Another Dimension, Another Dimension...

It feels like Julian Casablancas' '11th Dimension' has been knocking around for ages but the video has only just turned up. A bit of a departure from the videos we're used to seeing Julian in it is too...



Choon.

!!!

Glitter And Gould

As the hype around Ellie Goulding continues to build, a clutch of her older folksy tracks have surfaced online.

Pick of the bunch for me is the stunning 'Every Time You Go'. They're all pretty excellent though.

Ellie Goulding - Every Time You Go



Ellie Goulding - The End



Ellie Goulding - The Writer



Ellie Goulding - Not Following You



As much as I enjoy the synthpop direction she's taken, I'd love to see a couple of these, in some shape or form, on her album when it's released in February.

In The Shadows

My friend Louise introduced me to the work of enigmatic artist Wilhelm Staehle earlier this week and I'm somewhat besotted, especially with his deliciously wry 'Silhouette Masterpiece Theatre' collection.



See more here.

Stuck On Repeat

Fenech Soler - Lies



Hockey - Too Fake (RAC Remix)



Monarchy - The Phoenix Alive (free download)



Late of the Pier - The Bears Are Coming (Partyshank Remix)



Uffie - Pop The Glock (Felix Da Housecat's Pink Enemy Remix)



Marina & The Diamonds - Hollywood (Fenech Soler Remix) (free download)



Bloc Party - Talons (Phones R.I.P. Remix)



[Image: Prim Magazine]

???

Key To My Life

[Images: CD Ryan]

Well, That Wouldn't Tickle...

Cat Face in 'Snow Joke'.

Oh. My. God.

I'm currently getting ready for some Stephen's Day silliness and my preparations are being soundtracked by a Marina & the Diamonds track on loop. Shocking, right?

Her forthcoming single 'Hollywood' has been remixed by English electro-pop wonderkids Fenech-Soler and the results are quite marvellous.

The re-swizz sees Marina's sprightly pop tune transformed into a housey club-monster, the 'Oh my god' breakdown in particular being a late contender for musical moment of the year.



Yum. Download the MP3 for free from the infallible Neon Gold.

Bouncing Back

After thwarting attempts to have his videos removed from Youtube, Aussie remix artist Pogo has bounced back with 'Upular', a remix using clips from the likely winner of the 2010 Best Animated Feature, Pixar's 'Up'.



I honestly think this is on par with 'Alice', the video that originally brought him to my attention.

Festive Feline

The inimitable Simon's Cat in 'Snow Business'.



One question: where's Simon?

[Via: Girl From The Hills]

Stealing Hearts Was Your Past-time

A friend of mine recently described Aussie singer Sia's new single 'You've Changed' as sounding like 'Anastacia for indie kids'.

The case as this may be, I'm quite enamoured with the track and beginning to think this up-tempo, cheery Sia might be every bit as interesting as the pained, ballad-toting chanteuse I first fell for.

The video for the track is, like all Sia's videos, top notch:

Reach The City Steps Tonight

Miike Snow's 'Silvia' is one of my favourite tracks from their hit-heavy eponymous debut. It's a great example of a song that 'goes somewhere', beginning as a fairly pedestrian ballad before escalating towards an explosion of synthy goodness.

I'm glad that they've opted to release it as a single and, although it's a shame they've had to lop two and a half minutes off the original edit to make it 'radio friendly', the accompanying eerie post-apocalyptic video offers some consolation:

Came In Eighteen To One

'Fairytale of New York' is generally regarded one of the ultimate Christmas tunes but, like most others, has been butchered a fair few times down the years. Anyone remember Ronan Keating's horror attempt?

Thankfully not all versions are quite so dire. The BBC have coerced Florence Welsh and Billy Bragg into having a stab at the tune and the results are quite brilliant.

Although perhaps lacking the bile of Kirsty McColl and Shane McGowan's exchanges in the original, the interpretation does capture a certain world-weariness that nicely fits with the song's lyrics.



Avoid at all costs: Scouting For Girls and Paloma Faith's 'rendition'.

Stuck On Repeat

Ellie Goulding - Under The Sheets (Jeuce Rework)



El Perro Del Mar - Change of Heart (Robyn's Rakamonie Remix)



Uffie - MCs Can Kiss



Pony Pony Run Run - Hey You (Algeronics Remix)



Robyn - Cobrastyle (RAC Remix)



Massive Attack - Paradise Circus



Hereldeduke vs The Snowman - Dubstep Snowman



[Image: Matty Franklin]

Dangerous By Name...

