(warning: pseudo-naughty bits ahead)
Rad Omen — “Rad Anthem” (Nicholas Goossen): Get together 5 fast-food restaurant mascots for a party on Friday night — in this case, Ronald McDonald, The Colonel, Jack from Jack in the Box, and the Burger King himself — all doing shots, doing lines, partaking in general debauchery, etc., and it”s hard not to get hooked. Arguably the lowest on the mascot totem pole, the miserable King doesn’t look like any amount of coke will help him.

Bjork –  “I Miss You” (Michael John Kricfalusi): Initially this one brought back horrible memories of that old Paula Abdul video with the cartoon cat. I guess if he was going to make the jump from small screen, we’d have seen it by now. Kricfalusi is the creator/long-time director of Ren and Stimpy, and in Bjork’s “I miss You”, he puts a very Nickelodeon-ed version of the Icelandic singer into his own twisted world. Taking a cue from Who Framed Roger Rabbit, the old-school cel animation is a nice break from all the pixar and Dreamworks CGI stuff. Sadly, it’s a bit dated now, and painstakingly-crafted hand drawn stuff like this is rarer (and harder to finance) nowadays.

Brighton Port Authority –  “Toe Jam” (Keith Schofield): There’s really not much more to this one than naked girls from the 70s, censor bars strategically placed over privates a la Austin Powers. Appropriately enough, shag carpeting is one of two prominent backdrops. Where’s the extreme version of this one???
Dimmu Borgir  –  “Progenies of the Great Apocalypse” (Patric Ulleaus): Swedish born director Patric Ulleaus directs a lot of today’s biggest Scandinavian acts — among them, Norwegian black metal band Dimmu Borgir (“Dark City” in Nor-vee-jin). “Progenies of the Great Apocalypse” plays like something in between a Clive Barker/Hammer horror video, and is really nothing else besides strobe lights, flaming pentagrams, sketchy-looking priests, girls in chains, and loads of fake blood. Somehow it ends up sickly fascinating in its cheeseball-ness.
Hot Chip –  “I Feel Better” (Peter Serafanowicz): A creepy Messiah dressed in Ghandi robes does everything we’ve ever wanted to see happen to every boy band, ever — specifically, annihilate them with a blast of blue flame from his mouth. Of course, this is before a disembodied floating head DESTROYS THEM ALL. What’s not to love? Here’s a director not afraid to trample on the dreams of teenyboppers everywhere. He might be an ideal candidate for that remake of Annie with Will Smith’s daughter.

*Goossen has actually already done a movie, called Grandma’s Boy. Depending on how you liked it, it might be cool to see what else he’s capable of.

A group of popular UK musicians including, Bernard Sumner, Hot Chip and Hot City have teamed up with Converse to create an exclusive track.  The collaboration was inspired by Converse’s year round celebration of the diversity of Uk’s music and creativity –honoring artists and their work.

The track, ‘Didn’t Know What Love Was,’ sounds like a revival of Deee-Lite from the 90s layered with rock and electronic undertones.   And of course, the song wouldn’t be complete without a cool video to showcase their idea and provide some visual interpretation.

Behind the scenes, many of the collaborators praised Sumner and expressed their excitement in being able to work with him. He was even mentioned as someone who they idolized growing up. Sumner does the lead vocals for their single and was just as enthusiastic about working with them.

Converse is going on tour and they are taking many of these rock/dance/dj artists along for the ride. In fact, the ‘Didn’t Know What Love Was’, remix is already being discussed.

Check out more stuff and find info here:

Words by Yael Reed Wathspress

One of the great things about music, and why I love it so much, is that it affects people in ways that no other medium really can. It has this incredibly ability to touch every emotion inside a person – love, laughter, madness, heartbreak, joy… what have you – sometimes hitting each and every one of those over the course of a single song. It’s said that the sense of smell is the most powerful sense in a person, the one that conjures up emotion and memory most vividly; however I disagree. I think it’s hearing. I can listen to a song and be taken right back to a memory of / with it like it happened only yesterday, even if that memory is almost as old as I am.

