Dates:
1/10 New York, NY @ Webster Hall
1/11 Miami, FL @ Bardot
2/07 Philadelphia, PA @ The Dolphin
2/08 Washington, DC @ U Street Music Hall
2/13 Montreal, QC @ Il Motore
2/14 Toronto, ON @ The Hoxton
2/21 Kansas City, MO @ Riot Room
2/22 Chicago, IL @ Smart Bar

Artist Spotlight: Au Revoir Simone

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The Brooklyn-based trio Au Revoir Simone have been on my radar since 2007, the year they went on tour with Peter, Bjorn and John and I was discovering the wonders of dreampop. Described by London’s The Times as “a collision between the Waitresses, Stereolab and Kings of Convenience, their music has power from what it holds back rather than spells out, and is just waiting to be fallen in love with (or to).” Indeed, their whimsical Still Night, Still Light LP from 2009 was on heavy rotation in my playlist at the time and still is — sample a few favorites off the album below, including a rad remix by Neon Indian and a disco edit of “Only You Can Make You Happy.”

 

After a long hiatus the group released a new full-length album last month, Move In Spectrums, which debuts a more space-age pop sound that diverges from their prior lighter fare. While it may not hold the same charm as their previous efforts, they have definitely paved the way for many female bands in existence today (ah hem, HAIM).

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Au Revoir Simone will be performing at DC’s U Street Music Hall tonight, and at the Highline Ballroom in NYC tomorrow!

Upcoming Tour Dates:

Oct 15 – Washington, DC – U Street Music Hall
Oct 16 – NYC – Highline Ballroom
Oct 18 – Boston – Brighton Music Hall
Oct 19 – Montreal – The Belmont
Oct 20 – Toronto – The Drake Hotel
Oct 22 – Los Angeles – Echoplex
Oct 23 – San Francisco – Slim’s
Oct 25 – Portland, OR – Doug Fir
Oct 26 – Vancouver, Canada – Electric Owl
Oct 27 – Seattle – Neumos
Oct 28 – Chicago – Lincoln Hall

HAIM – The Wire (Tourist Remix)

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Until now the buzz around HAIM, the sister trio from LA had all but escaped my attention. This remix by the London producer Tourist, however, changed that with his tropical twist on their single “The Wire.”

The mix will be part of the Amazon’s UK deluxe edition of the bands forthcoming LP Days Are Gone, out September 30th. Stream below along with the virtually unrecognizable original, which, while not my fave, has an undeniably catchy chorus.

 

Tourist 2013 North American Tour Dates:
10/18 New York, NY @ CMJ
10/19 New York, NY @ CMJ
10/23 Boston, MA @ TT The Bears
10/24 Washington, DC @ U St Music Hall
10/25 Montreal, QC @ Belmont*
10/26 Toronto, ON @ Wrongbar*
10/27 Asheville, NC @ Mountain Oasis
10/29 Miami, FL @ Bardot*
10/30 Vancouver, BC @ Electric Owl
10/31 San Francisco, CA @ 1015 Folsom
11/1 San Diego, CA @ Bang Bang
11/2 Seattle, WA @ Lo-Fi
11/3 Los Angeles, CA @ Hard – Day of the Dead
11/7 Chicago, Il @ Concord
11/8 Minneapolis, MN @ 7th St Entry
11/9 Denver, CO @ Norad

*Supporting Duke Dumont

London Grammar – Strong (High Contrast Remix)

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The EP for London Grammar‘s new single “Strong” is set to release September 1, which includes the High Contrast remix by Welsh producer Lincoln Barrett. With his trademark addition of d&b, the rework is a solid – dare I say stronger – reinterpretation of the original.

Listen below, along with another track off their Metal & Dust EP, “Darling Are You Gonna Leave Me.”

London Grammar will be playing at DC’s U Street Music Hall October 6th.

AlunaGeorge – Bad Idea

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AlunaGeorge has released another teaser off their long-awaited album Body Music — now due out July 29th. On the heels of previous catchy singles “Your Drums, Your Love” and “Attracting Flies,” “Bad Idea” is yet another infectious effort by the London duo. Stream below and be on the lookout for their debut LP later this month via Island Records.

The future-pop pair will be touring Europe this summer, landing in the US for a smattering of tour dates in late August (full schedule below). **Tip for the locals: tickets go on sale for their stop at DC’s U St Music Hall at 10A this Thurs. Don’t miss out!