Dangerous Muse have unleashed the video for their rather excellent single 'I Want It All' (which is apparently being released after all).

WARNING: This video may not be suitable for those who suffer from epilepsy.

WARNING: This video may not be suitable for those who suffer from homophobia.



Don't worry. The wobbly sound doesn't signify the onset of an epileptic or homophobic fit. I think there's a problem with the video's audio levels.

You'll Be Killa Bee Stung

As if being the offspring of Sting and Trudie Styler wasn't enough to guarantee Coco Sumner (aka I Blame Coco) some exposure for her rather decent debut single 'Caesar', she's only gone and roped in Robyn for a guest-spot on the track.



If I bought into this 'top 100 albums of the decade' business, I reckon I'd put Robyn's eponymous 2005 album somewhere near the top of my list. But I don't, so I won't.

Keeping Up With The Jónsis

Jónsi from Icelandic alt-pop outfit Sigur Rós has taken some time out from the band to work on some material of his own.

His album 'Go' is set for release in 2010 and the first track from the record 'Boy Lilikoi' is available as a free download from his website.



The first thing that'll probably strike you about the track is that, yes, it's in English and not the unintelligible Hopelandic (or indeed, 'gobbledigook') that features in Sigur Rós' material.

Thankfully, making his lyrics understandable doesn't really detract from Jónsi's mystique and I reckon he's on to a winner with this charming little ditty.

Emo The Letter

IAMX is one of those artists whose music I enjoyed once upon a time but can't really listen to anymore because it reminds me of a difficult time (in this case, sitting the final exams of my undergrad).

However, I'm willing to make an exception for a track he recently recorded with the brilliant Imogen Heap, 'My Secret Friend'.

The song is deliciously melodramatic and overblown and the two singers' vocals fit nicely together. I also really like the cross-dressing video that accompanies it:

Raising It Up: Florence and the Machine @ The Olympia

Further to her inclusion in the BBC's 'Sound of 2010' list, Welsh songstress Ellie Goulding has just been awarded the Critics' Choice Brit Award, having been deemed the musical act most likely to 'make it big' in 2010.

I'm a devoted fan of Ellie's music but even I'll concede that she'll have her work cut out for her in order to match the achievements of the previous recipient - Florence and the Machine.

It's hard to believe that it's only been twelve months since flame-haired singer Florence Welch first permeated the public consciousness . Seeing her so at ease playing to a sold-out crowd in Dublin's Olympia Theatre, you'd swear she had been entertaining the masses all her life.

The stage in The Olympia has been doused in flowers for the occasion and a neon floral pattern serves as a backdrop. Barefoot and clad in a full-length black dress with big, dramatic sleeves, Florence emerges and quickly launches into her set, comprising mostly of songs from her debut album 'Lungs', which State recently ranked among their best records of the decade.

When she croons the opening lines of 'My Boy Builds Coffins' and her powerful vocal soars above the excited chatter of the audience, Florence illustrates why the title of her album couldn't be more fitting.

After greeting the audience in a soft-spoken voice that is somewhat at odds with her almighty singing voice, she has everybody busting a move to big singles 'Kiss With a Fist' and 'Drumming Song'. The big cheer that was reserved for 'Cosmic Love' at Oxegen (in the wake of the 02 ads) isn't as deafening tonight. Over time, it seems, people have realised that 'Lungs' is an album filled with potential favourites.



At one point in the night, Florence comments that she likes to write songs that are quiet one moment and really loud the next. In a live setting, she handles the transitions perfectly, one minute gently serenading us before thrashing about the stage and shrieking like a banshee.

The set is perfectly paced and builds towards a beautiful moment where, tottering barefoot atop one of the speakers during 'Dog Days Are Over', Florence implores us to sit down on the floor before making us jump up just as the climax of the song kicks in.

Credit must also go to Florence's bandmates ('The Machine') who don't miss a beat, the harpist being a particularly crucial component in the dynamic. The technical side of things seems equally well handled, and some dazzling light programming really helps to enhance the bewitching performance .

