Electro-rock songstress Lights breaks the Top 50 on this week’s Billboard 200 albums chart.

Her second album Siberia comes in at #44 with 8788 albums sold, while also coming in at #11 on the Independent Albums chart.

Additionally Siberia made a major impact on the Canadian Albums chart debuting at #3.

“Musically adventurous. The music on Siberia is stunning… mesmerizing.” – ALTERNATIVE PRESS

“A blissful, laser-toned experience. If this is the sound of Siberia, then Lights should have you begging to be exiled.” – ALL MUSIC

LIGHTS CRACKS THE TOP 50 ON BILLBOARD’S ALBUMS CHART

* Siberia Debuts at #44 on the Top 200 *

* Her U.S. Tour Kicks Off Next Week in Boston *

Released on October 4^th via Last Gang Records and her own Lights Music, Siberia has been building anticipation over the last two months on the strength of the teaser song “Everybody Breaks A Glass” which was leaked for free to fans in early August and subsequently downloaded over 100,000 times, and the album’s first official single and video, “Toes” which is rising at Alternative radio. Sales of singles from the album are over 24,000 to date.

Lights will begin an 18-city U.S. tour on October 18^th and expects to continue touring internationally deep into 2012 in support of Siberia.

LIGHTS U.S. TOUR DATES:

10/18 – Boston, MA – Middle East

10/19 – New York, NY – Gramercy Theater

10/21 – Philadelphia, PA – Theatre of the Living Arts

10/22 – Baltimore, MD – Sonar

10/24 – Pontiac, MI – Eagle Theater

10/25 – Chicago, IL – Bottom Lounge

10/26 – Milwaukee, WI – Turner Hall

10/28 – Minneapolis, MN – Triple Rock

10/29 – St. Louis, MO – Cicero’s

10/30 – Lawrence, KS – Jackpot Music Hall

11/1 – Denver, CO – Marquis

11/2 – Salt Lake City, UT – Complex

11/4 – San Diego, CA – SOMA

11/5 – Phoenix, AZ – Nile

11/7 – Los Angeles, CA – El Rey

11/8 – San Francisco, CA – Great American Music Hall

11/9 – Portland, OR – Hawthorne Theatre

11/10 – Seattle, WA – El Corazon

#  #  #

For more information on Lights, please contact:

Jason Consoli at Rock Steady Music

jason@rocksteadyla.com, 917-446-1705

About Last Gang:

Last Gang Entertainment is a recording, management and publishing company founded in 2003 with offices in Los Angeles, London, Toronto and Montreal. In addition to launching Metric, Death From Above 1979, MSTRKRFT and Crystal Castles, the label has combined successfully with Chromeo, The New Pornographers, K-OS, Boys Noize and Tiga on varied licensing deals. The distributed division (Last Gang Labels) has partnered with a variety of artist and label clients, including The National Parks Project, Trouble Andrew and boutique electronic label Turbo Recordings.

* Four Tracks from New Album Siberia to be Remixed *

* Winning Remixes to be Officially Released *

Electro-rock songstress Lights has announced a remix contest that will feature four songs from her new, critically-acclaimed album Siberia. Partnering with Indaba Music and their online collaboration platform (www.indabamusic.com) the ‘LIGHTS – The Siberia Remixes’ contest will allow participants to create their own versions of the tracks “Banner”, “Everybody Breaks A Glass”, “Siberia” and “Toes.” The contest can be entered now HERE.

“Remixes are a look at another artist’s interpretation of your songs,” said Lights. “It’s not only flattering but also creatively inspiring to see the way another talent would manifest your work. I’m excited to be doing this with Indaba and I’m really looking forward to hearing what these remixers do to the tunes.”

Submissions for the contest will be taken through November 24^th, and will be voted on until December 5^th with the winners announced on December 19^th. One winner for each song will be chosen, and the winning remixes of the songs will be featured on an official release to be announced at a later date.

Released on October 4^th via Last Gang Records and her own Lights Music, Siberia debuted at #44 on the Billboard 200, while in Canada coming in at #3 on the Top Albums chart. The album had been building anticipation over the last several months on the strength of the teaser song “Everybody Breaks A Glass” which was leaked for free to fans in early August and subsequently downloaded over 100,000 times, and the album’s first official single and video, “Toes” which is rising at Alternative radio. Sales of singles from the album are over 24,000 to date.

Lights is currently in the middle of an 18-city U.S. tour and expects to continue touring internationally deep into 2012 in support of Siberia.

SMP’s Q&A with the songstress…

An interview with the indie-pop duo…

The Dig raves about their Boston show…

An exclusive, in-depth interview…

In support of her highly-anticipated sophomore album Siberia, electro-rock songstress Lights will jump down to the States for an 18-city tour which kicks off on October 18^th.

LIGHTS U.S. TOUR DATES:

10/18 – Boston, MA – Middle East

10/19 – New York, NY – Gramercy Theater

10/21 – Philadelphia, PA – Theatre of the Living Arts

10/22 – Baltimore, MD – Sonar

10/24 – Pontiac, MI – Eagle Theater

10/25 – Chicago, IL – Bottom Lounge

10/26 – Milwaukee, WI – Turner Hall

10/28 – Minneapolis, MN – Triple Rock

10/29 – St. Louis, MO – Cicero’s

10/30 – Lawrence, KS – Jackpot Music Hall

11/1 – Denver, CO – Marquis

11/2 – Salt Lake City, UT – Complex

11/4 – San Diego, CA – SOMA

11/5 – Phoenix, AZ – Nile

11/7 – Los Angeles, CA – El Rey

11/8 – San Francisco, CA – Great American Music Hall

11/9 – Portland, OR – Hawthorne Theatre

11/10 – Seattle, WA – El Corazon

Siberia, set for release on October 4^th through Last Gang Records/Lights Music, was co-produced by Lights and her trusted collaborator Thomas “Tawgs” Salter. Special guest producers include Graham Walsh & Brian Borcherdt from indie-electro outfit, Holy Fuck. The duo initially met Lights to record a couple of songs, but their artistic synergies clicked and eventually they completed nine tracks (including “Everybody Breaks A Glass” and “Toes”), peppering Siberia with Holy Fuck’s edgy organic grit and merging them with Lights’ trademark synth-pop sounds.

