Stuck On Repeat

Tim & Jean - Come Around



The xx - Islands



Shakira - She-Wolf (Calvin Harris Remix)



Discovery - Swing Tree



Little Boots - Symmetry (featuring Phil Oakey)



Zoot Woman - Live In My Head (Dyebox Remix)



Friendly Fires - Paris (Aeroplane Remix featuring Au Revoir Simone)



[Image: Pablo Moran Jr]

Electric Picnic Timetable

Not too many clashes in this year's line-up, thankfully. My biggest disappointment is that I'm more than likely going to miss Lykke Li on the Friday. I've seen her twice before but she's just so damn good.

Ah, fudge.

Lykke Li

FRIDAY

Main Stage:

10:30-12:00 Orbital
8.45-9.45 MGMT
7.15-8:15 Zero 7
5.30-6.30 Michael Nyman Orchestra
4:00-4:45 Smash Hits

Electric Arena:

11:00-12:00 Rodrigo y Gabriela
9.15-10.30 Seasick Steve
7.30-8.30 Magazine
5:45-6:45 David Kitt
4:00-5:00 8 Ball

Crawdaddy Stage:

11:00-12:00 Luciano presents AEther
9:30 – 10:20 Duckworth Lewis Method
8:00 – 9:00 ABC
6:45 – 7:30 Lykke Li
5:30 – 6:15 The Temper Trap
4:30 – 5:00 Peter Broderick

Cosby Stage:

9:30-10:30 Dinosaur Jr
7:45 – 8:45 Efterklang
6:30 – 7:15 Richmond Fontaine
5:30 – 6:00 Jeffrey Lewis
4:30 – 5:00 Wave Machine

Little Big Tent:

01:00-02:00 Japanese Popstars DJ set
12:00-12:45 Potbelleez
10:30-12:00 Diplo
9:30-10:30 Buraka som Sistema
8:15-9:30 Fake Blood
7:15-8:15 Major Lazer
6:00-7:15 Boy 8 Bit
4:00-6:00 Tu-Ki

Jape

SATURDAY

Main Stage:

12.30-2.00 2ManyDJs
10.30-11.45 Madness
8.15-9.45 Brian Wilson
6.30-7.30 Lisa Hannigan
4.45-5.45 Kid Creole & the Coconuts
3.00-4.00 Baaba Maal
1.30-2.15 Tunng
12.30-1.00 Stee Downes

Electric Arena:

10.30-12.00 Chic
8.45-9.45 Klaxons
7.00-8.00 Bat for Lashes
5.15-6:15 Jape
4:00-4.45 Roots Manuva
2:45-3:30 The XX
1.30-2.00 Heartbreak [CANCELLED]
12.30-1.00 Cap Pas Cap

Crawdaddy Stage:

01:00-02:00 Chris Cunningham
11:45-12:40 Four Tet
10:15-11.15 Explosions in the Sky
8.30-9.30 Imelda May
7.00-8.00 Mundy
5:30-6:30 Billy Bragg
4:00-4:45 A Flock of Seagulls
2.30-3.15 Just Jack
1.30-2.00 Dave Geraghty
12:30-1:00 One Day International

Cosby Stage:

11.00-12.00 Neko Case
9.15-10.15 ESG
7.45-8.45 Whitest Boy Alive
6.30-7.15 The Walkmen
5.15-6.00 Magnolia Electric Co.
4.00-4.45 Marina and the Diamonds
3.00-3.30 Low Anthem
2.00-2.30 Julie Feeney
1.00-1.30 Lost Brothers

Little Big Tent:

12:45-02:00 Moderat
11:00-12:30 [TBC]
9:45-10:45 The Proxy
7:30-9:30 James Murphy and Pat Mahoney
6:30-7:30 The Field
5:00-6:15 Jazzanova (live)
3:30-4:30 Noze
2:30-3:30 Jon Averil
1:30-2:30 LRB and Conor G
12:30-1:30 Transmission DJs

Royksopp

SUNDAY

Main Stage:

10.30-12.00 Basement Jaxx
8.30-9.45 Bell X1
6:30-7:45 Alabama 3
4.45-5.45 The Wailers
3:00-4.00 Quantic and his Combo Barbaro
1.45-2.30 Introducing (DJ Shadow tribute)
12.30-1.15 Dublin Gospel Choir