For her encore, Florence is joined onstage by writing partner Isabella Summers and even a fluff-up during relatively unknown song 'Falling' can't upset the momentum. The night is capped off with a rousing performance of 'You've Got The Love', which sees Florence take to the balconies and, for a moment, you could be forgiven for thinking she's about to take flight.

The talk of 'tips for 2010' is likely to continue for the next few weeks. As for 2009? Lady Gaga may have hogged more headlines, La Roux may have had more radio rotations and Susan Boyle may have sold more albums, but there's no denying who this year belongs to: Flo and her Mo.

[Image: Lucia Orlandi]

Oh, Crystal Ball...

The BBC's 'Sound Of 2010' longlist has been published and it makes for some interesting reading.

The annual attempt at second-guessing what we'll all be listening to over the next twelve months generally throws up an eclectic mix and this year is no different. The good news is that a number of my favourite new acts (Marina & The Diamonds, Ellie Goulding, Hurts, Everything Everything) have all been earmarked for big things.

I've heard good stuff from quite a few of the others (Stornoway, The Drums, Two Door Cinema Club, Delphic) but, as ever, there's also a few I know absolutely nothing about (Rox, Giggs, Devlin.)

The list in full:

Daisy Dares You, Delphic, Devlin, The Drums, Everything Everything, Giggs, Gold Panda, Ellie Goulding, Hurts, Joy Orbison, Marina and the Diamonds, Owl City, Rox, Stornoway, Two Door Cinema Club

The top 10 will be announced in January. Here's a reminder of how things panned out last year:

1. Little Boots
2. White Lies
3. Florence and the Machine
4. Empire of the Sun
5. La Roux
6. Lady Gaga
7. VV Brown
8. Passion Pit
9. Kid Cudi
10. Dan Black

As you can see, a few predictions were wide of the mark but some were spookily accurate. I'll be investigating the 2010 contenders over the next few days and trying to distinguish the Lady Gagas from the VV Browns. If you fancy doing likewise, check out Persona Sauna's post that features an MP3 by each artist.

At this time of year, there's a dearth of bloggers making lists in the vein of 'Sound of 2010'. The best I've come across is Neon Gold's, which contains some hefty overlap with the BBC list but also includes the brilliant Erik Hassle, Sky Ferreira, Penguin Prison and Starsmith.

Sonic Youth

I'm really looking forward to Come As Soon As You Hear's 'Fake Childhood' in The Basement @ Clarendon House this Saturday, the 12th of December.

My contribution will be to orchestrate a game of pass the parcel but, if that's not enough to convince you to check out the event, feast your eyes upon this lovely video, put together by Liana:



Well, now.

Dangerous Liaisons

I first encountered New York electropop duo Dangerous Muse this time last year, when I became slightly infatuated with an old track of theirs called 'The Rejection'.

At the time, reliable sources (read: Wikipedia) claimed the release of their debut album was imminent and that they had worked with genius producers Bloodshy & Avant (two thirds of Miike Snow and responsible for Britney's best material).

Sure enough, a few months later a teaser trailer for the album's lead single 'I Want It All' surfaced. But then... nothing.

Rumour has it the pair were experiencing 'label issues' and a decision was made not to release 'I Want It All'. Now, almost seven months later, the track has materialised in its entirety, purportedly leaked on to the interweb by the band themselves.

It's an absolute gem of a pop-tune, laced with stabbing synths and underpinned by a wonderfully grubby bassline that perfectly complements Mike Furey's breathy vocal. Frankly, I can't really understand why Warner would shelve it.



Here's hoping we get to hear the full album at some point.

She's Changed

Aussie singer-songwriter Sia Furler has been a firm favourite of mine ever since I first stumbled upon 'Destiny', a gorgeous track by English ambient pop-makers Zero 7 that featured her vocals.

She's since garnered a cult following in her own right, thanks to a clutch of beautiful, heart-wrenching ballads like 'Soon We'll Be Found' and 'Breathe Me' (which soundtracked the rather excellent final sequence of HBO's 'Six Feet Under.)

In between penning songs for Christina Aguilera's forthcoming record, she's currently recording her own fourth studio album, 'We Are Born'. She recently leaked a new track through her Twitter, entitled 'You've Changed' and, frankly, the title couldn't be more fitting.