Last week Siberia hit #3 on the overall Canadian iTunes Album Chart when the album was made available for pre-order.

Lights fans were treated to a sneak peak of Siberia on July 17th when she leaked the track, “Everybody Breaks A Glass” on www.iamlights.com. The track – which IDOLATOR called a “full-on sonic synth assault” – features an appearance by Juno Award-winning rapper Shad who Lights met through a mutual friend and eventually collaborated on two tracks (“EBAG” & “Flux and Flow”).

The first official single from Siberia is the infectious dance track “Toes” co-written and produced with Tawgs, featuring Holy Fuck.  “Toes” is currently climbing radio charts and fans can now purchase the song on iTunes, where sales of tracks from Siberia are fast approaching an impressive 10,000 in less than four weeks.

Expect more live dates, including international shows to be announced shortly.

#  #  #

Artvoice picked Mother Mother’s recent Buffalo, NY show as one of it’s concerts of the week.

** Debut Album Meet Your Ghost Set for Release on June 28^th **** New Remix of “Perfect World” featuring RZA Available Now **

Brooklyn-based and buzzed-about indie-pop duo The KickDrums proudly announces their signing with Last Gang Records who will release their debut full-length Meet Your Ghost on June 28^th. The album, produced by the band with friend Alan Wilkis, contains 9 tracks of blissed-out rock with hip-hop undercurrents – a solid recipe for the perfect summer soundtrack.

As a taster for fans The KickDrums are generously making a remix of “Perfect World” with a guest shot from Wu-Tang Clan legend RZA available for free download HERE

Meet Your Ghost follows up the band’s acclaimed 2009 EP Just A Game, of which Hip Hop DX said they are “not just creative Hip Hop producers. They are Rock Stars,” while The Couch Sessions called it “superb indie rock over some amazing 4/4 kicks (hence their name) and one of the best albums of any genre to drop this year.” The KickDrums are also fresh off releasing their hot Coachella 2011 Mixtape — available HERE — that was widely distributed in the blogosphere.

The KickDrums is comprised of producer/singer/songwriter Alex Fitts (Fitts) and DJ/producer Matt Penttila (Tilla). The two met while working as engineers at a studio in Cleveland. They shared many common interests and had reputations as skilled producers. They decided to unite, The KickDrums were born and they’ve perfected their craft behind the scenes producing records for the likes of 50 Cent, John Legend and Kid Cudi and remixing for Adele, Ben Harper, Peter, Bjorn & John, Richard Ashcroft & Kanye West.

In 2007 The KickDrums shifted focus to their own music, distancing themselves from working with outside artists. Fitts dived deep into his alt-rock roots and Penttila began experimenting with his love for electronic music. Fitts spent his days penning songs and unraveling chord progressions, while Penttila broke down records and flipped obscure samples on his drum machine. All rules were thrown out the window and the ultimate outcome is a mesh of alternative rock, soul, and hip-hop laid over heavy drum breaks and fuzzy guitars – Meet Your Ghost.

The KickDrums will be touring endlessly in support of the album…

http://www.thekickdrums.com/

#  #  #

Spinner makes his new single “Cryptocracy” their MP3 of the Day…

The first half of 2011 has proven to be exceptionally busy for Canada’s most harmonic pop quintet MOTHER MOTHER. The band has already hit a string of live dates across the US (including both coasts, and multiple performances at SXSW), released a highly-praised full-length album, toured extensively throughout Canada, and dropped an exciting new video directed by John Poliquin for “The Stand”. MOTHER MOTHER has just announced a slew of tour stops, and will be announcing more in the coming weeks. Performances confirmed thus far are listed below.

MOTHER MOTHER has also been busy promoting its latest album Eureka (available everywhere now), appearing on VH1, and most recently on MTV’s The Seven. Check out a clip of Ryan and Molly as they shed light on the creation of Eureka, on the The Seven’s  “New Artist Spotlight”.

MOTHER MOTHER’s diligence has paid off. The band’s latest studio album Eureka, released on Last Gang Records, has received extremely positive feedback, being described by MOG Music Network as the record to possibly turn MOTHER MOTHER into “the next big thing.”

MOTHER MOTHER’s hard work is nowhere near finished. In addition to their forthcoming tour, the band is pleased to announce that they will be releasing a video for their upcoming single “Baby Don’t Dance.” Inspired by the artwork for Eureka, director Harv who has also directed videos for the likes of Blink 182, Shaggy, and Nikki Yanofsky, has described the video concept as a “modern day equivalent of ‘80s video installation art.”