Electric Arena:

10.15-11.45 Flaming Lips
8.30-9.30 Royksopp
6.45-7.45 Fleet Foxes
5:30-6.15 Florence and the Machine
4:15-5.00 Simian Mobile Disco
2:45-3:45 Nightmares on Wax Soundsystem
1:30-2.15 The Sugarhill Gang
12:30-1:00 Two Door Cinema Club

Crawdaddy Stage:

10.45-11.45 Damien Dempsey
9.00-10.00 Amadou and Mariam
7.15-8.15 Fionn Regan
5.45-6.45 Echo and the Bunnymen
4.30-5:15 Laura Izibor
3:15-4:00 Okkervil River
2.15-2:45 Mick Flannery
1.15-1.45 Villagers
12.15-12.45 Halfset

Cosby Stage:

10.45-11.45 Skream and Benga
9.00-10.00 [TBC]
7.45-8.30 Dan Deacon Ensemble [CANCELLED]
6.15-7.15 Bell Orchestre
4.45-5.30 The Big Pink
3.30-4.15 The Acorn
2.30-3.00 Micachu
1.30-2.00 Blitzen Trapper
12:30-1:00 Our Fold

Little Big Tent:

10:00-12:00 Erol Alkan
8:30-10:00 Zombie Nation
7:00-8:30 Duke Dumont
5:30-7:00 Aeroplane
4:30-5:30 [TBC]
3:30-4:30 Hypnotic Brass Ensemble
2:30-3:15 Ebony Bones
1:30-2:15 Arveene and Misk (live)
12:30-1:30 Barry Redsetta

Beautiful... Not Unlike Yourself

This video of seventies fetishists Music Go Music turned up on Youtube, purporting to be a recording of the band's live performance of 'Warm in the Shadows' on a TV show called 'Face Time'.

It's nine minutes long but it's certainly worth watching right through, even if just to see the TV presenter's assistant at the end of the clip:



Genius.

Worth The Hassle

The video for Swedish singer Erik Hassle's first official release in these parts, 'Don't Bring Flowers', has surfaced.

Aside from some wince-inducingly melodramatic lyrics "Don't bring flowers after I'm dead/Save your givings for the living instead", it's a solid pop tune.

The video isn't especially exciting. It's basically just Erik, dressed in black, wandering around looking a bit mopey with a few mates:



What really flagged my attention about this release though is the remix that Erik has done with 'Box'N'Locks' singer, MPHO. I'm really enjoying this dearth of remixes featuring an opposite gendered singer's voice blended with the original vocal (see also: Miike Snow/Neon Hitch, Ellie Goulding/Samuel, Lykke Li/Drake).

Erik Hassle vs MPHO - Don't Bring Flowers:



I think MPHO's voice really complements Eriks and I think it fits with the lyrics to have a female vocal. As much as I love this remix, I reckon 'Hurtful' will be the track to crack Erik and his bizarre ginger afro into the charts.

Stuck On Repeat

Annie - Songs Remind Me of You



Tiesto featuring Tegan and Sara - Feel It In My Bones



Simian Mobile Disco featuring Chris Keating - Audacity of Huge



Neon Hitch - Black and Blues



Drake & Lykke Li - Little Bit



The xx - Shelter (Them Jeans Drum Edit)



Imogen Heap - Canvas



[Image: Pablo Moran Jr]

Peek A Boo

You've probably seen this picture of a cheeky squirrel gatecrashing a Minnesota couple's Kodak moment at a lake in Canada's Banff National Park.

Well, someone was inspired by this to come up with The Squirrelizer, a programme that lets you help the furry fella to appear at other inappropriate occasions.

Kinda nifty, huh?

[via The Presurfer]

Back In Your Head

I was very late in discovering Tegan & Sara's excellent 2007 album, 'The Con'.

I'd always regarded the Canadian twins as a little too folksy for my tastes but, after developing an obsession for this gorgeous animated video (audio now removed), I checked out the album and discovered a collection of charming indie-pop songs, anchored by the girls' distinctive harmonies and some quirkily disarming lyrics.