A funky dance-number that features an almighty guitar riff and sing-along chorus, it's certainly something of a departure from her typical output:



Seemingly, the track is in fact a re-working of a track she recorded with Detroit DJ Lauren Flax over a year ago:



I can't quite decide which version of the track I prefer but I'm curious to see if this apparent radical change of musical direction carries through to the rest of her new album.

Roles Revisited

I really love the feature in the current issue of Empire Magazine that shows Hollywood actors and actresses revisiting some of their most famous roles:

Mel Gibson - Braveheart

Keira Knightley & James McAvoy - Atonement

Ben Stiller - Zoolander

Anthony Hopkins & Jodie Foster - Silence of the Lambs

Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint - Harry Potter

More here.

[Via Karen Howley]

Cosmic Competition: Win A Deluxe Edition of 'Lungs'

It's been a remarkable twelve months for Florence & The Machine, who've triumphantly delivered on the hype that surrounded their music this time last year, earning rave reviews for debut album 'Lungs' and amassing a considerable fanbase along the way.

Florence Welch and her bandmates have proved particularly popular on these shores (thanks in no small part to THAT advert) and won over Irish festival crowds with breath-taking performances at both Oxegen and Electric Picnic earlier this year.

And so, it's somewhat fitting that the band should cap off the year with a sold-out show in Dublin's Olympia Theatre this Monday, December 7th. They could easily have packed out The O2 several times over but the more intimate surround of The Olympia should serve as an infinitely more atmospheric setting for the band's incredible live show.

If you weren't among the lucky few to nab tickets before they sold out in minutes, fret not, because Universal have kindly given me a 4-disc deluxe edition of 'Lungs' (that may potentially even be signed by Florence) to give away, which should help to ease your pain. Even if you're already a proud owner of the album, it should serve as a fantastic Christmas present.

To be in with a chance of winning, please click here and enter your details.

[Image: Shamil Tanna]

Mucho Muchuu

Muchuu's rather excellent single 'Somebody Tell Me' was officially released yesterday and, to celebrate, they're giving away the title track from their forthcoming album 'Adventure We Go'. Click here to download.

Here's the video for 'Somebody Tell Me':



The song is now available on ITunes and you can hear more of Muchuu's dreamy electronica here.

I, For One, Am Aroused

This week sees 'The Theatre Machine Turns You On', a festival of dramatic work by emerging artists, take up residency in The Project Arts Centre.

Curated by Fringe favourites THEATREClub, the festival features nine productions over the course of three days.

One of the shows worth catching is Come As Soon as You Hear's 'Bang Shoot Blast', which kickstarts the festival on Tuesday the 1st at 6:30. Written by Karl Watson and directed by Liana Ni Cleirigh, this strikingly original play about the cycle of relationships packs a serious punch.

Also worth checking out is 'Please Leave A Message Under The Ocean', which is showing on Thursday at 7:30. Written and directed by the obscenely talented Shaun Dunne, the play tells of what happens when you forget old hiding places, find new ones and never want to leve the house ever again. Sounds grim but, knowing Shaun's previous work, it's bound to be several parts lovely.

Tickets for both shows are just €5 and can be booked through The Project.

Ferreira In The Sky With Diamonds

The Sky Ferreira campaign seems to be gathering momentum, with more and more tracks trickling through every few weeks.

She's been working with a variety of top producers producers including Bloodshy & Avant, Paul Epworth, Greg Kurstin and The Shoes, giving rise to a decidedly eclectic output.

Two tracks that she worked on with hotly-tipped producer and remix artist Skeet Skeet have now come into circulation.

'Happy Dre' artfully fuses The Beatles' 'Happiness Is A Warm Gun' with Dr. Dre's 'Still Dre', sounding considerably less shoe-horned than you might expect:



Meanwhile, 'Stand Back' is a souped-up version of Stevie Nicks' classic track. Hardcore Stevie fans probably won't appreciate it but I have no qualms about embracing it:



Both tracks can be downloaded from here. G'wan.

[via Sheena Beaston]

Actually, My Name's Marina...

I unwittingly jumped the gun a bit when I posted the video for Marina & The Diamonds' 'Hollywood (Infected Your Brain)' after some brat had leaked it.

Thankfully, Marina has officially unveiled it now, so you can feast your eyes on it here without worrying about being chased down by the feds:



The song is up to Marina's usual obscenely high standards and she's looking damn foxy in the video.