Tour Dates

6/09 – San Diego, CA @ Soda Bar
6/10 – Scottsdale, AZ @ Rogue Bar

6/12 – San Francisco, CA @ Rickshaw Stop
6/14 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Satellite
6/16 – Sacramento, CA @ The Boardwalk

6/19 – Seattle, WA @ Tractor Tavern
6/20 – Portland, OR @ Mississippi Studios

7/18 – Brooklyn, NY @ The Knitting Factory

7/19 – Washington, DC @ Red Palace

7/21 – Boston/Allston, MA @ Great Scott

7/25 – Brooklyn, NY @ The Knitting Factory

7/26 – Buffalo, NY @ Mohawk Place

7/27 – Cleveland, OH @ Wilbert’s

8/1 – Brooklyn, NY @ The Knitting Factory

8/3 – Minneapolis @ Fine Line

###

G4 Network’s “Attack of the Show” features her new single “Toes” in their Free Beats segment…

** Clip is Latest from Acclaimed Album Dreams of a Troubled Man **Trouble Andrew proudly drops his new video for “Oh No”, the latest from his new full-length Dreams of a Troubled Man, which was released on Last Gang Labels in March and was recently called “a masterpiece album” by Jungle Gym Magazine.

The clip, directed by Sean Litteljohn, was shot in classic black & white and features Trouble Andrew as the counter man at an old-school, working class diner where he watches an assortment of people from all walks of life coming in and out of the dive from morning through night. View the video HERE

Trouble Andrew is the brainchild of Trevor Andrew, a legend in professional Snowboarding who had his career cut short due to injury in 2004. Recovering and figuring out what his next move in life would be, he was luckily surrounded by instruments and recording equipment thanks to his then girlfriend and now wife Santigold who encouraged him to start writing and performing his own music, which contains Punk, Electro and Hip-Hop influences. Soon he gained notice and support from the likes of Diplo, Curren$y, Yelawolf and others.

Though he’s transitioned from sports to music, Trevor’s overall story is compelling as he continues to be a major face in Snowboarding and a “brand ambassador” by creating and designing his own apparel, accessories and board products for many companies that have sponsored him over the years including Nixon Watches, Electric Visual and YES Snowboards.

This summer look out for Trouble Andrew’s new Trouble Gang Mixtape Vol. 2 and a major tour in support of Dreams of a Troubled Man.

www.facebook.com/troubleandrew

http://www.youtube.com/user/trevorakatrouble

www.troubleandrew.com

www.vimeo.com/troublegang

Guest producers include Graham Walsh & Brian Borcherdt from Holy Fuck1^st Single “Toes” Goes To Radio In September & Available Digitally August 16^th

Artist Leaked Track “Everybody Breaks A Glass” feat. Shad, Already Over 100k Online Hits: http://music.iamlights.com

(NEW YORK, NY – August 5, 2011) – Canadian electronic-rock maven, Lights is back with the release of her sophomore full-length album, Siberia (Last Gang Records / Lights Music) on October 4, 2011.

“Making this second record was similar to making my first in that I completely discovered myself as an artist all over again,” said Lights. “I’ve evolved and I’ve grown more into myself; I’m so excited about the direction of this new album.”

Siberia was co-produced by Lights and her trusted collaborator, Thomas “Tawgs” Salter. Special guest producers include Graham Walsh & Brian Borcherdt from the Canadian indie-electro outfit, Holy Fuck. The duo initially met Lights to record a couple of songs, but their artistic synergies clicked and eventually they completed nine tracks (including “Everybody Breaks A Glass” and “Toes”), peppering Siberia with Holy Fuck’s edgy organic grit and merging them with LIGHTS’ trademark synth-pop sounds.

“Thankfully, Lights was open to letting Brian and I take a hold of her songs, and really mess them up.  In the end, I think we were able to add a very interesting dark stain to them…in a good way!” – Graham Walsh, Holy Fuck.

The first official single from Siberia, is the infectious dance track “Toes” co-written and produced with Tawgs, featuring Holy Fuck.  “Toes” will be serviced to radio in September, while fans can purchase the song digitally on iTunes August 16.

Lights fans were treated to a sneak peak of Siberia on July 17th when she leaked the track, “Everybody Breaks A Glass” (“EBAG”) on www.iamlights.com. The track features an appearance by Toronto’s lyrically gifted rapper, Shad who Lights met through a mutual friend and eventually collaborated on two tracks (“EBAG” & “Flux and Flow”).  True to her artistic form, with magic markers and laptop in-tow, Lights created a lyric video for “EBAG” which has generated almost 120,000 views in less than two weeks.  See it here http://youtu.be/LEBLCoNVwds.

Lights’ debut full-length, The Listening (2009) garnered Gold Certification in Canada and featured the singles “Saviour”, “Second Go”, “Drive My Soul”.  In 2009, she took home the coveted Juno Award for “Best New Artist”.

For the latest Lights news, visit www.iamlights.com or follow her on www.facebook.com/lights along with well over half a million fans.

Stay tuned and online for Fall 2011 tour dates that will be announced shortly.

SIBERIA TRACK LISTING:

1.         Siberia

2.         Where the Fence is Low

3.         Toes                                                   
4.         Banner                                               
5.         Everybody Breaks a Glass                
6.         Heavy Rope                                       
7.         Timing is Everything                           
8.         Peace Sign                                         
9.         Cactus in the Valley                           
10.       Suspension                                        
11.       Flux and Flow                                    
12.       Fourth Dimension                               
13.       And Counting …

14.       Day One

# # #

London-based, genre-bending Morcheeba will cross the pond early next year for a slew of North American tour dates. The tour will kick off in NYC with two nights at the Fillmore-Irving Plaza (Feb 11-12). A full list of tour dates is below.

