Pearl Flash record label launch!

This is where I'll be Friday night. If you like Italo disco, fun people, and dancing, (and are in London!) you best get down to the Old Blue Last Pub.



Catch the release of their first EP, "Luxury Living", by TBD, who are set to be the hottest live electronic act of the year. MSTRKRFT watch your back.

Bonus: Casey Volume 3 mix for your weekly dose of italodisco goodness.

Listen to this or else: London jamz edition

While I'm busy (not) writing my screenplay, I've been shaking it on dance floors in London. Loving this town for it's friendly natives, art and parks everywhere, and surprisingly good music everywhere.

Here's my current list of jamz filling up my dance card:

Pineapples - Come on Closer
Sebastian Tellier - Kilometer (Aeroplane remix)
Tiga - Mind Dimension (Soulwax remix)
M83 - Couleurs
Empire of the Sun - Walking on a Dream
Cut Copy - Nobody Lost, Nobody Found
Suzy Q - Tonight
Mini Viva - Left My Heart in Tokyo (Fred Falke Mix)
Little Boots - New in Town (Fred Falke remix)
Bronski Beat - Smalltown Boy
Presets - A New Sky
Ladyhawke - Paris is Burning (Cut Copy remix)
Lykke Li - I'm Good, I'm Gone (Metronomy remix)



CSS - Let's Make Love and Listen to DFA (Wordy Rappinghood mix) ----- so genius!!! Discovered this gem dancing in Joiners Arms on a wednesday night!

Bonus: Total Eclipse of the Heart (Literal video version)


God, it never stops being funny. Props to Dascottjr's video editing and comedy chops.

The Bees Knees: DISASTER SQUAD

6 Scenes of "Bumming a Cigarette" from pcrmdisastersquad on Vimeo.

It's a dangerous game to bum a ciggy...

Top of the Pops: My haphazard list of 2008 favorite pop items

Here are my faves from the year:

Movies

1. The Dark Knight. I loved it from start to finish. Batman voice and all. The scene where he flips a semi over the Joker is cinematic bliss. The sound design, the cinematography, Heath Ledger's acting, it all just came together. It exceeded my own personal hype and that's saying something.

2. Let the Right One In. This film was amazing. So subtle and engaging. Despite the violence, this was a tender love story of two lost souls coming together.

3. Slumdog Millionare. Just see it, mmmkay.

4. Iron Man. RDJ still has that magic touch. I thought it was gonna be another throwaway comic book movie. Boy was I wrong. It was entertaining from start to finish, even with Gwenyth Paltrow as the female lead.

5. In Bruges. I re-watched this on xmas. Colin Farrell excels in this black comedy. Who knew he could be funny? But the film isn't just about humor, it's about atoning for what you've done and realizing life doesn't end up as planned.

Honorable Mentions: The Fall, Forgetting Sarah Marshall

TV

1. "The Wire" - Best crime drama ever!
2. "Doctor Who" - There's a good reason it's the longest running tv series.
3. "30 Rock" - MILF Island. That is all.
4. "Venture Bros"
5. "Stargate: Atlantis" - Yeah, I'm a sci-fi geek. But seriously, give it a chance.
6. "Lost" - I was substantiantly less angry at the tv this season.

Honorable Mentions: "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia", "Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles", "True Blood", "Law & Order", "Supernatural", "The Office"

Albums (.i.e cds I actually made an effort to buy)

1. Cut Copy - In Ghost Colours. They're one of my fave bands, so not too surprising they're my number one pick.

Key Tracks: "Out there on the Ice", "Far Away", and "Unforgettable Season"

2. Friendly Fires - Friendly Fires. This is my 2008 new music discovery. I'd listened to their cover of "Your Love" for over a year. Then, they got sorta lost in the noise. On a whim, I went to see them open up for The Virgins. Needless to say, I was blown away. These guys have tight, funky and dance-electric set that kept me coming back for more (4x so)!

Key Tracks: "Jump in the Pool", "Paris", and "White Diamonds".

3. The Presets - Apocalypso. More musical genius from down under! My birthday gift to my best friend was tix to their gig at the Glasshouse. After two songs, she was an instant fan. These guys are professional electronic music artists. This album is techno/electro perfection. They pump you up from start to finish. Forget Justice, it's all about these synth heroes.

Key Tracks: "My People", "A New Sky", "Kicking and Screaming"


4. Does it Offend You, Yeah? - You Have No Idea... These fellas got me excited for dance rock again. Remember that first time you heard "Banquet", but had no idea who sung that song, but you were determined to find out. That's how it was with me and DIOYY. And then I heard "Dawn of the Dead". Game, set, match. Fan for life.