With the above in mind, I’m brought to the first bit of news this week: after the passing of his close friend, Sally Menke (Quentin Tarantino’s longtime editor), RZA along with James Black, Kobra Khan and Justin Nokuza have released “Gone” in her honor.

“I dedicate the song ‘Gone’ to my friend Sally Menke and it’s my gift to her memory. I feel music is the best gift I can give and I’m giving it away to Wu-Disciples for free in her name. Whoever like(s) the song can send a blessing of positive energy to Sally’s family and her legacy. Peace.” – RZA

In other (and decidedly more upbeat) news: Converse have kicked off their year-long campaign celebrating music from the UK with an (awesome) exclusive track, “Didn’t Know What Love Was”, featuring Bernard Summer (New Order), Alexis Taylor, Joe Goddard (both of Hot Chip) and Hot City which is available for free here!: http://www.converseblog.com/uk/music/

Also be sure to check out this short film with Bernard Summer (Below).

Head on over to the fine folks at NPR to stream Belle & Sebastian’s new album, ‘Write About Love,’ before it’s October 12 release. I have listened to it a few times and am thoroughly enjoying it.

“Beach Side” is another taste of what to expect from the new Kings of Leon album, ‘Come Around Sundown,’ out October 19. I have to say, I much prefer this one to “Radioactive” (which honestly took me a few listens before I started to get into it and I’m still not quite sure what to make of the video). Check it out below.

A bit perplexed as to why La Roux is only just now releasing the video for “In For The Kill”; the song’s been out for ages (I remember first hearing it almost 2 years ago) and has been remixed countless times (my favorite still being Skream’s Lets Get Ravey Remix - is ridiculously good). At any rate, it was shot at New York’s famed Chelsea Hotel and features Tilda Swinton’s doppelgänger, La Roux’s Elly Jackson as the night porter. Check it out here:

Karen O is awesome. Fact. I remember being in complete awe of her when I saw the Yeah Yeah Yeahs last fall. It would be great if I could be that cool, but I just never will be – my hair’s always too messy and I’m far too clumsy. Anyway, I digress. Check out Miss O’s cover of Roger Allen Wade’s “If You’re Gonna Be Dumb You Gotta Be Tough”. Emmy Lou Harris and Gram Parsons are mainstays in the Boyd family, so I’m totally loving the country-twangyness of this track.

Karen O. (of Yeah Yeah Yeahs) – “If You’re Gonna Be Dumb, You Gotta Be Tough” by Some Kind of Awesome

Two new joints from Gorlliaz this week. The first being a “Storyboard Film” for ‘Rhinestone Eyes‘ and a new track, ‘Doncamatic (All Played Out)’ which I’m totally loving. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PwKcXfUmLkk&feature=player_embedded.

This week’s song unquestionably has to be my obsession du jour, the Gayngs’ cover of Sade’s “By Your Side”. They performed this at their show on Monday night at The Williamsburg Hall of Music which I was lucky enough to attend – it was easily one of the best shows I’ve ever been to. Check out photos of it here: (I desperately want this dinosaur hoodie:

If anyone knows where I can acquire one, please let me know! I would be most appreciative.) I can’t stress enough how absolutely heroic these guys are; they even have their own gang sign! Ridiculous. If you aren’t familiar with them, head on over to their site and be sure to check out their Daytrotter Sessions as well.

Words by Amanda Boyd.  Dino-Hoodie photo from www.brooklynvegan.com

Today’s bloggin best…

- Coachella is sold out my friends. LA Times

- RZA makes beats on his iPhone, son. Hypetrak

- Hot Chip covers Shakira’s “She Wolf.” Don’t call it Twee Wolf. Stereogum

- DJ Premier mixes tribute to Malcom McLaren. LA Record

- Unreleased Proof (RIP) produced by J Dilla (RIP). 2DopeBoyz

- Two new LCD Soundsystem track leaked. We All Want Someone

Coachella might be known as one of the world’s finest rock festivals, but since it’s inception all the way back in 1999, the event’s promoters put as much focus on LA rave culture as they did catering to the alternative nation (now called the indie rock masses). From Daft Punk to Kraftwerk, many of Coachella’s greatest moments over the years have come from electronic music titans. Here’s a collection of sets from artists playing this year’s festival. The perfect collection of beats to get you warmed up for the desert.