Keep yourself occupied until then with the beautifully chilling video for “Blood Like Lemonade.” The song tells the tale of an ex-priest vampire bounty hunter, who goes around seeking revenge on bad guys and bandits, whose blood he drinks like lemonade. The video was directed by Joshua Leonard (Blair Witch Project, Bones, Numb3rs, CSI Miami) and stars Robert Forster (Jackie Brown, Heroes).

Summer of 2010 saw the release of the band’s latest full-length record, Blood Like Lemonade. Blood Like Lemonade is a cornerstone for the band and marks the return of essential member Skye Edwards on vocals since their debut release in 2003.

Morcheeba’s multi-instrumentalist, Paul Godfrey, says: ’This is the record we should have made after “Big Calm” but we had to travel treacherous terrains to get back to our natural habitat.’ Skye adds: ‘Friends have been asking, “What does the new Morcheeba record sound like?” My answer? “It sounds like Morcheeba” Of course!’

TOUR DATES

Feb 10, 2011 DC – 9:30 Club

Feb 11, 2011 New York City The Fillmore – Irving Plaza

Feb 12, 2011 New York City The Fillmore – Irving Plaza

Feb 14, 2011 Philadelphia World Cafe Live

Feb 16, 2011 Boston The Paradise Lounge

Feb 18, 2011 Quebec, Canada Imperial de Quebec | Theatre Imperial

Feb 19, 2011 Montreal, Canada Metropolis

Feb 20, 2011 Toronto, Canada Phoenix Concert Theatre

Feb 22, 2011 Chicago House of Blues – Chicago

Feb 23, 2011 Minneapolis First Avenue

Feb 25, 2011 Aspen, CO Belly Up Aspen

Feb 26, 2011 Denver Ogden Theatre

Mar 01, 2011 Seattle Showbox

Mar 03, 2011 Vancouver, Canada Commodore Ballroom

Mar 04, 2011 Portland Roseland Theater

Mar 05, 2011 San Francisco Warfield Theatre

Mar 06, 2011 Los Angeles The Music Box @ Henry Fonda Theater

Mar 08, 2011 San Diego House of Blues

Australian breakout act Expatriate is pleased to announce the North American release of their critically acclaimed debut In The Midst of This. To celebrate the release, Expatriate is making the Lakes of Light remix of “Crazy” available for free download.

Expatriate began when frontman Ben King met and drank with Cristo and Damian Press – keyboardist and guitarist – in the bars of the indie music scene of Sydney. One would run into the other, play in a band with another and eventually Cristo and Damian would live together in a house that came to be known as Ginsberg Studios – the studio run by Damian Press.

Damian fashioned a studio and general creative space for the band to facilitate, without distraction and on their own time, a sound and a vision to take forward.  It was here, in the hundred-year-old house, that Ben brought in his initial demos for what would become the ‘Lovers le Strange’ release. The four-track EP was recorded, engineered and mixed by Damian. It was from this start that set forth in motion several appearances at various festivals, a sold-out national tour and support slots for the likes of Wolfmother and The Presets.

Following on from international appearances in 2007, including London, Toronto, New York and Los Angeles, the band headed to Robert Lang Studios in Seattle, USA to commence recording of their debut record, In the Midst of This, with producer John Goodmanson (Death Cab for Cutie, Hot Hot Heat, Wu Tang Clan).  It was in this very studio the likes of Nirvana did their last sessions and is where Foo Fighters recorded their first two records. The band lived in a two-story house on top of the studio, buried into a hill on the edge of the Seattle harbor.  The setting was all together beautiful and wholesome with Ben framing the scene, in a blog entry, as like ‘being in a bookmark for the American dream’.

After solidifying their place in the contemporary musical landscape of Australia, the four members are now, in fact, expatriates; moving to Berlin in the winter of 2008. The main catalyst for the relocation came from Riverman Management, the company behind Placebo, taking the band on and managing them.

TRACKLISTING:

1. GET OUT, GIVE IN

2. CRAZY

3. GOTTA GET HOME

4. AIR

5. THE SPACES BETWEEN

6. IN THE NIGHT

7. ONLY WANNA LOVE YA

8. PLAY A PART

9. SHOOTING STAR

10. BLACKBIRD

11. TIMES LIKE THESE

12. ARE YOU AWAKE?

The Best Of What’s Next…

Crowned the “electro metal Mozart” by MSTRKRFT’s JFK, Finnish producer and executioner Huoratron (pronounced whore-a-tron) is releasing an exclusive DEATHFACE remix of the mind-thrashing hit “Corporate Occult” for free. Grab the track from BrooklynVegan here.

Crowned the “electro metal Mozart” by MSTRKRFT’s JFK, Finnish producer and executioner Huoratron (pronounced whore-a-tron) is releasing an exclusive DEATHFACE remix of the mind-thrashing hit “Corporate Occult” for free. Grab the track from BrooklynVegan here.

Huoratron recently kicked off a North American tour, stopping next in LA on November 5. Huoratron will hit Canada, the US, Mexico and Puerto Rico before the year is over. A full list of tour dates is below. Huoratron also has a remix for M.I.A. in the works. This one is sure to be a banger. Stay tuned for more details.

Setting the stage for the full-length release in early 2011, Last Gang Records has recently released PREVENGE, a deluxe digital masterpiece containing Huoratron’s two previously released EPs, Corporate Occult and $$ Troopers. The compilation is available digitally.  You can download it here.

Forged from the flames of darkness, Huoratron is the solo project of Finland’s Aku Raski, who began using two Game Boy consoles to produce experimental and dark electro. Since then, he’s risen from the digital underground and updated his gear while maintaining the pure black sound and raw aesthetics. As a founding member of New Judas Records, Huoratron has found its place among the movement in pulsating electronic dance music taking the stage on an international level.