Key Tracks: "Dawn of the Dead", "Let's Make Out", "We Are Rockstars"

5. Santogold – Santogold. I waited for this album with baited breath. See this girl in concert and you'll find out quick she's no M.I.A. imitator. She's the real deal. She'll make you her dance slave and be your electronic queen. For real, son.

Key Tracks: "Creator", "L.E.S. Artistes", "You'll Find a Way"


6. M83- Saturdays=Youth. I was always a bit "meh" about M83. Thought it was too instrumental. Saturdays = Youth changed my tune with a quickness. Mr. Gonzales reminds you that singles are good, but albums are better. It's a cohesive blend of gentle, synth melodies and distortion that are searching for memories of days gone by.

Key Tracks: "We Own the Sky", "Kim & Jessie"

7. Ladyhawke – Ladyhawke
8. TV on the Radio - Dear Science
9. The Teenagers - Reality Check
10. Lykke Li - Youth Novels EP

Honorable Mentions: Jamie Lidell - JIM, Hot Chip - Made in the Dark, Bloc Party - Intimacy, Hercules & Love Affair

Singles (I make no apologies for a good tune)

1. "Dawn of the Dead" – Does it Offend You, Yeah?

2."Single Ladies (Put a Ring on it)" – Beyonce

3. "Sex on Fire" – Kings of Leon

4. "American Boy" – Estelle featuring Kanye

5. "Dance Wiv Me" – Dizzee Rascal featuring Calvin Harris

6. "Day n Nite" Crookers Remix – Kid Cudi

7. "I'm Not Over" – Carolina Liar

8. "I'm Good, I'm Gone" – Lykke Li

9. "Far Away" – Cut Copy

10. "Jump in the Pool" – Friendly Fires

11. "Black & Gold" – Sam Sparro

12. "Great DJ" Calvin Harris Remix – The Ting Tings

13. "Live Your Life" – T.I. featuring Rihanna

14. "Leavin" MSTRKRFT Remix – Jesse McCartney

15. "Ready for the Floor" Jesse Rose Remix – Hot Chip

16. "Universal Mind Control" – Common

17. "Hold On" – Holy Ghost!

18. "Electric Feel" – MGMT

19. "Paris is Burning" - Ladyhawke

20. "Blind" – Hercules & Love Affair

21. "Little Bit of Feel Good" – Jamie Lidell

22. "Hip Hop Saved My Life"/"Superstar" – Lupe Fiasco

23. "Kim & Jesse" Montag Remix – M83

24. "I'm Not Gonna Teach Your BF How To Dance With You" – Black Kids

25. "This Boy's in Love" – The Presets

Honorable Mentions:, "Mrs. Officer" - Lil Wayne feat Bobby Valentino, "Golden Age" - TVOTR, "Love No" - The Teenagers, "Heartbreak" - Metronomy, "4 Minutes" – Madonna featuring Justin Timberlake, "Damaged" – Danity Kane, "Vanished" – Crystal Castles, "Electric Feel" Justice Remix - MGMT

Happy NYE! I hope 2009 is better than 2008.

Justice Fever

Okay, I've talked my fair share of crap about Justice. I'm just sick of LA hipsters going crazy like they've never heard music before when some fake ass dj spins "D.A.N.C.E.". And it's not just me, Jason Bentley agrees has his concerns too.

But at the end of the day, I must admit that I've danced my sweet lil' ass off to what these french dudes spin. I've seen them twice at Coachella (2007 and 2008), at Detour Fest 2007 (where they sucked), and at their first LA show w/ Mstrkrft on Halloween 2006. The guys must have something goin' on, right?

See proof on this clip from their upcoming cd/dvd:
JUSTICE - PHANTOM II


That's like Girls Gone Wild - Justice edition!

I'm Good, I'm Gone

Ironically, only after seeing Ms. Lykke Li in concert did I jump on her hype train. What can I say, I'm skeptical. I remember GWFAS spouting her praises last year, but it just got lost in the noise.

Now I can't make it through the day without listening to "I'm Good, I'm Gone". I even voted for it on stereogum's Gummy Award '08! Perhaps, it's simply I'm in the right place emotionally and otherwise to appreciate this song.

Check her out for yourselves:



"I'm Good, I'm Gone" from the album Youth Novels by Lykke Li.

Third Time's a Charm: Friendly Fires at The El Rey Theater

More Friendly Fires photo goodness from their gig with Lykke Li on Monday Night.







I'm telling ya! These guys are amazing, fantastico, lovely, fun, and simply make some serious dance grooves.

Lykke Li was alright. I liked her stage presence, very Stevie Nicks-esque. I guess I would have enjoyed it more if I was more familiar with her songs.

The Mae Shi were guaranteed fun while Grand Ole Party was a tad mechanical indie rock for me. With a dash of stage banter and bit more charisma, maybe I'd be more interested in Grande Ole Party.

Find pics of all four artists on my Flickr Set.