I'm looking forward to the follow-up to this album, Sainthood, which is due in October. The album is set to feature the girls co-writing tracks together for the first time, rather than their usual approach of dividing up writing duties, so I'm curious to hear the results.

In the meantime, 'Feel It In My Bones', a somewhat unlikely collaboration between the girls and Dutch DJ, Tiësto, is tiding me over. I never expected to see Tegan & Sara at the helm of a europop bleepfest but Tiësto has provided a backdrop that really complements their vocals and it all comes together quite fantastically:



[Image: Stereogum]

Full Moon. Half Moon. Total Ellipse.

Imogen Heap has put her entire new album, 'Ellipse', up for preview. The follow-up to her breakthrough record, 'Speak For Yourself', has been a long time coming, as anyone who has followed her series of vblogs charting its evolution will surely know.

I always think it's a good indicator of an artist's confidence in their material when they're prepared to let you sample the goods before you decide whether or not to invest.


On first listen, it sounds different enough from her older material to keep her loyal fanbase interested although perhaps not radical enough a departure to win over many new converts. I particularly like 'Canvas', 'Tidal', '2 - 1' and (for its utter ridiculousness) 'Bad Body Double'.

Two-Headed Beast

Miike Snow have premiered two videos for 'Animal', which is just one of many brilliant tracks on their album but seems to be the one garnering the most attention.

Britney's mates Bloodshy & Avant and vocalist Andrew Wyatt have been pretty publicity-shy since beginning the Miike Snow project, so it's nice to be able to finally get a glimpse at what they look like. Perhaps making up for lost time, they've decided to give us a choice of angles from which to view them.





If you like this, try get your hands on the album. It's one of the best I've come across this year.

Falcor, Is That You?

The video for Swedish oddities The Sound of Arrows' new track 'Into The Clouds' conjures up memories of one of my favoruite childhood films, 'The Neverending Story'.

Along with 'Labyrinth', 'The Neverending Story' was probably the most frequently rented video in our household (back in the days of VHS when there was nary a tanning booth in sight at Chartbusters).

The Sound of Arrows' video mimics the aesthetic of eighties' films of this genre and The Neverending Story has even been given pride of place in their top Myspace friends, alongside the ever-brilliant Neon Gold, with whom the band will be releasing their album later this year.



I'm not quite as taken with the song as I am with the visual accompaniment but their track 'M.A.G.I.C.' is surely a global smash-in-waiting.

[Image: Pulp and Circumstance]

How Does It Feel To Hear Your Songs On The Radio?

Well, it seems Norwegian pop pixie Annie may soon be able to answer that question.

Annie's album, 'Don't Stop', which was shelved last year by Island Records after its lead single 'I Know UR Girlfriend Hates Me' bombed, looks set to be given a release.

For a while, Annie was the acceptable face of bubblegum pop, garnering rave reviews from the likes of Pitchfork and NME. However her critical success didn't translate into sales and, after being abandoned by Island, it looked like the follow-up to 2004's 'Anniemal' may never see the light of day.

However, indie label Smalltown Supersound are now poised to release the album in October, complete with some new tracks. Better news yet is the announcement that 'Songs Remind Me of You' is to be released as a single. The track was one of my favourites of last year and will hopefully help Annie to re-establish a fanbase.



[Image: Popjustice]

Stuck On Repeat

The xx - Heart Skipped A Beat



Acid Girls featuring Frankmusik - Wake Up



La Roux - I'm Not Your Toy (Data Remix)



Pony Pony Run Run - Hey You



Marina & The Diamonds - I Am Not A Robot (Penguin Prison Remix)



Amanda Blank - A Love Song



The Drums - Let's Go Surfing



[Image: Luke Smithers]

Run, Trendy Boys, Run!

The video for The Drums' rather excellent track, 'Let's Go Surfing', is hilarious. I just can't quite figure out how much of the hilarity is intentional...



The guy in the green vest deserves some sort of prize.

Download the track here.

Very Sorta Games Soc

I love these recreations of scenes from old-school video games by Patrick Runte. See more of his work here.