TOUR DATES:

Nov 5 – LA – Avalon  
Nov 6 – Tijuana, MX – Leyva’s Disco
Nov 9 – LA – TBA
Nov 11 – Chicago – Evil Olive
Nov 12 – New York – Webster Hall
Nov 13 – San Juan – Kronos

STONES THROW X SANDISK MIX BY J.ROCC featuring Mayer Hawthrones, Dam-Funk and More.
SanDisk Offers Music from Stones Throw on wakeupyourphone.com. Check Out Download Dam-Funks’ “Gangsta Touch” Here

It’s going to be a very busy fall for Toronto-based multiplatform pop artist John O’ AKA Diamond Rings. He’s already dropped a Tunnelvision documentary with Pitchfork, put out the Something Else 7″ on September 28th, and now he’s pleased to announce his latest video for the single “Something Else” along with UK and North American tour dates highlighted by a jam-packed schedule at CMJ.

You can check out the video here. “Something Else” will appear on Diamond Rings’ debut album Special Affections out October 25th on Secret City Records. The album is available for pre-order now here.

First conceived in the summer of 2009, Diamond Rings burst onto the scene with a series of singles and videos featuring green screen camera trickery, over the top choreography, and daring androgynous outfits and makeup. The videos received international praise from both the online media and fans alike.  The singles, pressed to limited edition vinyl, sold out in a matter of weeks and received critical praise including “Best New Music” honors from Pitchfork.

Although initially pegged in some corners as a novelty act, audiences soon began to identify with Diamond Rings’ uniquely lyrical brand of pop songwriting and his overtly glamorous live sets.  Showcasing real human emotion and honest vulnerability is rare enough for a 24-year-old let alone one who matches his eye shadow with his Air Force Ones while dancing about onstage with the reckless abandon of a teenager in the bathroom mirror. But there’s something surprisingly mature shimmering beneath the glamour, hidden in John O’s immediately iconic voice, and whip-smart lyrics.

Tour Dates:
10/16  Iceland Airwaves, Reykjavik, Iceland
10/20  CMJ (Stereo Gun Party) Santos Party House, New York, NY
10/21  CMJ (Brooklyn Day Party), Knitting Factory, Brooklyn, NY
10/21  CMJ (NYC Taper Day Party) Cake Shop, New York, NY
10/22  CMJ (Distiller Day Party), The Knitting Factory, Brooklyn, NY
10/23  CMJ (Bowery Presents Party), Pianos, New York, NY
10/23  CMJ (Pitchfork #Offline) Brooklyn Bowl, Brooklyn, NY
10/26  The Garrison, Toronto, ON*
10/27  Alex P. Keaton, London, ON*
10/28  This Ain’t Hollywood, Hamilton, ON*
10/29 Raw Sugar Café, Ottawa, ON*
10/30 The Mansion, Kingston, ON*
10/31  Il Motore, Montreal, QC*
11/01  Ebar Guelph, ON*
11/04  Mojo, Liverpool, UK
11/05  Inside Out, Darlington, UK  
11/06  Barfly, Cardiff, UK
11/08  The Forum, Sheffield, UK
11/09  Roadmender, Northampton, UK
11/10  The Lexington, London, UK
11/11  The Ruby Lounge, Manchester, UK  
11/12  The Adelphi Club, Hull, UK
11/13  Cockpit, Leeds, UK
11/18  The Pawn Shop,  Edmonton, AB
11/19  Broken City, Calgary, AB
11/20  Biltmore Cabaret, Vancouver, BC
11/23  Echo, Los Angeles, CA
11/25  330 Ritch, San Francisco, CA
11/28  Lucky Bar, Victoria BC
12/01  Empty Bottle, Chicago, IL
12/03  DC9, Washington DC
12/04  Glasslands, Brooklyn, NY

* w/ PS I Love You

US indie acts including Animal Collective, Deerhoof, Andrew Bird, Megafaun, Oneida pay tribute to Congotronics acts such as Konono N°1 and Kasai Allstars.  The unique music of Konono N°1, Kasai Allstars and other Congolese bands who play electrified traditional music (also known as “tradi-modern”) has had a deep impact on numerous artists from the indie rock and electronic music scenes, who have reacted with unbridled enthusiasm.

Crammed has asked a carefully chosen list of musicians to come up with their own personal take on Congotronics. The result is this epic double album, consisting of 26 brand-new tracks inspired by the sound of the Congotronics bands: most of the contributions blur the boundaries between reinventions and covers, reworks and homages. The compilation will be released November 9 of this year.

Much like its source material, this music is by turns serene, invigoratingly noisy or aimed squarely at open-minded dancefloors yet always intriguing and in some way revelatory: this album pretends to be nothing other than a joyful homage to what has become a true phenomenon of contemporary music – but listen in, and maybe some unlikely musical bloodlines can be traced…

Featured artists include prominent US indie bands such as Animal Collective, Deerhoof, Andrew Bird, Megafaun, Oneida, Portland’s AU, New York’s Skeletons and Chicago’s Allá, unique personalities such as Juana Molina, Jolie Holland and Glenn Kotche (of Wilco), London’s mutant pop sensation Micachu & The Shapes, innovative electronic music producers such as Shackleton, Optimo and Bass Clef from the UK, and Germany’s Burnt Friedman and Mark Ernestus (of Basic Channel and Maurizio fame), a rare appearance by the label’s seminal band Aksak Maboul and many more. The Congotronics bands paid tribute to are primarily Konono No 1 and Kasai Allstars, but also Sobanza Mimanisa, Kisanzi Congo, and Kasai Allstars offshoots Masanka Sankayi and Basokin.