 

AlunaGeorge 2013 Tour Dates:
7/11 – London, UK @ New Slang Kingston
7/12 – Lisbon, PT @ Optimus Alive! Festival
7/14 – Balado, UK @ T in the Park
7/17 – Montreux, CH @ Montreux Jazz Festival
7/19 – Dublin, IE @ Longitude Festival
7/20 – London, UK @ Lovebox
7/21 – Benicassim, ES @ Benicassim
7/27 – Hyeres, FR @ Midi Festival
8/02 – Katowice, PL @ OFF Festival
8/04 – Hertfordshire, UK @ Standon Calling Festival
8/06 – Magalofes, ES @ Majorca Rocks
8/07 – Ibiza, ES @ Ibiza Rocks
8/10 – Bucharest, RO @ Summer Well Festival
8/11 – Helsinki, FL @ Flow Festival
8/15 – Kiewit, BE @ Pukkelpop
8/23 – Leeds, UK @ Reading and Leeds Festival
8/24 – Liverpool, UK @ Creamfields
8/25 – Reading, UK @ Reading and Leeds Festival
8/30 – Chicago, IL @ North Coast Music Festival
9/01 – Philadelphia, PA @ Made in America
9/03 – Washington, DC @ U Street Music Hall
9/05 – New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom
9/06 – Brooklyn, NY @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
9/07 – Boston, MA @ The Sinclair
9/08 – Montreal, QC @ Virgion Mobile Corona Theatre
9/09 – Toronto, ON @ The Hoxton
9/11 – San Francisco, CA @ The Independent
9/12 – Los Angeles, CA @ The El Ray
9/14 – Rochester Hills, MI @ St. Jerome’s Laneway Festival
9/24 – Tokyo, JP @ Liquid Room
9/28 – Sydney, AU @ Listen Out Sydney
9/29 – Perth, AU @ Listen Out Perth
10/05 – Melbourne, AU @ Listen Out Melbourne
10/06 – Brisbane, AU @ Listen Out Brisbane
10/12 – Norwich, UK @ Waterfront
10/13 – Newcastle, UK @ Digital
10/17 – Leeds, UK @ Cockpit
10/19 – Oxford, UK @ Gathering 2013
10/20 – Bristol, UK @ Academy
10/21 – Manchester, UK @ Academy 2
10/22 – Birmingham, UK @ Library
10/24 – London, UK @ Shepherds Bush Empire
10/25 – Cambridge, UK @ Junction
10/26 – Brighton, UK @ Concorde 2
10/29 – Sheffield, UK @ Plug
10/30 – Nottingham, UK @ Rock City
11/03 – Stockholm, SE @ Debaser
11/04  – Oslo, NO @ Parkteatret
11/05 – Copenhagen, DK @ Vega
11/06 – Hamburg, DE @ Stage Club
11/11 – Brussels, BE @ AB
11/14 – Cologne, DE @ Gebaude 9
11/15 – Berlin, DE @ Bi Nuu
11/17 – Franfurt, DE @ Zoom
11/18 – Munich, DE @ Strom
11/19 – Milan, IT  @ Magazzini Generali
11/20 – Zurich, CH @ Exil

Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs (T-E-E-D) – Household Goods

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Although I featured TEED on my Best-of-2012 list and mentioned him briefly on this Foals feature, I have been fascinated with the UK artist (and his futuristic headgear) for some time and have yet to pay him proper tribute. Thus, what better time to recognize electronic DJ/producer Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs than on the day of his concert in DC? (There are still tickets avail, though I can’t imagine why — what with his alleged glittery cannons and dancing dinosaurs on stage.)

TEED, otherwise known as Orlando Higginbottom released his first EP in 2009 and eventually his debut album Trouble in 2012. Sample some of the addictive and avant-garde electro-house beats with “Household goods” and “Garden” below, available on iTunes.

St. Lucia – September

South African-born artist Jean-Philip Grobler, aka St. Lucia released his debut EP September this September. However, I first fell in love with his sound upon hearing the single “Closer Than This” last spring. Having traveled around the world with a choir in his youth and later honing his musical sensibilities across the pond, the electro-indie artist now produces his signature shimmering synths out of Brooklyn.

St. Lucia will actually be performing in D.C. this Thursday, December 13th at U Street Music Hall with British producer Alex Metric for the All Things Gold party. Should be a fun event – so if you have nothing better to do and enjoy these ditties as much as I do – go check it out.

I’ve got a feeling we will never get closer than this
I can’t imagine there’s a way to get closer than this