[Images via Timothy Archibald]

Popping Her Balloon and Your Cherry

Amanda Blank has premiered the video for 'Might Like You Better', the first cut from her album 'I Love You'. Although the album has its peaks and troughs, there are a handful of excellent tracks, this being one of them.



Raunchy.

Visions They Fall Apart...

Non-Danish fans of When Saints Go Machine must continue to exercise the patience of saints (ahem) as they wait for an international release of their album 'Ten Makes A Face'. The band are one of my favourite discoveries of 2009 and, by rights, the album should be supermassive when it's eventually granted a release.

In the meantime, we'll have to make do with a video for single 'Fail Forever' that's just been unleashed:



Simple but effective.

Not There Yet...

Quite an old video but still painfully relevant.

Fringe Binge

As devastated as I am to be missing out on the Edinburgh Fringe this year, at least being stranded in Dublin means that I get to experience the Dublin Fringe from beginning to end.

Although the official launch isn't until this coming Wednesday, I managed to get a sneak preview at the programme and there are some very promising-looking productions lined up...


One show in particular that grabbed my attention is 'Ann and Barry: What Kind of Time Do You Call This?'. (I was Generation Tara and Ben myself, but can still appreciate a genius premise when it comes along.) The show is set in the grounds of NCAD and claims to 'fuse drama, dark comedy, visual arts, music and dance'. Count me in.


I've previously posted about La Clique, which plays at the Spiegeltent for the duration of the Fringe. While it's probably the most expensive show in the whole festival, it's certainly value for money. It really must be seen to be believed and, unfortuately, its stint at this year's Fringe will be the final visit it makes to our shores. Book. Now.


Camille O' Sullivan is also playing a one-off gig at the Spiegeltent. Camille's burlesque cabaret shows are terrifying, mesmerising and one-of-a-kind. She's one of the finest live performers I've ever seen and, although she probably slightly overdid it on the tipple during last year's 'Cat's Miaow' performance, it was still one of the highlights of the festival.


Another show I'm intrigued by comes courtesy of composer Nico Muhly, who also has a night at the Spiegeltent all to himself. A quick google search suggests that this guy is, like Camille, the type of performer that needs to be seen in a live setting to be fully appreciated. I really like what I've heard of his music, especially 'Skip Town'.

As I've mentioned before, I will be working in the box office for the festival this year. I kind of landed the job last-minute last year but was so glad to be able to experience the chaotic brilliance of Dublin Fringe that I'd been relatively oblivious to up until then.

If you're Dublin-based and have a few evenings to spare in the first few weeks of September, I'd suggest volunteering. It's a great way to see free shows and, just as importantly, soak up the atmosphere. E-mail volunteers@fringefest.com for more info.

What? More?!

No. WHITmore. Sheesh. Get it right.


Here's a couple more shots from Laura Whitmore's Impulse Collection for A|Wear. I'd certainly never claim to be a fashion expert but I think these outfits are pretty snazzy. Of course, it probably helps that the bequiffed clothes-horse is a stunner.




The collection will be officially launched on Wednesday, 19th of August.

Ladies, reckon you'll be making any purchases?

That Better Not Be A Pun

At this point, even I'm getting a bit tired of Cat Face but episode 15 has its moments:



Silly Box-Cat indeed.

Heart Skipped A Beat When I Caught You Out of Reach...

[Image: Hanoia Alias Fitzgerald]

Julia's Style

I really like these pictures from Julia Fullerton-Batten's 'In Between' collection. The colours, in particular, are fantastic.



[via Devin Castro]

More, More, More. How Do You Like It?

Not content with her daily appearances on our tellyboxes, the lovely Laura Whitmore is now invading the highstreet.

The DCU alum has teamed up with A|Wear to bring us 'Laura Whitmore's Impulse collection'. Not sure exactly what Impulse body sprays have to do with clothing lines but ladies fashion is a very complex matter so there's probably a good reason.

Since being catapulted into the public eye a little over a year ago when she beat thousands of applicants to be selected as the new anchor of MTV News, Laura's gone from strength to strength. 

I remember there was a girl picked as presenter of MTV Select (back in the day when the horrible Richard Blackwood was allowed on television) through a competition called 'Is She MTV?'. The format of the show was very similar to 'Pick Me MTV', the programme that led to Laura landing her job but, within a few months, the new presenter seemed to vanish without a trace.