CD1

1.      Deerhoof vs Kasai Allstars – Travels Broaden The Mind

2.      Animal Collective vs Kasai Allstars – Quick As White

3.      Andrew Bird vs Konono N°1 & Sobanza Mimanisa – Ohnono/Kiwembo

4.      Tussle vs Konono N°1 – Soft Crush

5.      Glenn Kotche vs Konono N°1 – Traducteur de Transmission

6.      Lonely Drifter Karen vs Kasai Allstars – Hunting On The Moon

7.      Jherek Bischoff vs Konono N°1 – Kule Kule (Orchestral Version)

8.      Woom vs Kasai Allstars – Enter The Chief

9.      Juana Molina vs Kasai Allstars – Hoy supe que viajas

10.     Mark Ernestus vs Konono N°1 – Masikulu Dub

11.     Skeletons vs Sobansa Mimanisa – Kiwembo/Unstuck

12.     Jolie Holland & Joel Hamilton vs Kasai Allstars – Nyeka Nyeka

13.     Aksak Maboul vs Kasai Allstars – Land Dispute

CD2

1.      Shackleton vs Kasai Allstars – Mukuba Special

2.      Hoquets vs Konono N°1 – Likembes

3.      Micachu & The Shapes vs Konono N°1 – NO.K

4.      Megafaun vs Kisanzi Kongo – Conjugal Mirage

5.      AU vs Masanka Sankayi – Two Labors

6.      Allá vs Basokin – Mulu(me)

7.      Bear Bones, Lay Low vs Konono N°1 – Kuletronics

8.      Burnt Friedman vs Konono N°1 – Rubaczech

9.      Oneida vs Konono N°1 – Nombre 1!

10.     Optimo vs Konono N°1 – Wumbanzanga

11.     Bass Clef vs Kasai Allstars – The Incident At Mbuji-Mayi

12.     Eye vs Konono N°1 – Konono Wa Wa Wa

13.     Sylvain Chauveau vs Konono N°1 – Makembe

UNKLE DROPS “THE ANSWER” EP AND RELEASES “RUNAWAY, LUPE’S REVENGE” FEATURING LUPE FIASCO
UNKLE is pleased to release the six song ‘The Answer’ EP which includes two new songs, a collaboration with hip-hop prodigy Lupe Fiasco and a remix by original UNKLE member Tim Goldsworthy. The record drops today in the UK, but those in the US are going to have to wait until tomorrow. In celebration of the release, UNKLE is releasing the track “Runaway, Lupe’s Revenge (Lupe Fiasco vs UNKLE Reconstruction)” online for free. Our friends over at RCRD LBL got their hands on it first and you can grab it here.

In support of the release of The Answer EP, UNKLE will be embarking on their first US appearances in three years at select cities in the US and Mexico during the month of October. Tickets available via unkle.com. See below for a full list of US dates.

The hip-hop reworking of ‘The Runaway’ off UNKLE’s most recent album ‘Where Did The Night Fall’ sees Lupe Fiasco rhyming with an untouchable, laid-back cool as splintered synths and a shuddering bass-line envelope around him.  Original UNKLE member, Tim Goldsworthy (LCD Soundsystem/DFA), morphs the subtle, desert-scorched previous single ‘Follow Me Down’ into a breathless, urgent 8-minute epic.  The cinematic ‘Separate Half’ features San Francisco quartet Lumerians with vocals by Rebecca Coseboom. Pulsating and airy, ‘Separate Half’ takes listeners on a journey passing through kaleidoscope worlds. The quiet, dusty lament of ‘Country Tune’ builds to become vast and expansive in scope, anchored by fragile vocal from UNKLE collaborator Gavin Clark.

The Answer EP Tracklist:

01.  The Answer (ft. Big In Japan – Baltimore)

02.  Separate Half (ft. The Lumerians with Rebecca Coseboom)

03.  Country Tune (ft. Gavin Clark)

04.  The Runaway:  Lupe’s Revenge (Lupe Fiasco vs UNKLE Reconstruction)

05.  Follow Me Down (ft. Sleepy Sun) (Tim Goldsworthy Remix)

06.  Heavy Drug (Reprise)

No events booked at the moment.

AXEL KRYGIER RELEASES FIRST SINGLE FROM UPCOMING RECORD

DOWNLOAD “CUCARACHA” FOR FREE HERE

PESEBRE OUT SEPTEMBER 28^TH ON CRAMMED DISCS

“KRYGIER, who switches effortlessly between flute, tenor sax and keyboard throughout his funky set, is Argentinean but his musicians come from Spain, Portugal and Cuba. His music veers between reggae, ska, jazz and flamenco with some yodeling thrown in. Odd, but somehow it works.” – THE OBSERVER (UK)

In anticipation of the release of his third studio album, vocalist, composer, producer and multi-instrumentalist Axel Krygier is making the record’s first single, “Cucaracha,” available for free digital download. You can get the Latin-infused track here. Pesebre will be available September 28 worldwide on Crammed Discs.

Krygier is a central figure in the alternative music scene in Argentina, where he’s considered as a modern-day Renaissance man, having ran the gamut from playing in rock bands, writing scores for acclaimed playwrights, and being a forerunner of the digital cumbia movement. After two acclaimed albums in his own country, Pesebre is his first international release.