Plus, it's probably more likely to grace MTV and the likes than the 'arty' videos for 'Mowgli's Road' and 'I Am Not A Robot'. Well played.

Knives And Forks

Pitchfork last year proclaimed New York band Boy Crisis to be "the absolute worst band in the world right now." Despite this, I very much enjoyed their single 'Dressed to Digress' earlier this year.

Same goes for new track 'The Fountain of Youth'. It's a bit more of a laid-back affair than its frantic predecessor and reminds me a bit of Empire of the Sun or a poppier MGMT. It's flanked by a suitably wacky video:



Up yours, Pitchfork.

Family Affairs

Apologies for being something of a Marinaphile but I just stumbled across the cover art and track-listing for 'The Family Jewels'.

It's a shame that 'Jealousy' didn't make the cut but there's a couple of new tracks on there like 'Rootless' and opener 'Are You Satisfied?' that I'm eager to hear.

Tracklist:

01. Are You Satisfied?
02. Shampain
03. I Am Not A Robot
04. Girls
05. Mowgli's Road
06. Obsessions
07. Hollywood (Infected Your Brain)
08. The Outsider
09. Hermit The Frog
10. Rootless
11. Numb
12. Guilty

The album is due out next February. The countdown starts here.

Stuck On Repeat

Two Door Cinema Club - I Can Talk



Hurts - Wonderful Life



Monarchy - Black The Colour of My Heart (free download)



Ellie Goulding & Erik Hassle - Be Mine! (free download)



Kite in the Air - Magic Marker



Ellie Goulding - Under the Sheets (Kids at the Bar Remix)



Erik Hassle - Hurtful (Penguin Prison Remix) (free download)



[Image: Pablo Moran]

Static

I'm currently unhealthily obsessed with the work of graphic designer/art director Albert Exergian. I especially love his recent body of work based on TV culture:





See more of his work here.

Florence Et La Machine

I don't really care for Stella Artois as a drink but I always enjoy their adverts. This latest one featuring Florence and the Machine is something of a cracker:



I suppose Ms Welch is kind of selling out by endorsing a brand of lager but, honestly, I'd forgive her anything

We Interrupt This Broadcast...

21-year-old Aussie 'skate-rat' Jonathan Boulet's 'A Community Service Announcement' is the kind of indie anthem that would sound right at home on the '(500) Days of Summer' soundtrack. Instead, it soundtracks this rather excellent video, directed by New Zealand duo Special Problems.



Boulet seemingly survived this ordeal and his debut album is scheduled for release next month.

Adventure We Go

Brother and sister pair Muchuu seem to be causing something of a stir with their brand of dreamy electropop, permeating the blogosphere at an impressively swift rate.

State's Alan Reilly notes that practically every write-up about the duo sees them described as 'cute' and, although most writers also acknowledge the "crimson undertones" that prevent their music from being sickly saccharine, the video for their debut single 'Somebody Tell Me' is pure unadulterated cuteness:



The single is out next week with an album 'Adventure We Go' due in 2010.

When Erik Met Ellie

When Little Boots toured the UK recently, her support was made up of the dream-team of Erik Hassle and Ellie Goulding. Rather tragically, it seems that neither act will be flanking Ms. Boots when she plays her debut Dublin headliner this Friday.

However, there is some consolation in the form of a joint cover by Ellie and Erik of Robyn's 'Be Mine!', presumably recorded while they were on the road together. Their acoustic rendition has been made a free download via Popjustice and you'd be well advised to click here and check it out.



Also worth a spin is 'Fighter Plane', the b-side to Ellie's current single 'Under The Sheets'. This one you'll have to pay for alas.

Heart of Glass

"Who'd have thought the greatest popstar of the noughties would appear in the decade's final 18 months?" Popjustice, November 2009



Also:



She always had it in her really, didn't she?

Big, Big, Big Love To Robbie Williams...

Kudos to State for unearthing this nugget of televisual brilliance showing Devon lass Joss Stone disgrace herself with a fake American accent at the Brit Awards a few years back:



Amazing.

Ask A Silly Question

I've just stumbled upon this gorgeous cover of The Shirelles' 'Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow?' by Swedish songbird Lykke Li, recorded in July of this year in Stockholm:



Yes, Lykke. I will.