Major Lazer – Coachella is a sort of hometown gig for Baltimore and London natives Diplo and Switch, both of whom rellocated to Los Angeles in recent years. Last years Major Lazer release party found Spank Rock, Amanda Blank, Santigold and Andy Milonakis on the mic—and that was just a private party. Imagine what favors they might call in for their Coachella spectacular.

Aeroplane – This Belgian duo have been almost single-handedly responsible for bringing the word balearic back into dance music’s vocabulary, with breezy remixes of fellow Coachella performers MGMT, as well as Grace Jones (who mysteriously disappeared off of this years line-up).

The XX – This UK three-piece (formerly a foursome) have created huge waves with their gentle melanchloy sound. Find out what selections they chose for their Headphone Highlights session.

LCD Soundsystem – When not providing the vox and drums for LCD Soundsystem’s headlining performances worldwide, James Murphy and Pat Mahoney are two globe-trotting wax masters who’s Special Disco Version parties intorudced a whole new generation of hipsters to the wonders of vintage disco hits, played on vinyl rather than laptop.

Flying Lotus – One of this years most anticipated performers, the nephew of the infamous Alice Coltrane is putting Los Angeles on the map when it comes to mind-bending experimental electronic music. Even Thom Yorke has taken notice, bring FlyLo out to open on all of his Atoms For Peace U.S. tour dates.

DJ Craze & Klever – On their own, DJCraze and Klever are two championship winning turntablists who have wowed crowds for over a decade. Together, the present a dueling DJ party performance like no other.

Passion Pit - More rockers who are unafraid to take to the turntables when the afterhours calls, Passion Pit pony up DJ Shadow, Friendly Fires and Ace of Base (!?) in this special Headphone Highlights session.

Hot Chip – The last time Hot Chip played Coachella in 2007, their mid-afternoon set in the Sahara tent was so packed that the heat made their vintage analog keyboards malfunction in weird and wonderful ways. All five memeber have thriving DJ careers when between Hot Chip tours, which keeps their selection skills unparallelled.

Club 75 – Ever since Daft Punks dominant 2006 Coachella performance, no Coachella has been complete without a healthy helping of French dance dons. This years installment comes in the form of Club 75, the new all-star DJ unit featuring Coachella vets Justice, Busy P and DJ Mehdi, plus french house legends Cassius.

Plastikman – The most infamous production handle of techno superstar Richie Hawtin, this live performance pushes the barriers of audience participation with an interacitve iPhone app among other technological breakthroughs. Check out this Fire Side chat for a taste of Hawtin’s minimalist vision of electronic music.

Rusko – Another SoCal immigrant, Rusko now leads the global dubstep invasion, taking the London sound and applying it to LA radio, new tunes by M.I.A. and now the fields of Coachella.

Today’s bloggin best…

- Alex Chilton tribute to take place at SXSW tomorrow. NME

- Hot Chip, Justice and Trent Reznor remix U2 on vinyl. Artificial Horizon

- Buy Perry Farrell’s Venice Beach House for $1.6 Million. Huffington Post

- The Black Keys played a new Danger Mouse produced song on the BBC. URB

- Spike Jonez debuted a new short film online (if you can get the Flash site to work). I’m Here

While they’re dubbed as an ‘indie electronica’ outfit, Hot Chip is (also like so many others) a conglomeration of several different beats and styles and techniques. Perhaps what’s most unique about them is their focus — mainly — is the variety of percussive tones here, many of which at first sound like something on a xylophone or a Casio keyboard. But forget the strictly drum-obsessed patterns and rhythms which so many electronica musicians focus on these days. Hot Chip eschews the hard-hitting electro beats or folkiness that so many indie artists focus on in exchange for something even more toned-down, perhaps even danceable, and also kind of just nutty (they’ve been known to conclude a concert now and then with a cover of Sinead O’Connor’s “Nothing Compares 2 U”). Eclectic and exciting, it provides for a much more interesting, though subtle musical palette that is better heard for oneself that explained in a barrage of bad adjectives…see for yourself on Red Bull Music Academy Radio.