Debut Full-Length Lands At #36 With First Week Sales Toppling 10,000

BEST COAST’S ‘CRAZY FOR YOU’ CRACKS TOP 40
Debut Full-Length Lands At #36 With First Week Sales Toppling 10,000

“short and pungent, full of dreamy no-fi pop
with tremendous melodies and emotions.” – New York Times

“a perfect summer record” – Rolling Stone

“In recent years, there’s been a revival of sun-baked rock, and the California duo Best Coast is now at its forefront.” – NPR’s All Things Considered

Mexican Summer is pleased to announce that everyone’s favorite California Girl had an explosive first week in sales. Released on July 27^th on Mexican Summer, Best Coast’s debut full-length sold over 10,000 units catapulting her to the ranks of Ke$ha and Miley Cyrus while peaking at #36. This is the first time in recent memory an independent artist’s debut gained a foothold in the mainstream’s upper echelon most commonly held by an exclusive club of major label outfits.

The band has spent the last year gaining momentum in the media by independently releasing a steady stream of limited edition 7” vinyl records. This combined with extensive touring and breakout performances at SxSW earned them the embrace of critics and fans alike.

Primarily made up of singer and guitarist Bethany Cosentino and cohort multi-instrumentalist Bobb Bruno, the band’s much-awaited debut album was recorded at Black Iris, a studio in LA’s Echo Park neighborhood, by Lewis Pesacov of the bands Fool’s Gold and Foreign Born. The result is a collection of maudlin and magical songs that approach relationships with a pure heart, a cloudy mind and pair of gas station sunglasses.

As Best Coast currently wraps up their headlining European tour, fans will be able to catch them stateside as they headline shows throughout the rest of the year. A full list of dates is below.

Tour Dates

No events booked at the moment.

REVIEW COPIES ARE AVAILABLE

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: JEFF ANDERSON AT JEFF@ROCKSTEADYLA.COM OR JESS ROTTER AT JESS@MEXICANSUMMER.COM

Download the Press Release (docx)

Announcing “The Answer” EP & select North American Performances

UNKLE ANNOUNCES “THE ANSWER” EP & SELECT NORTH AMERICA PERFORMANCES

Available 9/28 on Surrender All Featuring Tracks With Lupe Fiasco & Tim Goldsworthy; Performances In LA, NYC, SF, Mexico City, Guadalajara

UNVEILS TWO SHORT FILMS FOR TITLE TRACK
Starring Ray Winstone & Directed By John Hillcoat; Watch Them @ UNKLE.COM

UNKLE returns September 28 with the six song ‘The Answer’ EP which includes two new songs, a collaboration with hip-hop prodigy Lupe Fiasco and a remix by original UNKLE member Tim Goldsworthy.  Pre-order ‘The Answer’ EP limited edition 12” vinyl and limited edition CD now at unkle.com/shop. In support of the release of The Answer EP, UNKLE will be embarking on their first US appearances in several years at select cities in the US and Mexico during the month of October. Pre-sale tickets available via unkle.com starting Wednesday, Aug 18 at 12 pm EST. General public on sale is Friday, August 20 at 12 pm EST.

The hip-hop reworking of ‘The Runaway’ off UNKLE’s most recent album ‘Where Did The Night Fall’ sees Lupe Fiasco rhyming with an untouchable, laid-back cool as splintered synths and a shuddering bass-line envelope around him.  Original UNKLE member, Tim Goldsworthy (LCD Soundsystem/DFA), morphs the subtle, desert-scorched previous single ‘Follow Me Down’ into a breathless, urgent 8-minute epic.  The cinematic ‘Separate Half’ features San Francisco quartet Lumerians with vocals by Rebecca Coseboom. Pulsating and airy, ‘Separate Half’ takes listeners on a journey passing through kaleidoscope worlds. The quiet, dusty lament of ‘Country Tune’ builds to become vast and expansive in scope, anchored by fragile vocal from UNKLE collaborator Gavin Clark.

‘The Answer’ EP served as a catalyst for inspiring a variety of high profile and creative artists to make works of art, video, fashion which will be exhibited at James Lavelle’s pop-up art exhibition ‘Daydreaming with…James Lavelle’ at Haunch Of Venison gallery in London, 27 – 30 August.

To accompany the release of ‘The Answer’ EP, UNKLE unveil two music videos.  Acclaimed film director John Hillcoat, whose last major motion picture feature was the critically heralded ‘The Road’, directs the first of two videos for ‘The Answer’.  His vision begins with Ray Winstone (The Departed, Sexy Beast, Cold Mountain) relaying a memory from years past.  It is a provocative anecdote and an intimate snapshot of an event that changed the actor’s life.  Wrapped up in the all-encompassing reach of the song, a kaleidoscopic slide show then screens a series of fantastical, psychedelic images, some bleached and distorted, some drenched in hyper-visual colours, all whilst Winstone narrates.

The second video is directed by Ross Cairns and features footage from the Relentless ‘Lives Of The Artists’ documentaries of legendary snowboard free-riders Jeremy Jones and Xavier De Le Rue who climb and ride near vertical faces of the harsh Antarctic plus surfers Tom Lowe and Fergal Smith in Tahiti where they ride one of the world’s most revered heavy waves: Teahupoo, (known locally as ‘Wall of Skulls).  The highly anticipated new installment, ‘Lives Of The Artists: Follow Me Down” premiering this September profiles James Lavelle with music scored by UNKLE.