The fact that Laura has outlasted her original contract suggests she's got the talent and the savvy to survive in what seems like a fairly cut-throat industry.

Ms. Whitmore, in your military style ensemble, I salute you.

[Image via Claire Byrne at Stellar]

Stuck On Repeat: Soundtrack To My Week

Futurecop! - N.A.S.A.

Kesha - Backstabber

Miike Snow - A Horse Is Not A Home

Simian Mobile Disco - Cruel Intentions (featuring Beth Ditto)

Amanda Blank - DJ

Lissy Trullie - Ready For The Floor (Hot Chip Cover)

Gotye - Heart's A Mess

[Image: Colin Hill]

Singers That Scare Children

My favourite night of all of last year's Dublin Fringe was Cathy Davey's 'Songs That Scare Children (But In A Very Beautiful Way)' .

The one-off gig in the Spiegeltent featured Cathy collaborating with a number of Irish singers to perform deliciously dark ditties in a wonderful vaudeville style. Among those joining Cathy for a croon were Conor O' Brien from Villagers, Lisa Hannigan, Carla Gallagher and a young gentleman called David Turpin.

Turpin's eerie rendition of 'Trust in Me' from The Jungle Book was one of many highlights from the night but, to be honest, I kind of forgot about him afterwards. That is until superstar-in-development Karen Howley kindly drew my attention to a new track on his Myspace.

It's called 'The Bone Dance' and it sounds kind of like how I imagine an Irish Pet Shop Boys crossed with Majiker would sound. Check it out here.

The track is from his forthcoming album 'Haunted', due in October. Presumably the 31st.

[Image: Myspace]

Call Me Up. We'll Hang Out. I'm Down For Whatever.

Although I remember being impressed by The Gossip's set at Oxegen back in 2007, I've never really been a huge (ahem) Beth Ditto fan.

'Standing in the Way of Control' is undoubtedly a great tune but none of The Gossip's other material ever really grabbed me in the same way. As such, I'm pleasantly surprised to find myself utterly obsessed with the new Simian Mobile Disco track, 'Cruel Intentions', that features Ditto on lead vocal.

Granted, I'm a sucker for keyboard-driven nineties nostalgia but I also think her voice is really suited to this kind of music. More please.



No word yet as to whether we'll see Ryan Philippe, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Selma Blair and Reese Witherspoon reunited for the accompanying video.

[Image: Buzzgrinder]

Oh Mandy

After a number of postponements, Amanda Blank's album 'I Love You' finally gets its release today and she's only gone and put the whole damn thing up on her Myspace for preview. Very decent of her.

I'm only mid-way through my first listen but already I can tell that this will be spreading across the blogosphere like a particularly sexy rash in the coming weeks.

Give it a spin.

Bright Like Neon Love

From one slightly witchy Mercury Prize nominee to another... Bat for Lashes has premiered the video for 'Sleep Alone.

I actually reckon the Mercury Prize will come down between Natasha and Florence and the Machine. Whatever about that matter, I think this neon-themed accompaniment to Natasha's lament edges Florence's effort featured in the post below.



Keep working on your dance moves, Flo.

[Image: Last FM]

Flashing Some Thigh

I was kind of surprised to learn recently that Florence, of 'and the Machine' fame, is only 22-years-old. I had her pegged as being much older. It's not that she's especially haggard-looking or anything but her music and videos just seem very 'mature' for somebody younger than me, I guess.

The video for 'Drumming Song' certainly seems a bit 'younger' than the ones that accompanied her previous singles. Her skimpy shorts showcase some fairly youthful pins and the choreographed dance-routine is worthy of some fresh-faced Disney brat.



She will be releasing 'Cosmic Love' at some point. Right?

[Image: Last.FM]

Soundtrack To My Week

The Units - High Pressure Days (Rory Phillips Remix)

Bassnectar - Land of The Lupes

Little Boots - Remedy (Rusko's Big Trainers Remix)

Delorean - Deli

Zoot Woman - Saturation

Mika - We are Golden (Calvin Harris Radio Edit)

Naive New Beaters - Get Love

[Image: Kane Longden]