Tracklisting:

01.  The Answer (ft. Big In Japan – Baltimore)

02.  Separate Half (ft. The Lumerians with Rebecca Coseboom)

03.  Country Tune (ft. Gavin Clark)

04.  The Runaway:  Lupe’s Revenge (Lupe Fiasco vs UNKLE Reconstruction)

05.  Follow Me Down (ft. Sleepy Sun) (Tim Goldsworthy Remix)

06.  Heavy Drug (Reprise)

No events booked at the moment.

Download the Press Release (doc)

Announcing Limited Edition “The Lead Riders” 12″ EP

FLIGHT ANNOUNCE LIMITED EDITION “THE LEAD RIDERS” EP 12” VINYL RECORD
To Be Released On ZOO MUSIC September 28th

“ridiculously undeniable pop hooks” – The FADER

“an explosive blast of jagged guitars and distorted “Woo”s that nicely balances hooks and production” - Pitchfork

ZOO MUSIC presents the limited edition The Lead Riders EP 12” vinyl record available on September 28th from Mississippi-based blown out punks FLIGHT. Pressed in a limited edition of 500 vinyl records. The Lead Riders features six full-throttled exclusive unreleased tracks coated in noise and layered distortion. Adding to the release, fans can sign up for ZOO MUSIC’s mailing list to get first crack at the vinyl. You can sign up here.

Despite critical acclaim of previous releases, Mississippi’s FLIGHT have somehow managed to operate in deep secrecy. Depending on who you believe, FLIGHT is somewhere between a mysterious solo project and a full-blown quartet. Little is know from the haunting psych-noise band with several releases behind them including releases from Plastic Spoons, Hozac, Sweet Rot and Kill Shaman.

Spending time attempting to decipher the origins or back-story on the band will only lead to endless roads and dead end trails. The face(s) and story(s) behind the fuzzed out project will all be revealed in due time. For now let’s focus on their latest release The Lead Riders.

Tracklisting 01.  Turns To Blood
02.  Straight Line
03.  Witch Hunt Town
04.  Real Estate
05.  The Lead Riders
06.  Goodbye Horses

INTERVIEWS & REVIEW COPIES ARE AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: JEFF@ROCKSTEADYLA.COM

Download the Press Release (docx)

Announcing Local Natives / Free Energy split 7″

WHITE IRIS RECORDS ANNOUNCES LOCAL NATIVES & FREE ENERGY 

LIMITED EDITION SPLIT REMIX 7-INCH VINYL RECORD

Featuring Local Natives’ “Eyes Wide” & Free Energy’s “Bang Pop” Remixed By Lewis Pesacov of Fool’s Gold; Available September 14

Download Free Energy’s “Bang Pop (Fool’s Gold Remix)” Here

White Iris Records, the label counterpart to Black Iris, a premiere recording studio and music collective, is pleased to announce their latest limited-edition 7-inch vinyl record featuring exclusive tracks from Local Natives and Free Energy. Available on September 14th, the previously released a-side features Local Natives’ “Eyes Wide” remixed by Lewis Pesacov, a member of Foreign Born, Fool’s Gold and a Black Iris’ producer. Flip the wax and hear Pesacov ‘s remix treatment of Free Energy’s “Bang Pop”. The track is available for free download here. For all of you OCD crate-diggers, you can get the limited edition vinyl on pre-order here.

Free Energy kicks off a National tour with Titus Andronicus this Thursday. The two bands will be selling a spilt 7” exclusive to the tour as they travel the U.S. and Canada together.  Both groups have recorded special covers for the record, Free Energy’s being Bruce Springsteen’s “I’m Going Down”.

Free Energy’s debut album, Stuck On Nothing, produced by DFA’s James Murphy, is out now on Astralwerks/DFA Records. Don’t miss your chance to see what Rolling Stone, Spin, and Alternative Press have all declared as one of the most exciting bands of 2010 live!

This announcement comes off the heels of White Iris Record’s latest limited edition runs from artists such as Best Coast, Foreign Born, Bad Veins and more. Currently, White Iris is planning several exclusive limited-edition vinyl releases throughout the year.

Lewis Nicolas Pesacov is a life long connoisseur of music. He holds two degrees, one in Classical Music Theory/Composition as well as one in German from San Francisco State University, having also studied at the Conservatory for Music in Trossingen, Germany. After returning from Europe to his west-coast musical roots, he launched two bands- Foreign Born, which has released two EPs and two albums, as well as Fool’s Gold, which has released one single and one album, all of which on reputable independent labels. When home from a busy touring schedule, Lewis lives in Los Angeles, writing and producing music for his bands, friend’s bands and for Black Iris.“

After touring with different acts, hearing their sets night after night, I usually end up hearing different musical vibes, ideas, parts, harmonies, etc to their music that’s not there already- it may just be the producer in me,” says Pesacov. “This leads quite easily into remixing their tracks. I almost see remixing as a modern way to cover songs – to re-contextualize the musical material, create something new – a different angle based on the same theme. This slips quite easily into my workflow at Black Iris as we’re all about creating a multitude of tracks with totally varying styles.”

Black Iris is a collective of musicians, deeply rooted within the independent music scene, which creates original and innovative compositions for entertainment, media and advertising campaigns. Black Iris developed its own record label under the moniker of White Iris Records as a natural extension of the established music collective. White Iris Records introduced itself to the world when it released the first Fool’s Gold 7” to much excitement and critical acclaim. White Iris Records is quickly establishing itself as one of the most pioneering labels today.

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT JEFF@ROCKSTEADYLA.COM

For more information on Free Energy or ticket requests, contact:

Aleix Martinez – Aleix@girlie.com – 212-989-2222 x136

Sarah Avrin – Sarah@girlie.com – 212-989-2222 x118

No events booked at the moment.